
Qass- 
Book 



HISTORY 



OF 



wm m 




m 



1, 



NEW JERSEY, 



WITH 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHrS 



OF MANY OF ITS 



Pioneers and Prominent Men. 



rOJlPILED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF 

W. Vv^OODFORD CLAYTON, 

ASSISTED BY 

WILLIAM NELSON, A.M., 

RECORDING SECRETARY NEW JERSEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 



II.LTJSTRA.TED. 



PHILADELPHIA: 

EVERTS & PECK. 
188 2. 




PRESS OF J. B LIPPINCOTT & CO., PHILADELPHIA. 



PREFACE. 



The design of tlie present voluoie has been to furnish a conipreiiciisive and reliable history 

of Bergen and Passaic Counties, New Jersey. In grouping these counties together in one vol- 

/ ume respect has been had to that ancient tie of lineage and race which has given and will pre- 

^ serve in both sections an identity of interest, and also to the fact that for more than a century 

and a half tiiese counties were one in territory and munici[)al government. It is therefore fitting 

that tiiey should be classed together in their history. '^ / 

I It is not necessary to ask the reader to pause iiere upon the tiireshold of this volume to 

I listen to a lengthy description of what it contains, or to a eulogy calculated to bins his judgment 

in favor of it in advance. The work will speak for itself. We ask only the reader's candid 

verdict after the volume shall have been impartially perused. 

I There are but a few words of explanation necessary in these prefatory remarks. The work 

.. f compiling this history was begun scarcely more than a year ago. Of course it coidd not have 

iXien so soon completed by a single writer. The plan has been to employ several writers upon 

\ ■ ^-.fferent departments. This plan has been carried out, and the present volume is the result of 

their united labors, amounting in all to several years' work for a single individual. 

The writers who have assisted in the compilation of this work are William Nelson, A.M., 
of Paterson, the late Judge Nehemiah Millard, of tiie same city, Rufus T. Peck, Esq., Charles 
K. Westbrook, A.B., and Edgar O. Wagner, Esq., of the publisiiers' regular staff of assistants. 
The three last mentioned gentlemen have written a large siiare of the biographical sketches. 

All the work thus furnished, except a part of the biographies and the history of the city of 
Paterson, by Mr. Nelson, has been submitted to the revision of the responsible historian, whose 
duty it has been not only to write the general history of both counties, but to so handle the whole 
mass of matter entering into the volume as to make it one liomogeneous, orderly, and consecutive 
work throughout. This latter task has been comparatively easy, owing to the excellence both in 
style and matter of most of the township histories furnished by the assistant writers. 

The name of Mr. Nelson attached to his part of the work is a sufficient guarantee that so 
much of it at least has been well done. And it has been tlie conscientious endeavor of the 
general historian to attain to a like excellence throughout the entire volume. It should be men- 
tioned in this connection that for the interesting early history of schools in the townships we are 
indebted to the carefully prepared centennial manuscript of Mr. Demarest, Superintendent of 
Schools in Bergen County. 

Our thanks are due for many courtesies extended to us and our Assistants in both counties, 
and for matter whicii has been gratuitously and cheerfully furnished by a number of per- 
sons. We desire also to acknowledge our indebtedness to the county and town officials and to 
members of the press generally throughout the counties. 

W. WOODFORD CLAYTON. 

Philadklphia, Murch, 1882. 



[, 



J 



CONTENTS. 






CHAPTER I. 
General and Topographical Features 13 

CHAPTER II. 
Geology lii 

CHAPTER III. 

Discovery and Occupation of New Netherland 22 

CHAPTER IV. 
Indian Occupation 24 

CHAPTER V. 

Indian Hostilities. 

Final Disposal of tUo Delawares 29 

CHAPTER VI. 

Old Bercen Town and Township. 

First Indian Deed — Pavonia — Ordirmnco Creating a Fortified Town — 
Repurchase from the Indians — Settlement of the Village — Meaning 
of the Name Bergen — Surrender to the English — NewCliarter of Ber- 
gen — Lands in the Township — Cliaiter of Carteret 32 

CHAPTEK VII. 

Other Ancient Settlements. 

Settlements in 1685 — New Barbadoes Neck — Northwestern Part of the 
County 39 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Land Patents in Bergen County. 

Capt. John Berry's Patent— Demarest Patent — Willock's and Johnston's 
Patent — Frenchman's Garden 42 

CHAPTER IX. 
Manners and Customs of the Hollanders — Nomenclati-re, 
Domestic and Social Habits — Learned Clergy — Dutch 
Nomenclature 46 

CHAPTER X. 

Expeditions Against the French — The Schuylers 48 

CHAPTER XI. \ 

Bergen and Passaic Counties in the Rkvolution. 
T!io Preliminary Stage of the War — Bergen County Resolutions — Prep- 
arations to resist the British— Development of Loyalty to tlie King — 
Active tnovemeuts begun — Washington in Hackensack 49 

CHAPTER XII. 
Bercen and Passaic Counties in the Revolution (Con- 

Exploit of Col. Aaron Burr— Clinton's Raid— Msj. Leo's Gallant At- 
tempt to Capture Paulus Hook— General Poor's Death— Raid of Hes- 
sians and Refugees 53 

CHAPTER XIII. 
Bergen and Passaic Counties in the Revolution {Con- 
tinued). 
The Massacre near Old Tappan , 66 



CHAPTER XIV. 

Bergen and Passaic Counties in the Revolution (Continued). 
Gen. Wayne's E.\peditiou 69 

CHAPTER XV. 

Bergen AND Passaic Counties in the Revolution {Continued). 

Miscellaneous Notes and E.\tracts— E,vtract8 from the Minutes of the 

Council of Safety, 1777 .'. 64 

CHAPTER XVI. 

Confiscated Estates in Bergen County. 

High Treason— Listof Confiscated Estates from the County of Bergen 67 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Bergen County Men in the Revolution, Etc. 

Incidents of the Revolution in Passaic County 71 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

The Old Township of Hackensack. 

Original Boundaries and Extent of the Township— Grants of Land — 

Traditions of Van Der Horst and others — The Patent of John Dema- 

rest — Civil Organization of tlio Township— Tlio Township in 1840 — 

Early Schools — Property Destroyed by the British 74 

CHAPTER XIX. 
Civil Organization of the County of Bergen go 

CHAPTER XX. 
Civil List of Bergen County 81 

CHAPTER XXI. 

Internal Improvements. 
Roads— Bridges— Ferries — Railroads— The Morris Canal 85 

CHAPTER XXII. 

Early Courts op Bergen. 

Espatin — Courts at Bergen 89 

CHAPTER XXIII. 
Courts after the Organization op the County. 
Colonial Laws and Courts in Bergen — Conrt-Houses, Clerks' and Sur- 
rogates' Offices !('t 

CHAPTER XXIV. 
The Bench and Bar of Bercen County 99 

CHAPTER XXV. 

The Medical Profession in Bergen County. 
District Medical Society of Bergen County 110 

CHAPTER XXVI. 
The Press op Bergen County. 
The Bergen County Democrat— Tho Hackensack Republican — The 
Bergen Index— The Englewood Times— The Bergen County 
Herald US 

5 



CONTENTS. 



CIIA.'TER XXVII. 
Tmb Sriptv* BKvrM'K— ficnooL Frxn 



fllAPTER XXVIII. 

S<Ki>Tiiv \M> l!«i<ii;ioH.iTrp Com'AMK- 01' IIehckx Coi .itv. ; 

1 Cbunl.T ItiMe Sodoly— IWrrgon Couiiiy SmiJii>-Scliool As- 

:t~Tb«B«r^<-i> Coaiilj Farniera* Mutual Fire In«uninc« Com. : 

|4Dj— Bersvn (Vtuiiiv Aaaunioce AawcUUoD, IlAckoonck... 122 

CIIAI'TKK XXIX. 

Briiiikn ami I'as.-m. Coi'S'tiks in tiik Waii iif the Uebf-llion. 

8ltiiatluii In IS4I— FInil Brigade — Second Brigade— Exc«lslor Bri- 

t;n<l« » 126 

CHAPTEU XXX. 

UKHni:<i Axi) Passaic CooxTlE.s is tiik Wak or the Hebel- 

I.IOX {Coniiiiuiil). 
Thr KiBlli lUglucnl— The Tonlh Brgimriil— The ThirMeDlh Rrgi- 
mcnt 1^2 

CHAITER XXXI. 
IIkhoc!! asd Pa&saic Counties is tiik War or the Kebel- 

I.IOX {C»nli«iic<l). 
Twentx.*#cond Rpgimont — Flag PrcMiitatiuii - 137 

CHAPTER XXXII. 
Bkroex Axn Passaic Cou.xties i.x the Waii or the Redei.- 

I.IOX ( Conlinned). 
Twi-nlj'-flrih Rcgimriil— Twentjr-third Regiment 144 

CHAPTER XXX in. 

lin .iiii> iir i>(ssAIc CouxTV Mex in the Waii of the IIebfi.- 
i.iox 162 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

New UAHBAtioEs. 

Ancient and Modrrn B^iundarieo— Phyaical Feature*— Meaning of Hack. 
rii«iA. k- I'-irlv s.-itl. iner.t« — Civil OrganlrAlion— Frfeliolders of Sew 
llorl.nilo*.*— Vlll^^^;.•- ;iiid lliinilfta — Newspapera- CInircltM arid llii'lr 
tjirljr lllilury— .HcliKila— Cliarterrd Cuni|>anirii and Societiea— Bank- 
uig Initltullona— FolruKUnl and Cliorr^ Hill— Uurlal-I'lacet lOO 

rjlAPTKU XXXV. 

SaIiM.I. ItlVEIl. 

Baunilailr. and lleneral I)e<crii>llun-Natnral Fealiira— Karly Settlo- 
nienu .-^ li .!• lllKtiwayi-Organiiatian— CiTil IJat — Churctapa- 
Iiurml-i'li. . . Ilui.irical Nolca 194 

rilAPTKU XXXVI. 

FlIAXKLIX. 
Niine.Mloallnn aiHl |loMn<tariee— riiyilol FralurM— Early dettlemenln 
''"" ■ ■» and UaniUla— Schoob— Oioroliai— 

" i-' I *M 

CHAPTKR XXXVII. 
II 
i'i.onlIt«rTlpli..»-i:.r|yi>. i{ Ml.i,.rT— a»IIOnpioliaUon 

ri.c~of IIMnrtcal lnlanM~VllU,i«andlUmleU— Ohurebea. »10 

rHAI'TER XXXVIII. 

I,"r.t. 
IUt<i. 



I CHAPTER XXXIX. 

120 I Washixctox. 

' Natural Feature*— Early Selllenieula— Sclioola- Early Highway*— 
' Burial-Place*— Ur):aniiatlaQ— Ciril LUt— Village* and Hamlet*— 
Ciiurilie*- Fricndslilp Lodge, Ko. 10^ F. and A. M.— Historical Note* 
and Incident* MS ' 

CHAPTER XI,. 

ItlluiEFIKLII. 

riiVBical FMluree— Eirly SettlcmenU— Clill Organiiation- Village* and 
llanilfl*— School*— CliurtrliiM—luduslrU's 24.S 

CHAPTEU XL I. 

EXGLBWOOD. 
Phynicul Feature*— Organixatlon— Early &etlU>ment— Plncesand Event 
of Ilii«torical Interest — Village* and Hamlets— ScliooU-Cliurclii** and 
Societie* 2j7 

CHAPTER XLII. 

Palisade. 

Fbyaical Feature*— Early Settlement*— Civil Organitallon—Placn of 
Hiaturic Iulere*t — Village* and Hamlet* — School* — Cburchee ^Al 

CHAPTER XLIII. 

VXION. 

Originkl Purrha*« — Natural Feature* — Early Settlement* — School* — 
Early Iligliways— Organiulion— CItII Lial- Village* and llamleto— 
Sociclio* and Ordere — Cliurvhes— Lyudhurat — Klngsland— Schuyler 
Mine 298 

CHAPTER XLIV. 

RlIHiKWUOO. 

Natural Feature* — Early Settlements- School*— Earl) Iligliwa.vs~ 
Organixjition — Civil List — KiilgewiNMl — Mauufacluring Intermt* — 
Cliii rrhrw—lliitial. Place*.... ^ ;109 

CHAPTER XLV. 

Mini AM>. 
Natnral Fcatiirei*— Early Settlement*- Early llifrliwuy* — Oi;;'*""'' 



— Village* and Hamlet* — Chtirrhe*— Burial.Place* 

CHAPTER XLV I. 

HoHOKI S. ■ 

General l>p«criptJun— Natural Foaturva— Tlio Early Famllie* of Hoho- 
ku* — School*— Early Ilighways- OrgHuiutlon- Civil List — Village* 
and Hamlets— Mniiufacluring lulervete 9VI 

CHAPTER XLVII. 

OnnAXItATlOX liF Passak' Cot NT v. 

Donndarie*— Civil Pivision*- Area and Taxaldo Valualion 34>^ 

'HAPTER XLV I II. 
PAH.<iAit' ii'iNM i'i\ii, List 

CHAPTER XLIX. 
FiHRT CoDim Axn RLKmnxa. 

Omnty lliilMlngii— FInl Elscllon 3.M 

CHAPTER L. 
Bbxcb Axn Bak or Passaic Corxir .i.vj 

fllAPTER LI. 

The jMedicai. Piiofessiox. 

UiimiiiT Medical Societt ass 



CHAPTER LII. 
NEWsPArEKs or Passaic Cocxrr 3M 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER Llir. 

Passaic County Bible Society 374 

CHAPTER LIV. 

ACQUACK.VNONK (CiTY OF PASSAIc), 

General Desciiption— Physical Features— Naoie of the Township— Early 
Soltienient^ — TheHoagland Patent— Acquackanonk itil77S — Develop- 
ment of tiie Water-Powcr at Passaic — Tlie Dundee Water-Power and 
Land Company — Incorporation of Passaic — Water- Works — Newspapers 
— Passaic Manufactures — Steamboats, etc. — Education — The Itefornied 
I'rotestant Dutch Church of Acquackauonk — Blethodiet Episcopal 
Church— The True Reformed Church of Passaic — Baptist Church of 
Passaic — North llefornied Church of Passaic — St. John's Church — 
St. Nicholas* Church (Roman Catliolic)— First Presbyterian Church- 
German Presbyterian Church — The First Holland Church of Passaic 
—The Union Chapel— Washington Place Holland Church — Societies 
— Military — Miscellaneous Notes 376 

CHAPTER LV. 

City ok Paterson. 

Early History— Founding of Paterson 403 

CHAPTER LVI. 

City of Patkrsox (Continued). 
Municipal History 408 

CHAPTER LVII. 

City of Pa.terson (Continued). 

Manufacturing Interests — The Cotton Industry — Enterprise Manufac- 
turing Company — R. & H. Adams' Mill — Minor Cotton Manufactures 
— Plummer & Prince 410 

CHAPTER LVIII. 

City of Paterso.v {Conttnucd). 

Th« Iron Industry — First Machiue-Shop in Paterson- Danforth Loco- 
motive and Machine-Works 421 

CHAPTER LIX. 

City of Patersox (Continued). 
Rogers' LocomotiTe-Works 429 

CHAPTER LX. 

City of Paterson (Contimied). 

Other Locomotive aud Iron-Works — Grant Locomotive- Works — Ma- 
chinists' Association— Benjamin Buckley & Co.— J. C. Todd &. Simon- 
ton's Machine-Works — John E. Van Winkle — Thomas J. Wrigley — 
Watson Machine Co.— Paterson Iron-Works — John Royle A' Sons — 
Bradley, Godden & Piatt, Holden Machine Co., Industrial Works— 
Jerrold & McKenzie- Samuel Smith, Boiler-Maker — Tube Manufac- 
turers-Union Bolt-Works— Whitney Sc wing-Machine Co.— Peter 
Oberg & Co.— Wire-Drawing— Roller-Making— File-Cutters—Kearney 
& Foot 436 

CHAPTER LXr. 
City of Paterson- (Continued), 
Bra*.«-Founding, etc. — McNab & Harlan Manufuctnring Company- Wil- 
liam H. Hayes— Benjamin Hilton— Baldwin & Robert Taylor— 
Grtst-Mills- John Bentley— S. C. Merrill— Screen-Plates for Paper- 
Mills— Ashmuu Screen-Plate Company— Annandale Screen-Plate 
Company 450 

CHAPTER LXII. 

City of Paterson {Continued). 
The Woolen Industry— John Barrow A Sons— Lawton & Cutler— Bach- 
man 4 Co. —Union ManufacturiogCompany— Johnson & Austin 454 

CHAPTER LXIII. 
City of Paterson (Continued). 
Flax, Hemp, and Jute— Colt's Duck-Mill— Phuenlx Flax-Mill- Dolphin 
Mill— J. C. Todd & Co.— Barbour Flax-Spinning Company— Butler 
& MeldruDi 456, 



CHAPTER LXIV. 

City of Paterson (Continued). 

The Silk Industry— Christopher Colt— Geo. W. Murray— John Kyle- 
Giles Van Ness — C. Colt & Co. — John C. Benson — James Wnlthatl — 
Stolle& Walthall— The Pho-nix Silk-Mills— J. H. Booth & Co.— Dale 
Manufacturing Company— Dunlup &, Malcolm— Geo. Frost & Sons — 
Dexter, Lambert & Co. — William Strange & Co. — Grinishaw Brothers 
— Pelgram & Meyer— Doherty A; Wadsworth — Crescent Mill— How- 
ell & Scholcs — Freeman A Smallwood — Ashley & Bailey — J. Phillips 
McKay — Barnes Jt Peel — Nightingale Brothers — Louis Frank** Mill 
—Dale Mill 462 

CHAPTER LXV. 
City of Paterson (Continued). 
Velvet, Silk Plush, etc, — American Velvet Company — Silk-Dyeing — 
> The Wiidmann Silk-Dyeing Company — The American Silk-Finish- 
ing Company— Chemical Works— Bobbin-Tnrnei-s — Van Riper Jlan- 
ufacturing Company — Daggers & Row — Leather Belting — Shirt 
Manufacture- Manhattan Shirt-Mills— M. Price & Bros.— The Pas- 
saic Falls 483 

CHAPTER LXVr. 

City of Paterson (Continued). 
Ecclesiastical History^Reformed Churches 490 

CHAPTER LXVII. 
City of Paterson ((7oH^(Mi(«rf). 
HiPtory of Schools in Paterson — Paterson and other Academies — 
Elm Street Infant School rill 

CHAPTER LXVIII. 

City of Paterson (Continued). 

Banking Institutions — Passaic Water Company — Gaslight Compa- 
nies — Horse- Rail roads 516 

CHAPTER LXIX. 

City of Paterson (Continued). 
Secret Societies — Cemeteries 621 

CHAPTER LXX. 

CtTY OF Paterson (Continued). 
Biographical Sketches 623 

CHAPTER LXXI. 

AVavnk. 
Natural Features— Early Settlements— Schools— Early Highways- 
Civil List — Manufacturing Interests — Preakness Reformed 
(Dutch) Church— Organization 653 

CHAPTER LXXII. 

Manchester. 
Natural Features— Early Settlements- Schools— Early Highways- 
Civil List — Villages and Hamlets — BuriabPlaces — Manufacturing 
Interests — Organization 559 

CHAPTER LXXIII. 
LiTTi-E Falls. 
Natural Features— Early Settlements— Schools— Early Highwuys— 
Villages and Hamlets— Civil List— Churches— Manufactures — Act 
of Organization — Notes and Incidents 564 

CHAPTER LXXIV. 

POMPTON. 

Physical Features— Early Settlements— Civil Organization- Places 
of Historical Interest— Villages and Hamlet* — Schools— Churches 
— Industries — Comparative View 569 

CHAPTER LXXV. 

^ Wi:ST MlLFORD. 

Physical Features— Civil History— Early Settlements— Historic 
Places and Events— Villages and Hamlets— Schools— Churches- 
Industries ^76 



CONTENTS. 



B I O C3- K/-A. I' H I O .A. L. 



Acker, D»Tld D 202 j 

Ackcrniau, A. N -. 399 

Ackenon, G*rret G.,Sr 10* 

Ackeraon, Garral, Jr 106 

Ailitnia, H. W 193 

AdHius, llpnry ^l"^ 

Adoma. Prwr 525 

Agnew, John ^* 

Andenion, Wm. S 399 

Atkinson, Jame^ ^5 

\Tiaon, John between 650, 551 

Banks. H. M 118 

BsntB, J. H. T 188 

Bwita, Wm. S 10* 

Barbour, Tbomu *61 

Bubonr, Wm ■"» 

Burthoir, Abraliam 280 

Bcckwilh, F. C *29 

Bentlo), John 6*5 

Berdan, J. H 650 

Berdan, John 393 

Berdan, Rlnear J between 202, 203 

Berry, John 1 232 

B«Ter1dge, Thonind 546 

BIbl.y, J. S 361 

Blauicll, Garret 1 650 

Blaurelt, Ijaac D 652 

Board, Peter„ 3:t0 

Bogart, Gilbert D 203^ 

Boggs, W.J *02 

Booth, Jamee 523 

Boyd, Adam 19* 

Brown, John J 6*8 

Burdett. Abraham S facing 194 

iSunpbeli, Abraham D 106 

i>mpbell, Robert 192 

(Tliapman, Lettieus, Jr 278 

Ohrittio, C 107 

Chrystil. Thomna B 120 

Oiarch, Cbarlei A 366 

Clark, Edward between 532,533 

<k>Ilignan, aanilins 217 

Colllgnott, Nicholaj 218 

Oonklln, George W 194 

Cooke, John _ 420 

i^Kjper, Corneliiu 3 206 

i^ioper, Juhn facing 326 

Oraby, H. n _ „ 535 

Oroaalt, William S,37 

Rorria, D. A 116 

Hanfortb, Charlee 424 

OaTenport, Miln 651 

Day, \V. n 115 

Decker, W. F 366 

UrawMl, G. l> between 218, 210 

Ileownat, I'oler S „ .'. 234 

Drmarwt, Ralph 8 „ facing 218 

DeSloit, Jacob J„8r _ 208 

D«rT«>m, Andrew „ facing 144 

Dlckemn, rhileman 353 

Dorvmue, Jaix>l' W ^ facing 201 

I>oremua, John II »..,» „., 201 

narte, Paler I 207 

Dnryea, John B , 493 

Edwarda, John 428 

fair, OiorSB _ 180 

Franks, Loitia 526 

<l«nnlt, 0. V „...„ between SCO, 3«1 

lladhlll, Joaeph „ .. S2» 

Godwin, A. H „ „ 524 

tonld, Thomaa 546 

>3ra«n, Aahbel „ _ 103 



Greppo, Clando 527 

Haas, Nelson facing 183 

namil, Robert 472 

naring, A. B 218 

Haring, G. A 200 

Hnring, John J nc 

Hasbrouck, Cliarlcs facing 114 

Ilening, CornelluB J " 219 

Herring, G.R ' 244 

Herring, Henry C •• 326 

Hcrrinp, Thomaa H 253 

Hoadley, David „ 272 

Hobarl, Garret A 358 

Holdrnm, Abram C 246 

Holt, Samuel, Sr. facing 419 

Homans, Jr., 1. Smith 276 

Hopper, Hcnr>* A 114 

Hopper, Henry A 201 

Hopper, Jacob 1 233 

Hopper, John 354 

Hoxaey, Thomas D s«s 

Hudson, William S 4.16 

Hughes, Roberts 435 

Huntoon, Josiah 1* 5.14 

Hnyler, George 292 

Huyler, John -. 187 

Jacksim, James 528 

Jacobus, CorneliuB I — 294 

Jiinsen, John N 574 

Jones, J. Wyman 274 

Kent, Ridley 364 

KIngsland, Joseph 401 

Kingsland, Richard 402 

Kinne, Theo. Y 368 

Knapp, M. M lOS 

Lydecker, G. A - 277 

Mabie, John 25* 

Magennis, Patrick 63S 

Mat»h, Klias J 368 

Martin, Joe. A 208 

Martling, Stephen 256 

Mclrf-an, Andrew 418 

McNully, Win 803 

Millard, Nehclniah 108 

Miller, Eire S43 

Myers, Clias. F. W - 361 

Neer, II. C between 118, 119 

Nightingale, Jamee 633 

Ogden, E. B. D - 363 

O'Neill, Cliarlee 630 

O'Neill, John 631 

Ontwater, Richard 401 

Paullson, John P - »3 

Peel, James 644 

Pennington, Aaron 8 354 

Pheliw. Wm.W M8 

Planten, G - - 663 

Pope, Samuel « 631 

Poet, (^melius H 6*8 

Bafferty, Philip — ~ 6*1 

Rogers, Alel. W 366 

Rogers. J. S 431 

Rogers, Thomas 430 

Romeyn, Jamee 180 

Ronieyii, Tlie<i. B , 170 

Rncknian, Elisha 217 

Ryle, John ~ ««6 

Schuyler, Cornolius 676 

Selbert, George - 490 

Sherwood, John D 270 

8lmp*in, J. M - 117 

Smith, Daniel D 274 



CONTENTS. 



% PAQE 

Speer, Alfred 397 

Spcer, R. S facing 403 

Stauton, Elizabeth C 294 

Steinlc, Frederick facing 192 

Terhune, Garrit 300 

Tailor, Samuel facing 193 

Terhune, HicliardP Wl 

Terhune, Jacob C 254 

/Torhun.-.J. V. H 265 

Terhune, Richard A 366 

Tilt, lienjamin B 469 

Todd, Joseph C 540 

Torbet, K. M facing 538 

Tuttle, Socrates 355 

Van Brunt, John 267 

Van Buskirk, John I 279 

Van Buskirk, Jacob facing 327 

Van Djk, Francis C 539 

Van Riper, Cornelius 362 

Van Kiper, C.S between 360, 361 

Van Kiper, Geo 20O 



PAQE 

Van Saun, Samuel ' 528 

Van Valen, J.M facing 108 

Van Winkle, Daniel 308 

Van Winkle, John E 538 

Van Winkle, Michael 234 

Vermilye, W. K 269 

Voorhis, Henry H 328 

Voorbis, John H 329 

Ward, R. C. A...... 190 

Waterhouse, James 400 

Westervelt, Benjamin J facing 296 

Westervelt, Henry D 276 

Westervelt, Samuel D 191 

Williams, Henry A 358 

Wilson, Peter 183 

Winton, Henry D 119 

Woodruff, A. B 356 

Wortendyke, Cornelius A 209 

Wortendyke, Isaac 109 

Zabriskie, John C facing 324 



ILLTJSTI^^^TIOIsrS. 



k 



PAGE 

Acker, David D facing 203 

Ackerman, A. N " 399 

AckeiHon, G., Jr " 105 

AduiiiP, Henry " 417 

A.lanis, H. \V 193 

Adiiiiis, P facing 525 

Adams, R. & U., Mills of. " 415 

Agnew, John " 534 

Audei-son, W. S " 398 

Arkwright Silk-Mills " 479 

Atkinson, James " 545 

Avison, JdIiu between 550, 551 

Bjinks, Hardy M facing 118 

Banta, J. H. T '* 188 

Banta, William S.... " 104 

Biubour, Thomas '■ 461 

Burboiir Thread-Works " 459 

Barbour, William " 460 

Barlholf, Abraham 280 

Beckwitli, F. C facing 428 

Bentley, John between 544, 545 

Berdau, John facing 393 

Berdan, John U " 550 

Berdan, Rinear J between 202, 203 

Bergen County Clerk and Surrogate's Office facing 98 , 

Berry, John I " 232 

Bevcridge, Thomas '* 546 

Bibby, James S " 361 

Blauvelt, Garret I " 551 

Blauvolt, Isaac D between 552, 553 

BotTd, Peter 330 

Bogait. Gilbert P facing 202 

Bot.'g9,W. J 403 

Booth, James facing 523 

Brown, John J " 549 

Biirdett. Abrahams " 194 

Campbell, A. D " 106 

Campbell, Robert 192 

Chapman, Lebbeus, Jr facing 278 

Christie, C " 107 

Church, Chas. A 367 

Chrystal, Thomas B , facing 120 

Clark, Edward between 532, 533 

CoUignon, Claudius 0. 218 

CoUignon, N 219 

Conklin, Geo. W 194 

CooUe, John facing 426 

Cooper, Cornelius S 297 



PAGE 

Cooper, John facing 326 

Court-House and Jail, Paterson " 352 

Crosby, H. B " 536 

Crossett, Wm " 537 

Currie, D. A " 117 

Danforth, Clias •• 404 

Danforth Locomotive- Works " 421 

Davenport, Miles between 552, 553 

Day, W. H facing 116 

Decker, W. F '• 366 

Demarest, G.D between 218, 219 

Demarest, Peter S 235 

Demarest, Ralph S facing 218 

De Mott, Jacob J.,Sr 298 

Derrom, Andr.w facing 144 

Dexter, Lambert & Co., Mills of " 475 

Doremus, Jacob W •' 20I 

Doremus. John B 201 

Durie, Peter 1 297 

Duryea, John H facing 493 

Edwards, John " '^7 

Fair, George " 189 

First National Bank, View of " 518 

Frauke, Louis •* 526 

Franke, Louis, Mills^of. " 481 

Garuett, 0. V between 3G0, 361 

Gledhill, Joseph " 528,629 

Godwin, A. H facing 624 

Gould, Thomas " 547 

Green, Ashbel " 103 

Greppo, C " 527 

Grimsbaw Bros., Mills of. " 477 

Haas, Nelson " I83 

Hamil, Robert " 472 

Haring, Abraham B " 216 

Haring, G. A. 291 

Hiiring, J. J 117 

Hasbrouck, Charles facing 114 

Herring, Cornelius J " 219 

Herring, G,R " 244 

Herring, Henry C " 326 

Herring, Thomas H " 253 

Hoadley, David •• 272 

Holdrum, Abram C " 245 

Holt, Samuel, Sr " 419 

Homans, I. Smith " 276 

Hopper, H. A 115 

Hopper, Henry A 202 



(K 



10 



CONTEXTS. 



-V- 



"T" 



Hopp«r, J» U I f"''"*! 

Hop|>er, JotaD 

Hntlaon, Wm. S ■ " 

Huglirs, Robert S " 

Hunloon, Joslab P 

Huylcr. George •• 

HiiyltT, Juhn..... ^ 

JackMU.Jame* between 52f 

J.CT.bm, O. I > f«'"B 

JiiDseD, Jolm N ■ 

Junes, J. Wyoinn 

Jate-BagKiiig Mills 

Klng»lauJ, JiwiT'i between 402, 40.1 

402, 40:) 
:i6sl 
102 



233 
354 
434 
433 
536 
292 
187 
529 
294 
574 
274 
458 



Klngelan.l, Kkbai-J 

Kinnie, Theo. Y f»<:'"K 

Kniipp, M. M 

Lydecker, G. A 

Mable, John " 

llagt<ntiit», I'litrick 

Map of Bergen ami Punic Counties between 12, 13 

Map of Lake Pa'salc ""^'''i: -' 

Map ur Prili-nitin City 

MarllM, J. A 



2T7 
255 
532 



liotweon 4(14, 4<I5 
290 



Hartlitig, Stephi^ii . 



2&G 



McKk}-, J. I'lilllipe, Mills of. f"'ln(? *»< 

Ml Sully, Wllliuni 5<» 

MllUnl, X 1"S 

Mlllrr, r.ira facing 343 

Mvirs, Charlo F. W between 3li0, 301 

N«r, II, f ■' "». "« 

Nighlingale ilrolhers, Silk-MllU of. " 4SU. 481 

Nlghtlngnle, Jiimes « fating 633 

O'Siill. CImrles " 530 

O'Neill, Jobn between 5:10, .Wl 

Oulwater, RIchanI facing 401 

Passaic Knl In '!"' 

Passaic Ili.lllng-Miil facing 438 

Pauliwn, John P " 293 

Peel, Jumps between M4, 545 

Pelgram i Meyer, Mills of facing 478 

Phel|«, Wni. Walter 

PlKiMiix Manufacturing Com|iany • 

Planlen. O 

Pope, :^mnel 

Pnsl, <". II 

Public Scllixll So. 

KalTerty, Plilllp 

Kirgers, J, S 

Iti^iTi Loountoti re- Works 



208 
457 
5ti:". 
531 
o48 
514 
.'.41 
432 
429 



« PAOX 

Rogers, Thomas facing 430 

Itomeyn, James " 180 

Ruckman, Ellslia " 217 

Ryle, Jobn " 4<15 

Schuyler, Cornelius 575 

Seiberl, Geo _ 29« 

ShcrwuoJ, John I) faciog 270 

Sinii>*on, J. M 117 

Sniitb, Daniel D facing 274 

Speer, Alfred " 397 

Spoer, RinenrS " 403 

Stanton, Eliiiabelh Cady " 295 

Steinle, Frederick " 192 

Stocks and Pillory 98 

Strange, William & Co., Mills of (aclng 476 

Taylor, Samuel " 193 

Terbunc, Garril " 360 

Terliune, J. V. H Iietweeu 244,255 

Terlinne, Jacob C " 254, 254 

Terbune, R, I' " 190, 191 

Todd, J. C lacing 540 

Tilt, Uenj. B " 469 

T..da, J. C, Machine- Works of " 441 

Torbel, It. M " 658 

Tuttle, Sucralcs " »« 

Van Brunt, John " 267 

Van Uusklik, .lacob " 327 

Van Buskirk, John 1 " 279 

Van Dyk, Francis C " 539 

Van Riper, C. S between 360, 3GI 

Van I'.lpcr, Cornelius .' facing 302 

Van l!i|wr, Geo " 2<« 

Van Saun, Sannud " 528 

Van Val.n.J. M -.. " lOB 

Van Winkl... Daniel " 308 

Van Winkle, J. E " M( 

Van Winkle. Michael " 234 

Vermilye. W. R " 209 

Voorlil., Henry II " 328 

Vmnbis, J.din II 8«» 

Ward, H. C. A facing tW 

Walerhouse, James '* 400 

WcHlcrvelt, llcnj. J " •-'«« 

We»lervilt, II.Miry D U-tween i;TlJ, 277 

Wesleividl, iSannlel D facing 191 

Winton, Henry D " •''■' 

WoiKlruir, A. B... ■' 356 

Worlendyke, C. A " 209 

Zabriskie, Jobn C " 324 




HISTORY 

OF 



BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, 



nSTE'W JERSEY. 



CHAPTER I. 
GENERAL AND TOPOGRAPHICAL FEATURES. 

That portion of New Jersey the history of wliich 
is comprised in the present volume is situated chiefly 
between the Hudson and Passaic Rivers, with a small 
strip of land lying southward of the latter. Its south- 
eastern base or terminus is the peninsula of Bergen 
Neck, resting upon the Kill Van Kull, which sepa- 
rates it from Staten Island and forms the channel, now 
known as the Kills, between the Bay of New York 
on the east, and Achter Kull, or Newark Bay, on the 
west. The eastern boundary of this territory, along 
the North River, is quite straight, excepting the in- 
dentation caused by New York Bay between Con- 
stable's Hook and Paulus Hook, at Jersey City. The 
southwestern boundary pursues a somewhat zigzag 
course, following the Passaic River for some distance 
above its confluence with Newark Bay, then crossing 
it and running along the northern border of Essex 
County to the Morris County line, which it follows to 
the eastern line of Sussex County, and thence, by a 
direct line, passes to the boundary between New York 
and New Jersey. The territory, therefore, is bounded 
on the north by the New York State line. 

In its topographical features it is interesting, while 
in its commercial and manufacturing importance it is 
second to no other district of equal extent in the State. 

The rivers which flow through this territory, or 
form its boundaries, including the Hudson, though 
rising at points widely remote from each other, con- 
verge towards a common outlet as they approach the 
twin bays of Newark and New Y^ork, as if guided by 
a sort of instinct of nature to seek the centre of com- 
mercial activity of the Western Continent. As 
anciently all roads led to Rome, so in these modern 
days all roads, no less than the rivers we are describ- 
ing, lead to the city of New Y'ork. 
2 



The importance, commercially, of the eastern part 
of this territory as the iie.ruf: with New York of all 
the railroads and lines of transportation to and from 
the great West needs only to be mentioned in this 
connection. Every year adds to this section greater 
population, greater commercial value, and increased 
facilities for connecting the vastly-accumulating busi- 
ness of the great West with New York City ; and its 
value will only be still more enhanced when a wise 
economy shall have located the great warehouses for 
western-bound goods arriving from Europe on the 
New Jersey side of the Hudson. 

These are a few of the considerations which indi- 
cate the commercial importance of our territory. 
The falls and water-powers of the Passaic River are 
noted for the facilities they afford for manufacturing. 
Already on the principal fall of that river has been 
built up a manufacturing city of nearly sixty thou- 
sand people. And at Passaic and other points along 
its valley the banks are lined with mills and factories. 

The scenery of this section is picturesque, in many 
places imposing. The Palisades, with their bold and 
rugged fronts, form its eastern wall along the Hudson 
from a few miles above Hoboken to Tappan, a dis- 
tance of nearly twenty miles. Remarkable for their 
picturesque and sublime appearance, they are justly 
regarded as among the most interesting objects of 
natural scenery in America. In some places they 
rise almost perpendicularly from the shore to the 
height of five or six hundred feet, and form for miles 
a solid wall of dark, frowning rocks, impressing the 
stranger, as be sails along their base or views them 
from the speeding cars on the opposite shore, with 
their grand and imposing aspect. The summit is a 
slightly undulating table-land, averaging in width 
about two miles, largely covered with natural forest 
trees, interspersed with cleared farms, drives, and 
parks, from which the ground descends gradually 
to the beautiful Hackensack Valley, on the west. 

13 



14 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



to wonder at the marvels of modern phenomena be- 
cause of their very abundance and familiarity, but 
the " forjjotten lore of liy^one ages" excites in the 
mind of tiic student an ever new and fresli delight. 

Bergen, in her old undivided state, passed through 
the pha-ses of colonization and civil rule under the 
Dutch of New Netherland, with which her beginning 
as a settlement was contemporaneous; through the 
transition to an English colony aud the government 
of the Proprietors of East Jersey; llirough the ex- 
citing scenes of the early Indian wars, the period of 
colonial authority under the kings and queens of 
England, and the stirring events of the struggle for 
independence. She passed through the formative 
period of the State and the Nation, the subse<iuent 
war with Great Britain, and liehl her territory un- 
divided for a quarter of a century after those great 
events had occurred. 
That portion now included in Hudson County was 
in their position. From the smooth basin below, the | in many re-spects the theatre of the most important 



From many elevated points along the western side of 
this table-land the Hackensack River, witli its many 
windings, can be seen for miles in extent, shimmering 
like a sheet of silver in the rays of the sun, or on a 
cloudy day presenting a darker line in contrast with 
the foliage and meadows along its banks. 

The Passaic, in its rapid descent through a more 
hilly region, has cut for itself through the trap rock 
and red shale several falls and cascades which add 
beauty and variety to the scenery. The most impor- 
tant of these is at Paterson, the ancient Totowa Falls 
of the red men, where the height, including the dam, 
is ninety feet, between two perpendicular walls of 
solid rock, the water passing over by a sort of flank 
movement, and falling the whole distance to a level 
below almost as placid and still its that of the surface 
of the waters in the lake above. The effect is like 
that of waters falling into a deep well. The rocks on 
either side are rectangular and almost perpendicular 



water, as if waiting for a few moments to recover 
from the stunning sensation of the fall, again starts 
on, and plunges and foams down a succession of rapids 
which mark the course of the river for some distance, 
or rather, we should say, they did so before they were 
chiefly diverted into artificial channels to drive the 
wheels of the many industries of the busy city and 
to supply its iidiabitants with good and wholesome 
water. The fall has been moditied somewhat from 
its natural state by these artificial appliances, but 
still presents at a fair stage of water a scene which 
may be cla-ssed among the truly ])icturesque. 

The territory thus briefly described, comprising 
old Bergen and 1'a.ssaic Counties, has been variously 
marked by its lines of civil division. Its eastern 
border, along the Hudson, constituted the first or- 
ganized municipality in East Jersey, having been 
incorporated lus the town of Bergen in IG.'iS. In lfi64 
the township of Bergen, comprising the present 
county of Hudson, east of the Hackensack River, was 
added to it. In Iti.SS the county of Bergen was 
erected, and included the territory ea-st of the Hack- 
ensack from the Kill Van Kull to the State line. In 
1709 the county of Bergen was enlarged, and from 
that time till 1K:{7, when Passaic County wits set ofl', 
it includeil the latter, with the exception of the small 
part southward of the Passaic (taken from Essex), and 
the county of Hudson, which was set tflf and erected 
into a separate county in 1840. 

Our history will of course include the latter as a 
part of the old county of Bergen. During the two 
hundred years and upwards which preceded the last 
division of Bergen, while her ancient domain wius yet 
intact, many of her most imporUmt historical events 
occurred. While we do not underrate the marvel- 
ous progress of the Wust half-century, which has 
literally transformed the face r)f the whole country 
in a great variety of raspects, yet in history that 
which is most ancient is most interesting. We cease 



events, so far as the people of Bergen were concerned. 
It was the earliest settled and the nearest the centre 
of the most important operations of early as well as 
of modern times. Hence to leave out this portion of 
the territory wholly would be to omit a very essential 
part of the history of Bergen County. We need not 
so much regret that we can glance at this portion of 
the history only briefly, inxsniuch as Hudson County 
has recently had a very complete an<l carefully pre- 
pared history in the work written and published by 
Mr. Charles Winfield, of Jersey City, a work upon 
which we have drawn largely for materials in this 
coin)iilation. 

Streams.— The |)rincipal streams of this territory 
are the Hackensack, Saddle River, Passaic, Ramapo, 
Pequannock, and Ringwood, with lengths in the State 
and drainitge in square miles as follows: 

Hackensack, from the State line to Newark Bay, 
length 30 miles, dniiiiage I'VI square miles. 

Saddle River, from the State line to its junction 
with the Hackensack, length 18 miles, drainage 57 
square miles. 

Passaic River, lengtli So miles, drainage 8(»0 square .^ 
miles. 

Pequannock, length 4 miles, drainage 82 square 
miles. 

Ringwood Creek, from the State line to the Pomp- 
ton, li'nglli li> miles, drainage 72 square miles. 

Elevations. — The Ramapo Mountains are the 
highest land in these counties, and are a portion of 
the Highland range, on the southciust border of this 
chain of mountains. The Highlands, ociupying a 
belt of country in New Jersey twenty-two miles wide 
on the New York State line and ten miles wide on- 
the Delaware, comprise a number of mountain ranges 
which ri.so from 300 to GOO feet above the valleys, and 
in some places, as at Rutherford's Hill, on Hamburg 
Mountain, to an altitude of 14SK feet above the seji. 
The Musconctcong Mountain, near the southwest end 



GENEKAL AND TOPOGRAPHICAL FEATURES. 



15 



of the range, is 986 feet above sea-level. The Morris 
and Essex Railroad summit, near Stanhope, is 922 
feet. The summit near the turnpike from Berkshire 
valley to Sparta is 1209 feet. The summit of the 
turnpike from Hamburg to Snutftown is 1184 feet. 
The Wawayanda Mountain, near the New York line, 
is 1450 feet above mean tide. We give below a table 
of elevations at different points within the counties of 
Bergen and Passaic, as taken from actual surveys : 

NoRTHKUN Railroad op New Jersey. 
From a frofik/uniiaheil by T. W. Demorest, Esq. 

FRET. 

BiiKom of niai-sh near Wi'ehawken (below ti'ie) 30.0 

Jlislii'Ht point .if licrgeii Hill 175.0 

.Siiiniiiit I'l'twBcii Kngluwood urid Nurtli Englewood 60.0 

^^||lmnit lit-tweeii Closter and Col. Blanche's 76.0 

New York and Erik Railway. 
CommisBioner^B Report. 

Jiosey City S.8 

Hergeii Hill, New Jersey Riiilroad track 40.0 

Hacken.'irtLk River 14.0 

Boilint; Spiinj; 50.0 

lioiling Spring Summit 57.0 

I'iissaic River 25.0 

Hnyler's 52.0 

Fitteeiitli-mile Summit 110.0 

i'atersou 7G.8 

I'jiasaic River 45.0 

iiudwinsville 137.4 

llolnikus ., 197.5 

Allendale „ 3'29.0 

Level just above Ramsey's 347.5 

Hollow between Ramsey's and SulTorne 272.0 

SnITerns, N. Y 301.0 

Monroe, N. Y 605.G 

Heights near Patersun. 
Barometric Meaaurement^ by Paul Cook. 

Morris Canal 174.0 

Top of sandstone 406.2 

Top of mountain above 506.4 

Second crest 523.5 

Garret Rock 534.4 

High Mount, three and a half miles north of Paterson.... ti68.8 

nF.iGUTs ON P. C. Co.'a Projected Line across New Jersey. 
By D. E. Culver, Civil Engineer. 

Huiison River 00.0 

^Veellawken Hill 170.0 

Rutherford Park 58.0 

Passaic River at Belleville 00.0 

Kingsland Park Pond 32.0 

Near Eaton's stnne residence 130.0 

Notch in First Monutain 324.0 

Peckman's River, near Stanley's Mill 172.0 

Little Kails Methodist Church 190.0 

Beatty's Mills, Little Falls 165.0 

Sigac Creek 165.0 

Pumpt<Mi and Newark turnpike, near Wm. Allen's 170.0 

Morris Canal at 5Iead's Basin.. 175.0 

Oppnsite iiillen's Hotel, Pompton Plains 195.0 

Oppo.sile Reeve's, Hloomingdale 258.0 

Stony Biook, near Peter De Bann's 309.0 

Paterson and Hamburg turnpike, near Thomas Little's.... 396.0 

Trap Ridges. — The red sandstone region of New 
Jersey is traversed by various and irregularly dis- 
tributed ridges of trap rock. The principal of these 
are Sourland Mountain in Hunterdon and Somerset 
Counties, Rocky Hill in Somerset, Round Valley 
Mountain in Hunterdon, Bergen Hill and Palisade 
Mountain in Hudson and Bergen Counties, and the 
First, Second, and Third Mountains which form the 
long, narrow, and parallel ridges that rise in Somerset 
and run across Union, Essex, Morris, Passaic, and 
Bergen Counties. These high, rocky and wooded 
ridges are remarkable for their occurrence in the 
midst of a rich, highly-cultivated, and productive 
agricultural district. They vary in height from a 



very slight elevation to several hundred feet above 
the rolling country around them. High Point, in 
Passaic County, is the highest trap ridge in New 
Jersey, and is eight hundred and sixty-eight feet 
above tide-water. ]5ergen Hill, at the southwest end, 
is very little above the ordinary level, but rises grad- 
ually till at the New York line it is four hundred 
and eighty-nine feet above the Hudson River. From 
the hard and durable rock of which they are com- 
posed, they present a strong contrast to the soft and 
easily disintegrating red sandstone in which they 
occur; and the courses in which they run have given 
direction to all the lines of communication in the 
State, modifying, to a very large extent, its develop- 
ment. 

The range of trap forming Bergen Hill and Palisade 
Mountain can be traced from Bergen Point to the 
State line, and beyond that in New York as far as 
Haverstraw, where it changes to a westerly course 
and terminates near Ladentown, close to the gneiss 
of the Highlands. Its length from the Kill Van 
Kull at Bergen Point to the terminus at Ladentown 
is forty-eight miles, of which twenty-eight miles are 
in New Jersey. Throughout this length the out- 
crop is unbroken. At Bergen Point the rock is but a 
few feet above mean tide-water mark ; at High Thorn, 
south of Haverstraw, the highest point attained in the 
range, it is one thousand and eleven feet above the 
Hudson. High Thorn is a prominent and character- 
istic feature of that portion of it called the Palisades. 

Out of the salt meadows west of Bergen Hill, south 
of the Erie Railroad, and east of the Hackensack 
River, rise the trap formations known as Little and 
Big Snake Hills. The larger of the two hills meas- 
ures about a mile and a half in circumference, and 
has its greatest diameter in a northeast and southwest 
line. A straggling growth of cedars, with a few oak, 
hickory, and butternut trees, crown this rocky mound. 
It is surrounded by tide-water and salt marsh except 
on the north, where a narrow strip of swamp slightly 
above high-tide mark connects it with the low upland . 
of Seccaucus, the whole forming a rocky peninsula 
with this bold promontory towards the southwest. 
The western base of the latter is washed by the Hack- 
ensack. 

About a quarter of a mile southeast of Big Snake 
Hill is the small circular island of rock known as 
Little Snake Hill, surrounded by salt marsh, making 
it an island in the tide-flowed meadows. The trap of 
this hill rises .abruptly from the marsh on all sides 
except the south, where the slope is very steep. 

Prominent in the red sandstone district are the two 
long and parallel ranges of trap rock known as the 
First and Second Mountains. The former rises at 
Pluckamin, in Somerset County, passes eastwardly for 
seven miles to the gorge of Middle Brook, thence an 
east-northeast course to Milburn, a distance of sixteen 
miles, where it is cut through by a valley one and a 
half miles in width ; from Milburn to Paterson, fifteen 



16 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



miles, the course of the mountain iH a little east of 
north, and here again it is cut througli by tlic Pa-ssaic 
River, forming one of the most remarkable waterfalls 
in the whole country, which gives business to a large 
and growing manufacturing city. Beyond Paterson 
the ridge gradually attains its general height, and, 
curving slightly to the west, terminates near Sicomac, 
having pursued a course of forty-three miles from its 
rise at Pluckamin. Besides the two great depressions 
at Milburn and Paterson, there is the Notch east of 
Little Falls, and the gaps occupied by Middle Brook, 
Stony Brook, and Green Brook, through which the 
waters between it and tlie Second Mountain find their 
way to the sea. 

Parallel to the First Mountain is the range known 
locally as the Second Mountain, which is separated 
from it by a long and narrow valley bearing the names 
of Washington Valley, Vernon Valley, etc. This 
mountain is longer than the first, being forty-eight 
miles, extending from Bernardsville, in Somerset 
County, to the gneiss of the Ramapo Mountain. The 
most considerable depression in the Second Mountain 
is at Little Falls, where the level of the canal is one 
hundred and seventy-four feet above mean tide -water. 
The ma.\imum elevation is reached in High Moun- 
tain north of Paterson, which rises eight hundred and 
si.xty-eight feet. E.xcepting the gap at Little Falls, 
there are no breaks in the range, although it is in 
places much lower than the average altitude.' 

On both of these mountains the rugged surface is 
mostly covered with timber, the trap outcrop being 
too strong to admit of cultivation. 

The range known as the Third Mountain covers 
also a portion of the area ofthe.se counties, including 
the Packanack, west of Pearkness Valley, Hook 
Mountain, and Riker Hill. The range is in length 
about seven miles, and in width from one-half t(i 
three-f|uartcrs of a mile; although at the dam at 
Pompton Furnace, where it is cros-sed by the Ramapo 
River, its breadth is scarcely more than a hundred 
yards. On the north the trend of the range is south- 
east, while the remaining half pursues the arc of a 
circle to Mead's Basin. The range gradually nears 
the road going to Paterson, and at the first forks the 
trap crosses it. In this part of its course the trap 
forms the crest, while the western slope is covered 
with drift. 

" In Bergen County, west of Ramsey's Station, and 
bordering the Ramapo Valley, are two outcrops of the 
trap rocks. The southernmost is a broad anil elevated 
ridge and very rocky. The valley road piLsses over 
the foot of this trap, at the north point of the hill, 
and also at the southwest, near Yahpo. Opposite the 
Wynokie road the trap recedes from the valley, and 
the ridge is, conscijuently, some distance east of it. 
The road from Wyckotl' to the valley is parallel to 
the southern point of the trap outcrop." 



The name trap, applied to these rocks, signifies a 
.stair, and is so given because the rocks of this class 
occur in large tabular masses, rising one above an- 
other like steps. The trap is an igneous rock, of a 
greenish-black or grayish color, consisting of an in- 
timate mixture of feldspar and hornblende. In some 
of the trap ranges, ;is in Bergen Hill, the rock is 
light-colored, and, although hard, shapes readily under 
the hammer. These qualities make it valuable as a 
paving-stone, and for many years square blocks of it 
have been quarried and used for paving the streets of 
our cities. Great quantities are dressed at Bergen 
Hill and along the Palisades. The brown-gray vari- 
ety is not fit for paving, being stubborn and hard to 
break under the hammer. 

Whence came the four long and concentric ridges 
of trap represented in Bergen and Rocky Hills and 
in the First, Second, and Third Mountains? It is 
evident that they are not aquecms, but igneous forma- 
tions. The materials of which they are composed 
have been subjected to a liquefying heat, in which 
condition they either broke through the sandstone 
all at once after it had been deposited, or rose in 
successive series while the sandstone was in pro- 
cess of deposition. Dr. Cook favors the latter view, 
for he says, "The outer ridge which is nearest the 
base of the series is by far the most crystalline in 
structure, and its upper surface is the hardest and 
the most worn, leading to the inference that it is the 
oldest and has been crystallized more slowly and 
further from the surface of cooling."- Dr. Cook 
gives several other valuable reasons for this theory, 
but we have not space to enumerate them here. 



CHAPTER II. 



GEOLOGY. 



• On»l<>g7 of Now Jeraaj, p. ISO. 



Azoic Formation.— Gneiss. — The area of this for- 
mation in Bergen and Passaic Counties is very limited. 
Profes.sor Cook, in his description of its boundaries, 
says, " West of Denmark a spur of gneiss cxtemis up 
the narrow valley between the Copperas and Green 
Pond Mountain, quite to Green Pond. From Den- 
mark north to the IViuannock River, and thence 
ill Passaic County to We-st Milfonl, a valley separates 
the Highlands on the eitst from the conglomerate 
ranges of Copperas and Kaiiouse Mountain, although 
the dividing line between the two rocks runs upon the 
ea.stcrn slope of these two ranges. Beyond West Mil- 
ford the drift of the valley bounds the gneiss to 
Greenwood Lake." 

The gneiss is the principal rock of the Azoic for- 
mation. It is a stratified crystalline rock, composed 



• nild., p. 337. 



GEOLOGY. 



17 



of feldspar and quartz, with small quantities of mica, 
hornblende, magnetite, or other simple minerals. The 
quartz is generally in grains, which are flattened in 
the direction of stratification. The gneiss differs in 
appearance in different localities. East of Copperas 
Mountain it is of a fine granular composition and of 
a reddish color. In other specimens the feldspar is 
white, the quartz has a smoky appearance, while the 
hornblende is green or blackish. Generally the color 
depends upon the shade of the feldspar contained in 
the specimen. 

Crystalline Limestone. — "In the southeast belt 
of the Azoic formation are four small outcrops of the 
crystalline or metamorphic limestone, viz.: two in 
the Wynokie Valley, a third north of Montville, near 
Turkey Mountain, and the fourth near Mendham, in 
Morris County. In the Wynokie Valley this rock 
appears on lands of David Kanouse, east of Ringwood 
Creek, and about half a mile from the village of 
Wynokie, occupying a limited area at the foot of 
Ramapo Mountain. About one mile west of the 
valley road is another larger outcrop, trending north- 
ea.st and southwest along the border of the plain for 
nearly two miles. Its breadth is irregular, ranging 
from one hundred yards to a quarter of a mile. At 
several points it has been quarried for lime-burning. 
The stone is quite impure, being mixed with other 
rocks." 

It is in the gneiss and the crystalline limestone of 
the Azoic formation that the magnetic iron ore of 
New Jersey is found. It was supposed by the early 
geologists, as well as by many intelligent persons 
engaged in practical mining at an early day, that 
the mines of ore in the iron-bearing sections of New 
Jersey were veins of igneous origin, and that they had 
been forced into the positions they now occupy in a 
melted state. But Dr. Kitchell and his assistants, 
and all the later geologists, upon a more thorough 
examination of the subject have come to the conclu- 
sion that the magnetic iron ores of New Jersey are of 
sedimentary origin, and have been deposited in beds 
just as the gneiss and crystalline limestone have been 
deposited. Dr. Cook says, " From the observations 
of the present survey, no other conclusion can be 
reached but that the magnetic iron ores of this State 
have originated from chemical or mechanical deposits, 
just as our hematites and bog-iron ores do now; that 
they have afterwards been covered by strata of sand, 
clay, and carbonate of lime ; that with these they 
have since been upheaved, pressed into folds, and, 
under the influence of pressure and water for an 
immense length of time, they have undergone chemi- 
cal and mechanical changes which have brought them 
to their present condition. They occur both in the 
limestone and the gneiss ; they are entirely con- 
formable to the other rocks in stratification ; they 
contain lamin;e of gneiss, hornblende, etc., just as the 
rocks do, and at their edges they frequently pass from 
the ore to the rock by such insensible gradations that 



one cannot tell where the ore ends and the rocks 
begin." 

We append the following list of mines of magnetic 
iron ore in Bergen and Passaic Counties : 

Butler Mine, Hohokus, Bergen County; Kanouse 
Mine, Pompton, Passaic County; Wynokie Mine, 
Pompton, Passaic County ; Ringwood Mine, Pomp- 
ton, Passaic County.' 

Palaeozoic Formation. — Potsdam S.\ndstone. — 
This rock, which takes its name from Potsdam, St. 
Lawrence Co., N. Y., where it is finely exposed, has 
but a limited area in Passaic County. It is seen at 
various places along the Green-Pond Mountain Range, 
where it resembles a red shale, being soft, crumbling, 
and easily converted into mud ; but it is more fre- 
quently a conglomerate, consisting of white and red 
quartz pebbles of the size of pigeons' eggs, cemented 
in a quartzose paste of a purplish color. This variety 
of the rock is hard and indestructible. It is evenly 
stratified, and some of the conglomerate beds are very 
thick. In most cases this rock is found along the 
sides of valleys dipping inwards and passing under 
other rocks which occupy the middle of the inter- 
vening space. In the Green-Pond Mountain Range 
this rock has a thickness of not less than seven hun- 
dred feet. It forms an interesting outcrop in the 
mountains north of Passaic, — Bearfort and Bellvale ; 
the Copperas Mountain, with its extension known as 
Kanouse Mountain, and the ridge running thence to 
the village of West Milford. 

Magnesian Limestone. — " In West Milford town- 
ship the magnesian limestone crops out at three points 
along the eastern side of the conglomerate ridge. 
Their positions as related to the gneiss and conglom- 
erate are very similar, being separated from the gneiss 
by a thin band of sandstone. Going north, the first 
outcrop is on the farm of Richard Gould. This forms 
a series of low knobs about three hundred yards long 
from northeast to southwest, and not over fifty yards 
in breadth. A meadow one hundred yards in breadth 
separates them from the conglomerate ledges on the 
west. It is separated from the gneiss to the east of it 
by a narrow belt of quartzite and sandstone, nowhere 
one hundred feet thick, and generally but a few yards 
across. About an eighth of a mile south of the lime- 
stone is Macopin Pond. The limestone dips 60° N. 
60° W. . . . It is mostly of a pale-blue color, com- 
pact and fine-grained. Some of the beds are silicious 
and quartzose ; others contain masses of conglomerate 
and reddish quartz rock imbedded in the calcareous 
matrix, indicating a formation since the deposition of 
the conglomerate of this region. . . . The quarry at 
this locality has yielded a very large amount of stone 
for making lime. Analysis shows it to be magnesian 
in character. 

"About one and a half miles northeast of Gould's 



1 See description and history of tlieae mines in the respective township 
histories in this worlc. 



18 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



is the next outcrop of this rock. Its extent from 
southwest to northeast is about three-quarters of a 
mile along a little vale east of the ridge of conglom- 
erate. . . . The next and hist nuti-rop on the south is 
on the west side of the stream, and near L. Payn's. 
.... It is three-quarters of a mile from the northern- 
most outcrop, or Cisco's quarry. The extreme breadth 
does not exceed one hundred yards. At Payn's 
quarry the dip is 60' X. 55" W. . . . The rock varies 
in color from a reddish to a light blue." 

Hl'Dsos River Si..\te. — Ne.xt in the series of pahe- 
ozoic rocks comes the Hudson River slate, so named 
from being the prevailing rock along the Hudson 
River from Newburg upward. It extends through 
the northwestern half of the Kittatinny Valley of 
New Jersey, and is also found in some of the lime- 
8tf)ne valleys farther southeast. At Upper Longwood, 
Petersburg, Oak Hill, and at other points in the 
valley west of the Green-Pond Mountain, it outcrops, 
and at frequent int«rvals in the valley of West Mil- 
ford from the Pequannock River to the State line. 
The finest exposure is in the West Milford Valley. 
where "the slate crops out in long, low swells ami 
rocky knobs from West Milford village south to within 
a mile or two of Newfoundland. North of the former 
place it occurs west of Greenwood Lake, and north of 
the road going west over Beartbrt Mountain. The 
most southern exposure of the rock in the valley is 
about one mile north of Newfoundland. Thence to 
the village of West Milford there is no doubt of its 
being a persistent rock-mass, underlying the whole of 
the valley between these points."" I 

This slate is the darker and harder variety. It 
stands nearly vertical, being a closely-folded syn- ! 
clitial, and has a strike nearly parallel to the direction 
of the valley. The rock is very slow to disintegrate, 
and therefore does not crumble down to form as rich 
and productive a soil as the softer variety of the same 
slate in Sussex County. It is, however, equally fine 
and sinoolh-graincd. 

Triassic Formation.— Red San'dstone. — Hergen 
and Pii-ssaic Counties arc chiefly included within llie 
area of the Triassic or red saiuUtone formation, which 
is comprised in a belt of country having the Highland 
Range on its northwest side, and on its southeast, a 
line almost straight from 8taten Island, near Wooil- 
bridge, to Trenton, and thence by the Delaware River 
till it joins the Highland Range again in the .Musco- 
netcong Mountain. The color of this rock and of 
the red shale which forms so much of the soil of this 
area of the State is supposed to be caused by the 
presence of oxide of iron. The average dip of the 
red sandstone, as shown along the Delaware I{iver, is 
about ten degrees, ami the thickness of the fornnition 
is supposed to be about twenty-seven thousand feet, 
or more than five miles. It wiu* probably a deep sea, 
of which the Highlands formed the northwestern 



shore, and was ages in filling up to its present level. 
The precise age of the formation is difficult to deter- 
mine on account of its containing very few organic 
remains. "The stems of plants are found fossil in this 
rock in the quarries at Newark, Belleville, Plucka- 
min, Milford, and probably at many other places. 
Coal has been found in seams from an eighth to half 
an inch thick in several places. It can be seen in 
the quarries at Martinville, Somerset Co. Enough 
was seen at Basking Ridge, and also at Chatham, to 
induce persons to bore for coal. Near I'nion Village 
coal is said to have been found three or four years 
since. It has been found near Spring Mills, in Hun- 
terdon, and also near Pompton, in Passaic County. 
. . . Fossil fishes have been found in the quarries at 
Pompton, and in several other |>laces. . . . The plants 
found evidently belong to orders higher than those 
of the Carboniferous age. And the footprints are 
those of air-breathing animals, probably of the Rep- 
tilian age."' 

Surface Geology. — The rocks hitherto described 
include in a regularly .tscending .series those which 
are more or less covereii by the surface formation 
known jis the Drift. Ages before man came upon the 
globe, this territory was covered by a Polar sea, which 
drifted vast masses of ice and dlbrin of broken rocks 
into all its valleys and depressions and high upon the 
sides of its loftiest mountains. This sea stood at the 
height of twelve hundred and fifty feet above mean 
tide in the present ocean, as is shown by the drift de- 
posits left upon the hills north of Budd's Lake, the 
highest point in the glacial formation in New Jersey. 
The period at which this glacier, or sea of ice, covered 
a portion of the earth's surface is known to geologists 
as the Chaniplain epoch. The course of the glacier 
was from the north, and it spread its freight of world- 
building material over Northern New Jersey as far 
south as Amboy, and thence, by a line somewhat 
varying, from the mouth of the Raritan to Belvi- 
dere, on the Delaware. Says Dr. Cook, in his late 
report on the Surface Geology of New Jersey, "The 
sovithern boundary line of the great terminal or fron- 
U\\ moraine across New Jersey has a general north- 
northwest course from the mouth of the Raritan 
River, at Perth Amboy, to Morri.stown ; thence a 
north course to Denville, where the direction changes 
to the west, which course is maintained to the Mus- 
conetcong Valley, where it again turns, and thence 
bears west-southwest to the Delaware River, at Bel- 
videre." 

It would be interesting to follow Dr. Cook in 
his detailed description of the drift along this ter- 
minal moraine, but it is unneces-sary to our purpose, 
being outside of the territory in which we are imme- 
diately concerned. Wc will only give his table of 
elevations of the ilrift at different points along iu 
: southern border : 



' Gn>1oK7 of Now Jpr»*y, p. 14a. 



> Ililil., p. 114. 



GEOLOGY. 



19 



Elevations above Mean Tide of Glacial Drifts oti the 
Line of the Terminal Moraine. 

FRKT. 

1. Poplar Hiil, Wuodliriilgc 2W 

2. Summit. Second Mountain 3S0 i 

3. Long Hill (Mil) 

4. Madison (ridge sontlieasl) 366 

5. Southeast of Mori'istown 382 

6. Green in Morriatowu 370 

7. Morris Plains 405 

8. Kotchiim Pond (Boontou Branch Railroad) 556 

9. Snake Hill (nortli end) (670) 

10. Southeast ot Rockaway (between two lines of Morris a?id 

Essex Railroad) (670J 

11. Gravel Hill, southeast of Dover (645) 

12. Dover (moraine north of the town) (640) 

13. Near Mount Hope (960) 

14. Canal level. Port Oram 668 

Vk Jackson Hill Mine (960) 

16. Sucaisnnna I'laius (north of) (760) 

17. Hills cast of Drakesville depot (870) 

15. Hills near Drakesville and Stanhope road (1100) 

19. Hills southeast of Waterloo (one and one-half miles north of 

Budd's Lake) (1250) 

20. Valley north of Hackettstown (650) 

21. Ridge near A. R. Da.vs, northwest of Hackettstown (900) 

22. Side of mountain near Amos Hoagland's (600) 

2.i. Townsbury (580) 

24. Side of mountain at Townsbury (660) 

'.^5. Mount Midiepinoki, west of Townsbury (950) 

26. Hill south of Oxford Furnace (600) 

27. Hill east of Oxford and Bridgeville road (520) 

28. Hill we'itof Bridgeville (490) 

29. Hill east of Belvidere (H. J. Butler's place) (.500) 

30. Manunka Chunk Mountain (56o) 

Within this great terminal moraine are other uio- 
raiiies of recession, of less magnitude. " As the con- 
tinental glacier nielted away at the south and re- 
treated northward, it left the materials carried on its 
surface, and these were deposited somewhat as they 
were grouped on the ice. A gradual recession strewed 
more or less of the whole surface with the bowlders 
and bowlder earth, which made the mantle or drift- 
sheet reposing upon the underlying rock formations. 
Whenever this retreat was for a time stopped, and the 
glacier halted, there was an increased accumulation 
at its foot, and thus a succession of terminal or frontal 
moraines, but of limited extent, would be formed. 
The distribution of the glacial drift over this part of 
the State is very uneven. It is not a continuous forma- 
tion, nor is there any uniformity in its thickness. . . . 
The trap-rock hills west of Paterson, and many others, 
are quite bare, and show thin rocks in many out- 
cropping ledges. Others are so deeply covered that 
it is often difficult to ascertain the nature of the rocks 
in them. . . . 

"The drift in the valleys north of the terminal mo- 
raine is generally stratified. The great volume of 
water from the melting of huge bodies of ice flowed 
in these valleys as broad streams or filled them a.s 
lakes. And in this way much of the ground or fun- 
damental moraine, and parts of the terminal moraines, 
which marked the recession of the glacier front, were 
worked over aild redeposited in water. This rear- 
rangement of materials was probably in progress to a 
very limited extent during the whole glacial epoch. 
Warmer seasons or periods must have been marked 
by the melting of great masses of ice, and a recession 
for a time, attended by large streams flowing from 
beneath the glacier and carrying to lower levels au 
immense quantity of sediment. Subsequent advances 
of the glacier would move over some of these sedi- 



mentary deposits and mingle with them, or cover them 
with its unsorted debris. No doubt such alternate 
advances and recessions produced some of the drift 
phenomena now observed. The final retreat and dis- 
appearance of the glacier appears to have given rise 
to great streams and large lakes which, in part, ob- 
literated the great terminal moraine and deposited 
glacial drift over wide areas south of it. These beds 
of stratified drift, found in many of our northern vil- 
lages and on the plains of the central part of the 
State, are consequently of later age than the terminal 
moraine or the sheet of glacial drift covering the sur- 
face north of it. The size of the streams and the force 
of water are measured by the wide-spread gravels and 
bowlders and the disposition of the stones in many 
localities. The decreasing size of the gravel pebbles 
and the fine sediment evenly deposited in thin layers 
show the lessening force of the water as it flowed for- 
ward in broad channels and emptied into broader 
lakes and bays. As the trend of nearly all of these 
valleys is approximatel)' northeast and southwest, 
and as towards the north they were choked by the 
receding barriers of ice, it is safe to assume that the 
general course of the rivers draining away the waters 
from the melting ice front was a southerly or south- 
western one. And we may consider our existing river- 
system as a diminutive representative of that marking 
the close of the glacial ejioch. The valleys of the 
Hackensack, Passaic, Ramapo, Ringwood, Rockaway, 
Pequannock, Succasunna, Berkshire, Musconetco^g, 
Pohatcong, Pequest, Wallkill, Paulinskill, and Dela- 
ware all served as outlets and channels for the rivers 
of that epoch. And for a long period they may have 
continued to receive sediments derived from sources 
to the north and from higher lands bordering them. 
The waters finished the trans|)orting work begun by 
the ice, leveling, sorting, and distributing over a wide 
area the uneven glacial drift. The terrace epoch was 
a time of elevation, when the land gradually rose and 
the streams and lakes were lowered by the erosion of 
thin beds and outlets deeper in the drift which was de- 
posited during the Champlain epoch. As there were 
no longer any glacier-fed streams, the volume of water 
was diminished and broad river-beds were left dry, 
and the streams withdrew to the deeper channels. 
Many of the lakes were drained ofl' or dried up in 
part, and the whole drainage-system of the country 
began to assume the jiroportions of the historic period. 
These changes have been going on ever since, slowly 
modifying the surface, although retaining the general 
features which marked the Champlain epoch." 

The following extract from Dr. Cook's report will 
indicate the distribution and character of the glacial 
drift in different parts of Bergen and Passaic Counties : 

"1. .If.bsey ClTV. — The glacial drift can be seen at a few places only in 
an undisturbed condition. It cont-xins sufficient red shale to give color 
to it, and with the slialy earth there are large blocks of trap rock from 
Bergen Hill, of hard, indurated, banded shale; also from Bergen Hill, 
white, angular, feldspathic sandstones, gneisses, gi-anites, and syenites, 
cobble-stones of the same rocks, and pebbles and angular fragments of 



20 



HISTORY OF BKUGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



a gmt Tttriety of rockt. West of Jonwy Avenue, between Twelfth and 
Thlrtornlh Strpet«, the drift Ik's on a reddUh itratified sund. The tra|>- 
ruck Muck* are uut much worn or rounded on the edges, and are, io a 
few 8iicciniens, ten to flfteen ftH't long. The other crystiilline rocks, and 
•ome of the gray oandHtoueo, are well ruuuded and striated. A few of 
the trap*n>ck buwiderv api>ear much flecomjiosed and quite friable. They 
may r«>|>resent the rock of the urigioul surfiice of Bergen Hill. This 
drift i« thin, — not mure than three feet thick in placee. On the lilll In 
the weatiTU part of the city the more cuuimun liowldeni are trap rock, 
riHl samlBtone, gneissea, and indurated nhaleit. The natural drift surface 
can 1k) seen aUtui Comniunipaw, along the line of the Central Railroad 
of New Jersey. The nrte«ian wells which have been bored in the city 
have found rock at varying depths fruni fifteen to ninety feet. At Ma- 
thieaen Ai Wtecher's sugar refinery the surface earth was found to be 
twenty feet thick ; at Cox's brewery, un Grove Street between Seventh 
and Eighth Streets, there waa tMkwlder clny un«l earth to a depth of sev- 
enty feet; at the steel works, Lafayette, the rock was ninety feet deep. 
Constable's Uook is an upland island, surrounded by mursh iiimI water, 
and is a re«Mi-sh-yellow stratified sand-drift with many bowUters of trap 
rock,altere<l slialo, red (wndstone, and gneiss rocks. The sand is in thin, 
gently undulating layeni. The Uiwideni appear to have been dropped 
here by Hoaling ice, and they resemble in general the rock of Bergen 
Neck. The drift on Be<lloo's Island, in New Ynrk harbor, is very much 
like the surface of Constable's llook. They are, apparently, of the same 
origin. The shallow excavations on the latter have failed to strike the 
rock. 

"2. Palisadb Mount.mn and the Cue.vt Sanbstonk Vallky.— The 
broad Red Sandstone Valley of Bergen, Essex, and Hudson Counties, 
lying between thtj Palisade Mountain and Bergen Hill on the east, and 
tlie lUniaiM) and Wutchuiig ]!tIountains on the west, is furrowed by nar- 
row and deep valleys, which trend sonlh-e<JUthwcst. The ronds running 
east and west cross tjio ridges and depressions, whereas those up and 
down the valley follow the valleys or the ridges. One of the best roads 
for otiaorring this feature of the surface is from Nyack to Suflerns, in 
Rockland Connty, N. V. An<«ther is that connecting Knglewnod and 
Pararous. On the finit-niontioned road these ridges are high and com- 
paratively bruail, attaining a height above tide of about si\ hundred feet. 
And the depretwlons are narrow. The ridges become lower towards the 
southweet and the valleys widen out Into flats, coalescing alwut the 
euutfiwcfltern ends of the ridges which here disapi^ear. The junction of 
the west and of the middle branches of Saddle River near the New York 
line in iit the soutli end of n ridge. Tea Neck, near Hackennack, and 
tlie Arlington Ridge, disupi>earlng at East Newark, are other examples. 
Tills feature of to[Migraphy haa determined somewhat the extent and 
character of the drift cuvoring. On the ennteru side of this great valley 
we see the top of the Palinade Mountain, covered in places by a thin 
sheet of glacial drift. R4>ck outcrops are commtui.and these bear every- 
where glacial markings. (Fordirection of striie and grt^toves, see Annual 
Rejiorts for 1877 and 1878.) Scattered bowlders are very numerous, half 
Imbedded in the drift soil or perched on the jiollshcd ledges. One of 
theee, known as 'Sam|woii*s Ri>ck,' in the rear of Wm. II. Dana's re«i- 
dence, Knglewoo^l, lias attracted attention, and was described in the 
Amnit:>in Jnurtfit «/ Science ami ArU, vol. xl,, 'id series. It is of coarao 
red «n<l!<tiine, and is ten by seven by nine feet. 

"On the luwer i>art of the western slope of the Pullsailo range and on 
the sandstone ridges of tliis valley the drift is nnstratined, and on the 
latter It is so uniformly spread and so thick as to conceal the santlsione, 
excepting In a few very small outcrops, tlonerally it* surface is snioother 
and correa|>onds more to the rock sIo|H)s than it does In the heaii* ami 
Dumnds of the terminal morainoa. Between Clodtcr and KngtewiKMl 
there is much drift in the form of »liort hiUn. Near the funiier place 
they staiiil In the bonier of the plain ; southward they rise in the tra|H 
ntck slope. Their billowy surface Is very pnmilnent in the toixigrnphy 
of that |>art of the valley. S4>iiie of Iheni are at lca«t lUie hundred feel 
high. They look as tf they hod lieen the lateral moraine of a glacier 
whirh fllle'l the valley but no longer overtopped the nionntain. The 
c<>ni|NMltinn of the glacial drift varies greatly on the two sides of this 
valley. Near the I'alisnde Mountain the drift earth Is niontly rod shale 
and sand from the rod sandstone. The IniU'dded iKtwIden are sand- | 
sbuiM, then gneJMlc and granitic rocks. Ouing west, the proportion of 
sliale diiidnlshea, and the iHiwbler earth has a grayish-white color, ami 
Is largely ilerlviwl from gnetsslc ntcks. There are fewer sandstonee, and 
an lin reuswl numtn-r of crystalline hhU with (ireen-Pond Mountain » on- 
glonipnito. Till' gnelNMu and rongbunerate make u)i ninety per cent, of 
the l»wldeni in the drift along the Raniapo Mountain, and they are larger 
than Utoae to the oast. The largest which has Iteen oli«erved in thin |>arti>f 
the country Is In Ruckland County, a few rudi south of the Pierniunt Rail- ' 



road, and one and a half mllea loutlieast of Suffems. It appears to be 
mostly above ground. Its dimensions are forty-five by thirty, by twenty- 
five fevt, audita estimated weight Is one thousand five hundred tons. Tlie 
rock is a foldspathic gneiss, traversetl by veins of syenite. It may not 
have traveled far, aa the nearest outcrop of crystoJline rock is not more 
than two miles away. While shales, sandstones, conglomerates, gneiss, 
granite, and syenite are to be seen everywhere, no limestones have been 
otiaerved in the unstratified drift of the valley. Glaciated i>ebb1esand 
bowlderv abound. In the northwestern part of Ik>rgcn County tliere is a 
great accumulation of drift, l>oth assorted and stratiAed. The several 
cuttings on the New York, Lake Erie and Western Railway and the 
New Jersey Midland Rallroail expose fine si'clious. In one of these 
cuts, a little way north of Ramsey's Station, the drift at the southern 
end is glacial ; whereas to the north of it there Is a long section of 
grayish-white stratifit-d sand and gravel. The country south of Paterson 
and ea»t of the Watchung Mountain, or Orange Mountain, is ver}' gen- 
erally covered by glacial drift. It is here largely made up of red shale 
earth and retl sandstone b<»wlderB. The cuts on the lino of the New 
York and Gret^nwood Lake Railroad, near Bloomtield, Montclair. and 
the Notch, show good sections thruugh the drift down to the glaci- 
ated ledges. Along the Newark and Patcrson Railroad both forms of 
drift are seen. At the Newark brown-stone <)uarrief> the red shale drift 
earlli holds many large bowlders of retl sandstone, trap rock, gneise, 
Green-Pond Mountain conglomerate, and a multitude of sul>-angular 
fragmenta of shale. Flat pebbles of shale and Kindstone are also abun- 
dant. The stria- on many of the trai>-ro<-k and re^l sandstone l>owlder8 
are very finely cut. No traced of any stratificatiiiii were ot«ervod. Tlie 
moan thickness is about ten feet. The top earth is of a yellowish color ; 
the lower drift is reddish brown. The grading for streets in East New* 
ark and tlM> railroad cuts give long and good sections of the drift. But 
hero It is, in part, stratified. 

"Along the wcetern foot of the Palisade Mountain and Bergen Hill 
there is much variety in the forms which the drift aasumes. At a num- 
ber of localities the glacial drift is found lying ni>on a reddish sand, 
which In tuin rests upon the i>olishod and striated trap riH'k. At 
Marion the following section was noted : 

•'1. A gravelly bed 3 feet, 

2. Glacial drift 10 " 

.'1. Fine red sand 

"The same series was beautifully ex|>o8ed on the new straight line 
cut of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, in Bergen Cut. The section 
at this i>oint was: 

" 1. Y'ellow, tnippean clav snll and aubaoll 2 feet. 

2. Re-1 shale, glacial ilr'ifl 10 ** 

:t. CoarHC red sand and fine gravel 1 to 3 " 

(4.) Glaciated trap rock 

" At the west end of Bergen tunnel, the south side of the cut consisted 
of the following members, vit.: 

"1. Yellow, Irappean clay loam soil and subsoil 

2. Glacial drift 3to6f»et. 

3. Stnitilied sand, gravel ami cobblv-stonos^ 3to6 ** 

4. Glaciol drift 6 " 

6. Stratified red sand at bottom 

*' In the glacial drift on Bergen Hill the bowlders of rml nandstone 
and shale pretlominato. The (vercentage of trap rock Im small, and there 
are few of <iuartr.lte ami conglomerates. Of gneisses also there are 
com|iaratively few. At Bayonne, and elsewhere on the line of the Cen- 
tral Ralln>ad, the glacial drift was cut thmugh, twenty-five to thirty feet 
thick, down to the polished and striated HK-k. The cuttings for streets 
encountered the same ilrift. Many largo and well-rountlod gneiss bowl- 
deni and angular blocks of induratetl striped shale are found. The latter 
are evidently n>>t far fmni the parent b'dges. Tnip n>cks and red sand- 
ntonu preilomlnat)' in mass, and there 1^ much shale in smaller and an- 
gular fragments. No serpentine has been ol«(>rved. The conijHKdtioh 
of thf drift indicates here, as elsewhere In the red sandstone country, a 
southeastern movement. The alluvial formation of the Newark mea- 
flows is supposed to rest up(^>n drift. Several weltn In the niarshes west 
of the Ilackennack River, near the Newark plank n>ad, go tlin>ugh the 
alluvium anil Into a <lrift. Four of them, sunk in 1S71, get their supply 
of water from gmvel at a depth of nearly twi.* huadred feet. The well 
of Hiiyler and Itntan, nl^ar the riviT at Mackensack, |)assed through 
one hundreil and ftmr feet of meadow mud and bine and nnl ilays. In 
Newark, the well of MrMtm. K. Hiillwch \ S<in, at their smelting-works, 
liaased through alxuit one hundred feet of sainl and gravel and then 
entsHMl the ro*\ Nandstone. That of P. Bnllantine .V St•n^ ut their 
brewery, went through ninety fwt of earth. The w»dl at the works of 
Lister Brothers, on the bank of the Paasalc, was sunk one hundred and 



/ 



LAlvii PASSAIC 

[ACLAaALLAKE] 




I \ ltnrijui 






I ]'/»-»(/< I \Knl.Smiilxliiir ^/tril'l 

/Itntvwtnl 'St-n/r /i/tit/rj tvt/ir htrh 
Virtinil •'iriilr nl'.^rrtiiti KMnif* Inlhr itirli 



GEOLOGY. 



21 



ten feet in earth. These figures show the great thickness of drift and 
the depth uf the rock basin. 

*' In explanation of tlieir origin we may consider these levels or ter- 
races as marking tlie successive heigtita at which the waters stood in 
this great valley after the retreat of the glacier had begun, during the 
Chani|tlain epoch, and continued through the Terrace epoch. The melt- 
ing of the ice in the valley and oti the Highlands north and west pro- 
duced an enormous volunn'of water, which filled the great iiasin, form- 
ing u luke thirty miles long and eight miles wide. Tlie top of tlie 
terinitiiil moraine was leveled eft ami a piirt of its material was carried 
»Mithuard and silted on Iho bottom of the lake, where are now the great 
swamp and the Dead River flats. The gaps through the trap-rock ranges 
at Paterson and Little Falls were filled with drift by the glacier. The 
extnivation of these drift-fiUeil gaps began as it disappeared, and the 
outlet again follnwed the line of the old channel into the red sandstone 
couTitiy on the east. Two causes contributed to the lowering of the 
lake level. They were the diminished volume of water in the Cham- 
plain epoch after the great masses of ice had disappeared from the sur- 
rounding hills, and the cutting down of the drift dams along the outlet 
between Paterson and Little Falls. The former source of supply soou 
closed, and the natural drainage of the water-ghed with the rainfall on 
its surface were the sole feeders. The upper terrace is most plainly 
marked on tlie surrounding hill and mountain sides. It was the broad 
pebbly shore of a lake into which poured torrents of water from the 
neighboritig hills, carrying cobble-stones and bowlders into it and de- 
positing them so Confusedly together as in places to resemble a glacial 
deposit. The accumulations of drift at Bernardsville and Basking Ridge 
m y liave come in that way. Tln' lower level-topped hills mark the mure 
quiet watere as they subsided and slirunk into narrow limits. Pompton 
Plains and the fiats along the Passaic and Whippany Rivera mark their 
further contraction into irregular-shaped ponds within the bounds of 
the old lake basin. The erosion through the drift at Little Falls was 
probably the gradual wear of the Terrace epoch until the hard trap- 
rock reef was reached. At that level tlie drainage stopped. The slow 
work of excavation through this barrier and the recession of the falls 
have been in progiess since that time; and a gorgi- three hundred feet 
wide at the east, narrowing westward to the falls, and between thirty 
and forty feet deep, has been cut hack about six hundred feet iu the 
rock. As the falls have not yet materially clianged since the earliest 
records of it, this recession must have required a long period. The fur- 
ther w<»rk of cutting through the harrier of trap rock must he very 
slow, and hence the drainage of the old lake basin may be considered 
as i)ractically at an end, unless furthered by the agency of man. We 
see to-day the undrained meadows and swamps occupying the sites of 
the later ponds. The process of filling them with sediments derived 
from surface-wash of the surrounding hills is going. on, and is destined 
to fill tliem eventually, unless the flow of the stream is accelei-ated by 
an altenition in the fall. It would be extremely interesting to trace out 
the borders of this ancient lake, and locate tlie streams which fed it, 
and note the islands of Hook Mountain, Riker Hill, Horse Hill, and 
others in it, and then follow its contracting outlines until it disappears 
and then was left the present wet meadow bottom. Its history is im- 
pressed upon the topographical features of the country so plainly that 
the enthusiastic and diligent student can, by the aid of good maps, 
restore it. 

A Glacial Lake. — The Passaic River formed anciently the outlet of 
a great glacial lake. Professor Cook says in his report, "Tlierewere 
many lakes of this sort in New Jersey, which can now be traced by the 
marks which their water-surfaces left upon their hanks. One of the 
most remarkable and interesting of tliese is the one which was between 
the Watchung Mountain and the Highland range. It was fully thirty 
miles long, from six to eight miles wide, aiid in most jdaces two hundred 
feet deep. It covered the country where Madison, Chatham, New Prov- 
idence, Basking Ridge, Hanover, Whippany, Troy, PoTupton, and Little 
Falls now stand. Long Hill, Riker's Hill, and the Hook Mountain were 
islands in it. And its shores were made by the Second Mountain from 
Paterson to Bernardsville, by the Highlands from Bernardsville to Pomp- 
ton, and from thence to near Paterson by the Second Mountain again. 
The only outlet to this lake was by the valley of the Passaic at Paterson, 
and this was at that time closed by the ice of the receding glacier, and 
its then terminal moraine still fills most of the valley where the Boouton 
branch of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railway crosses the 
Passaic. The insufficiency of these hanks is plainly evident to any one 
familiar with the country spoken of, and the level of the water in if is 
to be seen everywhere by the sand and gravel banks which have been 
made by the natural wash from the surrounding country, which were 
carried down into the water and there deposited. The surface level of 



this lake was about three hundred and eighty feet above the present 
level of tide-water. The plain country between Madison and Murristowu 
is of this lieigbt, and so is the moraine ridge from just south of Chatham 
to Madison and Morristown. The terrace-like hills near Montville, those 
at the india-rubber works above Bloouiingdale, those at Pearkness, the 
sandy banks near the top of the Hook Mountain, and many others 
around this old lake border remain to give testimony for this hitherto 
unnoticed lake. [We give on the next page a cut of this lake, which we 
have engraved for this work by permission of Dr. Cook.] 

"There are many other places where great bodies of water have been 
shut in for a time, and then burst out to remove or modify the great 
masses of glacial drift which were first deposited in the various terminal, 
lateral, and ground moraines. To study out and make connected descrip- 
tions of these is one of the objects of this work ; and the detailed descrip- 
tions which follow are the part which must first be done before safe and 
comprehensive conclusions can be reached. 

"The Great Red Sandstone Vallet.— .Vs has been stated in the 
account of the glacial drift of this valley, the ridges are covered very 
geneially by a thick mantle of unsorted drift, while the valleys lying 
between these ridges are lined with beds of earth, santl, and gravel, ex- 
cepting at their northern ends. As they widen southward tliese stratified 
beds form broader terraces and extensive flats. In a few of them, as 
along Spraat Brook, along the Hackensack, from Old Hook to New Mil- 
ford, and at the State line near Tappan, the flats are so level as to give 
rise to swamps and wet meadows. The materials of this drift are finer 
going southward or down the valleys. Northward there is more gravel 
and cobble-stones; to the south, reddish, sandy loams prevail. Vertical 
sections of these stratified drift beds are seen at Orange Mills, Rockland 
Co., N. Y., near Westwood, at Paramus, Tenafly, Closter, and at many 
other points, especially along the Northern, New Jersey and New York, 
and the Jersey City and Albany Railroads. Near the Hackensack, 
between Westwood and Old Hook, there is a sandy level of considerable 
extent. But the largest of these stratified drift levels is that of Paramus, 
bordering on the west the Saddle River, and extending west to Hohokua, 
and nearly to Ridgewood, where it is a mile wide. The height of the 
level above tide is nearly one hundred feet. The Paramus Reformed 
Church stands on it. About a quarter of a mile north of the latter there 
is a long depression or sink in it, about two hundred and fifty yards long 
and twenty-five feet deep, the bottom of which is partially covered with 
water. Very few small bowlders from one to three feet long are to be 
found on the surface of the plain. The glacial waters flowing through 
the gorge of the Saddle River and the Hohokus Creek here spread out 
in a broad shallow stream, and a mile or two farther south they met the 
sea-level of that epoch. The lower levels, fifty to sixty feet high, prob- 
ably represent a sea-border formation and the shores of the same geo- 
logical time. 

"The terrace.s along the Ramapo River, at Sufferns, N. Y., mark the 
sufcessive heights of that stream. The highest of these is at the east 
side of the village, and the Episcopal and Methodist Churches are on it 
It is between ten and fifteen feet above the middle terrace, on which 
most of the business part of the village is placed. The third, or lowest 
terrace, is about twenty feet below the railroad level or middle terrace. 
Following the valley of the Ramapo, we see banks and level-topped hills 
of sand, gravel, and bowlders thickly disposed, leaving but little of the 
meadow flats on its border. The drift hills average seventy to eighty 
feet high, and the wells dug in the drift are thirty-five to sixty-six feet 
deep. A boring made several years ago for coal, near the residence of 
PK-Governor Price, struck the rock at a depth of one hundred and seven- 
teen feet, showing that thickness of the valley drift. South of flakland 
the valley becomes broader, and there are some remarkable level-topped 
hills and ternices. The upper oae of them is about a mile square, and 
is approximately three hundred and fifty feet high. On it are what are 
known as tlie mud ponds. — very sliitUow basins with abrupt sides about 
thirty feet deep, and with wiiter four to eight feet deep in them. They are 
quite grown up with reeds, and look more like reedy marshes than ponds. 
They are in fuct undrained sink-holes. To the eastward there are lower 
terraces and much stratified drift. Oakland is on a lower terrace to the 
west, and the Crystal Lake is in another south of this highest level or 
terrace. Of the tlrift materials in the Ramapo Valley about ninety per 
cent, are cryst^illine rocks of the Highlatids. Some of the bowlders of 
these rocks are very large. Many smaller bowlders and much of the 
giavel is made of slate and sandstone, A verj' few blue limestone and 
Oriskany sandstone bowlders have been observed. The Green-Pund 
Mountain conglomerate is recognized in a few specimens. The small 
proportion of red shale and red sandstone in the gravel is quite remark- 
able. This series of terraces, at such different elevations, points to a 
broad e.vpau8eof water, — a large lake-basin which was gradually drained 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



ofT souUiwnrd dowu the ralley of the lUninpo hilo llif Pamlc. The 
mad poods and the Crystal and l'uii)|itoii Lnkc« arc the vestlgee uf the 
aDcIent lake. 

'"Tlie cut-in gmvfl at 3lahw'ah nnd thv aiiigiilar gravel ridgo on 
which the BantRey Riflumietl Church sfHiidn are aUu (.oiitiected in eoniu 
way uiih the ternce foroialiun uf thu RauiaiH>, hut their eleTnlionfl art* 
Dut ktidwn. 

" Proceeding wjuth and sonttienst in the red sandstone idain, we notice 
a long cut in stratifle4l snndii and gravel at Ilawthurni', north of Fater* 
son. The level-lo|)|»etl hills eaat of the Now York, Lake Erie and 
Western Railway, in Patenson, are also a nuKlifled drift formation. The 
cuttings at the southern end show lines of stratiflcMlion in the re<1dish 
sandstone grrivel. At the tnp uf tho l>ank there are many largf* bowlders 
of gneisaic and granitic and red sandslono rocks, with a few of Green- 
Pond Mooutain conglomerate, uf trap rock and tria&tic conglomerated, 
all )ni)>edt|iMl in a red, t«liiily earth. They appejir also in lines in the 
earthy drift Thette liilln correspond in height tu tlie Hitnd and gno'el 
hills northwest of the city, towards Iliilcdon. They are one hundreil 
and sixty feet high, and lM>th are Che ramalna uf a terrace whoee further 
extent has not yet been tntceil. 

"In the lower iMirti>in of the red sandhtune plain, aUmt Newark nnd 
Elizabeth, and along the foot of the Palisade Moiinliiin and Itergun Mill, 
there are flat knolls and levels of red, sandy loam ami tine gravel which 
may belong to the Champlain ejHKh, or may he more recent. Some of 
them are but a few feet above high>iide level. The excavations along 
the Newark nnd New York and the Pennsylvaida Itailronds mIiow the 
nature and arrangement of the niateriHl. There U a good ex|ht.>>nre 
near New Durham, on the siiie of the Ilackenstti-k turnpike, in a giiivel 
pit twenty feet deep, and in which the reddish mtnd i^^ interstratilied ir- 
regularly with layeiB of gravel. The latter is mainly red Haiidstone, 
gneiss, and white quartz |K;bblea. 

" Passaic Vallev.— The modified drift of the Pawwic Valley, or tliat 
part of the retl sandstone plain iHiundeil on the northwest by the High- 
lands and on tho other nblea by the sweep of the Second MountJiin range, 
from Pompton to Hernanlsville, is remarkable for ila extent, thick ne«K, 
and it« long lines of tcrmce levels fringing these mountains about iL 
. . . From the number of hills t>f drift in the neighltorhood of Hanover, 
Columbia, Whlppany, Troy, ati<l Frnnktin, wliicli are fn)m two hnmlred 
and forty to two hundred and eighty feet high, it would seem as if there 
had been a terrace at nlnfut that heipht. The kmdis cut by the Litlh-- 
toD and Whip|iany n>ad are atfto of the same height. The satid ami 
gravel hills along the Paiwiic near Totowa mark the site of the dam of 
drift which occasioned the f(»rmation of this terrace. The Pompton 
Plains is perhaps the mont remnrkable level in all this valley. As IIm 
name indicates, it is a plain, ami is boundud on the north and wext by 
the gneiss ridges of tho Highlands, nn<l on the oust anil soutli by the 
Packanark and Townkhow or l](M>k Mountains. The same level stretihes 
north of Pompton Furnace and Ponipton Village up the Wynokio Val- 
ley a longdistance, and Incluilos Furnace Pond williln its bt>undi4. It8 
mean elevation is two hundred feet, duKamlliig slightly southward, in 
w hich direction its drainage Is elTectc^l. . . ." 



CHAPTER III. 

DISCOVERY AND OCCUPATION OF NKW 
NETHEKLAND. 

Early Explorers.— In 1525 the harbor or hay of 
New York wili liiscovered by Estevan Gomez, Crotii 
whom the natives obtiiiiu'd the maize, or Spiiiiish 
wlioat.' .\s early as tliat piTiotl the search iiail Ixcii 
undertaken by nierrhant-s anil Kitst Inilia traders fur 
a shorter route to the Kaat by some passage through 
the continent of North America. Kings anil emper- 
ors, seeking to defeat their rivals and to secure the 
monopoly of the trade with tho Kastern nations, fitted 
out expeditions to diseover the supposed Northwest 
Passage. 



> I..MIK I.IiiikI HUI. Sue., I. 2Ti. 



Gomez was sent out by the Emperor Charles V. of 
Spain, " who had fitted out the expedition for the 
purpose of discovering a shorter passage to the Mo- 
luccas."' He appears to have made a map of the 
continent, so far as it was then known, extending iis 
far north as the strait beyond Nova Zembla. This 
map wiis embodied in the sailing directions to Henry 
Hudson ; and that portion of the country extending 
from New Jersey to Rhode Island is called the land of 
Estevan Gomez.' The tradition that the Spanish 
visited New York before the Dutch was extant among 
the Indians as late as 1076. Stuyvesant also claimed 
that Verrazzano, sent out by Francis I., King of France, 
in l.i24, visited the Bay of New Y'ork.' This is liighly 
probable, as Verrazzano sailed "southwest from the 
Cape of the Bretons a good five hundred leagues 
towards the coast of Florida."^ He took possession 
of the whole country in the name of the King of 
France; and in 1529 the French geographer Crignon 
was sent out with the famous navigator Parmilier, to 
collect information and make a map of the country. 
This map, containing the geographical information 
furnished by Crignon, was published in Italy in loot!." 

By virtue of the discoveries of Verrazzano, the 
charter of Henry IV. of France was granted to De 
Monts in 1(J03. upon which was b;ised the French 
claim and the long struggle for ascendency between 
tlie English and French colonies. The charter to De 
Monts (called the charier of .-Vcadia) embraced all 
that jiortion of the country lying between the fortieth 
and forty-si.vth degrees of north latitude, and conse- 
quently included the greater part of New Jersey. 
But the grant of the French king was ignored by 
.lames I. of England, who, upon the discoveries maile 
by the Cabots, Weymouth, and others, granted, in 
l(iO(), "to Edward Maria Wingfielil and his a.s.soci- 
atcs, under the name of the tioiit/i Mrijiiiin or I.nudun 
Company, the land between the thirty-fourth and 
forty-first degrees of north latitude, and to the North 
Virffiiiia or Plymouth Company the land lying between 
the thirty-eighth and forty-fifth degrees of north lati- 
tude." These companies respectively sent out colonies 
in the year 1G07, — the former the colony which set- 
tled permanently at .famestown, Va., and the latter 
the Popham colony, which settled at Monhegan Island, 
in Maine. 

Henry Hudson. —The E;ist India merchants and 
niariiiiiie powers of Europe were meantime zealous in 
the pursuit of their favorite discovery, — the North- 
west piuwage. The English in lt>(>7 and U1U8 sent out 
Henry Hudson, whom the Dutch called the "bold 
Englishman," on two voyages with this express ob- 
ject in view. He was disappointed in his search, but 

I Dlilillc'a Lih uf ChIkiI, 271. 

> llucUi.ri'i .SiiniiiK DIrocUoiK, 46.— Wlnflold'a Hiat. Iltiit. Co., t. 

* Kuiiiu(it<'« llnllaii Oeogni|iliy.— Map uf New France. Publlalied in 

^ Sltijrvc«ant'a " Maiilfoalo" It* the Oovoin.tr uf Maryland. — Bancroft, 
f.S, I. 17. 

• Maine Hill. Cull. 



DISCOVERY AND OCCUPATION OF NEW NETHERLAND. 



23 



was not discouraged. With unshaken faith in his 
final success, he applied in 1609 to the Dutch East 
India Company at Amsterdam ; and, as Columbus had 
been successful in Spain, so was Hudson successful in 
Holland. The Company, favoring his enterprise, put 
him in command of a yacht or " Vlie-boat," built to 
navigate the Viie, or Texel, called " De Halve Maan" 
(Half Moon), of thirty lasts'' burden, and manned by 
a crew of twenty men, partly Dutch and partly Eng- 
lish. The following throws some light upon the pur- 
pose and conditions of his voyage : 

" By his agie^'nient with the Company, tinted January 8, 1609, he was 
tit sail abi>ut tlie fii-st uf April in search of a passage to the north of 
Nova Zenihla, and to continue along that parallel until he was able to 
sail south to the latitude of si,\ty degrees, and then hasten back to re- 
port to his employers. For this service he was to receive eight hundred 
guilders, and in case he did not come back witiiili a year, they were to 
give his wife two hundred guilders more. In case he found the pasKige, 
the Company were to reward hirn for his dangers, troubles, and knowl- 
edge, in their discretion."- 

Hudson set sail from the Texel, April 6, 1609, and 
sailed to Newfoundland. His anxiety to discover his 
favorite passage led him to disregard his orders, and 
he coasted southward as far as Chesapeake Bay, and, 
returning, cast anchor inside of Sandy Hook on the 
3d of September. The scenery around delighted hiin, 
and he pronounced it " a very good land to fall in 
with, and a pleasant land to see." 

Here Hudson met the natives for the first time. 
The journal says, " The people of the country came 
aboard of us, seeming very glad of our coming, and 
brought green tobacco and gave us of it for knives 
and beads. They go in deer-skins loose, well dressed. 
They have yellow copper. They desire clothes, and 
are very civil."'* On the 6th of September, John 
Coleman, an Englishman of the crew, with four men, 
was sent to sound the river opening to the north, — 
the Narrows. They sailed through and found "a 
very good riding for ships." They found also "a 
narrow river to the westward between two islands," — 
the Kill Van KulL Passing through this two leagues 
they came to an open sea, — Newark Bay. The Dutch 
called it Achtn- Cull — that is, the after bay, because it 
lay behind the Bay of New York. It was called by 
the English After Coll,^ and sometimes, corrupting 
the word, they called it Arthur Cull. It is sometimes 
applied to the territory bordering on the bay, as well 
as to the bay itself-" On their return they were at- 
tacked by a hostile party of twenty-six Indians in 
two canoes; Coleman was killed by an arrow which 
struck him in the throat, and two more were wounded. 
It is thought that these Indians came from Staten 
Island, as the Jersey Indians visited the ship the next 

1 A last is nearly two tons. 

s " Henry Hudson in Holland," by H. C. Murphy.— Winfield, 4. 

s Juet's Journal of Ilinlson's Voyage. N. Y. Hist. Coll., 323. 

* Col. Hist. N. r., ii. 576. 

5 On Vandnrdonck's map of New Netherland (1656), the " Achier 
Rtvkr^^ evidently means the whole bay and sound to the mouth of the 
Raritan, including the two rivers, Hackensack and Passaic, which were 
regarded as branches. 



day and were ignorant of what had occurred. The 
next day the body of Coleman was buried on Sandy 
Hook, and the place where it was interred still bears 
the name of Coleman's Point. Returning again 
through the Narrows, Hudson cast anchor on the 
11th of September in the harbor of New York, "and 
saw it was a very good harbor for all winds." His 
first landing appears to have been at a point about 
six miles up on the New York side. 

Having thus familiarized himself with the bays and 
inlets about Manhattan, he prepared next to explore 
the noble river which bears his name, and which he 
still hoped might be the long-sought passage to the 
Indies. With what feelings of joy this thought must 
have inspired him for a time, and how great must 
have been the disappointment when he found the 
river gradually growing less and less navigable, and 
saw before him the lofty mountain ranges among 
which it has its source ! The precise point at which 
he terminated his voyage northward is not material, 
though it is believed that he stopped at a point in 
what is now the town of Half-Moon, in Saratoga 
Count}', some eight or ten miles above Albany.* He 
returned on the 2d of October, and in consequence of 
an attack from the Indians at the head of Manhattan 
Island, " he bore gradually across the river, and 
anchored in Weehawken Cove, just above Castle 
Point.' On the 4th, with fair weather and a north- 
west wind, he weighed anchor, passed through the 
Kills to Amboy, and thence stood out to sea." 

Occupation of New Netherland.— The report of 
Hudson's discovery on his return to Holland created 
a great stir among the merchants. It had opened a 
new field for trade which they were eager not only 
to occupy, but to monopolize. In 1610, it appears 
that at least one ship was sent hither by the East 
India Company for the purpose of trading in furs, 
which it is well known continued for a number of 
years to be the principal object of commercial at- 
traction to this part of the New World. Five years 
after Hudson's voyage, a company of merchants, who 
had procured from the Stales-General of Holland a 
patent for an exclusive trade on Hudson's River, had 
built forts and established trading-posts at New Am- 
sterdam (New York), Albany, and the mouth of the 
Rondout Kill. The latter was a small redoubt on the 
site of what is now a part of the city of Kingston, 
N. Y. It was known as the " Ronduit," from whence 
comes the name of Rondout." The fort near Al- 
bany was upon Castle Island, immediately below the 
present city, and the one at New York was erected 
on what is now the Battery. It was finished and 
occupied later than the others, on account of the hos- 
tility of the " fierce Manhattans," who were not dis- 
posed to allow the Dutch to gain possession of the 

* He explored the river, according to his own account, a distance of 
fifty-three leigues from its mouth. 

' Juet's .lournal.— N. Y. Hist. Coll., N. S , i. 331, quoted by Winfleld. 
» Brodhead's Uisl. N. Y., vol. i. p. 7. 



24 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



island. On the e.Tpiration of the prant of the United 
Company of New Netherland, the States General re- 
fused to renew it, but they continued to trade thither 
until 1(523 or 1(324, when the Dutoli West India Com- 
pany, a powerful mercantile as.sf)ciation chartered in 
1621, took possession of the lands temporarily granted 
to their predecessors. In 1624, Peter Minuit was ap- 
pointed Director of New Netherland, built Fort Am- 
sterdam, and brought over colonists who settled on 
Long Island. Staten Island and Manhattan were 
purchased of the Indians, and up to 162!( the settle- 
ments were merely trading-posts. In that year the 
West India Company's Council granted to certain in- 
dividuals extensive seigniories or tracts of land with 
feudal rights over the lives and persons of their sub- 
jects. Under tliis grant Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, a 
pearl-merchant of .Vmstcrdam, secured in 1630 and 
subse<iuently a tract of land twenty-four by forty- 
eight miles in extent, composing the present counties 
ot Albany, Rensselaer, and part of Columbia, and other 
wealthy patroons obtained large grants for similar 
seigniories in other portions of New Netherland. 

The Dutch at the same time were engaged in col- 
onizati(m on the Delaware, which they called the 
South River and regarded as a part of New Nether- 
land. This river had aLso been discovered by Henry 
Hudson, who sailed into it a short distance prior to 
entering New York Bay. The West India Company 
attempted to settle this jxirtion of their colony as 
early as the [jortion on the North River, and to put it 
all under the government at New Amsterdam. In 
1623 the company dispatched a ship under the com- 
mand of Cornelius Jacobse Mey, with settlers fully 
provided with means of subsistence and with articles 
of trade. Mey entered the Delaware Hay, and gave 
his name to its northern cajie, — Cape May. After 
exploring the river he landed, and etfected a settle- 
ment below Camden, erecting Furl Nassau on a small 
stream called by the natives Susarton. 

On the 12th of December, 16.30, David Pieterson de 
Vries left Uie Te.xcl in command of another vessel, 
and arrived on the Delaware in the course of the 
winter. He found none of the Kuropeans who had 
preceded him, and Kort Nassau had fallen into the 
hands of the Indians. Misfortune also awaited the 
new settlers. Having erected a fort, the commander 
returned to Holland; and during his absence a feud 
arose with one of the native tribes which at length 
terminated in the miuisacre of every one of the col- 
onists. De Vries returned shortly afterwards with a 
new company, and was only saved from a similar fate 
by the kindness of an Indian woman. Disheartened 
by repeated disiLsters, the colony soon after abandoned 
the country, and for some years not a single Kiiropean 
was left upim the shores of the Delaware. The 
Swedes next visited it, but into their history it is not 
our purpose here to enter. 

De Vries, having been driven from the Delaware, 
next turned his attention to the Hudson, where in 



a few years be became an influential patroon of New 
Netherland. 

About 1640 he purchased of the Indians a tract 
of about five hundred acres at Tappan, to which he 
gave the name of " Vriesendael." "It was beautifully 
situated along the river-side, sheltered by high hills; 
and the fertile valley through which wound a stream, 
aflbrding handsome mill-seats, yielded hay enough 
spontaneously for two hundred head of cattle. Build- 
ings were soon erected, and Vriesendael became for 
several years the home of its energetic owner."' 



CHAPTER IV. 



INDI.\X (ICCLl'ATIOX. 



It would seem from Hudson's journal that the In- 
dians on the east side of the Hudson River held no 
intercourse with those on the west side, and that the 
former were a much more fierce and im|>lacable people 
than the latter. This probably arose from the fact 
that those cast of the Hudson and along its upper 
banks were allies of the Iroipiois, which were then 
the dominating confederacy of the red republicans of 
the forest. They had not only carried their conquests 
along the Hudson to the ocean, but along East River 
and Long Island Sound to the Connecticut, exacting 
sul)missi<)n and tribute I'rom all the tribes of this 
region of country. They had also carried their con- 
quering arms southward along the Sustjuehanna and 
the Delaware, reducing t<i submission the .\ndastes 
and the Leiini Lenape ; and even the Anticokes, or 
tide-water jieople, along the Delaware ami Chesa- 
peake Bays, trembled at their vindictive prowess. 

Rev. Mr. Abeel, quoted by Moulton. says that on 
the point where New York is now built Hudson fcmiid 
a very hostile people. But those living on the western 
side, from the Kills upward, "came daily on board of 
the vessel while she lay at anchor in the river, bring- 
ing with them to barter furs, the largest ami finest 
oysters, Indian corn, beans, pumpkins, squashes, 
grapes, and some apples, all of which they exchanged 
for trifles." 

That Hudson and the traders who followed him had 
gained some knowledge of the strength and resources 
of the Iroquois country is evident from the fact that 
they astablished their first trading-post at .Mbany 
instead of Manhattan. They nuist have also learned 
that the Iroquois, especially the Mohawks, the eastern 
branch of the confederacy, hold an ascendency over 
the lower tribes, and on this account sought first to 
gain the friendship and trade of the former. No 
d(mbt such an alliance with the masters enabled them 
the better to control the subjects, and [irepared the 
way for their successful erection of a trading-post at 

> DnxiliMd, ni>li>r]r ot New Yiirk. 



INDIAN OCCUPATION. 



25 



Manhattan after they had carried on a successful and 
uninterrupted commerce at Fort Orange for at least 
ten years. During this time they had cemented such 
a friendship with the Mohawks as availed them for 
assistance in their subsequent struggle with the sev- 
eral tribes inhabiting this region. 

Most writers on Indian antiquities have considered 
the tribes of the lower Hudson and of East New 
Jersey as branches of the general Delaware nation or 
Lenni Lenapc, which means original people. Those 
most intimately connected with this region were the 
Minsies and Mohicans — the former being the inhabit- 
ants of the range of country from the Minisink to 
Staten Island and from the Hudson to the Raritan 
Valley. The latter inhabited the east side of the 
lower Hudson to its mouth. The Dutch called them 
respectively the Sanhikans and the Manhikans. Ac- 
cording to Brodhead,' the former were also called 
Wabingi, or Wappinges, the latter, as Heckewelder 
claims, being derived (rom the Delaware word icapinq, 
signifying opossum. These were divided into numer- 
ous tribes, and these again into clans. In this section 
of New Jersey they were called Raritans, Hacken- 
sacks, Pomptons, and Tappeans. On the Island of 
New York dwelt the fierce Manhattans, whom De 
Laet calls " a wicked nation," and " enemies of the 
Dutch." On Long Island, called by the natives Se- 
wan-hacky, the land of shells, were the savage Meton- 
wacks, divided into several tribes. The names of 
thirteen of these tribes have been preserved, viz., the 
Canarse and Xyack Indians, settled at the Narrows 
in Kings County ; the Rockaway, Merrikoke, Marsa- 
peagne, and Matinecoe tribes, in Queens County; 
and the Nissaqnage, Setauket, Corchaug, Secataug, 
Patchogue, Shinnecoe, and Montauk, in Sufiblk 
County. These Indians sold their lands to the whites 
in 1702-3, except about five hundred acres, on which 
lived a remnant of the Montauks as late as 1829. 
Great efforts were made to civilize them by means of 
missions and schools, Rev. Azariah Horton being mis- 
sionary among them in 1741 ; but all these efforts 
proved unavailing ; they gradually became extinct.^ 

Tie Delawares, or Lenni Lenapfe.— The Dela- 
wares — tne Indian people with which this history has 
principally to deal — occupied a domain extending 
along the sea-shore from the Chesapeake to the 
country bordering Long Island Sound. Back from 
the coast it reached beyond the Susquehanna Valley 
to the foot of the Alleghany Mountains, and on the 
north joined the southern frontier of their domineer- 
ing neighbors, the hated and dreaded Iroquois. This 
domain, of course, included not only the counties of 
Bergen and Passaic, but all of the State of New Jer- 
sey. 

The principal tribes composing the Lenni Lenape or 
Delaware nation were those of the Unamis or Turtle, 

> Brodhead, i. 73. 

- Furman'3 Notes to Denton's " Brief Description of New York," pp. 
37-42. 



the L^nalachtgo or Turkey, and the Minsi or Wolf. 
The latter, which was by far the most powerful and 
warlike of all these tribes, occupied the most northerly 
portion of the country of the Lenape and kept guard 
along the Iroquois border, from whence their domain 
extended southward to the Musconetcong^ Mountains, 
about the northern boundary of the present county of 
Hunterdon. The Unamis and Unalachtgo branches 
of the Lenape or Delaware nation (comprising the 
tribes of Assanpinks, Matas, Shackamaxons, Chiche- 
qHaas, Raritans, Nanticokes, Tuteloes, and many 
others) inhabited the country between that of the 
Minsi and the sea-coast, embracing the present coun- 
ties of Hunterdon and Somerset and all that part of 
the State of New Jersey south of their northern 
boundaries. The tribes who occupied and roamed 
over the counties of Bergen and Passaic were those 
of the Turkey and Wolf branches of the Lenni 
Lenape nation, but the possessions and boundaries of 
each cannot be clearly defined. 

The Indian name of the Delaware nation, Lenni 
Lenape, signifies, in their* tongue, " the original peo- 
ple," — a title which they had adopted under the 
claim that they were descended from the most ancient 
of all Indian ancestry. This claim was admitted by 
the Wyandots, Miarais, and more than twenty other 
aboriginal nations, who accorded to the Lenape the 
title oi grandfathers, or a people whose ancestry ante- 
dated their own. The Rev. John Heckewelder, in his 
" History of the Manners and Customs of the Indian 
Nations," says of the Delaware nation, — 

"They will not admit that the whites are superior beings. They say 
that the hair of their heads, their features, and tlie various colors of 
their eyes evince that tliey are not, like themselves, Lenni Len^ipe^ — an 
oriijintil people, — a race of men that has existed unchanged from the be- 
ginning of time; but that they are a mixed race, and therefore a trouble- 
some one. Wherever they may be, the Great Spirit, knowing the wick- 
edness of their disposition, found it necessary to give them a Great 
Book, and taught them how to read it that they might know and ob- 
serve what He wished them to do and what to abstiin from. But they 
— the Indians — have no need of any such book to let them know the 
will of their Maker; they find it engraved on their own hearts; they 
have had sutficient discernment given to them to distinguish good from 
evil, and by following that guide they are sure not to err.'* 

Traditions amongf the Delaware Tribes. — Con- 
cerning the origin of the Lenape, numerous and 

3 " The Wolf, commonly called the Minsi, which we have corrapted 
into Monseys, had chosen to live back of the other two tribes, and formed 
a kind of bulwark for their protection, watching the motions of the 
Mengwe and being at hand to afford aid in case of a rupture with them. 
The Bliusi were considered the most warlike and active branch of the 
Lenape. They extended their settlements from the Minisink. a place 
named after thetn, where they had their council-seat and fire, quite up 
to tlie Hudson on the east, and to the west and south far beyond the Sus- 
quehanna. Their northern boundaries were supposed originally to be 
the heads of the great rivers Susquehanna and Delaware, and their 
southern that ridge of hills known in New Jersey by the name of Mus- 
kanecuui, and in Pennsylvania by those of Lehigh. Conewago, etc. 
Within this boundary were their principal settlements; and even as late 
as the year 1742 they had a town with a peach-orchard on the tract of 
land where Nazareth, in Pennsylvania, has since been built, another on 
the Lehigh, and others beyond the Blue Ridge, besides many family set- 
tlements here and there scattered." — fHxtonj, M<ntnerg, an<t Customs of 
lite Indian Ntttions tcho oncf inhabiled Pennst/lvttnia, by Jtev. John Hecke- 
welder. 



26 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



essentially differing traditions were current among 
the various tribes. One of these traditions is men- 
tioned by Loskiel in liis " History of the Mission of 
the United Rretliren among the North American In- 
dians," as follows : 

"Among the DeUwar^j, ttii>4eur the Minni or Wolf tribe say thmt iu 
the l^gliiiiing they dwelt Id the earth iiu<Jer a luke, and were fortu- 
nalolj extriciited from IhN tinph'uiuint nlKMie by the discovery wliich oiio 
of their men niiide iifa hide, ttirough which lie ascended tu tlio Bllrface ; 
on which, ii« hu wait walking, he found a deer, wliich ho carried back 
>wilh him into his eubtormneouB habltntiuii; that the deer wan oaten, 
and he and his couilMiliiuns found the meat eo good that tliey unatii- 
mouslj determined to leave their dark abode and remove to a place 
where Uiey could enjoy the light of heaven and have each excellent 
game in abundance. 

"The two other trihea, the riiamis or Tortoise, and the Uiialaclitgufl 
or Turkey, have much similar notion!, but r^ect the story of the lake, 
which Boeoia peculiar to the Miimi trilie.*' 

There was another leading tradition current among 
the nations of the Lenapt^, which was to the effect 
that, ages before, their ancestors had lived in a far-off 
country to tjie west, heyonil great rivers and moun- 
tains, and that, in the belief tliat there existed, away 
towards the rising sun, a red man's ])aradi.se, — a land 
of deer and beaver and salmon, — they had left their 
western home and traveled eastward for many moons, 
until they stood on the western shore of tlie Namisi 
Sipu (Mississippi), and there they met a numerous 
nation, migrating like themselves. They were a stran- 
ger tribe, of whose very existence the Leiiapt' had 
been ignorant. They were none other than the Meng- 
we; and this was the first meeting of those two peo- 
ples, who afterwards became rivals and enemies, and 
continued such for centuries. Hoth were now trav- 
elers and bound on the same errand. 15ut they found 
a lion in their path, for beyond tlie great river lay tlie 
domain of a nation called AUegewi, who were not 
only strong in numbers and brave, but mor6 skilled 
than themselves in the art of war, who had reared 
great defenses of earth inclosing their villages and 
strongholds. In the true spirit of military strategy, 
they permitted a part of the emigrants to cross the 
river, and then, having divided their autagonist.s, fell 
upon them with great fury to annihilate them. But 
when the Lenapi"* saw this they at once formed an al- 
liance, offensive and defensive, with the Meiigwe. 
The main body cros.sed the river and attacked the Al- 
legewi with such desperate energy that tliey defeated 
and afterwards drove tlit-ni into the interior, where 
they fought from stronghold to stronghold, till finally, 
after a long and bloody war, the Allegewi were not 
only humiliated, but exterminated, and their country 
was <iccupie<l by the victors. After this both nations 
ranged eaMtward, the Mengwc taking the northern 
and the Lenain"- wtill keeping tlie more southern route, 
until, after long jcmrncyingH, the former reached the 
Mohicanittuck (Hudson River) and the latter rested 
upon the banks of the l^'napi"' Wihittuck, — the beau- 
tiful river now known as the Delaware, — and here 
tlicy found that Indian eiysium of which they had 



dreamed before they left their old homes in the land 
of the setting sun. 

These and other similar Indian traditions may or 
may not have some degree of Ibundation in fact. 
There are to-day many enthusiiistic searchers through 
the realms of aboriginal lore who accept them as au- 
thentic, and who believe that the combined Lenape 
and Mengwe did destroy a great and comparatively 
civilized people, and that the unfortunate Allegewi 
who were thus extiiiguislicd were none others than 
the mysterious Mound-Builders of the Mississippi 
Valley. This, however, is but one of the many profit- 
less coffjectures which have been indulged in with 
reference to that unknown people, and is in no way 
pertinent to this history. All Indian tribes were fond 
of narrating the long journeys and great deeds of 
their forefathers, and of tracing their ancestry back 
for centuries, some of them claiming descent from the 
great Mauitou himself. Missionaries and travelers 
among them who were, or professed to be, familiar 
with their language and customs have spoken with 
apparent sincerity of Indian chronology running back 
to a period before the Christian era, and some of the 
old enthusiasts claimed that these aborigines were 
descendants of the lost tribes of Israel.' But all the 
traditions of the Indians were so clouded and involved 
in improbability and so interwoven with superstition, 
and the speculations of antiquarian writers have almost 
uniformly been so baseless and chimerical, that the 
whole subject of Indian origin may be dismissed as 
profitless. 

Totems or Tribal Badges of the Indians.— The 
Indians, from the earliest times, considered themselves 
in a manner connected with certain animals, :is is 
evident from various customs jireserved among them, 
and from the fact that, both collectively and indi- 
vidually, they assumed the names of such animals. 
Loskiel says, — 

•' It might Indeed be euppoeed that thoire aniniaia' naniee which they 
have given to their eovenil tribes were mere liailKvs of diBtiliclioii, or 
' coats-of-arms,' as Pyrlaeus calls them; but it >vc pay utii'iilion to llie 
rcaaoiiri wliicli tlioy give for those tlenoiiiiiialionH, the idea of a supiiosed 
faiiiliy conntcUon Ik eaally discerMible. The TrMloiM— or, as they are 
commonly called, the Tarllc— tribe, among the l.ena|«', claim a 8U|i»- 
rioilty and aeceiidelicy over the others, because their relation, the great 
Torli>iM,tL fabled monster, the Atlas of their uiylliology, liears, acconling 

' In a nnall, quaint, and now very rmre rolunio entitled " .\n llistorical 
Dewrlptlon of the I'rovince and (Country of West New Jersey in America, 

Never made fublick till now, by Ijabriel Tl las, Uindon, lll'JS," and 

deilicated "To tlio Kiglil Honourable Sir John M.Hir, Sir Thomas Ijine, 
Knights and Ableriiicn of the City of lAjiidon, and to the n^al of the 
Worthy .Memboniof the West Jersey Proprietors," is found the following 
in reference to the aborigines of llibi region : " The lint InhabitJinU of 
this Cciuntrey were the /nWiiias, being suplKisei! to l-e part of the Ten dis- 
persod Tribes of Itr.ul, for Indeed they are very like the Jmt in their 
Persons, and s<mietliing in their rmctlcos and Worship; for they las the 
rcnsllvania In.liiinsI olwrve the .V«ir ,Woo». with great devotion and 
Kereronce ; And Uielr flmt Fnilts they offer, with their Com and Hunt. 
ing.(;anie lliey get in tlie whole year, to a Kals<- Deity or Sham (i>Hl 
whom they must please, else iiis Iheyfancyi many nilsforlunes villi be- 
fall them, and great Injuries will be done them. When they bury their 
Dead, they put Into the tJniund with Iheni some House I'teiisils and 
some Money (as tokens of their Love and Affection i, with other Things, 
•ipecting they shall have Occasion tor them In Uie other World." 



INDIAN OCCUPATION 



27 



to tlieir tradiliuns, this threat inlnnil uii liiu back,^ aud also because he is 
anipliibidiis and c:tti live butli on land and in the water, wliich neither 
of the lieada of the otlier tribes can do. The merits of the Turkey, wliicli 
gives its name to the second tiibe, are tliat he is stationary and always 
remains witli or al>o\it them. As to tlie WulJ\ after wliicli tlie tliii'fl tribe 
is named, lie is a rambler by nature, nuining from one place to another 
in quest of his prey ; yet tliey consiiler him as their benefactor, as it was 
by his means tliat the Indians gut out of the interior of the earth. It 
was he, they believe, who by the appointment uf the Great .Spirit killed 
the deer which tiie Bloiisey found who first discovered the way to the 
surface of the earth, and which allured them to come out of their ilamp 
and dark residence. For tluit re.tson the wolf is to be honore<l and his 
name to be preserved forever among them. 

"These animals' names, it is true, they all use as nat'onsl badges, in 
order to distinguish their tribes from each other at home and abroad. In 
this point of view Mr. Pyrlaeus was right in consideiing them as 'coats- 
of-arnis.' The 7'»j7Ze warrior draws, either with a coal or \^ith paint, 
here and there on the trees along the war-path, the w hide animal, car- 
rying a gun with the muzzle projecting bjrward ; and if be leaves a mirk 
at the place where he has made a stroke on his enemy, it will be the 
picture of a Tortoife. Those of the Turkeij tribe paint only one foot uf a 
turkey, and the ll'o(/' tribe sometimes a wolf at large with one foot and 
leg raised up to serve as a hand, in which the animal also carries a gun 
with the muzzle forward. They, however, do not generally use the word 
' wolf when speakingof their tribe, hut call themselves l*Mnk-sit, which 
means roun>i foot, that animal having a round foot, like a dog." 

Indian Population in New Jersey.— It does not 
appear that the Intiians inhabiting New Jersey were 
very numerous. In an old publication entitled " A 
Description of New Albion," and dated a.d. 1648, it 
is found stated that the native people in this section 
were governed by about twenty kings ; but the in- 
significance of the power of those " kings" may be 
inferred from the accompanying statement that there 
were "twelve hundred [Indians] under the two Rari- 
tan kings on the north side, next to Hudson's River, 
and those came down to the ocean about Little Egg- 
bay and Sandy Barnegatte ; and about the South 
Cape two small kings of forty men apiece, and a third 
reduced to fourteen men, at Roymont." From which 
it appears evident that the so-called " kings" were no 
more than ordinary chiefs, and that some of these 
scarcely had a following. Whitehead, in his " East 
Jersey under the Proprietary Governments," con- 
cludes, from the above-quoted statement, " that there 
were probably not more than two thousand [Indians] 
within the province while it was under the domina- 
tion of the Dutch." And in a publication'-' bearing 
date fifty years later (1698) the statement is made 
that " the Dutch and Swedes inform us that they [the 
Indians [ are greatly decreased in numbers to what 
they were when they came first into tiiis country. 
And the Lulians themselves say that tw-o of them die 
to every one Christian that comes in here." 

Conquest of the Lenni Lenapfe by the Iroquois. 
• — Before the European explorers had i>enetrated to 
the territories of the Lenape the power and prowess 
of the Iroquois had reduced the former nation to the 
condition of vassals. The attitude of the Iroquois, 
however, was not wholly that of conquerors over the 



t And they believed that sometimes the grandfattier tortoise became 
weary aud shook himself or changed his position, aud that this was the 
cause of earthquakes. 

3 Gabriel Thomas' "Historical Description of the Province and Coun- 
try of West New Jersey in America." 



Delawares, for they mingled, to some extent, the 
character of protectors with that of masters. It has 
been said of them that " the humiliation of tributary 
nations was to them [the Iroquois) temi>ered with a 
paternal regard for their interests in all negotiations 
with the whites, and care was taken that no tres- 
passes should be committed on their rights, and that 
they should be justly dealt with." This means, 
simply, that the Mengwe would, so far as lay in their 
])ower, see that none others than themselves should 
be permitted to des])oil the Lenapii. They exacted 
from them an annual tribute, an acknowledgment of 
their state of vassalage, and on this condition they 
were permitted to occupy their former hunting- 
grounds. Bands of the Five N.ations, however, were 
interspersed among the Delawares,' probably more 
as a sort of police, and for the purpose of keeping a 
watchful eye upon them, than for any other purpose. 
The Delawares regarded their conquerors with feel- 
ings of inextinguishable hatred (though these were 
held in abeyance by fear), and they also pretended to 
a feeling of superiority on account of their more an- 
cient lineage and their further removal from original 
barbarism, which latter claim was perhaps well 
grounded. On the part of the Iroquois, they main- 
tained a feeling of haughty superiority towards their 
vassals, whom they spoke of as no longer men and 
warriors, but as women. There is no recorded instance 
in which unmeasured insult and stinging contempt 
were more wantonly and publicly heaped on a cowed 
and humiliated people than on the occasion of a 
treaty held in Philadelphia in 1742, when Connossa- 
tego, an old Iroquois chief, having been requested by 
the Governor to attend (really for the purpose of 
forciii;/ the Delawares to yield up the rich lands of 
the Minisink), tirose in the council, where whites and 
Delawares and Iroquois were convened, and in the 
name of all the deputies of his confederacy said to 
the Governor that the Delawares had been an unruly 
people and wei-e altogether in the wrong, and that 
they should be removed from their lands ; and tlien, 
turning superciliously towards the abashed Delawares, 
said to them, " You deserve to be taken by the hair 
of your heads aud shaken until you recover your 
senses and become sober. We have seen a deed, 
signed by nine of your chiefs over fifty years ago, for 
this very land. But liow came you to take it upon 
yourselves to sell lauds at all? We conquered you; 
we made women of you ! You know you are women 
and can no more sell lands than women. Nor is it fit 
that you should have power to sell lands, since you 
would abuse it. You have had clothes, meat, and 
drink, by the goods paid you for it, and now you 
want it again, like children, as you are. What makes 

3 The same policy was pursued by the Five Nations towards the Sha- 
wauese, who had been expelled from the far Southwest by stronger 
tribes, and a portion of whom, traveling eastward as far as the country 
adjoining the Delawares, had been permitted to erect their lodges there, 
but weie, like the Leuape, held in a state of subjection by the Iroquoia. 



28 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



you sell lands in the dark? Did you ever tell us 
you had sold this land? Did we ever receive any 
part, even to tlie value of a pipe-shank, from you for 
it? This is acting in the dark, — very differently from 
the conduct which onr Six Nations observe in the 
sales of lanil. Hut we find you are none of our 
blood ; you act a dishonest part in this as in other 
matters. Your ears are ever open to slanderous reports 
about your brethren. For all these reasons we charge 
you to reinore inttautlij .' We do not give you liberty to 
think about it. You are women ! Take the advice of 
a wise man, and remove instantly ! You may return 
to the other aide of the river, where you canie from, 
but we do not know whether, considering how you 
have demeaned yourselves, you will be permitted to 
live there, or whether you have not already swallowed 
that land down your throats, sis well as tlie land on 
this side. You may go either to Wyoming or Shamo- 
kin, and then we shall have you under our eye and 
can see how you behave. Don't deliberate, but go, 
and take this belt of wampum." He then forbade 
them ever again to interfere in any matters between 
white man and Indian, or ever, under any pretext, to 
pretend to sell lands; and as they (the Iroquois), he 
said, had some business of importance to transact with 
the Englishmen, he commanded them to immediately 
leave the council, like children and women, as they 
were. 

Heckewelder, however, attempts to rescue the good 
name of the humbled Delawares by giving some of 
their explanations, intended to show that the epithet 
" women," as applied to them by the Iroquois, Wiis 
originally a term of distinction rather than reproach, 
and "that the making women of the Uelawares was 
not an act of compulsion, but the result of their own 
free will and consent." He gives the story, as it wius 
narrated by the Delawares, substantially in this way : 
The Delawares were always too powerful for the 
Inxjuois, so that the latter were at length convinced I 
that if wars between them should continue, their own 
extirpation would become inevitable. They accord- 
ingly sent a message to the Delawares, representing i 
that if continual wars were to be carried on between i 
the nations, this would eventually work the ruin of I 
the whole Indian race; that in order to prevent this 
it wa.s nece.Hsary that one nation should lay down 
their arms ami be called the womnu, or meiliator, with 
power to command the peace between the other na- 
tions who might be disposed to persist in hostilities 
against each other, and finally recommending that 
the part of the womeri should be assumed by the 
Dr-lawares, as the mi«st powerful of all the nations. 

The Delawart^, upon receiving this message, and 
not perceiving the treacherous intentions of the Iro- 
quois, consented to the proposition. The Iro<|uois 
then appointed a council and feast, and invited the 
Delawares to it, when, in pursuance of the authority 
given, they made a 'solemn speech, conUunlng three 
capital points. TJie first was that the Delawares be ' 



(and they were) declared women, in the following 
words : 

" We dress you in a woman's long habit, reaching 
down to your feet, and adorn you with ear-rings," 
meaning that they should no more tiike up arms. 
The second point Wiis thus expressed : " We hang a 
calabash filled with oil and medicine upon your arm. 
With the oil you shall cleanse the ears of other na- 
tions, that they may attend to good and not to bad 
words: and with the medicine you shall heal those 
who are walking in foolish ways, that they may re- 
turn to their senses and incline their hearts to peace." 
The third point, by which the Delawares were ex- 
horted to make agriculture their future employment 
and means of subsistence, was thus worded : " We 
deliver into your hands a plant of Indian corn and a 
hoe." Each of these points was confirmed by de- 
livering a belt of wampum, and these belts were 
carefully laid away, and their meaning frequently 
repeated. 

"The Iroquois, on the contrary, assert that they 
con(iuered the Delawares, and that the latter were 
forced to adopt the defenseless state and appellation 
of a woman to avoid total ruin. Whether these differ- 
ent accounts be true or false, certain it is that the 
Delaware nation has ever since been looked to for the 
preservation of peace and intrusted with the charge 
of the great belt of peace and chain of friendship, 
which they must take care to preserve inviolate. Ac- 
cording to the figurative explanation of the Indians, 
the middle of the chain of friendship is placed upon 
the shoulder of the Delawares, the rest of the Indian 
nations holding one end and the Europeans the 
other.'" 

It wiLs not a lack of bravery or military enterprise 
on the part of the Delawares which causcil their over- 
throw; it was a mightier agent than courage or en- 
ergy : it was the gunpowder and lead of the Iro<]Uois, 
which they had procured from the trading Dutch on 
the Hudson almost imme<lii'.tely after the discovery 
of that river, which had wrought the downfall of the 
Lenapc. For them the conflict was a hopeless one, 
waged against immea-surablc odds, — resistance to the 
irresistible. Under a reversal of conditions the Del- 
awares must have been the victors and the Iroquois 
the vanquished, and no loss of honor could attach to 
a tlefeal under siuh circumstanci-s. It is a pity that 
the tribes of the Lenapc should vainly have expended 
so much labor and ingenuity upon a tule which, for 
their own sake, had better never have been told, and 
in which even the sincere indorsement of Heckewelder 
and other missionaries has wholly failed to produce a 
general belief 

When the old Iroijuois chief Conno.ssatego, at the 
treaty council in I'hiladclphiu, before referred to, 
commanded the Delawares instantly to leave the 
council-house, where their presence would no longer 

1 NiilM un tbp Indliiiti, hj PaTfd ZrUlwrKer. 



INDIAN HOSTILITIES. 



29 



be tolerated, and to prepare to vacate their hunting- 
grounds on the Dehiware and iis, tributaries, the out- 
raged and insulted red men were completely crest- 
fallen and crushed, but they had no alternative and 
must obey. They at once left the presence of the 
Iroquois, returned to the homes which were now to 
be their liomes no longer, and soon afterwards mi- 
grated to the country bordering tlie Susquehanna, 
and beyond that river. 

The Indians were great sticklers for the cnmmon 
right which they held in the soil. They did not 
recognize even in their chiefs any right to convey it 
.away without the general consent of the tribes, and 
often tliey refused to submit to treaties so made. 
Usually, treaties were made by their representatives 
chosen by the popular voice, who met the whites in 
council and for their respective tribes ratified the 
deed disposing of lands. In the first conveyances 
made to the Dutch in East Jersey, conveying the 
lands where Hoboken and Jersey City are situated, 
Aromeauw, Tekwappo, Sackwomeek, Hikitoauw, and 
Aiarouw represented themselves in the deeds as 
" inhabitants and joint-owners of the lands" named 
therein. 



CHAPTER V. 



INDIAN HOSTILITIES. 



The first hostility of the Indians towards the Dutch 
was directed against their plantations on the Delaware, 
which they wholly destroyed. De Vries tells us that 
in the year 1630 thirty-two men were killed. In the year 
1640, an expedition was fitted out against the Indians 
on the Raritan, who had been accused, though wrong- 
fully, of committing theft and other trespasses. Some 
of the chiefs were so maltreated and abused that re- 
taliatory measures were resorted to against the settlers 
on Staten Island, who were killed and their planta- 
tions broken up.' 

The outbreak of 1643 was induced by various causes. 
One cause was the exacting of a tribute from the In- 
dians by Kieft, the Director-General, in 1639 ; another 
was the killing of a white man by an Indian in 1641, 
in retaliation for the robbery and murder of one of 
his tribe many years before. While the fort at New 
Amsterdam was being built in 1626, a Weckquaesgeck 
Indian, from the east of the Hudson River, with his 
nephew, then a young boy, and another Indian rela- 
tive, came to sell his beaver-skins to the Dutch traders. 
Before he reached the fort he was met by some of the 
servants of Minuit, who robbed him of his peltries 
and murdered him. According to Indian custom, 
life must be taken for life, and the next of kin must be 
the avenger. He is the young boy who thus witnessed 
the wanton murder of his uncle. But he is a boy, 



> New York Historical Col ections. 



and the execution of vengeance must be delayed till 
he should reach manhood. Years passed, but the 
outrage done his relative was not forgotten. In 1641 
he appeared, now grown to manhood, to execute the 
behest of the unwritten law of his people, unheeding 
as to which of the pale-faces should be the victim of 
the deadly stroke of his tomahawk. It happened 
to be an inoffensive old man, Claes Cornells Smits, a 
" raad maker," living near Canal Street. Pretending 
to desire to barter some beavers for duffels,^ he watched 
his opportunity, killed Smits, robbed the house, and 
escaped with his booty.''- Satisfaction and the sur- 
render of the savage were promptly demanded. But, 
as he had only acted in accordance with the custom 
of his race, the sachem refused to surrender him. 
Kieft wished to seize upon this occasion to punish 
the natives, but he did not dare to act independently 
of the people, who desired peace. He therefore 
called them together for consultation. They chose 
twelve select men* to determine everything in connection 
with the Director and Council. This popular branch 
of the government stayed for a time the impetuosity of 
the executive and those immediately under his con- 
trol, and for a brief period secured peace. But the 
air was full of rumors of Indian troubles. In 1642, 
De Vries, who had established a colony at Tappaen, 
in passing through the woods towards Ackensack,^ 
met an Indian who said the whites had " sold to him 
brandy mixed with water" and had stolen his beaver- 
skin coat. He said he was going home for his bows 
and arrows, and would shoot one of the " roguish 
Swanekins," as the Indians called the Dutch. He 
was as good as his word, and shot Garret Jansen Van 
Vorst, who was roofing a house at Achter Kull. The 
chiefs, being alarmed at what was done, offered to pay 
two hundred fathoms of wampum to Van Vorst's 
widow, in order to purchase their peace. But Kieft 
would accept of nothing but the surrender of the 
murderer. The chiefs would not agree to this ; they 
said that he had gone two days' journey among the 
Tankitekes," and that he was the son of a chief. 

In 1643, Kieft espoused the cause of the Mohawks, 
who were at war with the Weckquaesgecks, Tankite- 
kes, and Tappeans. In the depth of winter these fierce 
warriors swept down upon their enemies, killing sev- 
enteen and making prisoners of many women and 
children. " The remainder fled through a deep snow 
to the Christian houses on and around the Island of 
Manhattan. They were humanely received, being 
half dead of cold and hunger, and supported for four- 
teen days ; even some of the Director's corn was sent 
to them." They did not suspect that the Director 
was secretly in league with their most dreaded and 
deadly foes, and that, although the people were friendly 

3 A coarse kind of cloth. 
2 Brodhead, 1. 310. 

^Winfield: ** This wiia the first representative hody iu New Netlier- 
land." 
^ Hackensack, in ladiau Low-land. 
" Haverstraw Indians, of whom Pachani was chief. 



30 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PAS8AIC COUNTIES, NE\Y JERSEY. 



and hospitable and treated them with great kindness, 
the commander of the army of Xew Xetlierland was 
abuul to let htose upon them his ruthless soldiery to 
murder and slaughter tliem iiidisrriminatoly. liut 
such was the fact. Being alarmed lest the Mohawks 
should fall upon them at Manhattan, they tied, most of 
them, to Pavonia, where the Ilackensacks were bi- 
vouacked one thousand strong.' Says Mr. Winfield, — l 

"They came over to this eiJe of the river on the 2.'JU of Fehruary, ' 
1943, and encamped on thi- westerly eJpe of Jnn Je Lacher'n Iloeck, I 
behiml the settlement of Egbert Wuuterasen and adjoining the bouwerie i 

of JaQ Ewersteu Bout The light of th« ^.'jth of February, 1643, 

was fading, and the iihadowtt of the black winter night were drawing i 
oTor tlie l^eantifvil Wy. Huddled and shiToring on the western tlope of 
Jan do Lacher's Hoeck, under the pr(.>tection uf the Dutch, the unsus- 
pecting ludiaiifl thought themselves safe fmm the tierce Mohawk^*. But 
while they drew around the camp-firoa, or dreamed of their forsaken 
wigwams, Manhattan w&g nil aetir with the movement of trooii« and 
citizens. The noble-hearted Pe Vrlcs stood beside the Director as the 
soldiers under Sergeant llodolf {kaseed by tlie furt on their way to Pavo- 
nia. * Lot this work alone,' said he; 'you will go to break the Indians' 
heads, but it is our nation you are going to murder.' ' Tlie order haa 
gone forth; it siiall not be recalle<i,' won Kieft's dogged reply. The iter- 
geant, with his eighty sohliore armed for slaughter, marched down to , 
the river, and, embarking in boats prepared for the purpose, silently 1 
rowed tttwartls the shores of Pavonia. Rounding the s<.)utherly point of 
Paulus Hoeck, under the guidance of Hmmb Stein, they pulled for the | 
high point at the mouth of Mill Creek. Here they landed. Climbing | 
the ttank, they {lamed close to the house of Egbert Woutervsen, and cau- 
tiously approfiched their sleeping victims. Suddenly the sound of mus- 
ketry and the wild shrieks of tho Indians rang out in the midnight. 
Kven at thiH distance of time, * the horrors of tliut night cause the Mesh . 
to creep as we |>onder over them.* Captain De Vriei^, who, in contem- 
plating the conBe<|Ueuce-s of the expedition, could not sleep, says, * I 
remained that night at the Governor's, and b)ok a seat in the kitchen 
near the Are, and at midnight I heard loud shrieks. I wont out to the 
parapets of the fort anil looked towards Pavonia. I saw nothing but the 
flash uf the guns, and hoard nothing more of the yells and clamor of the ; 
Indians who were butchered iiuring their sleep.' Neither age nor sex 
could stay the hamls of the unrelenting soldiers. Sucklings were torn 
from their motliers' bn-a«ts, butchered in the presence of their parents, 
and their mangled limbs thrown into the lire or water. Others, ' white 
fastened to litUe l»oanls,'— the rude cradle of tho papoose, — were cut 
through, stabbed, and miserably massacred. Some were (hntwn alive 
Into tho river, and when their fathers, obeying the prtunptings of nature, 
rushed in to nave Itiem, the soldiers prevented their coming to shore, 
and thus |mronts atid children porishod. . . . De Vrlos says, 'Siiine came 
running to us fnun the country having their hands cut off. Some, who 
bad their legs cut off, were snpiMjrting their entrails with their arms, 
wtiilf others were mangled in other horrid ways, in part too shocking 
to t>e concelTt<l ; and these miseraldu wretches did not know, as well as 
some of our people did not know, but they had l>eon attiickod by the 
Mohawks."*) 

Such a warfare could not fail to exasperate the 
native** ; and as soon as they became aware that these 
massacres were hy the whites, they resolved upon a 
relentless war. To render their retaliatiini more effec- 
tive, seven tribes entered into an alliance. They killed 
all the men they could find, dragged the women and 
children into captivity, burnt houses, barns, grain, 
hay-stacks, and laid waste the farms and plantations 
on every hand. From the Uaritan to the (.'onnecticut 
not a white person was safe from the murderous toma- 
hawk and 8cal|>ing-knife except those who clustered 
about F'ort Am>t4'rdam. The war continued in all its 
fury for several months. In March a peace was con- 

I O'Caltaghan, N. T., 1. 20:. 

t Wlnfleld's History of llndson County, 30, 40. 



eluded, which, however, lasted only until October, 
when, three or four soldiers stationed at Pavonia for 
the protection of a family having been attacked, war 
was renewed ; and so serious was itj* character that 
in March, 1*J44, the authorities of New Amsterdam 
proclaimed a solemn fiist to placate the anger of 
Jehovah. Peace was permanently secured the fol- 
lowing year. 

** This day, being the 30tti day of August, 164-^, appeareil in the Fort 
Amstordatn, before the Director and Council, in the presence of the 
whole commonality, the sachems or chiefs of the savages, as well in their 
own behalf as t>eing authorized by the neighboring savages, namely : 
Oratanky, chief of .-IcJtiMi^WwcJii/ (Hackensack); SFjj;SEKi:MrK and Wil- 
liam, chiefs of Tapptan and Uetkawairattk ; Pa^'iiam and PknNhwink 
(who were here yesterday and gave their jMjwpr of attorney to the 
former, and also to<:>k upon themselves to answer for those of Owtnc^ 
and the vicinity of MajaHioetinntmm, of Marechoicu-k^ of Ntfock and its 
neighborhood), and Aepjen, who personally api^-ared, speaking in behalf 
of Wappitur, \yiijtuie$kfckx, SitiMtruckt, and Kicitinroons. 

"First. They agree to conclude with us a solid and durable peaco, 
which they promise to keep faithfully, its we also obligate oUTBelvea to 
ilo on our part. 

'SECOND. If it hap(>en (which God in his mercy avert) that ther« 
arise some difhculty between us and them, no warfare shall eDsue Id cod> 
sequence, but they Hhall complain to our Governor, and wo shall com- 
plain to their sjicheniH. 

"If any person shall bo killed or murdered, justice shall be directly 
administered upon the raurdorer, that wo may henceforth live in peace 
and ninily 

"TiiiRU. They are not to come ou Manhattan Island, nor in Uie 
iieighlKirhood of Christian dwellings, with their arms; neither will we 
approHcli their villages with our guns, except we are conducteti thither 
by a savage to give them warning. 

"Kdirtu. And whereas Uiero is yet among them an Knglish girl, 
whoni they promiswl t4> conduct to tlie English at Stamford, they sUIl 
engage, if she is not already a>nducted there, to bring her there in 
safety, and wo promise in return to pay them the ransom which has 
been promised by tho English. 

"All which Is pn>mise<l to be religiously perfonued Uiruughout the 
whole of New Netlierland. 

" Done in Fort Amsterdam, in the open air, by the Director and Council 
in New Netlierland, and tho whole commonality, called t4>gether for this 
puriKwe, in the presence of the Maqias' ambassa<lon(, who are solicited 
to assist in this negotiation as arbitrat'irs, and Cornelius Anihonissen, 
their interpreter, and an arbitrator with them in this aoleoin affair. 
Done as above." 

No further troubles appear to have occurred with 
the Indians under the Dutch rule until K)')*). The 
nearest approach to it wjis in March, 1()41>, when Si- 
mon Walingc^ was found <lead at Paulus Ilocck, hav- 
ing been, as was sup|>osed from the arrows and wounds 
in his head, killed by the Indians. It was ascertained 
to have been done either by the Raritans or by some 
stranger from the south, antl the local Indians hast- 
ened to renew their covenant (d' friend.ship. (tovernor 
Stuyvesant presented them with about twenty florins 
and some tobacco, and a gun to Oratanius. The 
Indians were delighted, reaflirmcd the treaty, and 
returned to their homes.^ 

In 1()5.'>, during the absence (»f (Jovernor Stuyve- 
sant to expel the Swedes from the Delaware, troubles 
again arose with the Indians which bore disaslnnisly 
upon the settlements on the west side of the Hutlson. 
Ilentlrick Van Dyck, having his orchard robbed of 
some of ita tempting fruit by Indians who landed at 



> Valentino's Manual <1R63), M«. 



INDIAN HOSTILITIES. 



31 



night in their canoes on Manhattan, attempting to 
drive off the intruders, accidentally in the darkness 
shot an Indian girl. News of the outrage spread, and 
the Indians determined on signal vengeance. With- 
out giving warning of their purpose, on tlie night of 
the l.'Jth of September, sixty-four canoes, carrying 
five hundred armed warriors, landed at New Amster- 
dam. They searched through the town until they 
found Van Dyek at the house of a neighbor named 
A'an Diegrist, whom they cut down with a tomahawk, 
and in the affray wounded Van Dyck in the breast 
with an arrow. The town and garrison being aroused, 
the Indians were driven to their canoes, and sought 
safety by flight to the west side of the river. In re- 
taliation they set the houses on fire, and soon all Pa- ^ 
vonia was in ashes. From thence they passed down 
to Staten Island and laid that W4iste. In this assault ' 
one hundred persons were killed, one hundred and 
fifty carried into captivity, and over three hundred 
deprived of their homes. The savages of Hackensack, 
Tappaen, Ahasimus, and others were present in this 
fearful devastation, and perpetrated inhuman barbar- 
ities, notwithstanding their solemn pledge to adhere 
to the terms of their treaty. When Governor Stuy- 
vesant sought to bring them to terms, they hesitated 
and delayed, promised and failed to fulfill their [)ledges, 
in hopes to extort from the government a ransom for 
the prisoners. Finally, the Director wished to know 
how much they would take for " the prisoners en masse, 
or for each." " They replied, seventy-eight pounds of 
powder and forty staves of lead for twenty-eight per- j 
sons." The ransom was paid, and an additional pres- 
ent made by the Governor. This proved the final 
settlement with the Indians, so far as the Dutch were 
concerned. During all these troubles most of the 
mischief was done in that part of New Netherland 
included in the ancient territory of Bergeu County. 

The Pomptons and Minsies, having sold their lands, 
removed from New Jersey about 17.37. 

The Pompton Indians were engaged with the Del- 
aware Minsies in the war of 1755, under Teedyes- 
cung. This war was waged on account of the decep- 
tion practiced upon the Indians in procuring the lands 
in Northampton and Pike Counties, Pa., and was 
carried across the Delaware into New Jersey. During 
the year 1757 and the first part of 1758 the western 
borders of the province were in much alarm on ac- 
count of the Indians raiding upon the .settlers across 
the Delaware. From May, 1757, to June, 1758, tweaty- 
seven murders were committed by the Indians in Sus- 
sex County.' 

Final Disposal of the Delawares. — In June, 1758, 
Governor Bernard, of New Jersey, consulted with Gen. 
Forbes and Governor Denny, of Pennsylvania, as to 
the measures best calculated to put a stop to this un- 
pleasant warfare; and, through Teedyescung, king of 
the Delawares, he obtained a conference with the 

1 See History of Sussex and Warren Counties. 



Minisink and Pompton Indians, protection being as- 
sured them. . . . The conference look place at Bur- 
lington, Aug. 7, 1758. . . . The result was that the 
time was fixed for holding another conference at 
Easton, at the request of the Indians, that being, as 
they termed it, the place of the "old council-fire." 

At the treaty of 1758 the entire remaining claim of 
the Delawares to lands in New Jersey was extin- 
guished, except that there was reserved to them the 
right to fish in all the rivers and bays south of the Rar- 
itan, and to hunt on all uninclosed lands. A tract of 
three thousand acres of land was also purchased at 
Edge Pillock, in Burlington County, and on this the 
few remaining Delawares of New Jersey (about sixty 
in number) were collected and settled. They remained 
there until the year 1802, when they removed to New 
Stockbridge, near Oneida Lake, in the State of New 
York, where they joined their "grandsons," the 
Stockbridge tribe. Several years afterwards they 
again removed, and settled on a large tract of land 
on Fox River, Wis., which tract had been purchased 
for their use from the Menominee Indians. There, 
in conjunction with the Stockbridges, they engaged 
in agricultural pursuits, and formed a settlement 
which was named Statesburg. There, in the year 
1832, there remained about forty of the Delawares, 
among whom was still kept alive the tradition that 
they were the owners of fishing and hunting privi- 
leges in New Jersey. They resolved to lay their 
claims before the Legislature of this State and request 
that a moderate sum (two thousand dollars) might be 
paid them for its relinquishment. The person selected 
to act for them in presenting the matter before the 
Legislature was one of their own nation, whom they 
called Shawuskukhkung (meaning "wilted grass"), 
but who was known among the white people as Bar- 
tholomew S. Calvin. He was born in 1756, and was 
educated at Princeton College, at the expense of the 
Scotch missionary society. At the breaking out of 
the Revolution he left his studies to join the patriot 
army under Washington, and he served with credit 
during the Revolutionary struggle. At the time when 
his red countrymen placed this business in his hands 
he was seventy-six years of age, yet he proceeded in 
the matter with all the energy of youth, and laid 
before the Legislature a petition in his favor signed 
by a large number of respectable citizens of New 
Jersey, together with a memorial, written by his own 
hand, as follows : 

"Mt Brethren: I am old and weak and poor, and therefore a fit 
representative of my people. You are young and strong and rich, and 
therefore fit representatives of your people. But let me beg you for a 
moment to lay aside the recollections of your strength and of our weak- 
ness, that your minds may be prepared to examine with candor the sub- 
ject of our claims. 

" Our tradition informs us — and I believe it corresponds with your 
records — that the right of fishing in all the rivers and bays south of the 
Raritan, and of hunting in all uninclosed lands, was never relinquished, 
but, on tlie contrary, was expressly reserved in our last treaty, held at 
Crosswicks in 1758. Having myself been one of the parties to the sale, 
— I believe, in 1801, — I know that these rights were not sold or parted 
with. 



32 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



"We now offer to tell Uibm priTllegot to the State of New Jersey. 
Tbey were once of frrpRt raliie to us, and we apprehend that neither time 
nor iJlslaiirp nur the noii-uBe of our ri^tite hoa Ht all affected then), Irnt 
that tlie coiirta here wniiM consider our claims Tiilid w<Te we to exercise 
tham ouroelvtv or delej^ate them to otlien. It is ni>t, however, our wUh 
thiu to eKcile lliigalion. We consider the State Le^slature the prxiper 
purchaser, and throw ourvelree upon its twnerol^nce and magnanimity, 
trusting that fe«liiigB of justice and liberality will induce you to ^vo us 
what you deem a comiwiiSHliun. And, as we tiave ever looked up to the 
leadiuR chanicteni of the United States (and to the leading characters of 
this SUle in particular^ as our fathora. prt>teclora, and friends, we now 
look up to you as such, and hunihly l>eg that you will liMk upon us with 
that eye of pity, as we have reason to think our poor untutored foro- 
fathen looked upon yours when they first arrived upon our then exten* 
live but uncultivated dominions, and sohl theni their lauds, in oiany 
iutaoces for triflea, in coniparisiin. as ' li>;ht as air.' ' 

"From ynur humble |>eliiioner, I 

'* Baktholomkw S. Calvin, 
" In bf}utl/ of himself and hu red hreiltren." 

In the Legislature the subject was referred to a 
committee, which, after patient hearing, reported 
favorably ; whereupon the Legislature granted to the 
Delawares the sum of two thousand dollars — the full 
amount asked for — in consideration of this relinquish- 
ment of their last rights and claims in the State of ^ 
New Jersey. Ui»on this result Mr. Calvin addressed 
to the Lcgi.slature a letter of thanks, which was read , 
before the two houses in joint session and was received 
with repeated rounds of most enthusiastic applause. 



CHAPTER VI. 

OLD BEU13EX TOWN AM) TOWNSHIP. 

The most ancient and historically interesting part 
of the old county of Bergen is that portion of it 
which was set off to form tlie county of Hudson in 
1840, after having borne the name of Bergen for 
nearly two hundred years. Lying along the west 
side of New York Bay and Hudson River, in close 
proximity to the Dutch headcjuarters on Manhattan, 
it early attracted attention, and became the subject 
of the first jmrclixHe from the Indians in East Jersey. 

First Indian Deed.— On the 12th of July, 16:U), 
this portion of territ^)ry was purclut-sed of the Indians 
by the Director-* leneral and Council of New Nether- 
land, for Michael Pauw, Burg<»master of Amsterdam, 
and Lord of Achtienlioven, near Utrecht. The fol- 
lowing is a copy of the c<»nveyance, which is the first 
deed of record in New Netherland : 

** We, Director and Council of Now NVtherland, residing on the Island 
of Uanhalas and the Fori Amstenlani, under the authority of their High 
Mlf(htin«<M thn l/onlii Statna-Oeneral of the Unlte^l Netherlands and the 
Incorporate Wrat India t'<)m|>any, at their (1iaml>«n at Anisfenlam, 
do hereby witness and dm'lare that on this day, the date hereof un- 
derwritt«'n, l^fore nn In their pro|>er p<>rs»ns Bpi>enred and Bhowi<d 
themtnlvea, to wit Arometimtr, Tektr<tpi*o, and .'vtrl-ir.imTA:, inhahllantii 
and Joint owueni of tlie lands callDl llolxK-an' llackint;h, lying ovor 
acatnat the aforeaald Island Manhatas, wh>i both for themselvea and 
raJo oDrtfTM, for the remaining Joint owners of the same land, declared 
tlial for and In c<inside ration of a carlain quantity of marchaodisa, which 

1 llotMiken is an Indian name slgnirving r<>fiari-(»-pt/)s. ** llacklngh.** 
afflte-l to It in this decl. mmtni /'KKf or ytnre ; thuti glrluK »• /<iHii or 
plaet o/ the Utbaeett-ytpe ; frum the stone obtained h'*rr> oiii ..r uKi.lith* 
naUvM ranred pipe*.— WmMd't Uiti. Hud, Co., \h. 



they acknowledged to hare recelred into their own hands, power and 
poasesaion, before the passing of these preeeuts, in a right, true, and free 
ownership, have »rdd, transporte<l, ceded, conveye«l, and made over, and 
by these presents they do transport, cede, and itinvey to and for the Ite* 
hoof of Sir. Michael Pauw, absent, and for whom we, e-r oficio, accept 
under suitable stipulations, viz.: the aforesaid lands by us named Hot-o- 
can ll'ickit'jh, extending on the south sidt*, Ahaslnins; eastwanl, the 
river Mauritius, and on the west side surrounded by aralley and mnraas, 
ihruugh which the boundaries uf suid Ittnd can be r>een with sufficient 
clearness, and be distinguished ; and thai, with all the jurl3<lii'ti<>n, right 
and equity, t4.> them, the grantors. In their quality ufor>Sfti<l It-lnnging : 
Constituting and putting in their places and stead the already mentioned 
Mr. Pauw, in the real and actual p«>88e8sion thereof, and at ttie same 
time giving full and irrevocable power, authority, and special command 
to the said Mr. Pauw |>eaceably to enjoy, occupy, cultivate, have and hold 
the aforesaid land taH'ptam actor et prixrur'Uor in rem mam ac propriam ; 
and also to do with and dispose of the same as he might do with his own 
lands to which he has a good and lawful title ; without their, the grantors, 
in their quality aforesaid, saving or reserving any pari, right, action, or 
authority Ihereunio in the least, either of ownerohip or juriedlction ; hut 
allogfther to the l»oh<Mif as aforesaid, henceforth, forever, wholly and 
finally deeisliog, renouncing, and quil-ctaiming ; prDuiiDing hereby, more- 
over, not only to keep, maintain, and fulfill thid their grant, and what- 
ever shall be done by virtue thereof, Inviolable and Irrevocable forever, 
hut also to keep and maintain the same land against all persons free from 
any claim, cliHllenge, or incumbrance to be made thereon by any peraon ; 
AS aleo to cause this sale and grant to t>e approved of and held valid by 
the remaining joint owners as they are by right obligated to do; all in 
gtK>d faith without fraud or deceit. 

* In witne«is whereof, theee preaonta are confirmed with our usual sig- 
natures and with uur seal thereto affixed. 

*' Done at the aforesaid Island of Manahataa, in Fort .\msterdam, thia 
I2th July. 1630."! 

Pavonia.— On the 10th of August, 1630, Pauw also 
obtained a deed from the Indians for Staten Island^ 
and on the 22d of November, 1(I3(», a deed f<»r the 
western shore of the Hudson between Commiinipuw 
and Weehawken, where Jersey City is now situated. 

This purchase on the Jersey shore of the Hudson 
was named Paronia, the name beinp derived from 
latinizing the name of Mr. Pauw, the purchaser; and 
it was applied to the general colony on the west bank 
of the Hudson for a number of years. When and by 
whom the first settlement was made in Pav(tnia is 
uncertain. It is generally believed that there was 
some kind of a trading-post established here contem- 
porary with or immediately succeeding the Dutch 
settlement on Manhattan, about 1«>18.* But there 
seems to be no p(»sitive proof of the assertion. By 
the third article of the " Freedoms and Exemptions/* 
Pauw was obliged, within four years, to plant a colony 
of fifty .'*ouIs, upwards of fifteen years old, within the 
bounds of his purcha.'*e. How strictly he complied 
with this condition we are not informed; but in the 
year l«i;j;5 (here wa-s a colony in Pavonia under the 
charge of .Michael Paulusen or Paula/. De Vries 
visited him in May of that year, and made the follow- 
ing entr>' in his journal: "Coming to the boat on 
Long Island, night came on, and the tide began to 
turn, so that we rowed to Pavonia. We were there 
received by Michael Poula/, an (tfiicer in the service 
of the Company." The West India Ctunpany appears 
at this time to have had an agent there in the interest 
of the proprietor or Patroon. In the latter part of 

' Land Paper (Albany) G. G.. 1.-WinfteM*s Und Titles, 3. 
* Smith's lliiU N. J.— Taylor's Anoals. etc. 



OLD BERGEN TOWN AND TOWNSHIP. 



33 



1633 the Company ordered the erection of two houses 
ill Pavonia. One of them was built at Communipaw, 
and was afterwards owned by Jan Evertsen Bout; 
the other was erected at Ahasimus, and was subse- 
quently owned by Cornelius Van Vorst. These were 
frame houses thatched with flags ; at least, we have 
authority for saying that such was the Van Vorst 
■''mansion," in which lived the "head-commander" 
of the Patroon of Pavonia, the noble Lord of Achtien- 
hoven and Burgomaster of Amsterdam. We quote 
the following from Winfield's History of Hudson 
County : " No sooner had Van Vorst become settled 
in his new home than the dignitaries of New Amster- 
dam, representing both church and state, resolved to 
pay him a visit, as well to a.ssure hira of their distin- 
guished consideration as to sample his newlj'-arrived 
Bordeaux. On the 25th of June, 1636, Wouter Van 
Twiller, who was always 'glad to taste good wine,' 
but on whose shoulders rested the weighty cares of 
the New Netherland State, and Dominie Everardus 
Bogardus, the old Dutch preacher and husband of 
Anneke Jans, accompanied by Capt. De Vries, came 
over to Pavonia. Van Vorst entertained them with 
princelj- hospitality from his newly-filled wine-cellar. 
As time passed on and the sampling of the wine was 
repeated, the Governor and the Dominie grew warm 
and disputatious, if not angry, with their host. The 
modest entry in De Vries's journal that they ' had 
some words with the Patroon's Commissary' plainly 
means that they quarreled with him. The subject of 
the dispute was a murder which had been recently 
committed in Pavonia. Although the discussion ran 
high, and bad blood for a while threatened the peace 
of the occasion, yet another bumper or two was like 
oil on the troubled waters, for ' they eventually parted 
good friends.' Leaving their host and his good 
Vrouwtje, they entered their boat and started for New 
Amsterdam. Van Vorst, determined to deepen their 
impression how royally the rei>resentative of the Pa- 
troon of Pavonia could entertain such distinguished 
guests, fired a salute from a swivel' mounted on a pile 
in front of his house. How the reverberations of 
that primal salute must have rolled over the hills of 
Ahasimus ! and what a brilliant illumination followed 
to light the way of the parting guests ! ' A spark un- 
fortunately flying on the roof, which was thatched 
with reeds, set it in a blaze, and in half an hour the 
whole building was burned down.'^ Thus ended the 
first recorded entertainment in Pavonia." 

The colony of Pavonia did not prosjjer. Difficul- 
ties arising between the Patroon, ilr. Pauw, and the 
Directors of the Company, the latter finally succeeded 
in purchasing Pavonia for twenty -six thousand florins. 
Part of it (Ahasimus) became known as the " West 
India Company's Farm," and was leased by Jan 
Evertsen Bout. 



• St'-eii-atuk, a stone gun. 

s Bi-odliead, i. 26:1.— N. Y. Hist. Soc., N. S., i. 259. 



Meantime, under the reckless and arbitrary policy 
of the Director-General, Kieft, from 1638 to 1646, the 
Indians began to be troublesome and to threaten the 
extermination of the colony. Traders, disregarding 
the exclusive privileges of the Company, and actuated 
by a desire for gain, had unlawfully furnished the 
savages with arms and ammunition, which, upon the 
first serious provocation, became instruments of de- 
struction in their hands far more eftective than their 
aboriginal bows and arrows. To hasten the impend- 
ing conflict, Kieft, in 1639, resolved to exact of the 
Indians a tribute of maize, furs, and wampum. In 
1643 the storm broke out, which ended in the destruc- 
tion of the settlements. " Pavonia and the adjoining 
district suffered more than any other section of New 
Netherland. So thoroughly wa.s the destruction of 
the settlements accomplished that from Tappan to 
the Highlands of the Nevesink the country was once 
more in the possession of its original masters." A re- 
port to the States-General says, " Every place almost 
is abandoned. We, wretched people, must skulk with 
our wives and little ones, that still are left, in poverty 
together, by and around the fort on Manhattes, where 
we are not one hour safe." 

These troubles kept the country in an almost disor- 
ganized condition till the close of the first Indian war, 
in the spring of 164.5, when a number of tribes con- 
cluded a treaty of peace with the authorities at New 
Amsterdam. The war had been carried on for eigh- 
teen months with but slight intermission. On the 
return of peace the owners and tenants of farms on 
the west side of the Hudson returned, and rebuilt 
their desolated homes. 

Petrus Stuyvesant, assuming command as Director- 
General, arrived at Manhattan on the 11th of May, 
1647. Although Stuyvesant pursued a just and con- 
ciliatory policy towards the Indians, trouble soon 
again broke out. The shooting of an Indian girl by 
Hendrick Van Dyck, while in the act of stealing 
fruit from his orchard in the vicinity of Fort Amster- 
dam, was the immediate occasion. On the 15th of 
September, 1647, sixty-four canoes, carrying five 
hundred armed warriors, landed without warning at 
New Amsterdam and scattered themselves through 
the streets. Pursuing Van Dyck to the house of a 
neighbor, Vandiegrist, they wounded the former with 
arrows and cut down the latter with a tomahawk. 
" The town was aroused ; the guard attacked the 
savages and drove them to their canoes. They then 
crossed over to the west side of the river, and in the 
twinkling of an eye a house at Hoboken was in flames, 
and all Pavonia was soon on fire. From one end of 
the settlement to the other the torch and the toma- 
hawk did their work. Excepting the family of Mi- 
chael Jansen, at Communipaw, every man who did not 
seek safety in flight was killed. All the cattle were 
destroyed and everything burned. From Pavonia they 
passed over to Staten Island, and laid that waste. The 
attack raged for three days with all the fury of savage 



34 



HISTORY OF BERCEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



warfare. The Dutrh lost one hundred in killed, one 
hundnni and Hfty were carried into captivity, and 
over three liundrcd were deprived of their homes."' 
Peace was finally made, and the captives restored. 
Ordinance Creating a Fortified Town.— The 

experience of scattered srttlenieiits having hitherto 
prove<l the dilliculty of adequate protection from the 
attacks of the Indians, Stuyvesant, with the advice 
of his council, in imitation of the plan adopted hy 
the colonists in New England, resolved to order that 
henceforth the settlers should collect in close, com- 
pact villages, in situations easy of defense; and, 
in pursuance of this |)arpose, issued the following 
"Ordinance of the Director-General and Council of 
New Netherlands for the formation of villages, and 
the prohibiting straw roofs and wooden chimneys." 
Passed January 18, 165G : 

"M'liF.ReAA, Sud experienro linth fn>iii time to time pmvml tlial, in ; 
coiiaequoncc of (he sepanite dwellingv uf the country peuple lucatu^l on 
the FlHthind in diveni hookm und places, in coniplete opiKiBitton !<• the 
Onler and good tniontiiinnrtlie Ilunonitik' Company and its goTernmcut 
here, nuuiy niurden* of IViplc, killini; and deatrnction n{ rnttlo, ami 
burning of IIuubcs, have bet^-n L-tminiitted and per]>cti'ati'd hy the Indt> , 
aua, nativeM of this Conntry, the most of whicti niiglil )nive ht>et), with 
GoiVs hulp, prpveiitf><) and avoidixl, if the good InhabilAntti of this prov- 
ince bad »ettto>l thumHelvctt togeltior in the form of Townft, Vinages.and 
tiamlels, like our noighbon* of AVir Ewjlaud, wlio, hecauso of their com- 
bination and compai-t re«idenceet, liave never been ttubjoct to such, ul 
least not to so many and such general, disastorn, which have been causetl, 
next to GimI's rlghl<'uiis chiistisentent. on account of uur sins, l"y tempi- i 
Ing the Ravage barbarians thereunto by thu Hei>arate residences of the 
Country people; the one not being able, in time of neeil, to come to the 
•Mistance of the other, in consequence of the distance of the places, and 
the im|Mifl(iibility of the IHrector-GmiPral and Council to provide each 
Mpamte country house with sgnanl. To this, tiien, l>osidcN the Murders, 
I>amBgM, and the destruction of divers IViplo, Itouwries, and PliittUi- | 
tiuDS already sufTered, Is owing als«> the last, to the serious loss and bin- I 
dnince of Ihfs c^iunlry and ttie people tiiereof, ttie recurrence of wliich 
is to l>e apprehendfHl Hiid expt'< ted bfreaftcr no loss than now and hen-- 
toforc, nnh'NS the K'mhJ Inbabitntits are taught l>y their lo8.»tvi and Uwmv 
of uUient to he wiser and more prudent, uud to allow tliomselves to bu 
tnlluenced by goo<l law, as they are l>ound to, to form compai:t dwellings ' 
in suitalde places In fonn and manner as will be hiid down by the Diroc* ' 
tor-General and ('oiincil, or l>y their Commisslonere, when the Director- 
Generai and Council will l>e alilo to assist and maintAin thotr subjects, 
with the power intrusted to th«'m by Got! and the Supremo government. 
" In order timl tbiM may )>e the belter executed and obeyed in future, 
the l>lr(H;tor General and (VnMM'll aforesaid ilo hereby ln>t only warn 
their good subjects, but likewise charge and command Ibcm to conceu- 
tmle Ihemsetveis, by next Spring, in the form of Towns, Villages, and 
Hainli-ts, Ho that Ihey may be tlie more elTectnally protected, niainl.iined, 
and di'fi'iidiHl against all amautls and attacks of the Itarbartans, by ea< h 
other and liy the military enlrusled to the Director-General and Council : 
Warning all thosi' who will, conlhiry hereunt*!, lenmiu hereafter on 
their iftdatod pInnlatioitH, that they will do mt at their iieril. without 
obtaining, in timeof ii(m><I, any assistnncf fn>m the IMreclor-Genenil and 
Council. They shall, moreover, l>e flneii annually tliesuni of 26 guUdorv 
for the Itehoof of (Imi puldic. 

" rnribennnre, the l)|r«H:tur-Genenil ami Council, in onler to prevent 
a tiMi sniMen connngnlion, do ordain thnt from now henceforth no 
Housea shall be roverea) wltli Stniw or Reed, nor any more Chimneys 
tie cnnstnictotl uf ClnpUianls t>r W(M>d. 

"Thus 'lone. r««idv(Mi, rmumed, and enacted in the Asseuibly of tlie 
IMrector-<«eneral and (Vmncll, holden at hWt Ain»lerilitm In A«ir A'rfA#r- 
land, Dalml as nlM*Te."3 

This onlinance wiw not iinincdiatcly carried into 
efiect. owing to the reluctaincc of the people to abandon 

I WlnnHd's nistorjr of llndaon Oiunty, pp. M, &f>. 
* N. Y. Ctd. UHA^ vl. 2ifl; W.nnfld, Ah. 



their old plantations and to adopt a mode of living 

not only novel, hut attended hy a sacrifice which many 
felt ill prepared to make. The ordinance was reaf- 
finned the next year, and the people were commanded 
to c<mcentrate in villajres. 

Repurchase from the Indians.— Preparatory to 
the erection of sucli a settlement as the ordinance re- 
(juired, the Director and Council deemed it pru(h*nt 
to remove all doubts as to tlie satisfaction of the In- 
dian claim to the land in Pavonia, altlu»ugh it had 
been regularly purchased by Cornelius Pauw, the 
Patroon, in 1()30, and by him conveyed to the Privi- 
leged West India Company. Accordingly, on the 
30th of January, 1658, the Director-General and 
Council obtained of the Indians a deed of which the 
following is a translation : 

*' Tliis day, the dale here underwritten, appeared before the Honorable 
Directof-Geueral, I'etrns Stuyvesant, and the gentlemen of the Council 
of New Nelherltindt, Therincques. Wawapehack, Saghkins. Kogkhen- 
uigh, Itoniokan, Meiuiwokan, Same*, Wewemitokwee, for themselves, 
and in the name of Moiko|>i>s. l*eiH>ghon, I'arsoiliques, andotheni, part- 
ners of the lands hereafter mentioned. Who declare to l>e the right 
owners of the lands lying on the west side of the N«irili River In New 
Nethorlandt, beginning by the Great Rock aUive Wlehacken.^ and from 
thence acrotss through the Inuds, till alH>ve the Islandt Siskakes,* and 
from tlience along the channel side till Constable's Hoeck. And from 
Constable's Hoeck again, tilt the aforementioned UfK-ktaliove Wiehacken, 
with all the lands, inlnndK, rliannels, valleys, therein comprehendeil, in 
such manner iw the ub>renieutioned |»4rcel of lands are surrounded nnd 
eti(.ompassed by the North River, the Kill Van Koll, and the aforesaid 
direct line from the Rock above Wlehackeii. till aln»ve Slskakes, where 
it is divided by the Channel. Which lands tlicy offer abeidutely to sell 
into the Directur-GeuerHl and Council on the one side, and the aforesaid 
Indians, ftir tliem^elvevi and them that are abtient, have acconled and 
agreed in the manner following, in the presence of the bereiuafter men- 
tioned Cbrititian and Indian wiiueMes: The aforesaid Indians do ac- 
knowletlge to have sold, reeigned, and lrans|>urted,as they do by these 
presents, nil the landK heretofore mentioned, to the aforesaid Director- 
General and Council and their snccessorn, for eighty fathom of wampum, 
twenty fathom of cloUi, twelve kettles, six guns, two blankets, one 
double kettle, and one half-barrel of strong beer. Which effects they 
hereby acknowleilge to have enjityed and recelrod l»eforvtlie poMlng and 
signing of this. 

"Wherefore they do declare, for tliemwlves anil them which are ali- 
MDt, to resign and tranap^ift tlio lands before mentbirie<i, to the alwtve- 
mentioned General and 0«niucil, in full, free, and perfect property, de- 
sisting of all actions and cluims which th**y could or might pretend to 
the lauds before mentioned— the trauBp^trters promlss now or hereafter, 
Dot to nmke any itretonsions thereon ; but to keep and hold this trans- 
port firm, sure, and inviolable, rn^mising also to the said Director and 
Council to free and warrant the said lauds against all claims any other 
Indians might pretend ti, and if it should happen that in future times 
! any of the Dutch, by any Indian, should l-o damagetl vm pretensbm they 
were nut fully paid for the lands aforeanid, they, the setllem, do pnmiise 
to repair and sivlisfy tlie damages. It is »\t»* stipulated and agrei^l, the 
aforesaid Indians kIibII depart au>t rem.»ve by thi- first convenient opiH>r- 
tunity off the lauds aforeMiid ; and tliat none of their nallon shall come 
and continue to dwelt upon It, without knowledge or consent of the 
Director-General and Council. Thus dune at the fort Amsterdam, and 
ilgnid with the marks of the Imliaits, after the cargi>es were dellrered 
to their hands, on the :imb day of January, Anno Domini 1&'>8. 
" T, the mark of Tberincquss made " K, the nnirk of WawajH-hack. 



by himself. 
'*(, the mark of Seghkow. 
'* F, tlie mark of Same*. 
'*t, tlio mark of Kughkenmingh 

Warlmus Con woe. 



" F, the mark of n<unokao. 
"t, the mark of Wowenatokwee. 
"F, the mark of Memlrookau. 
" F, the mark of Saines a* wlim-ai 
otherwise railed Job. 



■ Weehawken. 

* In I uiWtkn^th* ptac^wker* the anale kulr*. Dntch," Slanghenbergh ; 
Engllih, ^p•'l*« Hitt. 



OLD BERGEN TOWN AND TOWNSHIP. 



35 



" We, the dubacribers, witnesses hereunto, desired by the Director- 
General and Conncil, do certify and declare, by this present, that the 
above bargain for the lands before mentioned, is so made before ns, and 
the lands by the sellers transported to the Director-General and Conncil ; 
on the conditions and terms comprehended in the bill of sale, the con- 
ditions and substance plainly told, acquainted and declared to the sellers 
by the interpreters. Govert Loocquernians, Peter Wolpliertson van 
Cowenhoven, and Claas Carstensen, and also by Wharinies van Couwe, 
formerly an owner of the land aforesaid ; and whereupon the sellers have 
consented to the bargain, transported the lands, and received the men- 
tioned cargoes and wampum, signed the conditions with the above 
marks. 

" In witness hereof, have we subscribed this, the day and year afore- 
said, at the Fort .Amsterdam, in New Netherland,in the Council Chamber. 
" JoH. Meoapolensis. " Petrus Stuyvesant. 

"Sabidei, Prisius. " NicASius De Sille. 

"Oloff Herensin. " Pieter Tovneman. 

" Govert Looquermass. '* Pieter Cowenhoven. 

" Machiei. Yansen. *' Jan Evertsen Bout. 

'• F, the mark of Claas Carsten- 
sen Noreman. 

"T' Present. 

"Cornelius van Ruyven, S^cre/ury." 

This deed conveyed all that part of old Bergen 
County (now Hnd.son) east of the Hackensack River 
and Newark Bay, and comprised the territory of the 
old township of Bergen. 

Settlement of the Village.— On the 22d of Jan- 
uary, 1658, a petition signed by the following named 
persons, farmers who had been driven away by the 
savages in 1655, to wit : Michael Jansen, Claes Jan- 
sen Backer, Claes Petersen Vos, Jans Captain, Dirck 
Seiken, Dirck Claesen, and Lysbert Tysen, was pre- 
sented to the Director-General and Council, setting 
forth that they " should incline to reoccupy their 
former spots of residence, to restore their buildings 
and cultivate their former fields," and praying that, 
in view of the injuries and losses which they had sus- 
tained, they might be favored " by an exemption of 
tithes and other burthens during a few years." The 
exemption was granted for a period of six years ; but 
the Director-General and Council were firm in de- 
manding that they should "concentrate themselves 
in a village, at le.ast ten or twelve families together, 
to become in future more secure and easier to re- 
ceive aid for their defense in similar disastrous oc- 
currences ; without which the Director-General and 
Council deem the reoccupation of the deserted fields 
too perilous; if it might nevertheless happen, con- 
trary to their order and placard, the Director-General 
and Council consider themselves not only excused, 
but declare that the aforesaid concession or exemp- 
tion during six years shall be null and void."' 

No village had yet been located. But on the 1st 
of March, 1660, Peter Van Vleck and Peter Eudol- 
phus sought permission " to settle on the maize lands 
behind Gemocnepaen." This request, as well as a 
second petition which followed it, was refused, and 
the matter was dropped till the 16th of August, 1660, 
when a petition of " several inhabitants" was granted : 

"Provided that the village shall be formed and placed on a convenient 
spot, which may be defended with ease, which shall be selected by the 
Director-General and Council or their commissioners. 

^ Albany Records, xiT. 27. 



" Secondli/, that all persons who apply and shall share witli others by 
lot, shall be obliged to make a Iiegirming within the time of six weeks 
after the drawing of lots, atid to send hitlier at least one person able to 
bear and handle arms, and to keep him there, upon a penalty of forfeiting 
their right, besides an amende of twenty llorins, in belialf of the village, 
and to pay besides his share in all the village taxes which during hia 
absence have been decreed and levied." 

The precise date of the laying out of the village is 
not known. Mr. Winfield has shown that it was sur- 
veyed and laid out, and a name given to it, between 
the 16th of Augu.st and some time in November, 1660. 

Meaning of the Name "Bergen." — The name of 
Beroen was given to the village, and subsequently 
applied to the township and county. This name is 
regarded by the early writers as derived from Bergen 
in Norway. Smith, Whitehead, and others take this 
view, alleging that there were among the early set- 
tlers certain Norwegians who gave the place its name, 
or caused it to be so named. Others take a different 
view. Dr. Taylor, in his "Annals," says it was 
"named from Bergen, a small town in the north of 
Holland." 

As to the first of these conjectures — that the name 
is of Norwegian origin — it is sufficient to remark that, 
although it is not disputed that there may have been 
among the early Dutch colonists some Norwegians, 
or their descendants, who emigrated at an early time 
to Holland, and thence to New Netherland, it does 
not appear that they were the influential parties in 
the founding of the town, and therefore not entitled 
to the deference which such an origin of the name 
implies. Had it been a Norwegian town, with a few 
Dutch among its founders, this origin of the name 
would be entirely natural and probable, and, in the 
absence of any proof to the contrary, might be taken 
as decisive of the question. But Bergen was a Dutch 
town, founded and governed by a Dutch colony, and 
as much a part of New Netherland as New Amster- 
dam itself. It is therefore the most rational conclu- 
sion that it received a Dutch name, or a name derived 
either from the geography or the language of Hol- 
land. We think that Mr. Winfield furnishes the most 
satisfactory clue to the origin of the name when he 
suggests that local circumstances which gave the 
name to Bergen in Holland gave it also to Bergen in 
this country. His language is : 

"Bergen in Norway received its name from the hills which almost 
surround it. Bergen op Zoom, eighteen miles north of Antwerp, stands 
on a hill surrounded by low marshy ground, which, with its fortifications, 
afforded great security. Thus it will be seen that the two supposed 
godfathers of our Bergen received their name from local circumstances. 
Are not the same circumstances existing here to give the same name to 
tlie new village? On two sides of the hill was marsh, and the only 
other place for settlement was along the river. To the eye of the Hol- 
lander, accustomed to look upon marshes or lowland redeemed from the 
sea, the ridge growing in height as it extended north from tiie Kill Van 
Kull, was no mean affair. To him it was Bergen, the Hill, and, like the 
places of the same name in Europe, it took its name from the hill on 
which it was built. This I believe to be the true origin of the name." 2 

The hill on which Bergen was built is now called 
the "Jersey City Heights." The town was laid out 

s History of Hudson Couuty, p. 71. 



3fi 



HISTORY OF REHGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



in a square, the sides of wliicli were eight huiidreJ 
feet long. Around this square ran a street flanked on 
the exterior by palisades, inclosing the whole town. 
Two streets crossing each other at right angles divided 
the town into four quarters. At the ends of these 
streets, on the four sides, were gates leading through 
the palisade. A small square or common ground oc- 
cupied the centre of the plot. The land adjoining 
the town was laid out into lots called " Huyten Tuyn," 
Outside Gardens. 

The village grew .so rapidly that in May, IGOl, not 
an unoccupied lot remained inside the fortification. 
On the .Ith of September an ordinance was passed 
erecting a court of justice at Bergen. It begins as 
follows: "Petrcs Stuyvesant, on behalf of the 
High and Mighty Lords States-General of the United 
Netherlands, the Honorable Directors of the Incor- 
porated West India Company, Director-(,n<neral of 
New Netherland, Curac.'oa, Bonaire, .Vruba, and their 
dependencies, together with the Council ; to all those 
who shall see these Presents, or hear them read, 
Greeting," etc. 

The first officers of the court appointed under the 
ordinance were Tielman Van Vleck, Sellout ;' Iler- 
manius Sineeman and Casparus Stuymeta, Sche])ens.' 
These officers were required to subscribe to the fol- 
lowing oath : 

" We prumlai' antl swear, in the preseuco of Aliiiit^lity Oud, ttint we 
will bo litithful lo tlio sovureiguty of the liigli mid liiiglity Lords the 
Stuffld-Geuuiul, the I^jrds Pirectora of tile privileged West India Com- 
pany, Dei»artnioiit ol Aiiistcrdum, na uur Lords and Patroons, tlio Direc- 
tor-General and Council, now placed over ns or to bo appoiiited; that we 
will reapect and execnto their commands, that we will exorcise goml 
Jnstice to onr best knowledge, repel all mutiny, troubles, and disortlera 
to our best abilities, maintain the Kefurmed Heliglon, and no other, and 
Bupptirt the same, and roruliict oursolves punctually in conformity to the 
instruction which wo have already receivotl or may yet receive, and 
further act as gi>od and faithful magistrates aro in <luty liound to do. So 
help us Ood Almighty.*' ' 

We give from Winfield's " History of Hudson 
County" the following list of officers of this court 
under the Dutch rule, with dates of their appoint- 
ment: 

Sckoutt, IVrnifnif— Tlolman Van Vleck, Sept. ,'), ll!f,l ; nalthnrjir Ilaynnl, 

March 17, Ifi04; Claw Arentao T.Kjni. August 18, lli7:i.< 
Tom (•/«•*•— The Sellout, Sept. 5, 1661 : Balthazar Bayard, March 17, 

1644 ; Clara Areuloi Tihts, August 18, 167.1. 
8cA«jjffiM — Michael .lansen, Herman Smecman, Ca'<par Stelnmetes, Sept. 

B, 1601 ; Caapar Sleinnioliw, Engelbert Sleonhuysen, Gerrel Oerrot- 

Mh, Oct. 16, l&Ul'. 

Surrender to the English.— The surrender of the 
New .Netherlands to the Crown of (iroat Britain, in 
WA, was followeil by a grant or charter from Charh's 
II. to his brother .lames, Duke of York, of the terri- 
torj- from the western side of the Connecticut River 
U> the eastern side of the Delaware River,— including 
New York ami New Jersey. In the same year James, 
Duke of York, by indenture of lease and release, 



' Sherlir. 1 Magiitralea. 

• AlUny Itacorda, xlx. 282.— WInllolil, p. 80. 

• Dutch giiTernmant rotored pi lor to this last data. 



granted and sold to John, Lord Berkeley, Baron of 
Stratton, and Sir George Carteret, of Saltrum, the 
territory of Nova Cicsarea, or New Jersey. Under 
their charter from the Duke of York, Berkeley and 
Carteret proceeded to establish civil government in 
New Jersey. For this purpose they had a constitu- 
tion drawn up in England, entitled "The Concessions 
and Agreement of the Lords Proprietors of the Pro- 
vince of New Csesarea or New Jersey to and with all 
and every the Adventurers, and all such as shall settle 
or plant there." This instrument was engrossed on 
parchment, and signed by them on the 10th of Feb- 
ruary, 1(>G4. Philip Carteret was appointed (Jovernor 
of the province, but did not arrive thither till August, 
1665. In the mean time New Jersey was placed un- 
der the jurisdiction of Col. Richard Nicoll, Governor 
of New York. During the interval a legislative 
Council or Assembly convened at Klizabethtown'' on 
the 10th of April, 1664. Bergen was represented in 
this Assembly — the first ever held in the province — by 
Engelbert Steenhuysen and Herman Smeeman." This 
government was continued over the Province of New 
Jersey until. the establishment of the separate Propri- 
etary governments after the division into Eiist and 
West Jersey. 

With the Western division our history has nothing 
to do, and therefore we shall pass over the subject of 
the partition lightly. On the 1st of July, 167r), par- 
tition was made of New Jersey by deed,' so that the 
eastern jiart, known as East Jersey, was allotted to 
Sir George t'arteret. Sir George, by his last will and 
testament, dated Dec. 5, 1678, devised the same to.Iohn, 
Earl of Bath, and others, lus trustees, to sell the same, 
and appointed Elizabeth Carteret sole executri.x ; and 
she, with the other trustees, by deed of lease and 
release, dated 1st and 2d of February, 1680, sold 
and conveyed all East .lersey to William Penn and 
eleven others, which twelve persons \;ere known by 
the name of the "Twelve Proprietors of East Jersey." 
Th&se twelve proprietors, by twelve separate deeds, in 
1682, conveyed each one-half of their respective inter- 
ests in E;ust .lersey to .lames. Earl of Perth, and eleven 
others, whereby East Jersey became held by twenty- 
four General Pi-oprictors, each holding in fee one- 
twenty-fourth part or propriety of the same. Thus 
from these proprietors have issued from time to time 
their deeds for the portions of territory .sold by them 
in East .Jersey, their office being at Perth Amboy, 
where all such conveyances and other records have 
been kept. 

Philip Carteret, soon after his arrival at Elizabeth- 
town as Governor, in August, 1(!6.'), reorganized the 
Ctmrt at Bergen, commissioning Capt. Nicholits Var- 
let, who was m:ide jiresident, to "constitute and ap- 
point a court of judicature for the inhabitants of 
Bergen, Geniocnepaen, .Miasymes, and Hoobooken, 

A .So namod In honor of Ellzabatli, wife of Sir George Carteret. 

• Umdhrad, p. 729. 

' Quinlaparlito Deed, Learning and Splcer, 61. 



OLD BERGEN TOWN AND TOWNSHIP. 



37 



to be held and kept as often as occasion shall require 
in the aforesaid town of Bergen." This was the first 
court under the English rule. Herman Bmeenian and 
Caspar Stuynmets, of Bergen, and Elias Micheelssen 
of Comniunipaw, were appointed magistrates, to sit 
in the court as assistants. This court had a " Reg- 
ister," or clerk, to keep a record of all actions, and a 
" sergeant," or " statesboade," to execute alt its acts 
and warrants. All writs and warrants were in the 
name of the king, and no appeal to the Governor and 
CouncU was allowed under the sum of ten pounds 
sterling. " And this," says the Commission, "to con- 
tinue till Wee shall otherwise provide for the settle- 
ment of those aflairs, and no Longer." 

The judges of this court up to the time of the di- 
vision of the province were, Nicholas Varlet, Presi- 
dent ; Herman Smeeman, Caspar Steinmets, Julias 
Michielsen, Ide Van Vorst, Assistants, Aug. 30, 16G5 ; 
Tynaraent Van Vleck, Clerk ; William Sandford, 
March 8, 1669; Samuel Edsall, Lourens Andriesen 
(either to act as pi-esident), Feb. 15, 1674 ; John Berry, 
President; Samuel Edsall, Lourens Andriesen, Elias 
Michielsen, Engelbert Steenhuysen, Assistants, March 
13, 1676. The same persons were reappointed Feb. 
16, 1677.' 

New Charter of Bergen. — On the 22d of Septem- 
ber, 1668, a new charter was granted to Bergen, con- 
firmatory of the rights as to land possessed by the 
"Freeholders and Inhabitants" under the Dutch 
charter of 1658. It also contained some new pro- 
visions and privileges, and defined the boundaries of 
the township of Bergen, as follows : 

"The boiinda and limits of the aforesaid town and corporation of Ber- 
gen is, to begin at tlie north end thereof, from a place called Mordavis 
Meadow, lying upon the west side of Hudson's River; from thence to run 
upon a northwest line, by a three-rail fence, that is now standing, to a 
place called Espatin, and from thence to a little creek surrounding north- 
northwest, till it conies into Httckensack River; containing in breadth 
from the top of the hill one and a-haif miles, or one hundred and 
twenty chains. From thence it runs along said Ilackensack River upon 
a south-sontliwest line, till it comes to the poiut or neck of land that is 
over against Staten Island and Sllotiter's Island, in Arthur Cull Bay, 
containing in length about twelve miles. From thence to run eastward 
along the river called Kill Van KoU, that parts Staten Island and the 
main, to a point or neck of land called Constable's Point or Constable's 
Hook, and from thence to rnn up northward, all along the bay up into 
Hudson's River, till it comes to Mordavis Meadow aforesaid; so that 
the whole tract of upland and meadow properly belonging to the juris- 
diction of Uie said town and corimi-ation of Bergen, is bounded at the 
north end by a tract of land belonging to Capt. Nicholas Varlet, and Mr. 
Samuel Edsall ; on the east side by Hud oil's River; on the south end by 
the Kill Van Koll, that parts Staten Island and the main; and on the 
west side by Arthur Cull Bay and Hackensack River. The whole, both 
upland, meiidow and waste land, containing, according to the survey, 
eleven thousand five hundred and twenty acres, English measure." 

This charter granted the utmost liberty of con- 
science in matters of religion; provided for a court 
of judicature for the trial of all causes actionable 
between party and party, as well as criminal causes ; 
made provision also for the support of the church 
and a free school for the education of youth. Rarely 

^ See chaptei- on Courts in this work. 



do we find in any charter of rights and privileges, of 
so early a date, so many truly libera! provisions. 

Under this charter the government of the township 
was maintained until the 14th day of January, in the 
12th year of the reign of Queen Anne, 1714, when a 
petition from Andrew Van Buskirk, Barrent Chris- 
tian, Enoch Freeland, Kutt Van Home, Hendrick 
Cuyper, Winder Deverichs, and John Deverichs, 
freeholders, in behalf of themselves and the other 
freeholders of the town, setting forth the previous 
possession and enjoyments of their ancestors, of divers 
lands, tenements, and hereditaments, and their exer- 
cise of divers privileges and immunities, by virtue of 
the charter of September 22, 1668, and that many 
of the lands were lying undivided, and were subject 
to great damage and waste of wood ; and that by 
said charter sufficient authority was not given to pre- 
vent such damage, as well as for other purposes, and 
that, in consequence, relief was needed from the 
government. An act was passed of that date, in the 
reign of Queen Anne, giving the petitioners a new 
charter, as a township or body corporate, by the name 
of " The Trustees of the Freeholders, Inhabitants of 
the Township of Bergen," with more extensive 
powers. 

When New Netherland was retaken by the Dutch 
in 1673, a summons was sent from the fleet'' in New 
York harbor to the citizens of Bergen to surrender 
and renew their allegiance. It was addressed 

" To the luhabiidHls of the Villitge of Bergen, iind the Hamlets and Bouwries 
thereon depending : 

" You are hereby ordered and instructed to despatch Delegates from 
your Village here to us, to treat with us on next Tuesday respecting the 
surrender of your town to the obedience of their High Mightinesses the 
Lord States-General of the United Netlierlands, his Serene Highness the 
Prince of Orange, or on refusal so to do, we shall be obliged to constrain 
you thereunto by force of arms. 

" Dated at the City Hall of the City of New Orange the 12tli of August, 
1673. 

"Cornelius Evertse, Junior, 
Jacob Benches. 
" By their order, 

N. Bayard, Secretary." 

The people surrendered, and on the 21st of August 
a number of the leading citizens, repairing to New 
York, now New Orange, were qualified as magistrates 
by taking the prescribed oath of allegiance. On the 
following Sunday the officers crossed over to the vil- 
lage to administer the oath to the rest of the inhab- 
itants. "They found the number of the burghers of 
Bergen and the surrounding dependencies to heseventy- 
eighl, sixty-nine of whom appeared at the tap of the 
drum and took the oath of allegiance."" 

The Dutch authorities, however, remained but a 
short time in possession of the country, for on the 9th 
of February, 1674, peace was established between 
England and Holland, and by the sixth article of the 
treaty of Westminster, New Netherland was restored 

- A fleet of twenty-three vessels, carrying sixteen hundred men. 
3 Winfield, p. 117. 



38 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



to the English. On the 10th of November following, 

the final surreuder took place. 

This event was fullowed by a second grant to the 
Duke of York by Charles 11. , June 29, 1G74.' The 
duke, July 2Uth of the same year, reconveyed to Sir 
Georpe Carteret that portion known after the division 
as Kasi .IiTscy. 

Lands in the Township. — The original grants of 
lands in the old townsliip of Hergen were all derived 
from the Dutcli government. The titles to these 
lands were respected in the articles of capitulation, 
wherein it wits stipulated that all people were per- 
mitted to enjoy their lands, homes, and goods, and 
dispose of them at i>leasure. Subseijuently the free- 
holders in the township, feeling insecure on account 
of the treaty of Hreda, took out confirmatory grants 
from the proprietors of East Jersey, subject to a quit- 
rent of one halfpenny per acre yearly. lu the charter 
of Carteret this was eom|)oundod for fifteen pounds 
sterling per annum, which wiis paid for a time. Upon 
its refusal a controversy arose between the pro[irictors 
and the freeholders of Bergen. Cornclus Van Kipen 
was arrested for the debt. A compromise was effected, 
and in consideration of the payment of one thousand 
five hundred dollars the freeholders of Bergen re- 
ceived a full release, signed Oct. 5, 1809. 

The common lands of the township were surveyed 
and divided by commissioners appointed by the Leg- 
islature in 17(>4. The title of the act is as follows : 
"An Act appointing Commissioners for finally set- 
tling and determining the deverul Rights, Titles, and 
Claims U) the Common Lands of the Township of 
Bergen, and for making a partition thereof in just and 
e()uitablc I'roportions among tliose who shall be ad- 
judged by the said Commissioners to be entitled to 
the same." The partition directed by the said Act 
was performed by si.\ of the seven commissioners 
therein appointt-d, — to wit, .Jacob Spicer, Charles 
Clinton, William Donaldson, Azariah Dunham, John 
Berrien, and .Xbraham Clark, Jr. ; Samuel Willis, the 
seventh, declined to serve. Not one of these commis- 
sioncn* lived in the county of Bergen. Jacob Spicer 
lived in Cape May, wiis a wealthy land-owner, mer- 
chant, and surveyor, and with Aaron Leaming [ire- 
pared the revision of the laws known as " Leaming 
and .Spicer's Collection." Charles Clinton lived in 
Ulster County, New York, where he was appointed 
•Surveyor-General and Judge of the Common Pleas, 
and served in the campaign against Fort Krontenac in 
17-'>t;. He Wiis the grandfather of De Witt Clinton. 
William Doruildson lived in Somerset County, anil 
wiLs a surveyor. Azariah Dunham resi<led at Morris- 
town, and was a very prominent man, both in civil 
aflaira and in the position he held as a surveyor and 
civil engineer. Ho laid out many of the important 
public roa<U in New Jersey, was member of the 
General As.**embly, the Provincial Congress, and the 

I Gurilon'a niil. N. J., p. 72. 



Council of Safety, and one of the most active and 
zealous patriots during the Revolution. John Ber- 
rien was an Associate Justice of the Sujireme Court, 
appointed by Governor Franklin, Feb. 20, 1764. Abra- 
ham Clark was of Elizabethtown, where he was born, 
Feb. 15, 1726. He was High Sheriff of Essex County 
and Clerk of the Assembly under the Colonial Gov- 
ernment. During the Revolution he was one of the 
most active patriots, serving on the Committee of 
Public Safety, as member of Provincial Congress, the 
National Congress, and other important bodies. After 
the Revolution he served as member of Congress for 
many years, retiring with the adjournment of that 
body, June 9, 1794. He died in the autumn of that 
year, and was buried at Railway.' 

Such were the commissioners appointed to survey 
and divide the common lands of Bergen. These 
lands, according to Winfield, amounted to about 
8000 acres, while the lands appropriated by individ- 
ual grants amounted to about SoOO acres. "The 
owners of private grants encroached upon the com- 
mon domain, while unauthorized persons pastured 
their cattle thereon and wasted the timber. For this 
there did not seem to be any remedy, owing to defects 
in their charter." The new charter granted by Queen 
.Vnne, Jan. 14, 1714, did not remove the ultliculty. 
Encroachments on the comnKm lands continued as 
before. The freeholders then attempted to settle the 
matter by "Articles of Agreement" entered into on 
the 16th day of June, 1743.' But these articles were 
never carried into effect, and, matters growing worse, 
the people (letitioned the Legislature for relief, which 
was granted in the act a|«pointing the commis- 
sioners for surveying and partitioning the common 
lands and settling finally these disputes. The com- 
missioners so appointed caused to be surveyed every 
foot of land lying east of the Hackensack in Bergen 
township, and the result is rei'orded with great care and 
particularity in their field-book and maps, which were 
filed iis directed in the seventh .section of the act. 
" By an act of the Legislature, approve*! March 3, 
1848, the Field-Book and Maps on file in the Clerk's 
office of Bergen County were required to be filed in 
the office of the Clerk of Hudson County. They 
were so filed. But the copy in the Secretary of State's 
office being in better jirescrvation, and of no jiarlicu- 
iar utility in that place, there was a general desire 
among the people of the county (Hudson) to secure 
it, whereupon, by an act of the Legislature, approved 
March 3, 18.'')3, the Clerk of Hud.son County returned 
the one then in his office to the Clerk of Bergen 
County, and received anil filed the one then In the 
office of the Secretary of State." ' 

The field -book and map of the Commissioners 
have ever since been regarded as authoritative and 
conclusive on questions of title in that part of Old 

I Wlnnolil'i lj>liil TIIlM— NolM loFlrld-Book, pp. 3U, Ml. 
' Arllrlm In full In Winn.'M'» Liilid Tlll,n. 10, 17. 
« Unil Titlri, |<. 24. 



OTHER ANCIENT SETTLEMENTS. 



39 



Bergen now Hudson County. On account of their 
great value in this regard, the Board of Chosen Free- 
holders of Hudson County, through an appropriate 
committee appointed Jan. 12, 1871, authorized Charles 
H. Winfield, Esq., to edit and publish them in book 
form. Hence the " Land Titles in Hudson County," 
to which the reader is referred, not only for a full ac- 
count of the lands apportioned by the Commissioners 
of 17(5-1, but a vast amount of valuable information 
respecting the earliest patents and patentees under 
the Dutch government and that of the Proprietors, 
in that part of the ancient county of Bergen which 
was set off under the name of Hudson in 1840. 

Charter of Carteret. — The charter of Carteretf 1668) 
made provision for the educational and religious inter- 
ests of the town. The sixth article provided that all 
the freeholders, or a major part of them, should have 
power to choose their own minister for preaching the 
word of God and administering the holy sacraments, 
and, being so chosen, all persons, as well as freeholders, 
should contribute according to their estates and means 
for his support, or should lay out such a portion of land 
for the minister, and for the keeping of a, free school 
for the education of youth, as they shall see fit, which 
land, being once laid out, is not to be alienated, but 
to "remain {oiever free from paying any rent or any 
other rate or taxes whatsoever." In accordance with 
these provisions, three lots were early set apart for the 
purpose of a free school, — one village lot and two out 
or pasture lots, — numbers 177, 178, and 179, respec- 
tively, of the Field-Book. In this book, made by the 
commissioners for the division of the common lands, 
they are designated "For the Free School of the town 
of Bergen." For many years the school of the village 
was kept under the direction of the Church, " the 
Consistory appointing the schoolmaster, who, in ad- 
dition to the ordinary instruction in the elementary 
branches of education, was required to hear recitations 
in the catechism, and at stated times to receive the 
pastor or elders of the church, when all the pupils of 
the school were to be catechised. . . . For several 
successive generations this was the course pursued." 
" The author has heard," says Rev. Dr. Taylor, "some 
of the most aged people of his pastoral flock refer to 
the days of their childhood, when from all parts of 
the township, as it then existed, including Hoboken, 
Jersey City, and 15ergen Point, they and their school- 
mates were busied with their lessons in Dutch and 
English, using principally as a reading-book the 
Psalter and New Testament, and rather dreading the 
day for the good old Dominie's catechism." 

" ]5ergen Columbia Academy" was an institution 
which existed many years. The date of its charter is 
not given in the history furnished by Dr. Taylor, but 
the large brown-stone building erected for its accom- 
modation in 1790, this author thinks, was the third 
building used for the school.' 

> Taylor's Aunals, p. 102. 



The old Reformed Dutch Church of this town was 
the earliest organization of the kind in East Jersey. 
In 1662, four hundred and seventeen guilders ($166.80) 
were raised by tax in the township for building an 
edifice of worship. In this year there were twenty- 
seven communicants. The building was not erected 
till 1680. It was an octagonal building in the shape 
of a lantern, the roof being exceeding steep, with a 
cross extended to a considerable height above its 
apex. The windows were on the eight sides, and 
quite small and high from the ground. This building 
was standing in 1764.'^ 

A new building was erected in 1773. In a stone 
over the front door was this inscription : 

"Kerk Geljouwt in Het Taer 16SII. Her Bouwt in Itet Yacr 1773."' 



CHAPTER VII. 

OTHER ANCIENT SETTLEMENTS. 

We will now notice some of the other settlements 
in the old township of Bergen and other parts of the 
county. 

Communipaw, adjoining Jersey City on the south, 
was one of the earliest settlements on the west bank 
of Hudson River. Its first settler was Jan Evertse 
Bout in 1634. He was the agent of Nicholas Pauw 
until the patroon sold to the West India Company^ 
and about 1638 rented the Company's farm. This 
farm or bouwrie included all the upland lying be- 
tween Communipaw Creek on the south and the 
meadow on the north. Bout afterwards received a 
patent of the farm as a gift. 

" Up to February, 1643," says Winfield, " no set- 
tlement had been made north of Hoboken. At this 
place a farm-house and brew-house had been built, 
and a bouwrie cleared and planted. Here Aert 
Teunissen Van Putten resided." Van Putten was 
the first white resident of Hoboken. He leased the 
farm Feb. 15, 1640, for twelve years from Jan. 1 
1641.* 

"At Ahasimus was the family of Cornelius Van 
Vorst, deceased, at the head of which was Jacob Stof- 
felsen, who had married Van Vorst's widow. 

" At Paulus Hoeck were Abraham Isaacsen Planck 
and his tenants, Gerrit Dircksen Blauw, Claes Jansen 
Van Purmerendt, alias Jan Potagie, and Cornells 
Arissen. 

" At Jan de Lacher's Hoeck, or Mill Creek Point, 
as an under-tenant of Bout, resided Egbert Wouters- 
sen with his family. . . . 

" On the blutf immediately in the rear of Cavan 
Point, and just where the Central Railroad crosses 
the Morris Canal, lived Dirck Straatmaker." 



2 See cut in Wiufield's History of Hudson County, p. 381. 

3 For full history of this and other churches in the old township, see 
Taylor's Annals, and Winfield's History of Hudson County. 

* N. y. Col. MSS., i. 187. 



40 



HISTORY OF BKKCEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



These settlements were destroyed in the Indian war 
of 1644. After tlie war Bout retunu'd to liis farm at 
Communipaw. He soon sold part of it to Michael 
Jansen for eight thousand florins, and the rest to 
Clacs Pietersen Cos for one thousand four hundred 
and forty-four Horins and three stivers. Jaiisen in 
1046 and sul>se<iuently was a representative of the 
Conimoiiality in Stuyvesant's Advisory Council. His 
farm was nourishing, and most of the old settlements 
along the river had heen renewed, when the Indians 
again laid the plantations waste. This was in 1655, 
when the Indians, having heen driven to their canoes 
by the guard at Fort Amsterdam, crossed the river 
and destroyed all the settlements in Pavonia. A 
number of the inhabitants escaped to New Amster- 
dam, and there remained till 1658, when Michael 
Jansen, Claes Jansen Backer, Claes Pietersen Cos, 
Jans Captain, Dirck Seiken, Dirck Claesen, and 
Lysbert Tysen petitioned for permission to return to 
their deserted plantations. Communipaw w;us ex- 
empted from the general order for the inhabitants to 
gather in the town of Bergen, and was laid out into 
lota and surrounded by palisades for defense against 
the Indians. It grew to be ipiite a rival to Bergen. 
The first ferry across the Hudson, connecting the 
Jersey shore with Manhattan Island, was established 
at this point in Ititil, arul William Jansen was the 
legalized ferryman.' In 1680 Communipaw was a 
village of twenty families.' 

The peninsula of Paulus Hook, on which Jersey 
City is now situated, belonged from a very remote 
period to the Van Vorst family. In 1804 it was 
vested in Cornelius Van Vorst. On the 10th of 
November, 1804, an act to incorporate the associates 
of the Jersey Company was pa.sscd by the Legislature, 
to whom the title was conveyed. On the 28th of Jan- 
uary, l.H'iO, an act to incorporate the city of Jersey in 
the county of Bergen wa.s passed ; under which, and 
the various su|iplements and amen<lment.s thereto, the 
city has existed to the present time. Jersey City was 
a township in Bergen County from 1838 to 1840, and 
during those two years was represented in the board 
of chosen freeholders by Dudley S. Gregory and 
ThomiLs (ieurten. 

Settlements in 1685.— In liW,"), (icorgo Scott, who 
Wif granted live hundred acres of land by the Eiust 
Jersey proprietors in Monmouth County, published 
a book in Edinburgh, entitled "The .Model of the 
Ciovernment of Eiust Jersey." In this work is a 
general view of the plantations anrl settlements in 
this country, ;ls he observed them jirior to the date 
of his publication, between 1680 and 1685' 



> N<w Nith. RaiiUtor, 117. 

> Smilli'ii lllat. Nrw Jirwjr. 

■ (In till. 'JMtli of Jtiljr, lOHA, In cnnsldnnitlun of cortnln act« promotive 
of lt<« MlTnnlftK* And lntf>r»i>l of Kiwt Jerery, tlio |)roprlotoni In Knylanil 
Krvntvii Ar« ),iiiiilr*(l Bcrm of lan<l toOeorK* ScoK, on cundlUnn Ihsl tin 
■honlj rraMit In lUr provlnm wlUi liU family. Vivn tlioM "certain 
UU,'° etc., the wrllln( of tllii iNwk < ThU IrBCl of lanil wu In Mon- 



Afler speaking of the settlements to which we have 
already referred, he says, — 

"Tlicre ar« other plantHtioiiH upon Hackonsnck RJTer, which go«a a 
great WAV up the countrr, nlnioet n^irthweflt ; olherH, also, on the M0t 
diili' of another creek or river at llackensack River. 

" A large Deck or tract of land for which one Mm. Sanih Kiratead, uf 
New York, had a patent given by an old Indian sachem in recomp«osa 
for Interpretint; the Indian language Into Dutch, IV* there was occasion; 
there are some little families thereon. 

"Two or three miles up, a great plantation settled hy Capt. John Berry, 
whereon he now lives. 

*'.\nulher plantation a'ljoinlug, iM'longing to his snn-in-law, Michael 
Smith: another tu Mr. Baker. This neck of land is in brea^lth from 
Capt. Berry's new plantation on the west side, where ho lives, over to 
his old plantations, to the east at Hudson's River side, al>out three mllM^ 
which distance serves to Constable's llixik, npwanlrt of ten Diilefi. 

"To go back to the south part of Itergen Neck, that b opposite to 
Statan Island, where is but a narrow luissage of water, which ebbfl and 
flows ttetween the said island and Bergen Point, called Constable's Hook. 
There is a considerable plantation on that side of Constable's Hook, ex- 
tending inland aliout a ntile over from the liay on the east aide of the 
neck that leads to New York, to that on the west that goes to Hackeii- 
sack and Snake Hill, the neck running up between lioth, from the south 
to the north of Hudson's River, tt» the utmost extent of their Ujunds. 
It was first settled by Samuel Kdsall in Col. Nichol's time, and by hitn 
sold fur £600." 

Other small plantations along the Neck to the east 
are named. Among them one 

"belonging to George I'mpane (Gomouueepan) which is over against 
New York, where there is about forty families,* within which, about the 
middle of the neck, which is here aUnit three miles over, stands the town 
of Bergen, which gives name to that neck. Then, again, northward to 
the water's side, going up Hudson's River, there lies out a iH>int of land 
where is a plantation and a water (mill) belonging Ui a merchant in Nflw 
York. 

" Southward Uiere is a small Tillage, of about five or six familiea, which 
is commonly called the liuke's Farm. Further up is a good plaotaUon 
in A neck of laml almost an island, culled Hobuck; it did belong to a 
Dutch merchant, who formerly in the Intlian war bwl bis wife, children, 
and servants tiiiuwacred by the Indians, and bis house, cattle, and stock 
destroyed by them. It is now settled again, and a mill erected there by 
one dwelling at New York. 

** Up iiorthwiinl along the river side are the lauds ncMir to BIr. William 
Lawrence, which is six or seven miles further. OpixisltD thereto there 
is a plantation of M r. I'/Uull, and al^ive that <'a|it. llienlleld's plantation ; 
tills lost is iilmost opiNisite the northwest of >laiiliatla's Islsitd. 

" Here are the utmost extent of the nortliem boumU ol Kast JnrMy, 
as always contemplalMl. 

" Near the mouth of the bay, upon the side of Overlieck's Creek, ailja- 
celit to Ilackensack River, sevet al of the rich valleys were settled by the 
Dutch ; and iiejir Snake Hill is a line plantation owneii by rinliome A 
KIckbe, for half of which rinliorii.' is said I.1 have |>ai.l JWKI. 

"The plantations .ui Isilh sides of the neck to its utmost extent, ■• 
also tho.-o- at llaikensack, ar<> under the jurisdiction of Bergen Town, 
^ilUllte ulmut tlie mid. lie of tile nwk." . . . 

New Barbadoes Neck. — That portion of the an- 
cient territory of Bergen known as New Barbadoes 
Neck was probably first settled by the Kingslands 
soon after the settlements above described. It is not 
certain that Juilge William Samlford ever .settled 
upon his patent in this section of the c<mnty. He 
w!is presiding judge ol the court at Bergen in \l'u'^. 
and died some time |irior to ITtHi, as in that year his 
widow, Sarah Sandford, conveyed to her friend, Kath- 
erine Van Einburgh, a portion of the estate left her 
by her husband, between the Hackcnsiack and Pas- 
mouth County, and waa aOerwards ownad by Dr, John Jubralune, who 
married Scott's daughter. 
I * Twenty, according to Smith's History. 



OTHER ANCIENT SETTLEMENTS. 



41 



saic Rivers. Nathaniel Kingsland, the ancestor of i 
the Kingsland femily, of New Barliadoes, purchased 
a large tract of Judge Sandford. His son William : 
was the first to settle upon it, about 1690. He enii- [ 
grated from the island of Barbadoes, and built a 
mansion-house on what is now the Hackensack road, 
about two miles above the Schuyler copper-mines. 
William Kingsland was the father of Edmund Wil- 
liam Kingsland, and the grandfather of the late Mrs. 
John Arent Schuyler, Mrs. Nesbitt, Mrs. Adams, and 
the late Gen. Kingsland, of Newark. j 

Edmund W. Kingsland was taken prisoner by the 
British during the Revolution, and carried down the 
river in his own boat, and conveyed to the Sugar- 
House in New York, where he was kept for some 
time. He said it was the only time in his life that he 
regretted having a new hat of such a kind as the one 
he wore ; for it was a stiff beaver, and his captors 
amused themselves during the journey by beating 
him over the head with it. The Kingsland family 
plate was buried during the war at the foot of a pear- 
tree near the mansion. A tankard tliat was hidden 
there is now in the possession of the family. Tiie 
British once made a visit to the house, and were kept 
out for some time by the inmates, who barricaded the 
doors and windows. At length the assaulting party 
threatened to break in a door where Edmund W. 
Kingsland was stationed. He had a pistol in each 
hand, and declared he would shoot the first man who 
made an attempt to enter the house. One of the 
party then picked up a young negro belonging to the 
plantation, and placing him in front, challenged Mr. 
Kingsland to " fire away." Not wishing to hurt one 
of his own servants, he desisted, but the faithful slave 
cried out, " Let 'em shoot, massa ; never mind me !" 
This is supposed to have occurred at the time Mr. 
Kingsland was captured. The English and Hessians 
took possession of the house and occupied it for sev- 
eral months. Mr. Kingsland had previously hollowed 
out a board in the mantel-piece and secreted his money 
in it, put in a block and painted it over. He found 
it undisturbed on his return from imprisonment. 
The Kingslands were Episcopalians, and through 
their instrumentality the church of that faith was 
founded at Bellville. 

John Richards, who was connected with the Kings- 
land family by marriage, owned a large tract of land, 
a part of which is now Rutherford Park. He was 
murdered in the Bergen Woods by refugees during 
the Revolutionary War, while on his way home from 
New York. 

A part of the Kingsland tract was purchased by 
Arent Schuyler about the year 1700, and contained 
the Schuyler copper-mines, afterwards discovered by 
one of Captain Schuyler's slaves. Schuyler had pre- 
viously settled in the Ponds Neighborhood, in what is 
now the western part of the town of Franklin, but 
about the time of the purchase he removed to New 
Barbadoes. The discovery of the copper-mines, to- 



gether with his large landed interest, made him 
wealthy. The old Schuyler mansion which stood on 
the east hank of the Passaic, below the Belleville 
bridge, was built by John, a son of Arent Schuyler 
by his second wife. John was for many years the 
manager of the mines. The house was more than 
once visited and violated by the British during the 
days of the Revolution, and pictures pierced by 
British bayonets are still preserved among the de- 
scendants. 

Northwestern Part of the County. — Settlements 
were made in the northwestern part of the county, 
in the neighborhood of the Ponds Church, before the 
beginning of the eighteenth century. In 1700 there 
were some ten families around the Ponds and some 
four or five in Pompton. Arent Schuyler and An- 
thony Brockholst, in 1G97, lived upon the place oc- 
cupied by the late Dr. William Colfax and William 
W. Colfax. In 1730, Cornelius, son of Arent Schuy- 
ler, settled on the north side of Ryerson Pond, where 
his grandson of the same name now resides. The 
Garretsons, from Bergen, settled at an early time on 
the property owned by the late John Post. The 
Van Aliens owned six hundred acres on the Pond 
flats, and their residence was near the house of David 
Bush. The Berdan family, consisting of two brothers, 
settled in Preakness about 1720, or perhaps before 
that date. This family first settled on Long Island, 
then came to Hackensack, and thence the two brothers 
emigrated to Preakness, and purchased four hun- 
dred acres of land at eighteen cents an acre. One 
was married, the other single. The single brother 
commenced building a house with a view to taking 
a companion, but before its completion he sickened 
and died. The descendants of the other brother still 
live on the spot where their forefather located. John 
Stek (now Stagg) settled back of Knickie's Pond in 
1711. On the 19th day of May, 1724, Yan Romaine, 
yeoman of Hackensack, purchased of Willocks and 
Johnstone six hundred acres, the tract now occupied 
by John B. Romeyn, Nicholas Romeyn, William 
Winters, John Snyder, and Henry Hofter. He sold 
two hundred acres of this to Roelef Van Honten, 
March 17, 1737, for seventy pounds. It is the prop- 
erty now occupied by John V. Hennlon, William De 
Baaw, and John Ackerman. Simeon Van Winkel 
settled on the property of the late Tennis Van Slyke 
in 1733. He came from Belleville, and is said to 
have been the owner of the first wagon in this region 
of country. Its wheels were without tires, and it was 
in existence more than three-fourths of a century 
after. On the 17th of August, 1720, John and Wil- 
liam Van Voor Haze, yeomen of the county of Ber- 
gen, bought of John Barbetie, Peter Fauconiere, and 
Andrew Barbetie, merchants of New York City, five 
hundred and fifty acres lying at Wikehoft', in the pre- 
cinct of Saddle River. On this tract the church of 
Wyckoff stands. For some cause unknown to the 
writer, they were compelled to repurchase this land, 



42 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



April 2, 1745, of John Hamilton, Andrew Johnstone, 
and John Burnet. William Van Voorlia/.c (Van 
Voorhis) was twice married, — first, to iSusanah Larue, 
May, 1717, and second, to Martha Van Gclden, Jan. 
21, 1728. He died July 17, 1744, leaving five sons 
and four daughters. His lands he left to his sons. 
An extract from his will may not be devoid of inter- 
est, as it is one of the oldest wills preserved : 

" I giwc mnd be<iuealli tintu my i>li)(«t son, Jacobus Van Voorhecs, the 
big bybi'l, fur bis tiret birtli-riglil, as being uiy lieir at law ; and 1 will 
ttiat my yuungeet (later, which I have by myn dear beloving wife, which 
is named Mary tie Van Voor Ha7.«, dat slie shale have for her {tortiou the 
sum of £19." 

To his Other daughters he gave twelve pounds each. 
His son Jacobus never married ; he entered the king's 
service, and died Sept. 20, 17G7. His son Albert 
lived on the farm now or lately owned by Josiah 
Quackcnbush, and Abraham on the farm of Lewis 
Yeomans. John lived on the farm of Henry Hlauvelt. 
The lands of the two brothers were not divided 
among their heirs until May 18, 1767. 

A tract near Paramus of five hundred and fifty 
acres was bought by the Albertises for one hundred 
and si.\ty-five pounds, Aug. 17, 1720, of the same 
New York parties as sold to Van Voorhis. The 
Albertises also leased of the same five hundred and 
fifty acres adjoining, for which they were to pay the 
annual rent for every hundred acres of "two young 
fat fowls on or before the feast of St. Michael the 
Archangel." At the same date (1720) Pit Van Hlar- 
com wa.** living on a tract between Van Voorhis and 
Albertis, of five hundred and fifty acres, as the Alber- 
tis deed refers to his line. The Winters, Courtcns, 
Youngs, Storms, Ackermans, and Quackenbushes 
settled in this section from 1740 to 17f)0; the Van 
Gelders about 1730, where Abraham Van (icider now 
lives. They came from the Red .Mills, being attracted 
by the large number of deer which came to the ponds 
near by. Among others in this neighborhood were 
the Pulisfelts (now Pulis) and Uogerts, about 171)0. 

It is only intended in this chapter to give a general 
survey of the early settlements. For further details 
the reader is referred to the subject of early settle- 
ments in the history of each township. 



Cli .\ 1'TI;K VIII. 
LAND PATENTS IN BKROKN COUNTY. 

AMoNfi the original land-owners in the countjr^of 
Bergen we name the following: 

Abraham Isaac«en Plank purcha.'^ed Paulus Hook 
of the Dutch Weat India Company May 1, 1638. 
The dcetl was confirmed by Philip Carteret May 
12, 166K. Martyn Andriesen obtained a patent for 
Weehawkr'O from William Kieft, l)ireclor-( ieneral of 
New Nelherland, May 11, 1617; confirmed by Philip 
Carteret, April IH, 1670. Andrieseii wsu* a freebooter 



and a desperate character, and was chiefly responsi- 
ble for the terrible massacre of the Indians in 1643. 
Being charged with this re-sponsibility by Governor 
Kieft, he attempted to shoot the Governor, for which 
he was arrested and sent in irons to Holland for trial. 
He returned to New Amsterdam, and purchased Wee- 
hawken in 1647. He was born in Holland in 1600, 
and came first to this country in ItiSl. Nicholas Varlet 
obtained a patent of Hoboken of Petrus Stuyvesant, 
Feb. 5, 1663; confirmed by Philip Carteret, May 
12, 1668. Mr. Varlet was one of the noted men of 
his times. His second wife was Anna, sister of Gov- 
ernor Stuyvesant, and widow of Samuel Bayard. In 
1657 he was appointed commissjiry of imports and 
exports, and in 16.")8 became farmer of duties on 
exports and inii)orts to and from New England and 
Virginia; was admitted to the right of " Great Bur- 
ger," and appointed searcher, inspector, and com- 
missary of the West India Company stores; in 1660 
was sent with Brian Newton an ambassador to the 
Colony of Virginia ; in 1664 was a|>|>ointed one of the 
commissioners to agree upon terms of capitulation to 
che English ; in 1665 was commissioned captain of 
the militia of Bergen, Communipaw, Ahasimus, and 
Hoboken ; same day was made a member of the court 
at Bergen, and the year following a member of Gov- 
ernor Carteret's Council. He died in 167.'). 

Ide Cornelison Van Vorst received of Governor 
Stuyvesant a grant of land at Ahasimus, April 5, 
1664: confirmed, with an additional grant, by Philip 
Carteret, March 13, 1668. This )iroperty wsis inher- 
ited by his only son Cornelius, and from him de- 
scended to Cornelius of the seventh generation. It 
is now the finest part of Jersey City. 

Jan Evert>se Bout obtained of the Governor and 
Council of New Netherland a tract of land at Com- 
munipaw, of which the following is a copy ot the deed: 

*• We, Willii*m Kieft, Governor-General and r<iuncil nnder the High 
and Miglity Lords Slates-Genenal of the United Nt-tlierlands, ills High- 
ness of Orange and tlie Honorable the l>iri>clors of the anthorixetl Wi*at 
Inflia (Vim|>any, re-iding in New Netherlands, make known and divlare 
that on tliis day underwritten, we have given and granted Jan Kvertse 
Itoiil A piece of land lying on the North Kiver we.>tward fr\mi Fort 
Amsterdam, before then pastured anil tilletl by Jan Kverlse, named 
t^,am<i€ne|>at'ii and Jan de I.acber'B Hoiick, with the meadows as the 
same lay within the [Hjst-and- rail fence, containing eighty-four morons. 

" In Icsliniony whereof Is these by us signed and with our Seal cou- 
flrme<l in Fort Anislenlam in New Netherlands, the wlibrh land Jan 
Kvertso took poses—Ion of Anno 1638, aud began then to plow and so 
It." 

This farm was sold to Michael Jaiwen by Bout for 
eight thousand florins, Sept. 9, 1656, and, Janscn 
dying, part of it was confirmed to his widow, Fitje 
Hartman, by Philip Carteret, May 12, 1668. 

Caspar Steinmets purchased of Philip Carteret, 
May 12, 1668, two tracts of land and meadow ni^ar 
the town of Bergen. He resided at Ahaaimus, and 
during the Indian troubles of 1655 retireil to New 
Amsterdam, where he wits licensed in 16.'>6 to "tap 
beer and wine for the accommodation of the Bur- 
gliery and Strangers." In September, 1657, he was 



LAND PATENTS IN BERGEN COUNTY. 



43 



made lieutenant of the Bersrcn militia, and in 1673 
was promoted to captain. He was deputy from Ber- 
gen in the Council of New Orange (after the Dutch 
had retaken New York), lli74, and a representative 
from Bergen in the first and second General Assem- 
blies of New Jersey. He died in 1702. His descend- 
ants at one time were quite numerous, but have long 
since died out. 

Adrian Post obtained a patent of Governor Car- 
teret dated May 12, KJGS, for " sundry parcels of laud 
lying in and about the Town of Bergen." He was 
the ancestor of the Post family in Bergen County, 
and had numerous descendants. The first we hear of 
him he was agent for the Baron van der Capellen, 
and in charge of his colony on Staten Island when 
the place was destroyed by the Indians in IfJOS. In 
October of that year he was appointed to treat with 
the Hackensack Indians for the release of prisoners. 
He was ensign of the Bergen militia in 1673, and was 
the keeper of the first prison in East Jersey, the house 
of John Berry in Bergen being used for that purpose. 
He died Feb. 28, 1677. 

Englebert Steinhuysen received a deed of "sun- 
dry parcels of land in and about the Town of Ber- 
gen," from Philip Carteret, July 22, 1670. This land 
comprised seven lots, amounting in all to one hundred 
and fifty acres.' This patentee was a tailor by trade, 
and came from Soest, the second city in Westphalia. 
He arrived at New Amsterdam in the ship " Moes- 
man," April 25, 1659. He was licensed by the Di- 
rector-General the first schoolmaster in Bergen, Oct. 
6,1662. He was commissioned schepen in the Bergen 
Court, Oct. 13, 1662 ; and with Harman Smeeman rep- 
resented Bergen in the " Landtag" in 1664.'^ i 

Harman Edward purchased of Petrus Stuyvesant 
" sundry parcels of land lying in and about the 
Town of Bergen, Sept. 14, 1662." He was one of the 
commissioners to fortify Bergen in 1663 ; and with 
Joost Van der Linde, Hendrick Jans Spier, and 
Hendrick de Backer, June 15, 1674, petitioned the 
government for laud on Staten Island at the mouth of 
the Kill Van Ku!l.» 

Balthazer Bayard obtained, with Nicholas Varlet, 
a grant of land from Philip Carteret, dated Aug. 10, 
1671, lying in and about the town of Bergen. Bay- 
ard was a brewer and a brother of Nicholas. He was 
appointed schepen in Bergen, Dec. 17, 1663, and March 
17, 1664 ; represented Bergen in the first and second 
General Assembly of New Jersey, 1668. Shortly 
after this he became a resident of New York, where 
he was schepen under the Dutch (New Orange) in 1673, 
and alderman in 1691. Of the lands in Bergen the 
patentees held as joint-tenants. Varlet died before 
any division was made, whereupon Bayard took the 
land by right of survivorship.* 



1 Winfleld'8 Land Titles, 91 . 

2 Brodlii-ad, i. 729.— Land Titles, 91. 

' Col. Hist. N. Y., ii. 721.— Land Titles, 95. 
< Land Titles, 109. 



Tielman Van VIeck obtained by patent from Philip 
Carteret, dated March 25, 1670, a grant of sundry 
parcels of land near the town of Bergen. Van Vleck 
was a lawyer. He studied under a notary in Amster- 
dam, came to this country in 1658, and was admitted 
to practice the same year.'' He has the honor of 
having been the founder of Bergen, and was made 
the first schout and president of the court, Sept. 5, 
1661. 

Hans Diedrick was granted by Philip Carteret sun- 
dry parcels of land lying in and about the town of 
Bergen, May 12, 1668. Hans kept the second hotel 
in Bergen, licensed Feb. 13, 1671, and was appointed 
lieutenant of the Bergen militia, Sept. 4, 1673. He 
was one of the patentees of A(]uacknonck, May 28, 
1679, and died Sept. 30, 1(!98. He " probably left his 
land to his son Wander, who died intestate, Aug. 13, 
1732. His children Johannes, Garret, Cornelius, 
Abraham, Antje, wife of Johannes Vreeland, and 
Margaret Van Rypen, widow, sold to their brother 
Daniel, Feb. 17, 1764, a lot called ' Smiths land,' 
seven morgans, also a lot of meadow, also the Steen- 
huysen lot, and lot 114. They partitioned iu 1755."" 

Gerrit Gerritse was granted by Philip Carteret a 
patent for sundry parcels of land lying in and about 
the town of Bergen, May 12, 1668. "This patentee 
was the ancestor of the Van Wagenen family. By 
his will, dated Oct. 13, 1708, he gave all the land 
included in this patent, and a preceding patent, to 
his eldest son Johannes. By the will of Johannes, 
dated July 24, 1762, proved Nov. 8, 1759, he gave all 
his lands in Bergen to his son Johannes, who was the 
owner in 1764." 

The Secaucus patent was granted by Petrus Stuy- 
vesant to Nicholas Varlet and Nicholas Bayard, Dec. 
10, 1663, and confirmed by Philip Carteret, Oct. 30, 
1667. In the deed of Carteret it is recited: "The 
said plantation or parcel of land is esteemed and 
valued, according to the survey and agreement made, 
to contain both of upland and meadow, the sum of 
two thousand acres English measure." It comprised 
all the land between Penhorn's Creek and the Croma- 
kill on the east and the Hackensack on the west. 
The Indians, in 1674, claimed that their right to this 
land was not included in their deed to Stuyvesant of 
1658, that the said deed included only " Espatingh 
and its dependencies," and that they were, therefore, 
still owners of Secaucus. The Dutch Council at 
Fort William Hendrick settled the controversy with 
them by making them a present of an "anker of 
rum." Nicholas Varlet died while the tract was in 
the possession of the patentees, and his administra- 
tors, Samuel' Edsall and Peter Stoutenburgh, joined 
Bayard in selling it to Edward Earle, Jr., of Mary- 
land, April 24, 1676. Earle .sold to Judge William 
Pinhorne, March 26, 1679, for five hundred pounds, 



s N. Y. Col. MSS., viii. 932.- Note to Land Titles, 114. 
» Land Titles, 118. 



44 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



one individual half of the tract, also one-half of all 
the stock, " Cliristijiii and negro servants." The 
following sclieiliile of iiro|>ert_v was annexed to the 
deed: "One dwelling house, eontaining two lower 
rooms and a lean-to below stairs, and a loft above; 
five tobaceo houses ; one hers, one mare and two colts, 
eight oxen, ten cows, one bull, four yearlings, and 
seven calves; between thirty and forty hogs, four 
negro men, five Christian servants." This was the 
Pinhorne plantation referred to by George Scott in 
his "Model of the (Government of East Jersey."' 

In 1668 Capt. William Sandford obtained of the 
Indians a deed for New Barbadoes Neck, extending 
northward seven miles and eontaining fifteen thou- 
sand three liundred and eight acres of upland and 
meadow. A considerable portion of this land Capt. 
Sandford devised in his will to his wife Sarah, who 
on the 7th of December, 1709, gave by deed about 
five hundred acres, including one hundred and fifty 
acres of meadow on the Passaic, to her " dear friend 
Katherine Van Emburg." A part of Sandford's tract, 
.soon after his purchase from the Indians, was bought 
by Nathaniel Kingsland, who had been an ollicer in 
the island of Barbadoes, and from this circumstance 
it received the name of New Barbadoes. 

Capt. William Sandford was presiding judge of the 
Bergen court-s in 1676, and a member of the first 
Council of East Jersey, under Governor Kudyard, in 
1682. 

Isaac Kingsland, son of Nathaniel, of New Barba- 
does, was a member of Governor Neill Campbell's 
Council in 1686. 

Capt. John Berry's Patent.— In 1669, Capt. John 
Kerry and a-isociatts obtained a grant for lands lying 
northward of Sandford's, "six miles in the country." 
This grant extended from the liackensack River to 
what is now Saddle River, and probably included the 
site of the present village of liackensack. In the 
same year a grant was made to Capt. Berry of land 
lying between Ilackcnsaik River and Overpeek I now 
English) Creek, bounded on the south by lan<ls of Wil- 
liam Pardons, and running north, containing about 
two thousand acres. This must have included a large ' 
portion of what are now Ridgefii'ld, Englewood, and 
Palisade townships, — that pr)rtion of them, at least, 
lying between the creek and the liackensack River. 

John Berry was a large land-owner. lie resided at 
Bergen, where he also owned six meadow-lots and 
six upland lots, besides two lots in the town purchased 
of Philip (Carteret, July 20, 1669. Most of this land , 
was in the Newkirk family in 17i'>4, when the lands 
were surveyed by the commissioners. John Berry 
was jire-sidiiig Judge of the I'ourtj* at Bergen, and one 
of the magistrates before whom Thomas Kudyard, the 
Deputy-l tovernor of Eiutt Jersey under Barclay, was 
sworn into office, Dec. 20, 1682. His house in Bergen, 
on the 19tli of .Inly, 1673, was made the "prison for 

< Lniicl Tllln. l:l<l. 



ye province" until a house could be built for that pur- 
pose, and Adrian Post, constable, was made keeper.' 

The oldest deed on record in the county clerk's 
oflice at liackensack is one from John Berry to 
/uarian Westervelt, dated Jan. 13, 1687, conveying a 
portion of his estate in the old township of Hack- 
eusack. March 26, 1687, he conveyed another piece 
of land to Walling Jacobs, of the county of Essex. 

Demarest Patent. — .\nother early patent was one 
for three thousand acres of land in the old township 
of Hackcnsaek, extending along the easterly side of 
the river from New Bridge to a point beyond Old 
Bridge, and easterly as far as the line of the Northern 
Railroad. This was granted to David Demarias ( Des- 
meretz) and others, by Philiji Carteret, June 8, 1677.' 
The patentee was a Huguenot, and came from France 
to this country with his three sons, David, John, and 
Samuel, about the year 1676. He was the ancestor 
of the numerous family of Demarests in this country. 
It is said that, as far back as 1820, one interested in 
the family found by search seven thousand names 
connected with it, — branches of the original stalk.' 

.\ccording to tradition. Mr. Demarias first settled 
at Manhattan Island, where he purchased the whole 
of Harlem; but he soon afterwards disposed of that 
property and removed to the liackensack, where he 
made the inirchase above mentioned, his design being 
to establish a colony of some thirty or forty families, 
to be transported from Europe. It wius probably in 
view of this declared purpose that the patent was 
granted him; for it must have been known by the 
Governor or the land-otfice that the grant was 
already covered, in large part at lca.st, by the 
])rior patent of two thousand acres given to ,Tohu 
Berry. It is stated that Mr. Demarias and his asso- 
ciates were so hara.s.sed by the claims of different 
persons during half a century that the land was 
purchased by them no le.ss than four times. Berry, 
however, at the request of the Governor, waivetl his 
claim for a time in view of the prospective settle- 
ment, and, in case of its failure, was promised a like 
grant in some other locality. On the 1st of July, 
1709, Demarias having failed to fullill his stipula- 
tion in regard to the settlement, Berry petitioned 
the "Captain-General and (Jovernor-in-Chief of the 
Provinci's of New Jersey and New York, eti-.. to listen 
to a demonstration of the invalidity of a pretense of 
John Demarest & Company to three thousand acres 
of land which they received from the Indians.'" The 

» Book 3 cif l><>«ll, 03, Trniloli. 

' Deed on reconi at IVrUi AiulKiy. 

* Rpv. T. 1). Ronipyn's lIlHtorirnl UltH-oiintp. 

& riircliiwera of pniprlrUry IkikIii nt tlinf tiiup, Hlifl Mrllor, hnil to ex- 
tliiKtilRli lli« f ntltaii clniniH Tor tbt<niHflvcii on tlio l)v«t Ifrnm ttiry could 
makp. .^mipliniM tlioy iHd It in n'lvanco !•/ tm.vliiK of the Iiidlniii tlrat 
anil thon KuttloK tlipir Irulian ilt><<«U ronnrnuxl. and wttnolinioii l>.v icrtting 
t))plr depiU flnit of ttie ((overiinirnt and rxlingnt«tilnK tli« Indian claim 
aftprwarda. TIkwp -hrpu-d in the l>naliiPM could untlalljr do 11 fur a verjr 
•mall trldp. r»|<pcli<llv If mlipd »pll with thp liiprluhla alrong l>«>r or 
brandy. In no caso wtm an Indinn dpcd lipid valid unlciia ctuiArmad by 
Uie guTproment. 



LAND PATENTS IN BERGEN COUNTY. 



45 



Governor subsequently withdrew the grant from the 
sons of David Deniarest, according to Berry's repre- 
sentation, and gave them a smaller grant, which in- 
cluded a part of the two thousand acres of Berry.' 
This latter grant was known as the French Patent, 
proliably because the Demarests came from France. 

Willock's and Johnston's Patent. — George Wil- 
locks and Andrew .Johnston were the patentees of a 
large tract of land in what are now Ridgewood and 
Franklin townships. It extended from the Big Rock 
at Small Lots (now called Glen Rock) northward to 
the Ramapo River, about one mile in width, and has 
been known as the "Wilcox and Johnson Patent," 
both names, however, being erroneously spelled. 

Gjorge Willocks was born in Scotland, and came 
to this country in 1684. He is said to have been a 
brother of Dr. James Willocks, of Kennery, Scotland, 
from whom he inherited a large estate. He was the 
agent of the East Jersey proprietors for the collection 
of the quit rents, and obtained various grants of land 
from them. Upon the issuing of the writ of quo war- 
ranto by James II., with the view to vacating the pro- 
prietary government of New Jersey and placing the 
whole North American colonies under one governor- 
general, in l(i86, Willocks and Lewis Morris took 
strong ground in favor of the proprietors. Through- 
out that memorable contest between the |iroprietors 
and the king, which was not finally settled till 1702, 
when the proprietors surrendered their claim to the 
civil jurisdiction of the province to Queen Anne, 
Willocks and Morris were stanch adherents to the 
rights of the proprietors. In 1699, Willocks was their 
representative in the Assembly, and was dismissed 
from that body by the famous act of the opposition 
excluding from the Assembly "any proprietor or rep- 
resentative of one." The people of Amboy elected 
Lewis Morris in his stead, and the historians tell us 
there were "serious apprehensions of an insurrection 
under the leadership of Willocks and Morris." Wil- 
locks never settled on his patent in this county; he 
resided chiefly at Perth Amboy, where he died in 1729. 

Andrew Johnson (Jonstone), the other patentee, 
was born Dec. 20, 1694. When a young man he was 
a merchant in New York. He subsequently became 
associated with the proprietors of East Jersey, and 
was chosen president of the Proprietary Board. He 
was also a member of the Provincial Assembly, and 
for several years Speaker of the House ; and was one 
of the commissioners for running the Lawrence line 
between East and West Jersey in 1743. For some 
time he was treasurer of the College of New Jersey. 
He died at Perth Amboy, June 24, 1762.' 

The lands south of this tract on the Passaic, in- 
cluding a portion of the site of Paterson, were pur- 
chased of the Indians in 1709 by George Ryerson 
and Urie Westervelt. The original deed was in the 
possession of the late John J. Zabriskie, of Hohokus, 



^ Land Papers, New York. 

2 Whitehead's New Jersey under the Proprietors. 



and is among the ])apers left in the hands of his 
widow, now living in Paterson. In this deed an 
exception is made of Sicomac, which was an Indian 
burying-ground.^ 

"Frenchman's Garden." — In a note relating to 
lot No. 18 in Winfield's " Land Titles" we find the 
following : 

* Lot No- 18 forms part of the present Macpelalj Cemetery, and was a 
part of the * Frenclinian's Garden.' Concerning this garden I have met 
with the following poetic and somewhat sonot'ons accounts. 

" ' In a wild and romantic situation on Beigen Creek, nearly opposite 
the city of New York, thirty acres of land were purchased for a garden 
and fruitery by tile unfortunate Louis XVI., who as proprietor became 
a UHturalized citizen liy act of tlie Legislature.' — Wartlen^s llUtortj of the 
Uiiilfd States, ii. 53. This statement of Warden seems to have been based 
on a notice relating to this garden in the Netc Jersey Jnxtrmil, June 27, 
1787, in which it is said : ' Part of this space is at present inclosed with 
a stone wall, and a universal collection of exotic, as well as domestic 
plants, trees, and flowers are already begun to be introduced to this ele- 
gant spot, which in time must rival if not excel the most celebrated 
gardens of Europe. The situation is naturally wild and romantic, be- 
tween two considerable rivers, in view of the main ocean, the city of New 
York, the heights of Staten Island, and a vast extent of distant moun- 
tains on the western side of the landscape.' As ' tall oaks from little 
acorfis grow,' so these exaggerated statements had their origin in the fol- 
lowing simple fact. On March .3, 178U, Andre Michaux, in his petition 
to the Legislature of this State, set forth that the king of France had 
commissioned him as the botanist to travel through the United States, 
that he had power to import from France any tree, plant, or vegetable, 
that might be wanting in this country, that he wished to establish near 
Bergen a botanical garden of about thirty acres, to experiment in agri- 
culture and gardening, and which he intended to stock witli French and 
.\niericau plants, as also plants from all over the world. The Legisla- 
ture granted his petition, and permitted him, as an alien, to hold not 
exceeding two hundred acres of land in this State. 

'"He came to this country fortified with a flattering letter of intro- 
duction, dated at Vienna, Sept. 3, 1785, from the Marquis de Lafayette to 
Washington.' — Correspondeni'e of the .■imeri^'iln Revolution, iv. 116. 'He 
was attached to the Jarden des Plants in Paris. He brought with him 
the gardener, Paul Saunier, who took the title to the ground bought for 
the garden. The place was stocked with many plants and trees, among 
which was the Lombardy poplar. From this garden this once celebrated 
tree was spread abroad through the country, and pronounced an exotic 
of priceless value.' — Old New York, 23." 

The above garden-lot was part of the common land 
of the Secaucus Patent, not partitioned with the other 
common lands of the township of Bergen, but sur- 
veyed and divided under a "Supplementary Act" in 
1785. The commissioners were Abraham Clark, Aza- 
riah Dunham, Silas Condit, John Carle, and Daniel 
Marsh. In the field-book containing the survey and 
allotment of these lands, page 6, the commissioners 
say, " We then caused an actual survey to be taken 
of the commons, after tvhich we proceeded to consider 
the claim put in by the Agent of Forfeited Estates for 
the County of Bergen to all the common lands al- 
lotted to the Patent of Secaucus as formerly claimed 
and forfeited to the State by William Bayard ; the 
same William Bayard having claimed the same as 
heir-at-law to Nicholas Bayard, one of the original 
patentees of Secaucus and survivor to Nicholas Var- 
let, the other patentee." These patentees having sold 
to Edward Earle, and the latter to Judge Pinhorne 
and others, the claim of the agent of the county was 
not sustained. Bayard, however, was a loyalist during 
the Revolution, and left the country. 



3 Historical Discourse by Rev. W. B. Van Benschoteu. 



46 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



CHAPTER IX. 

M.^NXEIiS AND CISTOMS OF THE IIOLLANDEHS— 
NOMENCLATURE. 

The Dutch settlers were generally persons of deep 
religious feeling, honest and conscientious, and add- 
ing to these ([ualilies those of industry and frugality, 
they generally became ])rosper<)Us. The style of their 
buildings they doubtless brought with them from 
Holland, their fatherland. They were built with one 
story, with low ceiling, with nothing more than the 
heavy and thick boards that constituted the upper 
floor laid on monstrous broad and heavy beams, on 
which they stored tlieir grain, the loft being used for 
a granary and for the spinning of wool ; sometimes 
parts of it would be divided into sleeping apartments. 
Their fireplaces were usually very large, e.xtending 
generally without jand)s, and sufficient to accommo- 
date a whole family with a comfortable seat around 
the fire.' The chimneys were so large as to admit of 
having their meat hung up and smoked within them, 
which was their usual practice. When jambs were 
added, they were often set around with earthen glazed 
tiles imported from Holland, ornamented with Scrip- 
ture scenes, which furnished the children and others 
with amusement and instruction. Such tiled jambs 
and mantles are now seen in the old Zabriskie resi- 
dence (now the Mansion House) in Hackensack, and 
in other buildings of the more wealthy Hollanders in 
Bergen County. But they were generally the prod- 
uct of a date ranging from fifty to a hundred years 
after ihi- lirst settlements. 

Domestic and Social Habits.— Their early style of 
building corresponded well with their habits, which 
were simple, unaffected, and economical, contributing 
materially to their independence and solid comfort. 
They brought their children uj> to habits of industry. 
Almostevery son was tauglitsome mechanical art, and 
every daughter wiis re<|uired to become well acquainted 
with all knowledge necessary to housekeeping. Tlie 
farmers burnt their own lime, tanned their own 
leather, often made their own shoes and boots, and did 
much of their own carjientering, wheelwrighting, etc. 
The spinning and woolen wheels were set in motion in 

1 Onlllinrlly tlili niiK)>t l»e trtio, t'lit Ihnro worn mmift fainllif>H whielt 
wouM n«»J ft very wlilc flo'Iiliwe for thflr ac(U>nilniKlation. We tHko 
tlio follnwlng from tlia recotil of lilrtlin in llcrgrn County : 

Cupanii Csdmui 12 chllilron. 

Jorlft CaillntiH 11 " 

MaltliPiiN CoroelUe 12 " 

WllllBiii CoiilliT l:l 

Jn-.>l. i'uliliitly » " 

Wllllaiii Ihiy 7 

MUholl n.nmt 7 

JoliHiiriU l>.n.|rlrk 8 

Miiltticiiii Kvfnwi.. 11 " 

Ilov. Wni. J«'ki»m 10 •■ 

JiMinh Mwriitilower H " 

MomelK Mc.r.i-ll« U) " 

O-rrll Ni.wklrk 12 " 

AilrUii l"—l IS ■' 

Hi'lmliili lUi'lufao 10 

iVlpr sniyvn*»fil • " 

John V»ii Clliif. « 



lliilild Vnn ni<<r Srbllil 

ilclmlgli Vnn ll<iul.Mi.ll " 

1li-rrl<k Vim Hyj>i>n....1 1 " 

C^trnelniN Vnn \onit...lO " 

(niifi« wlvi-it.) 
Alirnlmni Vnn WInklr.lO 
linnilriik Vno Wlnkli'.ll 
Jacob Jih:oImo Van 

Wlnklr in 

Jorli VruhiTMl ll> 

Mklin"! Vrnlan.l U 

(Ihrrp wlvi-n ) 
Jo«4<|ih Walilrun 18 " 

(four wlTM.) 

John Wfl.h 9 " 

Mnrlln WInns IS " 

ifonr wItm.) 



proper .season, and all materials for clothing the fam- 
ily, white as well as colored, were iiu\nufactured at 
home. No female was considered a suitable candi- 
date for matrimony who could not show some stores 
of domestic linen and other evidences of industry and 
economy. So economical were the females of their 
time that they frequently took their spinning-wheels 
with them when they went to spend a social afternoon 
with a neighbor. They often hel])ed the men in the 
field in times of planting, harvesting, and in other 
busy seasons. Such a thing as a carpet waa not known 
among the rural inhabitants. The floors of their 
houses were scrubbed and scoured, and kept as clean 
as their tables, which were used without cloths. Their 
floors were -sanded with sand brought from the beach 
for that purpose and put in regular heaps on the floors, 
and becoming dry, it would be swept with a broom in 
waves, or so as to represent other beautiful figures. 
Frugality, industry, and economy characterized all 
their actions. They lived chiefly within theniselves, 
and knew but little of the dangers and diseases in- 
cident to lu.\ury and indolence. As to religion and 
education, Rev. Dr. Taylor says, " They paid early 
attention to the public worship of God, and when 
their numbers warranted they organized and estab- 
lished churches, modeled after those of the father- 
land. The Calvinistic religion of Holland was thus 
transplanted to the New Nctlierlands. The settlers 
soon sought the aid of the Dutch West India Com- 
pany in procuring ministers. Their cause on this 
behalf was furthered by the reverend clergy of the 
Cla.«sis of Amsterdam, and ministers were sent forth 
by that judicature under advice from the Synod of 
North Holland. This mode of obtaining ministers 
seems to have continued in full operation until lGt>4, 
when the British became possessed of the colony of 
New Amsterdam. 

" During this period churches were established at 
New Amsterdam (New York), .\lbany, Esopus(King9- 
ton), and Flatbush, L. I. And in KitUt, Kev. Henry 
Sclyus, in a letter addressed to the Classis of Amster- 
dam, says, " Besides me there are in New Netherland 
the Dominies ,Ioannc-s Megapolensis and Samuel 
Drisius in New .Viusterdam, (Jidcon Schajits at Fort 
Orange, and .lounnes rcillicmus at Midillewout and 
New .Vmersfort, ami llernumus Blum at the Esopus, 
— in all si.\.' 

"In 161)2 the inhabitants of Bergen taxed them- 
selves for the erection of a church, and four hundred 
and seventeen guilders were tlius raised for that pur- 
pose. I'ntil 11>G4 the religion of the Hel'ormed Dutch 
Church was the established religion of the country. 
It ceased to be such with the change which then took 
place in political affairs. Yet, at the surrender, and 
afterwards by a treaty of peace in 1(176, ' Rightii of 
conscience with regartl t<i worship and discipline were 
secured to the Dutch inhabitants.' It was, juiwevcr, 
for years the most respectable denomination in the 
colony. This period extendeil from 1664 to 161)3, 



MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE HOLLANDERS— NOMENCLATURE. 



47 



when an act was passed by the Assembly of the 
colony of New York, whereby the Protestant Episco- 
pal Church became the religion known to the law, 
and from 1693 to 1776, besides supporting their own 
ministers, all non-Episcopal inhabitants were forced 
to contribute to the support of the Episcopal Church." 

Dr. Taylor, speaking of the character of the early 
Dutch settlers, says, " They were reluctant to form 
acquaintance with strangers, lest they should be im- 
posed upon. But when such acquaintance was formed 
and appreciated, it was not easily terminated. What- 
ever may liave been their family broils, when any 
one of the community was wrongfully involved in 
trouble, especially in litigation, they were as one man. 
When such oeciisions occurred it was no uncommon 
thing for almost all the men to resort to the county 
town, and support and encourage their assailed 
neighbor." 

Learned Clergy. — The ministers sent out from Hol- 
land were a learned body of men, and mixing largely 
with the people, who had reverence for their learning, 
piety, and example, they exerted a very powerful in- 
fluence in moulding and shaping the early society. To 
what extent the minds of the people were enlightened 
and the ruder manners and customs modified by the 
influence of these learned clergy it is impossible to 
say, but doubtless to a very great extent. They were 
the earliest, and for a long time the only, learned and 
professional class within the limits of Bergen County, 
and, to an extent, in New Netherlands. It strikes one 
as peculiarly illustrative of the spirit of the times in 
which the country was colonized that religion, par- 
ticularly theology, was placed in the forefront in the 
early settlements. The cast of mind of the clergy 
was peculiarly theological. While the great contro- 
versies in Holland had been settled, and the decretals 
of the Reformed Church formulated by the Synod of 
Dordrecht, the discussion of these doctrines formed the 
staple at the theological schools. Ministers came with 
their minds fully imbued with them to this country, 
and here theological discussion constituted a very 
large part of the pulpit efforts of ministers. This is 
said not disparagingly, but as an illustration of the 
spirit of the times. The ministers, both in Holland 
and in this country, were full of zeal to spread the 
doctrines of the Reformed Church. The fact is 
noticed in the journal of Count Zinzendorf that in 
1742 the young minister, Jan Casparus Fryenmoet, 
late from the Classis of Amsterdam, and settled in 
Walpack, on the Delaware, sought to draw him into 
theological discussion during the interval between 
two sermons on Sunday. The count says, " to avoid 
which I went into the woods and read Josephus." 

Some of the great controversies which engaged tlie 
attention of ministers of the Reformed Church at a 
later period grew out of their relations to the Classis 
of Amsterdam, which for a long time insisted upon 
their exclusive right and privilege of ordaining 
ministers for the American churches. Another fruit- 



ful source of controversy which divided the church 
in the early part of the present century was the in- 
troduction of doctrines believed to be at variance with 
the standard of orthodoxy set up by the Reformed 
Church of Holland. These matters will be found 
alluded to more fully in the histories of the old 
church at Hackensack and Scraalenburg. 

Dutch Nomenclature. — In connection with the 
many names of Holland origin to be found in this 
work, it may be well to otter a few remarks on the 
custom of Hollanders and their descendants in this 
country with respect to nomenclature, showing the 
difliculty, not to say the impossibility, of tracing the 
genealogy of Dutch families in the absence of a com- 
plete and continuous record. Hon. Henry C. Murphy, 
United States minister at the Hague, contributed an 
able article on this subject to the Brooklyn Eagle, 
from which we quote. Speaking of the difliculties 
imposed upon the genealogist by the system of names 
adopted in Holland and continued in this country, 
Mr. Murphy remarks, — 

" Tlie first uf these, in point of time, was ptitroinjmic (fatliei-nsiine), by 
which a child took, besides his kiptisnial name, that of his father, with 
the addition of zoon or sen, meaniug son. To ilhistrate : if a cliild were 
baptized Hendiick, and the baptismal name of his father was Jan, the 
child would be called Hendrick Jansen. His son, if baptized Tennis, 
would be called Tennis Hendrickeon ; the son of the latter might be Wil- 
liam, and would have tlie name of William Teunisen. And so we might 
have the succeeding generations called successively Garret Willem-^on, 
Marten Garretson, Adrian Martensen, and so on thiough the whule cata- 
logue of Christian names ; oi-, sii more frequently happened, there would- 
be a repetition in the second, third, or fourth generation of the name of 
the first, and thus, as these names were common to the whole people, 
there was in the same community ili^erenl Hiteaijes of iileutu'ttUtj tlie same 
itameg 

"This custom, which had prevailed in Holland for centuries, was in 
full vogue at the time of the settlement of New Netherland. lu writing 
the termination sen, it was frequently contracted into 5e, ~, or e. To give 
an example both of tJie patronymic and the contraction of the name : the 
father of Garret Martense, the founder of a family of that name in Klat- 
bush, L. I., was Marten .\driaense, and bis father was Adriac Ryerse, 
who came from Amsterdam. The inconveniences of this piactice, 
the confusion to which it gave rise, and the ditficulties of tracing 
families led ultimately to its abandonment, both in Holland and in this 
country. In doing so the patronymic which the person originating the 
family bore was adopted as the surname. Most of the families thus formed 
and existing among us may be sard to be of American origin, as they 
were first fixed in America, though the same names were adopted by 
others in Holland. Hence we have names of such families of Dutch de- 
scent among us as Jansen {Aiiijlice Johnson), Garretson, Cornelison, 
Simosen or Simonson, Tyson (son of Mathias), Areeend (son of Arend), 
Hanson, Lambertsen, or Lamhutson, Panli^on, Remsen, Ryerson, Everts, 
Phillips, LetTerts, and others. To trace connection between these families 
and persons would be impossible, for the reason just stated, without a 
regular record. 

"Another mode of nomenclature, intended to obviate the difliculty of 
an identity of names for the time being, but which rendered the con- 
fusion worse confounded for the future genealogist, was to add to the 
patronymic name the occupation or some other personal characteristic 
of the individual. Thus Laurens Jansen, the inventor of the art of 
printing, as the Dutch claim, had affixed to liis name that of Coster, that 
is, sexton, an olBce of which he was in the possession of the emoluments. 
But the same addition was not transmitted to his son; and thus the sou 
of Hendrick Jansen Coster might be called Tunis Hendrickson Brouwer 
(brewer), and his grandson might be Willi, im Tunison Bleeker (bleacher.) 
Upon the abandonmeut of the old system of names this custom went 
with it ; but it often happened that while one brother took the father's 
patronymic as a family name, another took that of his occupation or 
personal designation. Thus originated such families as Coster, Brouwer, 
Schoonmaker, Stryker, Schuyler, Cryger, Snediker, Hagemen, Hoffman, 



48 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Dykeman, BlMkman, Wortniaii. and Tinman. Lika otiiora. tliey are not 
aDclcDt family nantea, aod are nut alt Ut be traced tu Uullaud as the place 
where tlu'jr tint N'^-ame flxoil. . , . 

" A third praclici*. evidently designed, like that referred tu, to ultTiate 
the confusions of thi' finit, wits to ap|>en<l the nunie of the place where 
the |>enk)n resided, not often of a lart^e city, hut of a particular limiteil 
locality, and frequently of a particular or natural object. This cust4>ui 
U denoted in all the fuiuily nanu-s which have the prefix of I'dii, Vamttr^ 
Ver (which is a cjntraction of I'uri(/er), and Ttn, meaning respectively of, 
of OiSt and lU Ihf, KruDl towns in Holland we have the faniiliet* of Van 
Cleef, Van Wyck, Van Sliaack, Van HerKen, and othen; fixiui Gelderland, 
those of Van Lindern, Van Dyk, and Van Bnren : from Utrecht, Van 
Winkle; from Friesland, Van Neas ; fruni Zeeland, Van Duyne, Some- 
tiDiea the I'liM has been dropped, as In the name (tf Boetum, of the Prov- 
ince of Friesland ; Covert, of North Ilrulrant ; Wcsti-rvelt, of Drentho ; 
Brevoortand Wessels, in Gelderland. The prefixes Vttmleror IVraudTeB 
were adopted when the name was derived from a particular spot, thus: 
Vanderreer (of the ferry >, Vanderliurg (of the hill), Vanderbilt (of the 
bildt, — i.f., of certjiin elevations, of ground in Gelderland and New Ut- 
recht), VanderU-ck (of the brook), Vandorhuffiuf the court), Vel-planck 
(of the planck). Verhullz (of the holly), Verkerk (of the church). Ten 
£yck (at the oak). Ten Droeck (at the marsh). Some were derived, as 
we hava observed, from particular farms, thus Van Cowenhuveu (cold 
farms). The founder of that family in America, Walphat Gehissen Van 
CuwenhoTen, came from .\niersft.Ktt, in the Province of Utrecht, and 
settled at what is now called Flatlands, iu Kings County, N. Y., called by 
faim New Amerefoot. 

"Some names iu the claaslflcation I have attempted have undergone a 
slight change in their transfer to America. Barculo ift from Borenlo, 
a town in Gelderland; Van Anden is frum .\ndeln, in the province of 
Groningen, Snediker should be Snediger. Bonton, if of Dutch origin, 
should be Bonten (son of Bondwign,or Baldwin), otherwise it is French. 
Van Cott 4as proljably Van Catt, of South Holland. The Catti were 
the original inhabitants of the c«mntry, and hence the name. There are 
a few names derived from relative siluations to a place, thus Voorhls is 
simply before or in front of Ilrt^, a town in Gederland ; Onderdonk Is 
bfh'ic Dunk, which is in Bml»ant. There are a few names more arbitrary, 
such as Middagh (mitlday), Conrad (cold counsel ), llagedorn (hawthorn), 
B'lgaat (orchard), Blauvolt (blue field), Rosevelt (rose field), Stuyvesant 
(•|uick sand), Wyckoff (parish court), Hoogland (high land), Durland 
(arid land), Opdyke (on the dyke), Ilasbrock (hare's marsh), and affoni 
a more ready means of identification of relationship. . . . 

"Some names are disguised in a Latin drees. The practice prevailed 
at the time of the emigration to this country of changing the names of 
those who haii gone thntugh the university and received a degree from 
plain Diitcli to sonorous Roman. The names of all our early ministers 
were thus altered. Johannes or Jan Mecklenburg became Johannes 
Blegapolensis ; F'.vert Willpmse Bogart U-canie Evoradus Iktgardus; Jan 
Doris Talheen l.»H;aine Johannes Theodoruf* I'alemus. It may be set 
down as a general rule that the Damss of Dutch fiilnilles ending iu us 
have thus lieen I«atinlzed." 



I 



CHAPTKK X. 



EXl'KIHTIONS AtJAIN.^T THE FRENCH— THE SCHUY- 
LICU.-;. 

In 1708, Colst. Vetcli and Xit^liol.son olitnined the 
authority of Qui'cn Anne to tit out an expedition for 
the reduction of Canada. This autliority was accom- 
panied by a small force from Kn^hiiid, and instruc- 
tions to the several (iovernorsof the colonic.-* to a.H.Hist 
the enterprise all they coulil. t'ols. Vetch and Nichol- 
son came to America in the spring of ITIiit, with the 
promise of a licet of ships soon to follow them. In 
tliis expedition against the French it wa.s proposed to 
employ the Indians of this |)art of New Jersey under 
Col. Peter Hi'huyler. We find the fdllowing record of 
transactions at Amboy relating to this matter. "The 
Cols. Nicholson and Vetch both appearing at a coun- 



cil held at Amboy, the 30th of May, 1709, it was con- 
cluded that George Riscarricks .should be forthwith 
sent to Weequehald, the Indian sachem, to acquaint 
him that tlie Lieutenant-Governor Ingold.sbv expected 
his attendance on that board forthwith, and that Capt. 
Arent Schuyler should forthwith send for Machcou- 
tuinst, Cohcowickick, Ohtossolonoppe, Meskakow, and 
Teetee, sachems of the Minisink and Shawhona In- 
dians, who appearing soon afterwards joined in the 
undertaking; and I ngoldsby, Governor of New Jersey, 
G.Saltfliisall. Governor of Connecticut,and C. Gookin, 
Governor of Pennsylvania, jointly commissioned Col. 
Peter Schuyler, the 23d of May, 1709, to be over these 
and other Indians on this expedition ; and soon after- 
wards the said three Governors joined in a petition to 
Ni<liolson that he would take upon him the chief 
command of the expedition, after which he bore the 
name of Gen. Nicholson." 

The expedition was finally gotten up, consisting of 
thirty-six sail, one regiment of English marines, and 
tliree regiments from New England. New Jersey 
paid £3000 towards the expenses. Nova Scotia was 
captured, and ("ol. Vetch made Governor of that 
province. The design against Canada was abandoned 
on account of a change of ministry in England. 
While tliis expedition was being raised Col. Schuyler 
went to England with some of his Indians, who were 
a great curiosity, and were feted and dined by the 
queen and nobles, and receivetl many presents and at- 
tentions.' 

Capt. Arent Schuyler and Col. Peter Schuyler were 
at this time residents of Hergen County. Capt. Schuy- 
ler was the father of the colonel, and was the sixth 
son of the celebrated Pietersen Van Schuyler, who 
came from Holland in lli50, and married Margaret 
Van Slecliteuhorst. "There are few names on the 
pages of American history around which cluster more 
of tlie associations of bravery, romance, and heroism 
than belong to those of Philip and Margaret Schuyler 
and some of their descendants." The Schuylers of 
Holland are represented lus having been wealthy mer- 
chants engaged in the West India trade. They had a 
country-seat near Dordrecht. Pieces of silver plate, 
with the family coat of arms, are yet in the possession 
ofsomeof the descendants of Philip Pietersen Schuy- 
ler. Philip is represented as a s|>iriled ytiung gentle- 
man, who defended his brother-in-law, young Van 
SIcchtenhorst, single-handed against a furious mob. 
Schuyler and Margaret were married in 1650, in the 
presence of all the dignitaries of Fort Orange, now 
Albany. Margaret wa.s twenty-two at the time of her 
marriage; she had ten children, ami survived her hus- 
band more tlian twenty-five years. .Viuong the excel- 
lent things attributed to her was that she taught lier 
sons U> treat the Indian as a brother, and never to de- 
ceive him in word or deed. On more than one occasion 
in public life she displayed a bravery amounting to 

< Smith's New Jersey, 3«<.i-M; Hutchinson's Hist. Masa., !t07. 



BKRGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE REVOLUTION. 



49 



lieroisiu. Such was the great-grandmother of Gen. 
Philip Schuyler, the companion of the brave Mont- 
gomery, whom Washington regarded as one of "the 
main supports of the Continental army, and upon 
whose success depended the salvation of our bleeding 
country." Philip Schuyler married Kitty Van Rens- 
selaer, and wrote in the Bible, under the record of 
that marriage, " May we live in peace and to the glory 
of God." 

The precise date of the settlement of Capt Arent 
Schuyler in this county is not known. Rev. Mr. Van 
Benschoten says he lived in 1697 upon the property 
owned by the late Dr. William Colfax and W. W. 
Colfax. Smith, in his " History of New Jersey," says 
Col. Peter Schuyler was born in Bergen County. " In 
tliis county," he says, "are the Schuyler mines;" and 
again, "the Schuylers have here two large parks for 
deer." We find the names of both Arent and Peter 
Schuyler on the record of county officials in 1755. 
The following account of the discovery of the mines 
is given by a correspondent of cue of the Newark 
daily papers : 

"Arent Schuyler, thougli owning a large tract of laud and several 
slaves, was comparatively poor. About the year 1710 a negro, while 
plowing, found a stone tliat was so heavy that it excited his curiosity to 
such a degree that he carried it to hia master. It was sent to England 
to be examined, and found to contain about eighty per cent, of pure 
copper. Mr. Schuyler, wishing to reward his servant for this valuable 
discovery, gave him his freedom and told him to make three wishes, 
which should be granted. The negro's first wish waa that he might re- 
main with his master as long as be lived and have all the tobacco he 
could smoke. The second was for a dressing-gown like his master's, with 
big brass buttons. These being granted, he was at a loss to make a third 
selection. After studying for some time he scratched his head and said, 
' Well, massa, guess I take a little more tobacco 1' 

'* These mines for many years yielded abundant treasures of ore. Arent 
Schuyler was twice married. By his first marriage he had two sons, 
Philip and Casparus; by the second three sons and two daughters. Tlie 
sous were John, Peter, and Adonijah. John was employed to lake charge 
of the mines. For some time the ore was ient to Kngland for smelting. 
The first steam-engine ever brought to America was brought by John 
Schuyler to these mines. He built the house known as the old Schuyler 
mansion, on the hanks of the Passaic, below Belleville bridge. Tliis 
house was more than once visited and violated by the British during the 
Revolution." . . . 
f 

Peter Schuyler commanded a New Jersey regiment 
in an expedition to Canada in 1746. In June, 1755, 
he was appointed colonel by Governor Belcher. He 
was appointed to command a battalion of five hun- 
dred New Jersey troops in the expedition to Crown 
Point. History tells us that his popularity was such 
that the battalion was soon filled, and more men 
offered than were wanted. Col. Schuyler and his bat- 
talion were transferred to Oswego in the summer of 
1756, and he was captured with half his men. They 
were held as prisoners for several months, and were 
released upon parole. He afterwards marched to the 
North with his regiment, and in September, 1760, he 
entered Montreal as a victor. The war with the 
French then terminated, peace being declared upon 
the surrender of Canada to the English, and confirmed 
by the treaty of 1763. Col. Schuyler died in 1762. 

Smith says of him in his history, — 



'* By the liest judges of military merit he was allowed to rank high in 
that charactei-. He had qualities b'-sides that greatly recommended him 
to his aci|uaintance, being of a frank, open behavior, of an extensive 
generosity and humanity, and unwearied ia his endeavors to accomplish 
whatever appeared of service to his country. He was taken at Oswego 
when that post was given up to the French, and long detained a prisoner 
in Canada, where, having letters of credit, ho kept open house for the 
relief of bis fellow-sufferers, and advanced large sums of money to the 
Indians in the French interest for the redemption of captives, many of 
whom be afterwards, at his own expense, maintained whilst there and 
provided for their return, trusting to their abilities and honor for repay- 
ment ; and lost considerable in that way, but seemed to ^hink it well 
bestowed. As to person, he was of a tall, hardy make, rather rough at 
first view, yet a little acquaintance discovered a bottom of sincerity, and 
that he was ready to every kind oflice in his power. In conversation he 
was above artifice or the common traffic of forms, yet seemed to enjoy 
friendship with its true relish; and in all relatiuns what he seemed to 
b« he was." — 'Mail. vii. 20. 



CHAPTER XI. 

BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE REVOLU- 
TION. 

The Preliminary Stage of the War. — The causes 
which led to the outbreak of the war for independ- 
ence produced much the same feeling and action in 
this portion of New Jersey as were manifested simul- 
taneously throughout all the colonies, and which had 
agitated the American people for at least a decade 
before the actual conflict of arms. The acts of 
British oppression, which for many years had been 
earnestly protested against, culminated in the un- 
warranted closing of the port of Boston in the spring ' 
of 1774. From this time till the firing of the first 
gun at Concord was a period of passing resolutions 
at town and county meetings, and of appointing Com- 
mittees of Safety and Correspondence. 

Bergen County Resolutions.— At a meeting of 
the freeholders and inhabitants of Bergen County, 
held at the court-house in Hackensack on Saturday, 
the 25th day of June, 1774, Peter Zabriskie, Esq., 
chairman, the following preamble and resolutions were 
adopted : 

"Tbis meeting being deeply affected with tbe calamitous condition 
of the inhabitants of Boston, in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, in 
consequence of tlie late Act of Parliament for blocking up the port of 
Boston, and considering the alarming tendency of the Act of the British 
Parliament for the purpose of raising a revenue in America, 

" Do i?eJ!oIt'?, 1st, That they think it their greatest happiness to live 
under the government of the illustrious House of Hanover, and that 
they will steadfastly and unifonnly bear true and faithful allegiance to 
His Majesty King George the Third under the enjoyment of their con- 
stitutional rights and privileges. 

" 'h\. Tliat we conceive it to be our indubitable privilege to be taxed 
only by our own consent, given by ourselves or by our representatives; 
and that we consider the Acts of Parliament declarative of their right 
to impose internal taxes on the subjects of America as manife.st en- 
croachments on our national rights and privileges as British sut'jects, 
and as inconsistent with the idea of an .American Assembly or House of 
Representatives. 

"3d. That we will heartiiy unite with this Colony in choosing dele- 
gates to attend at a general congress from the sevei al provinces of America 
in order to consul ton and determine some effectual method to be pursued 
for obtaining a repeal of the said Acts of Parliament, which appear to 
UB evidently calculated to destroy that mutual harmony and dependence 



BO 



HISTOltY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



between Great Britaio aod her colonlee which are the buds and taf^rt 
of iKilh. 

"And we do appoint Theunis Day, John Demareet, Peter Zabriskle, 
CorneliiiB Van Vomt, and John Zahrisklo, Jr.. l->quirvs, to be a pommit- 
tee for corrMpontiing with the cnmniittees of the otiier counties In tliin 
PrwTince. and particularly to meet witli tlie ulher county committees at 
New Bruiutwiclt, or such uther place its shall l>e afn^wd up^>n, in onler 
to elect delejfatee to attend the general coni;rees of delegates of the 
AlnericaD Coluniee fur the purpose aforeeaid." 

These resolutions were signed by three hundred and 
twenty-eight citizens of Ik-rgeu County, and a local 
Committee of Safety was organized, of which John 
Fell was chairman.' Little, however, is known of the 
operations of the committee or of local atlairs in 
Hergen County till the spring of 177fi. 

Preparations to Resist the British. — Early in 
177(1, intelligence having been received that Lord 
Howe had left Boston for New York, an attempt was 
made by Lord Stirling, then in command of the 
militia in this vicinity, to fortify the eastern border of 
the county along the Hudson and at Bergen Point, 
opposite Staten Island. The Provincial Congress, then 
in session at Burlington, — 

" Ordfred, that all ufhcers who have enlisted men, properly armed, 
under the late ordinance for raising three thoUKiind three hundred men 
iu this Colony, proceed ininie^liately with such numli«r as ttiey huve col- 
lected or can collect to New York, assigning a due prol)Ortion of officers 
to the men, that tliey may he ready, and leaving other offlcere as occa- 
sion may require to collect the remainder. All officers, (laymastera, and 
otiiers are required to be diligent in their respective stations, and all the 
friends of iil^rty througliont the Colony are most earnestly entreated 
Dow to exert themselves for the preservation of their country, their 
lives, liberties, and pniperty. 

"This (.'ongrees <lo likewise earnestly desire all persons to lend arms 
or other necessaries on the present occasion, and they may rest assured 
of the public faith to make amends for any loss or danger they may 
incur. 

" Oritrrtd^ that Cornelins Van Vorst be UeuteDaDt.colonel, Richard 
I>ey, first m^Jrir, and John Martinlus Gootschius, second m%|or of the 
battalion of fool militia in the rounty of Bergen.'* 

A regiment of light-horse was al.so raised, ami 
.Tacobus Post was appointed major. He rcsignetl his 
commission Feb. .3, 177t). 

> John Fell was a devoted patriot, tie resided at Parainus, where he 
was well acquainted with the Tory Col. Van Buskirk, before the de- 
fection of tlie latter fn>m the .\merican cause. In 1777, Judge Fell was 
arretted at his home and taken to Paulus Hook ss a prisoner, lie was 
r(H-ognl7.4>d by theTrjry c<di»nel, when the following convenuilion ensued: 

" Timea are altered since we last mot," said the colonel. 

•' So I perceive," coolly replied the Judge, looking at the coloners 
uniform. 

" Well, you are a prisoner, and going over to New York, where you 
will be presented to Uen. Ilol»ertson, with whom I linve the honor to lis 
acfpiainte^i. I will give yon a letter of introduction," salti the colonel. 

The Judge thankml him and accepte'l the letter, wlilcli he afterwards 
pr<*i>ente4l to (Irn. lbj|H>rts.>ti. It so liapp<>ned that the Judge and lien. 
Ri>l,ertMin bad been friends at i'ensarola after the old French war in 
170.1 The purport of Van Uusklrk's letter of intr,Hlurllon was that 
J'thn f'ett tr<u n notnriotis rthtl ami ro'c.ij .' anil ad%ised that line care 
ih.oild l,e Uken of him. Oen. ihibertson handeil the letter b> the Juilgo 
and said, " My old frientl. John Fell, you must be a very altered man 
and a very great rascal indeetl if you e<|ual this Col. Van llusklrk." 
Notwilhstandlng this nxpre«sii>n of friendship. Fell was treate<l with 
•urh severity that llie •■.puncil of Safety of New Jersey, Nov. 17, 1777, 
unlere*] J>ini(« Parker stid Waller UntherropI to lie conflned In Jail at 
Morristown until Fell and Wynant Van Zant should be discharged or 
released from cunAnelnent in Ni-w York. — .1/iiiu/rs o/ ( banci'l o/ jwi/«ty, 
Ifll. 



Continental Congress having furnished the Pro- 
vincial Congress with two tons of powder, it was dis- 
tributed among the counties in the following order : 

Bergen Count)- 4(in lbs. Essex County 600 Iba. 

Morris " 400 " Middleeex " !SO0 " 

Hunterdon " 400 " Uonmouth " 700 " 

Somerset " 400 " Burlington " ..too " 

Lord Stirling immediately took measures to place 
Bergen in a condition of defense, and to open means 
of communication with tlie interior of the province. 
His i)lan, )>ro|iosed as early as the 18th of March, con- 
templated the construction of two good roads, — one 
friim Paulus Hook to Brown's, and the other from 
Weehawken to Hackeiisack Ferry, — and to set several 
hundred of the Bergen militia at work upon them. 
He devised forts at Paulus Hook and at Bergen Neck, 
the former to prevent approaches from the city of New 
York and the latter from Staten Island. Part of this 
comprehensive plan had been carried into eti'ect be- 
fore the arrival of Gen. Washington. The latter or- 
dered the immediate construction of the work at Pau- 
lus Hook, which was soon completed and garrisoned; 
but before the work could be constructed at Bergen 
Point the British had arrived and occupied i^tatcn 
Island. On the 29th of June the advance of .\dniiral 
Howe's fleet of forty sail appeared in sight, bearing 
the British forces under Gen. Howe ; and " in two 
days thereafter other arrivals swelled the number of 
men-of-war and transports to one hundred and thirty. 
The troops landed on 8taten Island, and the fleet (Mst 
anchor off tlie mouth of Kill von Kull.'" 

Development of Loyalty to the King.— Of course 
at this stage ol the war there were many in the vicinity 
who needed only the presence of the British army to 
stimulate and encourage their loyalty to the king. 
Such hastened in large numbers to avow their alle- 
giance, and many who had hithertn taken part with 
the patriots now looked upon the struggle of the col- 
onies as hopeless and joined the British. A number 
of these accepted commissions in the British service, 
and were the vindictive and unscrupulous leaders of 
atrociipus bands of marauding refugees, who infested 
the settlements and plundered or murdered their 
former neighbors with remorseless atrocity during a 
considerable portion of the war. In 1776 the follow- 
ing action for disarming such disaffected persons 
throughout the province was taken by Provincial 
Congress : 

" WiirBRAS, by a regulation of Uie late Congress, the several commit- 
te«« In this Colony were authurlMKl and directetl to disarni all the oon- 
asstH-iators and persons notorlnusly disalTecteii within their liounds; 
.triif leftersti', it appears that the said regulation hath not been carried 
into effect in some iwrls of the Colony; and il being aljaolntely neces- 
sary, in the pres4Mtt dangenius state of publlck affslis, when arms art* 
much wantoil for the publick defense, that it should bo instantly exe- 
cuted : It i* thfTrforr ilirfeleii iiarf rtmdvril^ That the several Colnnels in 
this Colony do, a ilhout delay, proceeii to disarm all such persons within 
tlielr dislrirts a buee religious prinriples will not allow Iheiu to liear 
arms; and likewise all such as have hitherto refuseti and still do refuse 
to bear artns; that the arms so taken be appraised tiy some Indifferent 



> WInAeld's lludaou County, I3S. 



BEKGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE REVOLUTION 



51 



person or persons ; that the said colonels give vouchers for the same, 
and that the appraisement and receipt be left in the hands of the persons 
disarmed." 

Fearing an attack from Staten Island, Gen. Mercer, 
who bad been sent to Paulus Hook to receive the 
Pennsylvania militia upon their arrival at that point, 
and who had his flying camp at Bergen, was ordered 
by Washington, on the 4th of July, 177fi, to station 
a guard of five hundred men at Bergen Neck, and 
also to guard the ferries over the Hackensaok and 
Piissaic Rivers, being promised that on the next day 
an engineer should be sent over from New York to 
erect works for the security of those places.' A fort, 
afterwards named Fort De Lancey, was erected at this 
time a short distance below the present canal at Ba- 
yonne, and Gen. Wadsworth's brigade was sent over 
to Bergen, where it was joined by a battalion of 
Jersey troops. 

Among the precautions taken before the arrival of 
the British, as early as Feb. 3, 1776, was the removal 
of the records from Perth Amboy to Burlington for 
safe-keeping. John Demarest, of Bergen County, 
was the agent for their removal, as appears from the 
following minute of Provincial Congress, under the 
date above mentioned : 

" Ordered, That Mr. Demarest do attend the papers, books, and records 
removed from tlie secretar.v's at Perth Amboy, and deliver the same to 
Charles Pettit, Esq., on Thursday next at Burlington ; on delivery thereof 
he is hereby authorized to take Blr. Pettit's receipt, agreeably to an order 
of this Congress." 

Still the British did not attack that portion of New 
Jersey, as they easily could have done with the force 
at their command in the immediate vicinity. It is 
estimated that at the time Gen. Mercer anticipated 
their crossing the Kills they were at least eight thou- 
sand strong on Staten Island ; and yet they showed 
no disposition to cross, although menaced by inferior 
numbers on the Jersey side. Gen. Mercer, therefore, 
formed a plan for attacking them upon the island, 
which, though well conceived and prepared for, mis- 
carried on account of bad weather, which prevented 
his forces from crossing the Kill von Kull. 

On July 17, 1776, the committee of Newark pre- 
.sented a petition to Provincial Congress, requesting 
that this Congress would procure, or cause to be built, 
four gondolas or row-galleys, mounted with cannon, 
to ply between the mouths of Passaic and Hackensack 
Rivers and Perth Amboy. Robert Drummond and 
Lewis Ogden, of Essex ; Jacob Quackenbush and 
Daniel I. Brown, of Bergen ; and Dr. Moses Bloom- 
field, of Middlesex, were appointed a committee to 
consider the propriety of granting the petition. The 
matter was referred to Continental Congress, through 
Mr. Ogden, but was not acted upon in season to meet 
the exigency. 

Active Movements Begun. — Meantime the en- 
emy's forces had been augmented by arrivals, until, 

1 Ameiicaa Archives, vi. 1263. 



in the harbor of New York and upon Staten Island, 
they numbered thirty thousand men.''' The bay and 
river were alive with their vessels. As two of the 
British men-of-war — the " Phu'nix," of forty guns, 
and the " Rose," carrying twenty guns — swept up the 
harbor on the afternoon of the 12th of July, taking 
advantage of both wind and tide, the first fire of pa- 
triot guns was opened upon them from the sand-hills 
of Paulus Hook, and was returned by a broadside as 
the vessels glided by the fort comparatively unharmed, 
their sides being protected by a wall of sand-bags. 
" On the same evening Lord Howe sailed up the har- 
bor, greeted by the booming of cannon and the huzzas 
of the British." ■' 

On the 15th of September the British captured New 
York. The only incident connected with Bergen 
County on that day was another attack upon the 
post at Paulus Hook by the British ships-of-war, the 
" Roebuck," " Phwnix," and " Factor." The garrison, 
however, was not surrendered, but remained in the 
possession of the Americans for a short time under 
command of Col. Durkie.* " During this time Wa.sh- 
ington would occasionally leave his camp at Har- 
laem, cross over to the Jersey shore, and, in company 
with Gen. Greene, who had succeeded Gen. Mercer 
in command on the Jersey shore, reconnoitre, some- 
times as far down as Paulus Hook, to observe what 
was going on in the city and among the shipping." ^ 
The account of the capture of Paulus Hook is fur- 
nished by the following report of Gen. Greene, writ- 
ten from Fort Constitution, afterwards called Fort 
Lee : 

'*Camp Fort CoNSTiTtJTioN, 
" Sept. 2i, 1776. 
" Deab SlK, — The enemy are landed at Powley's Hook ; they came up 
this afternoon and began a cannonade on the batteries, and after can- 
nonading for half an hour or a little more they landed a parly from the 
ships. Gen. Mercer had ordered otf from the Hook all the troops except 
a small guard, who had orders to evacuate the place from the first ap- 
proach of the enemy. Gen. Mercer mentions no troops but those landed 
from the ships, but Col. Bull and many others that were along the 
river upon the heights saw twenty boats go over from York to Powley'a 
Hook. This movement must have happened since Gen. Mercer wrote. 
I purpose to visit Bergen to-night, as Gen. Mercer thinks of going to his 
post at Amboy to-niorrow."^ 

In a later letter it is stated that " nothing fell into 
the enemy's hands but the guns, which had been ren- 
dered unfit for further service. Our army is posted at 
the town of Bergen, and our advanced party has pos- 
session of the mill just back of Powle's Hook."' 

Bergen remained headquarters until the 5th of Oc- 
tober, 1776, when Washington found it necessary to 
collect his forces preparatory to his retreat to the 
Delaware. A letter written on the 4th of October, 
says: " To-morrow we evacuate Bergen," and assigns 
the following reason for the act : 

- Irving's Washington, ii. 300. 
3 Hist. Hudson County, 142. 

* Valentine's Manual, 1866. 

» Irving's Washitigton, ii. 367. 

* American Archives, 5th Series, ii. 494. 

7 Jacob Rion's mill, near the Point of Rocks. — Wiufield. 



52 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



" Bergen is a iiorruw neck of laud turcfuwililp on threi' »ldee by water, 
and e.t{t4i6ed tu a rariety uf atlackn in difTorviit iditces at on? and the 
pame lime. A large bodv of the enemy Diiglil infallibly take pojsseeniim 
of the place wlienerer they pleaded, unlet« we kept aittronger force than 
our nunibera will allow. The sjk)! itnelf f« nut an ohjei-t of our arms : 
If they attack it would but cut off thoHe who defendml it and secure the 
grain ami military dtores. The(*e Imve l>t'fn removed, and when we are 
gone rt naked (tp^il is all thoy will find. . . . We k*> to Fort Constltntioii 
an wton H» we have seen the trooim marched off. We shall leave a guard 
of ubflervation bfhind un: this may prevent the enemy's diacoTering our 
removal for a day or two." ' 

It appears from the authority above quoted that as 
outjruartls Gen. Greene had posted at Bergen, Hoe- 
buck, Bull's Ferry, Hackensack, and opposite Spyt- 
den-Duivel one hundred and sixty-eight officers and 
men. 

When Fort Lee was evacuated on the 2iith of N(»- 
vember, 177<J, the army retreated to Jlackensack and 
thence to the Dehiware. East Jersey w:us left to the 
enemy. They stationed a considerable body of troops 
at Paulus Hook, and strengthening the post, placed 
it in command of Ivieut.-Col. Van Buskirk, of Saddle 
River, wlio had joined the British. Tlie fort, also, on 
Bergen Neck, was occupied, principally by '* refu- 
gees/' and was named Fort De Lancey in honor of 
Oliver De Lancey, of Westchester, a noted adherent 
to the British cause. 

The following account of the evacuation of Fort 
Lee was written by Thomas Paine, author of "The 
American Crisis:" 

"As I was with the troop« at Fort Lee, and miirrhed with them t" Ihe 
edge of Pennnylvauiu, 1 nm well ac<iuainted with many circumstance.-^ 
which those who lived at a distance knew little or nothing of. Our situ* 
tttion there was exceedingly cnimpud, the place being on a narrrow neck 
of land between the North Klvpr and Ilackensnck. Our force was incon- 
siderable, being not one-fourlh as groiit an Ilcjwe conhl brinp against iis. 
Wu liad nu anny at hand to have relieved the garrisitii had we shut oiir- 
•elvee upaiid stood on the defense. Our ammunition, light artillery, iind 
tlie beet pari of our stores had been removed n|K>n the apprehension that 
Huwo would endcovor to penetrate the Jerseys, in which case Fort Lee 
could be of no use to us, for it ninsi iM^rur lo every thinking man, whether 
in the nrniy or not, that these kind of fluid-forts aie only for teui|H)niry 
purjMMies, and Inat in use no longer than the enemy directs his force 
against the particular object which forts are raised to defend. 

"Such was our situAtlon and condition at Fort I.eo on the morning of 
the 20th uf NovemU'r, when an officer arrived with information that the 
vnemy, with two hundred boats, hud landed about seven or eight miles 
ftbove. Mi^.-Oen. Greene, who commanded the garrison, immediately 
ordore4l them under armtt, and sent an exprens to Ilia Kxcellencv Oen. 
WaahinKton, at the town of lluckensaik, diKtant by the May of the ferry 
ilx mile*. Our flntt obJe<.'t was lo si'ciire the bridge uvi*r the Ilackrnwtck, 
which laid up the river, l>etween the enemy and nf,— itlxiut six miles from 
ns and three from them. Gen. Washington arrived In about three-tpmr- 
tors of an hour, and marched at the head of hit troo))* towards the bridge, 
At which place I expecti>d we should have a brnsh. However, they did 
Dot cliooee to dispute It with us, and the greatest |>art of our tn>o|iit want 
over the bridge, the re«t 4iv«>r Ihe ferr}', except some wbirh p>is«ed at a 
mill on a small creek bi>tween Ihe bridge and the ferry, and mmie their 
way thnpugh some marshy ground up to the town of llackensack, and 
theri' p-imrd llii< river. Wp brunght off as ntiirh l>uggage as the wagons 
could rontnln, the rent was lost. The simple object wan to bring off the 
gsrrlson and to rnarrh them on until they could l>e stn'iigthenetl by the 
Pennsylvania or Jvmry militia, mi aa to be enaldtxl to make a stand. We 
■t*ye*l four days at Newi«rk, collected In our onl|MMtfl, with some of the 
Jtnny militia, and marchei) out twice to meet the enemy nn informailon 
of their being ailvanclng, thi>ugli our numl)er« were greatly Inferior to 
thelre." 

> Am. Arch., &lh S«>rii-s, 11. HtiT. 



I The above account is very accurate in the main, 
though it contains one expression calculated to mis- 
lead the reader. In speaking of the few troops who 
did not cross the river with tlie main body, the writer 
says they " made their way through some marshy 
ground up to the town of Hackensack, and there 
pa-ssed the river." It should have been down to the 
town, for they crossed at Old Bridge, about four miles 
above. 

Washington in Hackensack.— Washington en- 
tered Hackensack with about three thousand men, 
having sent forward his baggiige to Acquackmonck, 
Ad eye-witness hs^ given the following statement: 

'* It was about dusk when the head of Ihe tn^ops entered Hackensack. 
The night wmk <lark, cold, and rainy, but I had a fair view of them from 
the light of the windows lut they paased ou our bide of the Btreet." They 
marched two alirfiist, Ioi>ked rHj;tH'<l, s<.)nif without a whoe lo their feet, 
and mot^t of them wrapped up in their blankcUt. M'nshiiigton then, and 
for Some time previuuH, bad his headquarters at the residence of Mr. 
Peter Zabriski**, a private hoube, now called ' The Mansion Houae,' the 
supplies (or the general's tJkble being furnished by Mr. Archibald Camp' 
bell, the tavern-keeper. The next evening after the Americans had 
pasiteil through the British encamped on the oppt^ieite side of the river. 
We could see their flres, about one hundred yards ajiart, gleaming bril- 
liantly ill the glmmi of night, extending some diplance Udow the town 
and more than a niih> up towanlh NVw Bridge. Washington was still at 
his <|uarteiit, and had with hiui liiH suite, life-guard, a Lomimny uf ftkot, a 
regiment of cavalry, and some soldient from Ihe rear of the army. Id 
the morning, l»efore tin* general left, he nxie down to the dock, where 
the biidge now is, viewed the enemy')* encampment about ten or fifleen 
minute«, and then returned to Mr. fanipbetl's door and calle«l for 8f>m« 
wine and water. After he had drank, and Mr. Tampbell had taken the 
glass from him, the latter, with tearv ntrcaDiing down his face, said, 
'General, what shall I t|u '! I Uuw a family of small childien and a little 
pro()erty here; shall I leave tliem ?' Washington kindly took hia hand* 
and replie<l, ' Mr. Campbell, stay by your family and ktep neutrat ;* then 

j bidding him good-by, rode off. 

I "About noon the next day the British took posMwIoD of the town, 
and ill the aft«-rnoon the green was covered with Heasians, a horrid, 
frightful sight to the inhabitanlD. There were tN>tween three and four 
thoiutand, with their whiskers, brass ca|«, and ketUes or liaas drums. 
A part of theae troojis were taken prisoners two months after at Tren- 

j ton."* 

' Although this Hritisli force which had crossed the 
Hudson followed the retreat of the Americans to the 
Delaware, it was not hmg before «)lher bodie-s of the 

\ enemy visited the village. " In December, 1776, it 
was reported that there were at Harkensiick about one 

, thousand of the enemy, and the siiggeMion of Hunt- 
ington to Maj.-Gen. Heath was to intercept them in 
their foragings. The latter on the 14th expressed his 
purpose to sweep the village, which he did the next 
day. Making a forced march l»y the way (if Tappan, 
became upon the inliabitants by surprise ; but the 
enemy had left. He says, *'The enemy ha<l left the 
town some days since, except five, whom we took, 
two of them being sick. We have taken about fifty 
of the disaffected, and about fifty or sixty muskets, 
the greater part of which had been taken from the 
Whigs, it is stipposed. and sl4)red. At the dock we 
found oneslo<»p loaded with hay, house-furniture, and 
some spirits, etc., which we have this day unloaded. 



* There were ftbout thre« tliouaand m«D. 

I Hlstorlciil ftddma bj Bar. Thvodore D. Romeyn. 



BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE REVOLUTION. 



63 



etc. A brig, loaded, ran down the river about seven 
miles and grounded. I am afraid we shall not be able 
to secure the effects. A schooner loaded with hay, 
furniture, etc., which had sailed from the dock, ran 
on the bank of the river, the wind being very fresh, 
and in the night overset, by which the goods are dam- 
aged, if not lost. Two or three companies have been 
raising here and in the vicinity, and field-officers ap- 
pointed; one Van Buskirk, colonel. At hi.s house 
we found fifty barrels of flour, a number of hog.s- 
heads of rum, and at one Brown's, who is lieutenant- 
colonel, about one thousand pounds of cheese. One 
Tenpenny is major. They are all gone to New York 
to have matters properly settled, get ammunition, 
arms, etc., and were to have returned yesterday. I 
believe we have luckily disconcerted them. Such in- 
habitants as are friendly received us with joy, but are 
almost afraid to speak their sentiments, and, indeed, 
little or no intelligence can be got from the inhabit- 
ants," etc' 

Mr. Romeyn says, " The brigantine which grounded 
just below the village was subsequently boarded, but 
was retaken by the enemy. Among other articles taken 
from her was a large chest of plate, said to belong to 
a Mr. Yates, but it had been put iu his possession for 
safety at Hackensack by Mr. William Wallace. -It 
was worth about fifteen hundred pounds."^ 



CHAPTER XII. 



BERGE.V AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE RKVO- 
LUTION— (Continued). 

Exploit of Col. Aaron Burr. — It was during one 
of those raids of the British and Tories in the vicinity 
of Hackensack, in September, 1777, that Col. Aaron 
Burr gained his first military distinction. Hearing, 
at the point where his regiment was lying (in the 
Clove, near Suftren's), that the British had marched 
out of New York and were devastating the country, 
and were within thirty miles of him, he started to 
meet them with his small force. About ten o'clock in 
the evening, when within three miles of Hackensack, 
he received certain information that the most ad- 
vanced of the enemy's pickets were only a mile dis- 
tant. His men having marched thirty miles since 
breaking camp, and being extremely fatigued, he or- 
dered them to lie down and keep silent until he re- 
turned. In a few moments they were all asleep. 
Meanwhile Col. Burr went forward alone to recon- 
noitre. Stealthily he felt his way towards the picket, 
and found them lying on the ground guarded by two 
sentinels. He was near enough to hear their watch- 
word. He ascertained by making a wide detour that 
this picket was so far in advance of the main body as 

1 American Archives, iii. 123-4. 
- Konie.vo'd Histurical Discounte. 



to be out of hearing. In gaining this information so 
much time was spent that it was within an hour of 
daybreak before he returned to his regiment. Quietly 
and quickly waking his men, he informed them of his 
purpose to attack the enemy's picket, and ordered 
them to follow at a certain distance, and forbade any 
man to speak on pain of instant death. So accu- 
rately had the colonel noted the locality and calcu- 
lated the position of the sentinels that he was able to 
lead his men between those two unsuspecting individ- 
uals at the moment when they were farthest apart, 
and he was almost upon the sleeping picket before 
a man of it began to stir. When at a distance 
of ten yards Burr was challenged by a sentinel, 
whom he immediately shot dead, and then gave 
the word of attack. One officer, a sergeant, a cor- 
poral, and twenty-seven privates fell into their hands 
on this occasion. Only one of the pickets be- 
sides the sentinel made any resistance, and he was 
overpowered after he had received two bayonet- 
wounds. He attempted to march away with his 
comrades, but after going a short distance was com- 
pelled to lie down exhausted and fainting from loss 
of blood. 

" ' Go a little further, my good fellow,' said Burr, 
' and we will get a surgeon for you.' ' Ah,' gasped 
the dying veteran, ' all the doctors in America can do 
me no service, for I am a dying man ; but it grieves 
me sore to the heart that I have served my king up- 
wards of twenty years, and at length must die with a 
charged musket in my hand.' " ' , 

Col. Burr immediately sent off an express to Para- 
mus to order all the troops to move, and to rally the 
country. His exploit had so encouraged the inhab- 
itants that they turned out with great alacrity and 
put themselves under his command. But the enemy, 
probably alarmed by these threatening appearances, 
retreated the next day, leaving behind them the 
greater part of the plunder which they had taken.* 

Clinton's Raid. — In September, 1777, Sir Henry 
Clinton, then in command at New York, planned a 
raid into New Jersey. He divided his force into four 
columns. The general point of rendezvous was the 
New Bridge, above Hackensack. One column, under 
Gen. Campbell, entered New Jersey by the way of 
Elizabethtown ; one, under Capt. Drummond, by way 
of Schuyler's Ferry ; one, under Gen. Vaughn, by 
way of Fort Lee, and the other, under Lieut.-Col. 
Campbell, by way of Tappan. On the 12th the ex- 
pedition set out. Clinton himself followed, passing 
up Newark Bay to Schuyler's Landing, on the Hack- 
ensack (Dow's Ferry). From this point he marched 
over the Belleville turnpike to Schuyler's house, where 
he found Capt. Drummond with two hundred and 
fifty men. During the night Gen. Campbell arrived 
with his detachment and the cattle he had collected 
en route. The different columns met as designed on 

3 Ronieyu, from Partoii'6 Life of Aaruii Burr, 101. 
< New Jeraej- Hist. Col., 84. 



64 



HISTORY OP BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



the 15th. On the following day Gen. Campbell j 
inarched his force from English Neighborhood to 
Bergen Point, whence he passed over to Staten Island. 
The result of the raid was the capture of four hundred 
cattle, four hundred sheep, and a few horses, taken 
from the people of Essex and Hergen. In exchange, 
they had eight men killed, eighteen wounded, ten ^ 
missing, and five taken prisoners. 

As an offset to this raid, we find the following ac- 
count of an expedition by the ()|>pnsite |)arty over the 
same ground : 

" A party of rebel light-horse came down as far as 
Bergen Point last Tuesday night (July 28th), and re- 
turned next morning towards Hackensack. They 
visited Hoebuck on their way and carried off a great 
number of cattle from the inhabitants.'" 

The following interesting item is taken from 
Sinythe's Diary, quoted by Winfield : 

"Tbii afternoon a party of our liorse brought tu two roliel privates 
from PowIo'b Hook. One of tln^ni in very intelligent and communicative, 
but the other in tlie nioitt wbiniitical tony 1 ever have Been. Wherever 
,be goes he carries with liini a birge gniy cat, which lie says came into 
the reliel camp on the nit;ht after the tiattle of Freeliolil Meeting-House, 
and wtiich he first discovered liipping a sjiot of dry blood on Iiis sleeve as 
he lay on his arms expecting another dash at the British. His affection 
for the <:at is wonderful, hs her's In for bin), fur they are insejmrable. He 
iaye if we don't alb>w lilni extni rations for bis cat lie shall be obliged to 
allow tbt-ni out of hi.^ own.*' 

Maj. Lee's Gallant Attempt to Capture Paulus 
Hook. — The post at Paulus Hook was held with great 
tenacity by the British, and is said to have been for 
gome time the only post held by them in New Jersey.' 
It was a convenient and safe |)oiiit at which they could 
land their troops for incursions in various directions. 
Here, on the night of Feb. 24, 177'.t, landed portions 
of the Thirty-third and Tliirty-fourtli Heginients of 
British, under Lieut.-Col. Sterling, on their way to 
attempt the capture of Governor Livingston at Eliza- 
bethtown. They marched across the hill to Brown's 
Ferry, whence they were taken in boats sent from 
New York for that |iurpose around by the Kill von 
Kull.' The i>apers of this i)eriod record many raids 
made from this point in various directions by the 
British and Tories. 

The most interesting episode in this portion of our ' 
history is the attempt to capture the fort at Paulus 
Hook by Maj. Henry Lee. This gallant aiitl dash- 
ing ollicer, who had frequently been employed by 
Washington as a scout along the west bank of the 
Hudson, had discovered that the British fort at Pju- , 
lus Hook, although a strtmg place, was negligently 
guarded, and he conceived the idea of its capture by ' 
a night march and a sudden surprise. Not that it 
was ileeme<l practical to hold the position in face of 
the British forces in New V()rk, but the brilliant 
exploit would "give Iclat to tho Continental arms." 
Washington at first looked upon the project with 
disfavor, but liiially yieliled and gave orders for an 

1 New Vork M-^r«rf, Aug. :i, I""". 
• New Jen»y OotUr, Oct. 2S, 1778. 
> llatn«bl> IIMory of EllialM-lh. 



immediate preparation. Lee moved from his encamp- 
ment at New Bridge about four o'clock in the after- 
noon of Aug. IS, 1779. following what is known as 
the lower road which intersects the present Hacken- 
sack road, near the English Neighborhood church, 
having taken the precaution to .send forward boats in 
charge of Capt. Peyton, with instructions to have 
them at Dow's Ferry at a certain hour of the night, 
for the purpose of taking his troops over the Hack- 
ensack ; he also detached i)atrols of horse to watch 
the communications with North Uiver, and postfcd 
Lord Stirling at New Bridge to cover his retreat, if 
necessary. The whole movement was conducted with 
such secrecy that they arrived at the fort without 
being discovered, notwithstanding the fact that, on 
account of the ignorance or the treachery of their 
guide, they were compelled to wander three hours in 
the woods between Union Hill and the fort, and the 
still more remarkable fact that they were in danger 
of encountering Col. Van Buskirk, who had left the 
fort at Paulus Hook about the time that Maj. Lee 
■started, with a force of one hundred and thirty men 
on a raid to the English Neighborhood. That these 
two forces, one of them at least straggling and floun- 
dering upon a misdirected course through the wilder- 
ness and in the darkness of night, should entirely 
escape each other seems incredible. But such is 
the well-attested fact. Perhaps their getting lost 
and marching out of the direct course may have been 
the very means of their escape. Be this as it may, 
"Maj. Lee reached Prior's Mill at three o'clock on 
the morning of the l!Hh. The day was nejir at hand, 
and the tide that would fill the ditch and overflow 
the road between Warren and (irove Streets (Jersey 
City) was rising. Not a moment was to be lost. The 
punctilios of rank and honor were discarded, and 
the troops ordered to advance in the order which they 
then held. Lieut. Rudolph, who had been sent for- 
ward to reconnoitre the passage of the ditch, now 
reported to Maj. Lee that all was silent within the 
works, that he had fathomed the canal and found the 
|)assage possible. This intelligence was pa.ssed along 
the line, and the troops pushed forward with resolu- 
tion, order, and coolness. Lieuts. McCallister and 
Budolph led the forlorn hope, who marched with 
trailed arms in silence. They reached the ditch at 
the intersection of Newark ,\venne and Warren 
Street at half-past three o'clock on Thursday morn- 
ing. The guards were either asleep or took the ap- 
jiroaching force to beCol.Van Buskirk's men returning 
from their raid. They were not undeceived until the 
advance had |iliinge<l into the ditch. Immediately a 
firing began. The block-house guards ran out to see 
what was the matter, and were seized. The forlorn 
hope, supported by Maj. Clarke, broke through all 
opposition, and soon became masters of the main 
work, with the cannon, etc. So rapid were they in 
their movements that the fort was gained before a 
piece of artillery was fired. The troops came pouring 



BKKOEN ANi> PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE REVOLUTION. 



55 



through the abatis, and in a few minutes were victo- 
rious. Unfortunately, in crossing the ditch the am- 
munition was destroyed, and thus their firearms were 
useless. As soon as Maj. Southerland, then in com- 
mand of the fort, comprehended the situation, he 
threw himself into a small redoubt, with a captain, 
subaltern, and forty Hessians. Maj. Lee had no time 
to dislodge him or to remove or destroy property. 
Daylight was at hand, and he had some anxiety 
about the boats at Dow's Ferry. Besides this, the 
firing had aroused the British in New York, who 
could in a few minutes throw a large body of troops 
across the ndver. He therefore ordered an immediate 
retreat, and sent Capt. Forsyth to Prior's Mill to col- 
lect such men as were most fit for the action and take 
a position on Bergen Heights to cover the retreat. 
Maj. Clarke was in the advance with most of the pris- 
oners ; Lieuts. Armstrong and Reed formed the rear- 
guard. Lee now rode forward to look after the boats 
at the ferry. To his dismay not a boat was there to 
receive them. Capt. Peyton, owing to the lateness of 
the hour, had removed them to Newark. Lee imme- 
diately countermarched his troops to the Bergen road 
en route for New Bridge, communicated with Lord 
Stirling, and returned to the rear-guard at Prior's 
Mill. His prospects were now discouraging. With 
troops worn down, ammunition destroyed, encum- 
bered with prisoners, fourteen miles of retreat before 
him on a route liable to be intercepted by troops from 
New York, with no way of escape to the left, he could 
only depend upon the invincible courage of his men. 
On reaching the heights opposite ' Weehock,' Capt. 
Handy moved on the main road to facilitate the re- 
treat. Here Capt. Catlett came up with fifty men 
and good ammunition. One party was then detached 
in the rear of Maj. Clarke on the Bergen road, and 
one to move along the bank of the river. In this 
manner a sudden attack was prevented. At the Fort 
Lee road Col. Ball, who had been forwarded to Lee's 
assistance, met him with two hundred fresh men. 
Shortly afterwards a body of the enemy appeared 
upon the right and opened fire on the retreating Amer- 
icans. Lieut. Reed immediately forced them, and 
Lieut. Rudolph threw himself into a store-house 
which commanded the road. This disposition checked 
the enemy and gave the force time to cross the Eng- 
lish Neighborhood creek at the Liberty pole, now 
Englewood. Jus.t at that moment Maj. Southerland, 
who had followed Lee, came up, but halted, and 
finally fell back without venturing an attack. Maj. 
Lee arrived safely at New Bridge about one o'clock 
in the afternoon. He had captured one hundred 
and fifty-nine of the garrison, including officers, and 
lost two killed and three wounded." 

The report of this enterprise by Maj. Lee cannot 
be here quoted in full, but we cannot forbear to men- 
tion one item in it very creditable to his humanity 
and magnanimity as a soldier. " I intended," he 
says, " to have burnt the barracks ; but on finding a 



number of sick soldiers and women with young chil- 
dren in them, humanity forbade the execution of my 
intention." 

This exploit of Maj. Lee was regarded with great 
admiration. Washington, in a letter to Congress, said, 
" The Major displayed a remarkable degree of pru- 
dence, address, and bravery upon this occasion, which 
does the highest honor to himself and to all the officers 
and men under his command. The situation of the 
fort rendered the attempt critical and the success 
brilliant." 

James Duane, afterwards mayor of New York, 
wrote to Alexander Hamilton, Sept. 10, 1779, — 

"One of the most daring and InBolent assaults tliat is to be found In 
the records of cliivalry, — an achievement so brilliant in itself, eo roman- 
tic in the scale of British admiration, that none but a hero, inspired by 
the fortitude, instructed by the wisdom, and guided by the planet of 
Washington could, by the exploit at Panlus Hook, have furnished mate- 
rials in the page of history to give it a parallel."' 

The principal actors concerned in the afl^air were 
honored by congratulatory resolutions passed by Con- 
gress, Sept. 24, 1779 : 

" i^eso^Jed. That the thanks of Congress be given to his Excellency 
Geu. Washington for ordering, with so much wisdom, the late attack on 
the enemy's fort at Powles Hook. 

" Betolved, That the thanks of Congress be given to MaJ.-Gen. Lord 
Stirling for the judicious measures taken hy him to forward the enter- 
prise and to secure the retreat of the party. 

" Resolved, That the thanks of Congress be given to Maj. Lee for the 
remarkable prudence, address, and bravery displayed by him on the 
occasion; and that they approve the humanity shown in circumstances 
prompting to severity as honorable to t!ie arms of the United States, and 
correspondent to the noble principles on which they were assumed, 

" liefoh-ed, That Congress entertain a high sense of the discipline, for- 
titude, and spiiit manifested by the officers and soldiers under the com- 
mand of Maj. Lee in the march, action, and retreat; and while with 
singular satisfaction they acknowledge the merits of these gallant men, 
I hey feel an additional pleasure by considering them as part of an army 
in which very many brave officers and soldiers have proved, by their 
cheerful perforinance of every duty under every difficulty, that ttiey 
ardently wish to give the truly glorious examples they now receive. 

" liesiih'eil. That Congress justly esteem the military caution, so happily 
combined with tlaring activity by Lieuts. McCallister and Rudolph in 
leading on the forlorn hope. 

"Ilau'h-ed, That a medal of gold, emblematical of this affair, be struck 
under the direction of the Board ot Treasury and presented to Blaj. Lee. 

" lleKi'lred, That the brevet and the pay an'l subsistence of captain be 
given to Lieut. McCallister and Lieut. Rudolph respectively." - 

Congress also placed in the hands of Maj. Lee fif- 
teen thousand dollars to be distributed among the 
soldiers engaged in the attack. 

Gen. Poor's Death.— In September, 1780, the Amer- 
ican army lay at Kiuderhamack, in what is now Wash- 
ington township, Bergen Co. While here, on the 8th 
of September, occurred the death of Brig.-Gen. Enoch 
Poor. A military journal of the next day says, — 

" We are now lamenting the loss of Brig.-Gen, Poor, who died last night 
of putrid fever. His funeral solemnities have been attended this after- 
noon. The corpse was brought this morning from Paramus, and left at 
a house about a mile from the burying-yard at Hackensack, whence it 
WHS attended to the place of interment by the following procession; A 
regiment of light infaDtry in uniform, with arms reversed; four field- 



1 Hamilton's Works, i. 80, 87, cited by Winlield, 161. 
- itournal of Congress, v. 368. 



56 



HISTORY OF BKIIGKN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



piecM; U((J. Lt>p*e rogiment of Itglit-hono; Oeii. Hnnd und his brigade; 
the major on horseback; two clmplainii ; the hone of tbo deceased 
with hilt botttj) and Dpiint siispended from the Middle, led by a Herraiit ; 
the corpse, l>orne by four sergeants, and the ]>ull HUpiHjrted by six gen- 
eral offlcers. The coffin wiih of mahogany, and a puir of pistols and 
two BWonlit cniSfing each othir were placed on the top. The cort^o 
was full. .wed by thu ufflcers of the New Hampshire brigade of light in- 
fantry which the di'cea*ed bad lately coQininnd'-il. fHher ufflcen* fell in 
proDiit«cuouiily, and w«re followed by his Kxctdlenry Oeii. Wjuliinktuii 
and other general ofticers. Having nrrived at the burying-yard, the 
troops opened tu the right and left, resting on their arms reversed, and 
the procession passed tu tlie grave, where n short eulogy was delirereil by 
the Rot. Mr. Kvnns. A band of niuttic, with a number of drums and 
fifes, played a funeral dirge; the drums were mutHed with black cnip*, 
and the olDcors iu the procession wore cnipe round the left arm. The 
regiment of light Infantry were In )i»ndHonie uniform, and wore in their 
caps long feathers uf black and red. The elegant regiment of horse cmi- 
miindeil by Miij. Lee, in complete uniTorm and widl diMriplined, exhibited 
a martial and iiuble appearance." * 

Gen. Pof)r's ri'iiuiins were interred in tlie buryinp- 
isrround of the old Kel'ormed Duteh Chnrrli. in Haek- 
ensack, where the following inscription will he found 
upon his tablet : 

"In memory of the Hon. Brig.-Gen. Enoch P.Kir, of the Stale of New 
Hampshire, who departed tliis life on the Sth day of Septeml»er, ITSii, 
aged 44 years." 

Washington, Lafayette, and a portion of the Amer- 
ican army attended the funeral of Gen. Poor. In 
1824 Lafayette revisited this grave, and turning uway 
much affected, exclaimed, " Aii ! that was one of my 
generals!" 

Brig.-Gen. Enoch l*oor was a native of New Hamp- 
shire. He was a colonel in the Continental army in 
the expedition against Canada in 1776, where he 
served with distinction. He was afterwards at Crown 
Point, and was one of the twenty-one inferior officers 
who signed a remonstrance against the decision of a 
council of olHcers there consisting of Gens. Gates, 
Schuyler, Sullivan, Arnold, and Woedtke, when it 
was resolved that the post was untenable, and that 
the army should retire to Fort Independence. He 
was appointed brigadier-general in 1777. He was 
in camp at Valley Forge and at the battle of Mon- 
month.' 

Raid of Hessians and Refugees.— The Historical 
Collections of New Jersey contains the following: 

"In the latter jmrt of March, 1780, a party of aUmt four hundred 
Hrldah IIe<w|iiiiit nnd refug(M>s passed thp>ugh lluckensack on their way 
to attack ftume IVniiiylvanla Inniiw at rantmus. It wim at>ou( tliree 
oVIock In the night wh^n they entered the |.»wer jMirl of the town. All 
was qxilvX. A sniittl cumpaiiy of twenty or thirty miUilii, under Cupt. 
John Untwater, had retired for the night Ui the Imrrucks, barns, and 
outhouses, where tho*H< filendly to (he American ctiuiH* generally resorted 
to rest. Uno-hair of the enemy marchwl riulutly thntugh. When the 
rear, con^iflttng mostly of Ht-Mslans, arrlve<l they broke open the d.wrs 
and window*, rubl>«d and plundered, and tiMik priiHineni a few peacenble 
inhabitants, among wlioni was Mr. Archibald Campltell. Thli* gentle- ' 
man, who had l»ern for several week-* conflned to his l»e«l with the rheu- 
matism, they fon o<l Into I|m' fltr«>et iiml con)|>elled to follow them. Often 
In Iheir rear, Ihey tlirealen*>d t.. nh<r.)t him if hu did not haitten his |mco. 
In the Hulmetiuent confmiion he owbik^I and hbl In the cellar of a hoime 
opiNMile thf New Itridge. He IIto<I until I7HM, .m.l ntrer ej-yrrirnrr<l n 
rtlum 0/ ihe rhfumnlum 

"The HtwtUuii burnt two dwelllngi and tha cimrt-house. Th«> hitler 

1 Thnlrher's Jonrnnl. I'l i. 

' Muors's Illary of tli<< Kvrtdniluh, fjuuled by Romeyn. 



stood on the west side of the green,' eight or ten rods from Campbell'i 
tavern. Fortunately, the wind was from the west, and dn>ve the flaniefl 
andttparks over the green, and the tavern was saved by the family throw- 
ing water over the roof. At iliri time those in the outhouses were aroused, 
and (he militia haf>tened across the fields, mounted hor»eti, nnd alarmed 
the trooi>s at I'aramus. By the time the enemy had arrived nt what is 
now Re4l Mill!«. ft»ur mih'S fnun IlackenMick, they asoertaine^l the Amer- 
icans were on their way to meet Ihem. Disappointed, they retnice<l their 
ste)vt, ami when near HackeiiMiik turned off to the nurih, on the ruad 
leading tu the New Itridge,* to the left uf which there is h range al)out 
hnlf a mile distant from the ruitd, the intervening ground being level. 
Here the Continentals and militia were hurrying over, kept, however, 
at a distance bv large flanking parties of the enemy, who, tm arriving 
at the bridge, were detaiue<l about two houm in re]tlacing the plank torn 
up l>y the Americans. In the mean time tlieit pfirtles were skirmishing 
with our |>eople. Having crotwed over, they marched down the ea**t eiide 
uf the Hitckensack through the Knglish NeightM>rho<.>d, being pursued 
twelve miles, to a considerable distance w*iihin their lines, down Iu Iter- 
gen Wi>odB. They lost niany kilUnl and wounde<l. There were none 
killed on our side. A youne man of the town was wounded by a spent 
ball, which cut his upper lip, knocked out four frunt teeth, and was 
caught in his nioulh. Captalti Outwater received a l>all Wlow the knee, 
which \\n» never extracte<l. He carried it for many years, and it wm» 
buried with him." 

Another of these raids is thus described : 

" Northwanl from llackensuck a few miles some of (he nK>st serioua 
depreilalions were nmile. Aniong these was a Tory raid of an hundred 
men, led by C<A. Van Buskirk. who, on the Ituh of May, 1779, entered 
by wuy of CloBter, and carried off a numl»er «if iidiabitanti, tiring build- 
ings, outniging females, a^ well as destroying life. Another detachmeDt 
swept des«dation on the 17th, and not a house of a Whig escuped. In 
the first of these raids CorneliuH Tallman, Samuel l>emarest, Jacob Colo, 
George lluKkJrk were captured, rornellus Demaiettt wan killed, and 
Hendrick Hemarest, Jeremiah Westervelt, and l*«iw Westervelt were 
woundeil. The buildings of I'eter Pemaresl, Matthew Itogert, Cornelius 
Ilnyler, and Samuel Demarest were burned. In the latter Abnihara 
Allen and (ioorge ('ampl»ell wore munlert^d. Jacob /ubriskie wasstnbbed 
in fifteen places, and two uegru women were shut down."^ 



CHAPTER XIII. 

BEIUJEX AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IX TllK REVO- 
LUTION— (Continuwl).' 

The Massacre near Old Tappan. — The year 1778 
of the Itcvdlutionary ]nTi(>(l is not only memorable 
on lUTonnt of the terrible sullerinfrs of the Conti- 
nental army at Valley Forge ami tlie hot fifiht on 
the field of Monmouth, but for three brutal ma.^saeres 
|)er|)et rated in three of the middle eolonies. 

On the ;?d day of July a band of Tories and Indians 
murderc<i the inhabitants of the peaceful Valley of 
Wyoming, and eommitted .sueh dreadful outrages upon 
Pennsylvania homes as to arouse tlie indignation and 
revenge of her citizens. On the 1 1th day of Novem- 
ber a party of a similar character, headed by the 
notoriou.s Joseph Kraut, having killed the officer iu 
command of the litt'e fort at Cherry Valley, N. V., 
massacred indiscriminately the men, women, and 
children of that little hamlet. The third instance we 
propose to narrate more in detail. It occurred on the 

-' Soi> (' it,v BtilMiugi«, C-uiirta, vtc.. In thil work. 

Mll.l llri.jgo. 

1 ItiitiiryirH IM.*cuMnMt; G<in1iiii*« llUliirjr of N«w JenM'y. 

* Hjr Wllllain S SlrykiT, aflJiilnii|.g*'iii.rMl uf New Jer*i*y. 



BHRGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE KEVOLUIIOX. 



57 



28th day of September, on the soil of New Jersey, but 
near Tappan Village, N. Y., a place afterwards so 
noted for the confinement and execution of Maj. 
Andre. 

The British commander, Sir Henry Clinton, having 
just returned from the Bedford expedition, resolved to 
send some of his force along the lower Jersey coast 
to capture, if possible, some of the American priva- 
teers, to retake some of the prizes, and to destroy the 
grain-mills and salt-works of that district. 

To divert attention from this predatory expedition, 
as well as to procure fresh supplies of meat and forage 
for the army. Lord Cornwallis was ordered with five 
thousand men to pass over the Hudson River into 
Bergen County. N. J., that rich land of Dutch farmers 
so frequently pillaged by the British. 

With Cornwallis was sent Maj. -Gen. Charles Grey, 
who before this had executed the orders of Clinton in 
stealing or destroying provisions, military and naval 
stores and vessels, and levying heavy contributions on 
the villages of Fairhaven, Bedford, and Martha's Vine- 
yard. The German general, Knyphausen, was also 
ordered to march with three thousand men up to 
Dobb's Ferry, on the east bank of the Hudson River, 
and to collect a large number of boats there, so that 
within a few hours he could reinforce Cornwallis if it 
was found important, or Cornwallis could be brought 
over the river to his support if he found himself in 
danger. 

Gen. Washington had at this time just left. White 
Plains with his division of the American army, had 
crossed the river and had encamped at Fredericksburg, 
then a precinct of what is now a large portion of the 
county of Putnam. His quarters were at Paterson, in 
that county, a village almost due east from West 
Point. 

It appeared to the American chieftain, by the move- 
ments of the two columns of the enemy, that an expe- 
dition up the Hudson River was intended, and he or- 
dered Col. George Baylor with the Third Regiment 
Light Dragoons of Virginia to move from their sta- 
tion at Paramus, a small hamlet ou Saddle River, 
about six miles northwest from Hackensack, and 
post themselves on the Hackensack River to watch 
the movements northward of the force under Lord 
Cornwallis. Col. Baylor had up to this time proved 
himself a very gallant officer. In the campaign of 
1776 he had been a member of Washington's own 
military family, being his personal aide-de-camp. At 
the battle of Trenton he was the first to report the 
surrender of the routed Hessian force, and for his 
valor that day he had had the honor of being the 
bearer of the dispatches of Dec. 27, 1776, to Con- 
gress, then in session at Baltimore, and of presenting 
a captured Hessian standard to that body. Congress 
on receiving them voted him a horse properly capar- 
isoned, and recommended him to be promoted to the 
command of a regiment of light-horse, which promo- 
tion had been conferred upon him. 



It was just at twilight, Sept. 27, 1778, when Col. 
Baylor and his troopers came to the little stream of the 
Hackensack, somewhat over three miles .southwest 
from Tappan Village. Here he learned that Brig.- 
Gen. Anthony Wayne was but a short distance north 
of Tappan with a body of militia. So, fearing, perhaps, 
the superior rank of Wayne, and not wishing to lose 
his detached authority, he halted his men on the Over- 
kill Neighborhood road, and quartered his dragoons 
in the barns of the thrifty farmers. His force con- 
sisted of twelve officers and one hundred and four en- 
listed men. Col. Baylor, with his regimental staft- 
officers, knocked at the farm-house of Cornelius A. 
Haring, and his son Ralph, who had just been mar- 
ried, opened the door for them. They told Mr. Ha- 
ring of their desire to spend the night there, and he 
received them willingly, although he informed them 
that he understood the British were lying at New 
Bridge and might at any time come upon them. Col. 
Baylor did not appear alarmed at this statement, but 
alter seeing that his men were well provided for, and 
after posting a guard of a sergeant and twelve men 
at the bridge over the Hackensack, about half a 
mile south of Mr. Haring's house, with strict orders 
to keep a patrol of two men on each road to watch 
them a mile below and to be relieved every hour, 
he retired to sleep in fancied security. 

This house was torn down about sixty years ago, 
but the property is still in possession of Cornelius 
R. Haring, a grandson of the Revolutionary owner. 
It is now within the bounds of the post-village of 
Rivervale, Washington township, Bergen Co. 

Lord Cornwallis at this time had his division posted 
on the Hackensack River, at Liberty Pole and New 
Bridge, about three miles from Hackensack and nine 
miles from Col. Baylor's out-guards. Full particu- 
lars of Baylor's position at Paramus, of his move- 
ments to the Hackensack River, and now of his un- 
soldierly condition and insecure post had been given 
by some of tlie disaffijcted people in the neighbor- 
hood to Cornwallis, and he formed a plan to surprise 
and capture the regiment, as well as to make a simul- 
taneous attack by Knyphausen's men upon Gen. 
Wayne and his militia force. There were two roads 
which led from the camp of Cornwallis to Overhill 
Neighborhood, one on each side of the Hackensack 
River. 

As soon as Gen. Knyphausen at Dobb's Ferry had 
heard from Lord Cornwallis of Col. Baylor's position, 
he ordered a detachment under command of Lieut.- 
Col. Archibald Campbell, commanding officer of the 
Seventy-first or Highland Regiment, to cross the river 
immediately and attack Gen. Wayne's militia near 
Tappan. The boats were manned without delay, and 
the party began the passage of the river just below 
the Tappan Zee. To Maj.-Gen. Grey, the famous 
marauder, was assigned the duty of attacking the 
sleeping Baylor. He had acquired the name of " No- 
flint General," from his habit of ordering his troops 



58 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



to take tlie Hints from thoir guns, so as to make them 
depend solely on the use of the bayonet. lie was 
just the man then for this bloody work. 

The troops ordered on duty were the twelve com- 
panies of the Second battalion Light Infantry to lead 
the column, with the Second Regiment of Grena liers. 
the Thirty-third and Sixty-fourth Kegiments of th ■ 
British Line as a supporting force. 

The troops just before midnight, September 27th, 
marched on the road on the west bank of the Hack- 
ensack River silently and in perfect order until they 
arrived within half a mile of the patrol on that road. 

Here they halted, and, guided by some Tories win 
knew the ground, a party of picked men from six 
of the companies of the Second Battalion Light In- 
fantry, under the command of the Hon. Maj. John } 
Maithind, of the Seventy-first Regiment, made a 
detour to the left through the fields, and then 
passed to the rear of the sergeant's guard at the bridge 
and the patrol on the river road, and without the 
slightest difficulty made them prisoners. One at least, 
however, escaped. This being accomplished without 
any noi.se or alarm, the force under Gen. Grey pushed 
on towards Old Tappan. Maj. Turner Straiibenzee, of 
the Seventeenth Regiment of Foot, but now detached 
in command of the other si.x oomjianies of the Second 
Battalicm Light Infantry, was in the advance, and it 
was this party which first arrived at Baylor's quarters 
and surrounded the house and barn of Cornelius ' 
Hariug. It was, as stated in British account-s, be- 
tween one and two o'clock in the morning of Septem- 
ber 2Sth when they came up to the post of the sleeping 
American dragoons. The sentinel who had escaped 
from the sergeant's guard at the bridge awoke Ralph 
Haring, who aroused his father. Mr. Haring, half 
dres-sed and with a candle, came to the front door just 
as it was burst in, and under the orders of Gen. Grey 
to " show no ijuarler to the rebels," the brutal and 
profane soldiery rushed in to bayonet the inmates. 
Col. Baylor was aroused by the noise, and by the in- 
quiries made for him, and he and Maj. Alexander 
Clough tried to conceal themselves up the large Dutch 
chimney in the house. Both, however, were .soon 
discovered and brought down severely wounded, their 
blood running over the Hoor. Maj. Clough .soon after 
died from the terrible bayonet-thrusts. Cornet Robert 
Morrow, adjutant of the troops, also received seven 
wounds, and after having surrendered begged for his 
life. buli|uarter was refuseil, and he wasstabbed again 
anil stripped of his clothing. Dr. Thomas Kvans, the 
surgeon's mute, was also wounded, but carried off a 
prisoner. Leaving the house, they also burst open 
the door of the barn and freely used the bayonet 
tliere. Lieut. John Stitli had his company in the 
barn, and he finding they were surrounded calleilout 
that they surren<lcre<l, but he was then iriliumaidy 
struck on the head with a sword which knocked him 
to the floor. Recovering himself, he made a despe- 
rate effort, and with some of his men escape<l from 



the barn, jumped the fence, and plunged into a dense 
thicket near by. 

While this was being done, the supporting column 
of Gen. Grey's forces, Maj. Maitland's party having 
rejoined them, came up and also took part in the 
affair. Other houses and barns in the neighborhood, 
owned by the Blauvelts, the Demarests, Holdrums, 
Harings, and Bogarts, were visited and scenes of like 
character enacted. The cries for mercy of the de- 
fenseless soldiers were answered only by acts of sav- 
age cruelty. Thomas Talley, of the .Sixth Troop, re- 
ceived six wounds in his brejist and wits stripped of 
his clothing. Private Benson, of t'.ie Second Troop, 
had twelve bayonet-wounds inflicted under the dis- 
tinct orders given by the British officer to " stab all 
and take no prisoners." Private Southward, of the 
Fifth Troop, although be himself escaped, saw five of 
his company bayoneted to death after they had sur- 
rendered. Private Cullency, of the Fir.st Troop, re- 
ceived twelve wounds and saw wounded men knocked 
in the head with guns. The dragoons, surprised, in- 
capable of successful defense, with no prospect of in- 
flicting injury on their foe, could only sue for pity. But 
the bayonet was still at its bloody work, and thrust 
after thrust Wits given whenever any sign of life 
appeared. 

Lieut. William Barret succeeded in escaping ; 
Capt. John Swan, Lieut. Robert Randolph, and three 
cornets were taken prisoners; Adjt. Morrow, badly 
wounded, wius left in a barn for dead, but next nutrn- 
ing was carried away by Lieut. John Stith and a party 
of the escaped men from Baylor's regiment. 

A part of Sir James Baird's company surrounded a 
barn in which sixteen dragoons were sleeping, who 
fired about a dozen pistols, killed an enlisted man of 
the British Second Battalion, and then struck at the 
foe with their broadswords. Nine of the dragoons 
were bayoneted and seven were taken prisoners. 

The Fourth Troop of Baylor's regiment, although 
taken prisoners, were the only ones uninjured, be- 
cause of the humane di.sobedience of orders by a Brit- 
ish captain. The result of this slaughter wils that 
out of the one hundred and sixteen men of the regi- 
ment, eleven were instantly bayoneted to death, sev- 
enteen left behind covereil with bayonet-wounds and 
expected to die, and thirty-nine were taken prisoners, 
eight of whom were severely wounded. The rest of 
the troopers escaped in the darkness. All the arms 
and seventy horses were part of the booty captured. 

Nothing can be said in ilefense of the conduct of 
Col. Baylor. He had been one of the party twenty- 
one months previous to prove to the Hcjvsian Rahl 
that in war it is dangerous to undervalue your enemy ; 
that it is unwise when in the vicinity of your foe to 
throw out a weak ginird and leave the flanks nnpro- 
tectcil. I'orgetting the surprise and the fate of the 
German soldier, he acted himself in the same careless 
and unsoldierly numner, and came near paying the 
same penalty for his folly. 



BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE REVOLUTION. 



59 



Gen. Grey's force remained in that vicinity until 
daylight, when they marched to Tappan with their 
prisoners, turning the old church there into a hospital 
and prison. While all thi.s was going on Lieut.-Col. 
Campbell was marching from Sneden's Landing, on 
the Hudson River, by a direct road towards Tappan 
Village, having been delayed by the tedious pas.sage 
of the river. But he found that Wayne's militia, 
having heard of his approach at the critical moment 
from a deserter, had quietly retreated, and his expe- 
dition was thus rendered fruitless. 

A strong feeling of indignation spread over the 
country when this cruel massacre was announced. 
The army at Fredericksburg and at West Point were 
greatly exasperated, and plans of revenge were dis 
cussed, as appears from letters written to the camp. 
The atfairj while it seemed so very brutal, was also 
certainly very impolitic, as the killing of a tew de- 
fenseless men in the night would hardly reward the 
enemy for the bitter hatred engendered in the hearts 
and openly expressed in the homes of the patriots. 

Congress, too, felt called upon to show their abhor- 
rence of the act, which they did by a resolution, Oct. 
6, 1778: "That Governor Livingston be requested to 
use his utmost diligence in obtaining the best informa- 
tion upon oath of the treatment of Lieut.-Col. Baylor 
and his party by the enemy." 

Maj.-Gen. Lord Stirling directed Dr. David Grif- 
fith, of Col. George Weedon's Third Virginia Regi- 
ment, then on duty as surgeon and chaplain of Brig.- 
Gen. William Woodford's brigade, Continental Line, 
who attended Col. Baylor and his wounded men, and 
who was the same officer who appeared at Washin^;- 
ton's quarters the night before the battle of Mon- 
mouth and, it is said, gave him such valuable secret 
information, to collect all the evidence in his power 
and aid Governor Livingston in the search for the 
truth of this barbarity. This was done, and the 
statement of the facts in the case was fully obtained 
and published to the world. The affair served to in- 
crease the bitterness felt by the Continental soldier at 
this brutal sacrifice of the lives of his comrades, and 
the massacre near Old Tappan added much to that 
feeling of hatred of the British foe which for at least 
two generations thereafter was felt by American 
patriots. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

BERGEN AND PASS.'MC COUNTIES IN THE REVO- 
LUTION— (Continued). 

Gen. Wayne's Expedition. — The old block-house 
which stood on Block-House Point, above Bull's 
Ferry, is associated with Wayne's defeat and with the 
sarcastic poem entitled "The Cow Chase," written by 
Maj. Andre, the unfortunate British ofticer who was 
executed as a spy just beyond the border of this 



county, near the village of Tappan. The block-house 
appears to have been built by the Tories as a retreat 
or shelter for themselves while engaged in getting off 
wood from the hill in that vicinity to supply the Brit- 
ish in New York during the severely cold winter of 
1779-80. They were pretty well fortified all along 
the Neck, having earthworks at Bergen, east of the 
town, the fort at Paulus Hook, besides Fort De Lan- 
cey. " At the latter place Capt. Tom Ward held com- 
mand. His force consisted of negroes and vile char- 
ac;ers of his own race. They became as notorious 
as himself. They were a band of plunderers, thiev- 
ing and raiding by night over to Elizabethtown, New- 
ark, New Barbadoes Neck, and along Bergen Hill as 
far up as Closter and New Bridge. Ward is repre- 
sented as having been a horrible wretch. It is said 
that he once hired three negroes to kill a man in Ber- 
gen to whom he was indebted. ' Little Will,' owned 
by Van Ripen, was one of the three. Tom Cadmus, 
another Tory, was sergeant, and ordered the fire. 
The negroes were afterwards caught and hung in the 
swamp north of Brown's Ferry road, near the present 
Glendale House, and their bodies left hanging for 
weeks." 

The block-house was located on the high point 
above the ravine which extends back from the river 
on the north side of Guttenberg. It was protected 
on two .sides by perpendicular rocks which rise from 
the shore and the ravine, and surrounded on the other 
sides by abatis and stockades, with a ditch and par- 
apet. The only entrance to the block-house was a 
covered way large enough to admit but a single per- 
son.' Col. Cuyler being temporarily absent from this 
post, Capt. Tom Ward was in command of the sev- 
enty men stationed there. Washington, then near 
Suffern's, having been informed that tliere were a 
number of cattle on Bergen Neck exposed to the en- 
emy, sent Gen. Wayne to bring them ofl' and to destroy 
the block-house at the same time. On the afternoon 
of July 20, 1780, the First and Second Pennsylvania 
Regiments, with four pieces of Proctor's artillery and 
Moylan's dragoons, in all about one thousand men, 
started from their camp on the expedition. They ar- 
rived at New Bridge about nine o'clock in the evening. 
Here they rested four or five hours, and then pushed 
on for Bull's Ferry. Maj. Lee, the hero of Paulus 
Hook, was sent to Bergen with his cavalry to bring 
off the cattle, while the remainder of the force marched 
against the block-house. Gen. Irvine, with a part of 
his brigade, proceeded along the summit of the ridge, 
and the First Brigade, under Col. Hampton, with the 
artillery of Moylan's horse, by the direct road. About 
ten o'clock on the morning of the 21st part of the 
First Brigade reached the post. Moylan's horse and 
part of the infantry remained at the forks of the road 
leading to Paulus Hook and Bergen, prepared to re- 
ceive the enemy should he approach from that quar- 



l Peinisylvanin Patket, July 25, 1780. 



60 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



ter. Gen. Irvine was posted so as to prevent the en- 
emy's landing should he approach by vessel. Near 
Fort Lee two regiments were concealed, prepared for 
the enemy. One rejritnent was po.ste<I in a hollow 
way on the north side of the block-house, and anotlier 
on the south side, with orders to keep up a constant 
fire into the port-holes to favor the advance of the 
artillery. When the field pieces arrived they were 
placed sixty yards distant and a cannonade com- 
menced, which continued from eleven o'clock till 
noon without intermission. Up t<» that time but little 
impression had been nuule on the block-house, and 
orders were given to retire. Just at that moment one 
regiment burst through the abatis and advanced to 
the stockades. They were received with such a gall- 
ing fire from the Tories that they were compelled to 
withdraw. Tradition says that when the attacking 
party withdrew the Tories had but one round of am- 
munition left. Boats were now beginning to move 
up and down the river, but no attempt was made to 
land. The sloops and wood-boats at the landing were 
destroyed, and three or four prisoners taken. The 
cattle were driven otf as originally intende<l, but the 
other part of the expedition w;ls a failure. CJen. 
Wayne says that he lost fifteen killed and fifteen 
wounded. The enemy claimed that " the brave Capt. 
Ward pursued the rear upwards of four miles, retook 
twenty cattle, killed one rebel, and look two prison- 
ers.'* The refugees admitted the loss of four killed 
and eight wounded.' Among the latter were George 
and Absalom Bull, residents of the immediate neigh- 
borhood. 

Gen. Wayne was chagrined at his failure, and 
on witnessing the slaughter of his men shed tears. 
Washington deeply regretted the misfortune, and 
hastened to explain away the bad effect which the 
failure of the attack upon the block-house might 
have upon Congress. The following is a copy of his 
letter to His Excellency Samuel Huntington, P>q. : 

" IlKADQrAftTr.RS, IIf.rokk Co., July 21, 1784). 

"Sir, — llftviiif; received Infornmllon tlint tlioro wore C4iiiHl<l(>rnt)le 
niimbcreof caUle an<l liorst-a in IterKon Neck, wttlilti ruurti uf the en- 
emy, mill hftTlng reiiMoii ti siiNitect tliat tliey meiuit aliortly lo driiw all 
tuppllfHnr tlint kin<l within t)M<ir HncN, I itrimtK-tl ltrlK--(**'n. Wiiyno 
on tlio '^<ith, with tho Fint iind Scronrl I'etniHylviinia BriKmliii, with 
fuur [ii(H-«i of artillury nttacliud to thpni, ntui C'ul. >li)ylan'H refcimeitl of 
(IrnKoonR, (o htiiig them ofT. I had It al»o in rontemplnlion ^> attempt 
at Ihe Knnic lime the dndtnictiun uf a Mock-huuse erected at Itiill*t 
Ferry, which siTTed the purp<w<' i>f coTcrlng the em-niy'ii wiMxI-ruttcri 
and fcivlnfc necutity tu a l»udy of rpfug*'^ I'T whuni it was K^rriMtned, 
and who cumniitted dopredaUtini niion the well^afToctod Inhabltanta for 
mile* arutind. 

" Gi-n. Wnyni' haTlng dis|Mwd till tn>opA in Ruch a mnDtior im t^ gi^'krd 
thf difTcront lMiidli)K-plnr)>H on Ihr Ih'tKen Mhiiie, ii|H)n which tlit> enemy 
miRht ihruw oTtT iruiiiM fr<>ni Niw Yurk Ulnnd to Int'Tiept hlo retreat, 
and having sent down (he r«valry to sxecute tin* hiinlno^iiof driving off 
the RiiKik. procet-ilnl with thu Kind, Hocund, and Tenth Hegtmenta and 
the artillery to the liluck-h«uM>, whlcli waa •urnmndod l>y an alHtllN and 
•tockailn. It<* for nome lime iriwl the effect of hi* fli'hl-piece« up<in It, 
hut though tlie ftro was ki-pt up for an hour, they were found loo light 
to peu'-trate the log* of wlilih it waa colMtnirted. Th** troo|« during 
thUtlme lK>lng galled l>y acotwlant Are from the loop-holeaof llie houae, 

1 rt[«rka' Wuhinglon. t11. 110. 



and weing nu chance of making a t<reai.'h with cannon, thoae of the 
Fint and Second Regiments, notwithstanding the utmost efforta of the 
offirent lo rebtrain them, rushed through the abatis to the foot of the 
stockade, with a view of forcing an entrauce, whicli waa found imprac- 
ttciihle. This act of intemperate valor was the cjiuac of the loaa we 
HUettiiined, which auiounte«l in the whide to three officers wounded, flf- 
teeii imu-comuii««ioued officers and prlvaloti kille«i, and forty-six uou- 
cuninu»8ioned officent and prirntes wounded. The woundeJ officers are 
Lieutenants Hammond and Crawford, of Ihe First, and Lieutenant 
D'Hnrt, of the Socond, since dead. I cjinnot l>ut mention his death with 
regret, as he was a young gentleman of amiable (inalities, and wlio 
promised fair lo be cerriceable to his country. 

"The dragix>ns in tlie mean time drove off the stock which were found 
in the Neck ; the sloops and wood-boats in the dock near the block-house 
were burnt, and Ihe few people on board uf them made prisoners. 

" I have been thus particular lest the account of this affair should have 
reached I'hiUdelphia much exaggerated, as is commonly the case upon 
such occasions. 

" I have the honor to be, with the greatest respect, sir, 

" Your Excellency's most obedient servant, 

"Geokok Wasbington. 

"To His Excellency Savvcl HcNTtNOTOM, Esq." 

This expedition was greatly exulted over by the 
enemy. Sir Henry Clinton sent a complimentary 
dispatch to the refugees, and even King George the 
Third sent over from England a congratulatory mes- 
sage asking the commander-in-chief to assure "the 
survivors of the brave JSeventi/ that their behavior is 
approved by their sovereign.*' 

We give below the poem of Maj. Andr^% with the 
introductory remarks, as we find them published in 
\\'infieUrs ** History of Hudson County": 

*'The expedition was very neatly caricatured in a nuKk-henuc poem 
wiiuen by M^j. Andre, on thu model of (.'hery Chase. The whole la 
in three cantos. The first was published in Airtfiy<OH*ii GazfUe, Aug. 1G, 
17H0, the second August 3Uth, and the third September '£3*\, The laat 
canto was sent to the paper the day t>efore Audr^< left New York to meet 
Arnold, and publiNtieal the very day he wns captured at Tarr^'towri. Ite 
coiiii><)!titlon may have been suggesteil by the fiu:t thai Andre had boarded 
with John Thompson, the wood-cutting agent at New Y'ork. It was writ- 
ten at headquarters. No. I Broa<lway, except the ftmi ciinto, which waa 
written at Klizabnthtown. Its title was 'The (\»w Chase, in three C«ntofl: 
Published on occasion of the Rebel General Wayne's attack iif Ihe Bef- 
uge««' Dlock'house on Iludimn's River, on F'riday, the 21st of Jtily, 1780.' 
The following is au exact copy of the poem na it appeared in the liateltf : 

"Eliiabcth-Tows, Aug. 1, 1780. 

"THE COW CHASE. 
By 

Major AsDRr:. 



"Canto I. 
'To drive the Kino one summer's niurn. 
The Tanner' look his way. 
The Calf Khali rue that is uuUtrti, 
The jumbling of that day. 

" And Wayne descending Steera shall know. 
And tauntiUKly deride. 
And rail lo mind in every Low, 
The tanning of his hide. 

"Yet Bergen Cows shall ruminate 
Unconaclons in the stall, 
What mighty menna were usett (o get. 
And lose Ihem nflrr all. 

" For many Heroed bold ami brnve 
Pn>m New Bridge and Ta|<nan 
And thoeo thnt drink Tassaick's wave. 
And those that eat .Soupaan,* 



I 



< Gen. Wayne wu of that oceupatlon. 
> The Indian dlab of mush and milk. 



BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE REVOLUTION. 



61 



" Aud sons of distant Delaware 


"The Sounds Confused of boasting Oaths, 




Anil still remoter Shannon,! 


He-echoed through the Wood, 




And Major Lee with lioi-ses rare, 


Some vowed to sleep in dead Men's Cloths, 




And Proctor with bis cannon. 


And some to swim in blood. 




" All wonderoua proud in arms they came 


"At Irvine's nod. 'twas fine to see 




What iiero ctiuld refuse? 


The left preimre to fight, 




To tread the nigged path to fame 


Thf white the Drovers, Wayne and Lee, 




Who had a pair of shoes. 


Drew ofl" uiwn the Right. 




"At six the Host with sweating buff, 


*' Wliirh Irvine 'twas Fame don't relate, 




AnivL-d at Freeihiiii'a Pole,2 


Nor can the Muse assist her, 




Wtien Wa^vne who tbouglit he'd time enough 


Wliether 'twas be that cocks a Hat,& 




Thus specified tlie whole. 


Ur he that gives a Glister. 




**0 ye wboin glory dotti unite, 


" For greatly one was signalized, 




Wlio Freedom's cause espouse. 


That fought at Chestniit-Hill, 




Wliether tlie wing that's doomed to flight 


And Canada immortalized 




Or tliat to clrive tlie Cows, 


The Vender of the Pill. 




'* Ere yet you tempt your further way 


" Yet the attendance upon Proctor, 




Or into action Come, 


They bytb might have to boast of ; 




Hear soldiers what I have tn say 


For then there was business for the Doctor, 




And lake a pint of Kum. 


And hats to be disposed of. 




"Intemp'rate valor then will string 


"Let none uncandidly infer 




Kach nervous arm the better, 


That Stirling wanted Spunk, 




So all (he land shall I sing 


The self-made Peer had sure been there, 




And read the Gen'ral's letter.^ 


But that the Peer was drunk. 




"Know that some paltry Refugees 


" But turn we to the Hudson's Banks, 




Whom I've a mind to fight, 


W*here stood the modest Train, 




Are playing H 1 amongst the trees 


With Purpose firm and slender Rank, 




That grow on yonder height.* 


Nor cared a Pin for Wayne. 




"Their Fort and Block-House we'll level, 


" For then the unrelenting Hand 




And deal a horrid slaughter; 


Of rebel Fury drove, 




Wf'll drive the Scoundrels to the Devil, 


And tore frum every genial Band 




And ravish wife and daugliter. 


Of Friendship and of Love. 




" I under cover of th' attack 


"And some within a Dungeon's Qloom, 




Whilst you are all at blows, 


By mock Tribunals laid, 




From English Neighborhood and Tiuack 


Had waited long a cruel Doom, 




Will drive away the Cows. 


Impending o'er their heads. 




"For well you know the latter is 


" Here one bewails a Brother's Fate, 




Tlie serious operation, 


There one a Sire's demands. 




And fighting with the Refugees 


Cut off alas ! before their date 




Is only demonstration. 


By ignominious Hand. 




"His daring words from all the crowd 


" And silvered Grandsires here appeared, 




Such great applause did gain 


In deep Distress serene. 




That every man declared aloud 


Of reverend manners that declared 




For serious work with Wayne. 


The better days they'd seen. 




" Theu from the Cask of Kum once more 


"Oh curs'd Rebellion these are thine. 




They took a heady jill, 


Thine are these Tales of Woe, 




When one and all they loudly swore 


Shall at thy dire insatiate Shrine 




They'd fight upon the hill. 


Blood never cease to flow? 




" But here — the Muse has not a strain 


" And now the Foe began to lead 




Befitting such great deeds, 


His Forces to th' Attack ; 




Huzza they cried, huzza for Wayne, 


Ball whistling unto balls succeed 




And sboutiug — did their Needs. 


And make the Block-House crack. 




"Canto II. 


" No shot could pass, if you will take 
The General's word fur true ; 




"Near his meridian pomp, the Sun 


But 'tis a a d ble Mistake, 




Had journey'd from the horz'n. 


For every shot went thro'. 




When fierce the dusky tribe moved on 






or Heroes drunk as poison. 


"The firmer as the Rebels pressed. 
The royal Heroes stand ; 
Virtue bad nerved each honest Breast, 
And Industry each Hand. 




1 Irish in the Pennsylvania Line. 

- "Liberty Pole," where Eriglewood now stands. 




3 Letter of Gen. Washington, referred tu above. 






< It is said that the wood-ciitters cleaned the whole hill from Bull's 


& One of the Irvines was a hatter, the other a physician. Dr. 


William 


Ferry to Bergen Point, not leaving a stick large enough to make a whip- 


Irvine, after two years' captivity in Canada, now commanded th 


e Second 


stock. 


Pennsylvania. 





62 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



"' In Valor's I'lirenxy,'* HaniiUun 


" But Wayn<% of sympathizing heart. 




Rode like a Soldier Big, 


Required a relief 




Ami Sevretiiry HArri»on, 


Not all the blewjugs could imimrt 




Willi IVii Mliick ill his Wig. 


Of battle or of beef; 




*" But t(Mt tho Chivflaiii WaHliington 


" For now a prey tu female charms. 




Slioidil niouni tliem in the MuDipa," 


His soul took mure delight In 




The fate of Witheriiigtuii3 to fltnin, 


A lovely HamadryadVaruis, 




Tliey fought hehlmi Ihw Stuiups.' 


Thau Cow drivin or fighting: 




" But ah, Thaddpus I'useet, why 


" A nymph, the Refugees had drove 




Shuuld thy I'oor Soul elope, 


Far fruui her naiivf tree. 




And why aliouWI Titus Hooper* die. 


Just happened to be on the move. 




Ah die — w ithout a rope ? 


When up came Wayuc and Lee. 




" Apostate Murphy, thou to whom 


*' She in mad Anthony*s fierce eye 




Fair Shela ne'er waa cruel, 


The hero saw portrayed, 




/h (Uiith, flutU In-ar h.r uiouni thy Doom, 


And all in tours she took him by — 




Auch wou'd you diu, my Jewell? 


Tho bridle uf liiH Jade. 




"Thee Nathan Pumpkin I lament, 


" Hear, sitid the nymph, great Commander I 




Of melancholy Kate, 


No human lamentations; 




Tlie Grey Goose stolen as he went, 


The trees you see them cutting yonder 




In his Heiirt's lilood wns wet.'' 


Are all my near relations. 




" Now as the Fight was furiber fought. 


" And I, forlorn I implore thine aid, 




And Balls liegati to thicken, 


To free the sacred grove ; 




The Fray asBumed. the General thought. 


So shall thy pr^twess bo repaid 




The Color of a licking. 


WMth an immortal love. 




"Yet undismayed the Chiefs Command, 


*' Now some, to provt- she was a Goddeas, 




And to retleeni the Day, . 


Said this enchanting Fair, 




Cry, S01.DIEKS Chakok! they hear, they stand, 


Had late retired from the Borfie*,' 




They turn and run away. 


In all the pump of war; 




"Canto III. 


"That drumH and m»'rry fifes had played 
To honor her retreat, 




" Not nil dolightB the bloody spear, 


And Cunningham'* himself conveyed 




Or horrid din of battle. 


The lady through the street. 




There are, I'm sure, would like to hear 






A word about the Cattle. 


*' Great Wayne, by s<»ft compaasion swayed, 
To no inquiry stotijis. 




"The Chief whom we beheld of lute, 


But takes tbf fair, anilcled maid 




Near fk-hfalenlmrg liMrnriKiiig, 


lihjht into Yan Van Poop's. 




At Yhii Van Poitp's uinoiisoious sat 






Of Irvine's hearty banging ; 


"So Roman Anthony, they say, 
Di9grHce<l the imi^erial banner, 




"Whilst raliftiit Let-, with courage wild. 


And for a gliwy lost a day. 




Mtwt bnivnly illd oppoMO 


Like Anthony the Tanner. 




The team of woman and of child, 






Who tM.>ggod he'd leave the Cows. 


"Tho Hamadryad bad but half 






Receivetl retlreac from Wayne, 
When drums and colors, cow and calf. 




1 " Col. Hamiltan, mentlonml In Lee's trial us flourishing liis sword 




and being in a sort of ' phrenzii 0/ m/or.* llarriiH>n, mentioned in this 


Came down the road amain. 




Terae, bad met Andr^ at Amiwy."— Hi.iriWd, 176. 


"All In a cloud of dust were seen 




1 Muniiw pre%*allod In the American tines. 


The sheep, the horse, the gtwt. 




*"*For Witherington must I waylo, 


The gonth' heifer, ass obscene. 




As one In doleful dumpM; 


The yearling and the shout ; 




For when his legs wore smitten ofT 






IIo fought ui*on bis stuiiiprt.' 


" The pack-homoi with fowls came by, 




"The battle of Chevy Cliasf. or (»ttcrlMmrne. on the borders of Scot- 


Befealbered on each sbie. 




land, was fought Aug. 5, l.'WS, between Iho fumllles of Percy and Pong- 


Ukc IVgasus. the lionw that I 




laM. Th)> song was prolmbly written much after that time, though long 


And other |KMt* lido. 




before 1A88, as Ileartie supiNiaes. In Ihe old copy of the ballad tho llnw 






run thus: 


"Subllmo upon hlssHrrnps rose 




"• For Wlthnroyngton my harto was wo 


The mighty Lee l^ehlnd, 




That i>%'er ho >laytie shulde l>e, 


And dntve the terror-smitten cows 




For when IhiIIi hi* legge's wore hewyne in to 


Like chaff before the wind. 




II«! knyled and fought upon his kne.' "—Ibid. 


" But sudden see the woods above 




< Titus Ilopiwr, who llvi'd aU.vo Afpiai-kanourk, near Hopper's Mill, 


Pour dt.wn itnothor curpe, 




on the east side of the Paanalr Ulvyr. IIo was murdtTi'd by the Tories 


All liplter-skelter In a drove. 




under John Van do Il^Kler, a nrlgbbor, who entered his house in the 


Like that I sang before. 




night, and after sb>K»ting him through th>> head, compoltod his wife to 






hold a candle while they thrust nineteen iMiyonels into him. 






' " Against Sir Hugh Montgomery 


• A deity of the woods. 




Si> rlQbt the Shalt li>- roU, 


7 A cant appellation of tho corps which formed His MiOosty's 


I»dy 


The grey go«Mie uinu that was thereon 


guard. 




In hl« heart's blo«Ml was w«ii," 


"Cunnlnghim was proviwl -marshal i-f N-* V-tU mk.I.-. Ho- British. 



BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE REVOLUTION. 



63 



"Irvine and terror iu the van, 
Ciinie flying "H aliroad, 
And cannon, colors, horse and man 
Ran tumbling to the road. 

"Still as he tied, 'twas Irvine's cry. 
And his example too, 
Run on my merry men. For why? 
' The shot will not go through,' i 

"As when two kennels in the street, 
Swelled with a ret-ent rain. 
In gushing streams together meet 
And seek the neighboring drain, 

" So meet these dung-born tribes in one, 
Asswift in their career. 
And so to New Bridge they run on, — 
But all the cows got clear. 

" Poor Parson Caldwell,^ all iu wonder, 
Saw the returning train. 
And mourned to Wayne the lack of plunder, 
For them to steal again. 

*' For 'twas his right to seize the spoil, and 
To share with each commander, 
As he had done at Staten Island 
With frost-bit Alexander.3 

" In his dismay the frantic priest 
Began to grow prophetic, 
You had swore, to see his laboring breast, 
He had taken an emetic. 

" I view a future day, said he. 

Brighter than this day dark is, 
And you shall see what you shall see, 
Ha! ha! one pretty Marquis.^ 

" And lie shall come to Paulus Hook 
And great achievements tliink on, 
And make a bow and take a look, 
Like Satan over Lincoln. 

"And all the land around shall glory 
To see the Frenchman caper, 
And pretty Susan tell the story 
In the next Chatham paper.^ 

" This solemn prophecy, of course, 
Gave all much cons<ilatiun, 
Except to Wayne, who lost his horse 
Upon the great occasion. 

" His horse that carried all his prey. 
His military speeches, 
His corn-stalk whiskey for his grog. 
Blue stockings and brown breeches. 



> "Five Refugees ('tis true) were found 
Stiff on the block-house floor, 
But then 'lis thought the shot went round 
And in at the back door." 

2 Rev. James Caldwell, of New Jersey. His wife was shot by one of 
Knyphausen's men. When Knyphausen made his incursion to Spring- 
field, Mr. Caldwell collected the hymn-books of his church for wadding. 
" Put a little Watts into them," said he to the soldiers. He waa shot by 
James Morgan, at Elizabethtown Point, Nov. 24, 1781. Morgan was sup- 
posed to have been bribed to do the act. He was tried and executed in 
1782. 

8 Lord Stirling, who in a foray into Staten Island in January, 1780, 
had five hundred of his men frost-bitten. 

* Lafayette. 

6 The New Jersey Gazette was published at Chatham during the war, 
and Susanna Livingston, sister of Governor Livingston, and afterwards 
third wife of John Cleves Symmes, wrote occasional articles for its col- 
umns. 



" And now Tve closed my epic strain, 
I tremble as I show it. 
Lest this same warrior-drover, Wayne, 
Should ever catch the poet." 

Alas, poor Andre ! He was caught soon after, and 
althongh Washington would fain have spared him, 
and was anxious to exchange him for the traitor Ar- 
nold, yet he was obliged to execute him as a spy, in 
accordance with tlie hiws of war. The place where 
Maj. Andr6 was executed is about a quarter of a mile 
west of the village of Tappan, within a few hundred 
yards of the New Jersey line. It is on an eminence 
overlooking to the east a romantic and fertile valley. 
A small heap of stones thrown carelessly together, 
with an upright stake for a centre, marked the place 
of his execution and grave. 

The following account of the execution of Andre, 
which took place Oct. 2, 1780, is given by an eye- 
witness : 

" T was at that time an artificer in Col. Jciluthun Baldwin's regiment, 
a part of which was stationed within a short distance of the spot where 
Andre suffered. One of our men (I believe his name was Armstrong), 
being one of the oldest and best workmen in the regiment, was selected 
to make his coflBn, which he performed, and painted black, agreeably to 
the custom of those times. 

"At this time Andre was confined in what was called a Dutch church, 
a small stone building with only one door, and closely guarded by six 
sentinels. When the hour appointed for his execution arrived, which I 
believe was two o'clock p.m., a guard of three hundred men was paraded 
at the place of his confinement. A kind of procession was formed by 
placing the guard in a single file on each nide of the road. In front 
were a large number of American officers of high rank on horseback. 
These were followed by the wagon containing Andre's coffin, then a 
targe number of officers on foot, with Andre in their n idst. The pro- 
cession moved slowly up a moderately-rising hill, I sbuuld think about 
a fourth of a mile to the west. On the top was a field without any in- 
closure. In this was a very high gallows, made by r-etting up twu poles, 
or crotches, and laying a pole on the top. The wagon that contained 
the coffin was drawn directly under the gallows. In a short time Andr^ 
stepped into the hind part of the wagon, then on his coffin, took off 
his hat and laid it down, then placed his hands upon his hips, and 
walked very uprightly bnck and forth as far as the length of his coffin 
would permit, at the same time casting his eyes upon the pole over his 
head and the whole scenery by which he was surrounded. He was 
dressed iu what I should call a complefe Brilish uniform : his coat was 
of the brightest scarlet, faced ur trimmed with the most beautiful green. 
His underclothes, or vest and breeches, were bright buff, very similar to 
those wnru by military officers in Connecticut at the present day. He 
had a long and beautiful head of hair, which, agreeably to the fashion, 
was wound with a black ribbon and hung down his back. All eyes were 
upon him, and it is not believed that any officer iu the British army 
placed in his situation would have appeared better than this unfortunate 
mau. 

" Not many minutes after he took his stand upou the coffin the execu- 
tioner stepped into the wagon with a halter in liis hand, on one end of 
which was what the soldiers iu those days called a hangman's knot, 
which he attempted to put over the head and around the neck of Andre, 
but by a sudden movement of his hand this was prevented. Andre took 
off the handkerchief from his neck, unpinned his shirt-collar, and de- 
liberately took the end of the halter, put it over his head, and placed 
the knot directly under his right ear, and drew it very snugly to his 
neck. He then took from his coat-pocket a handkerchief and tied it 
over his eyes. This done, the officer that commanded (his name I have 
forgotten) spoke in rather a loud voice, and said that his arms must be 
tied. Andre at once pulled down the handkerchief he had just tied over 
his eyes, and drew from his pocket a second one, and gave it to the exe- 
cutioner, and then replaced his handkerchief. His arms were tied just 
above the elbows and behind the back. The rope was then made fai* to 
the pole overhead. The wagon was very suddenly drawn from under the 
gallows, which, together with the length of the rope, gave him a most 
tremendous swing back and forth, but in a few moments he hung en- 



64 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



tfrely gUW. Duriu^ thv whult> inin»actiuii h** H{ip4-nn*d aa Utile ■Jniioted 
as Mr. John Ilogfrw wliuii be vmu aUnit to l>« )>uriit Ht llie ttiuke, l>iit blB 
counlenaiico wiis rather pale. He reiujUiie«l banking, I obuiihl tbiuk^ 
from twenty to thirty niinutee, nud tltirjng thni tinu* the cbatnl»erB of 
death were never stiller than the niultitu<le hy which he wasrinrroimded. 
Orders were given to cut the mpo nnd take him down without letting 
him fall. This was done, and his l>ody carefully laid on (be ground. 
Shortly after the guard watu withdniwn, and HiK-rtnlorH wert.' allowed to 
coDie forwani and vii>w the corpse, hut tlie crowd wsut *. f:reat that \t 
wn« »ome time before I couhl get an opportunity. When I wiu ithlo to 
do thifl his coat, vest, and hreecbtw were tak^-n off, and his body laid io 
the coffin, covered by some uuderclotlietf. The toji of the coffin was not 
put on. I viewed the corpse more carefully than I had ever done that 
of any bnntnn being before. Hix head was very iniich on one side, in 
consequence uf the manner in which the halter drew upon his neck. 
flis face uppeare<l to be greatly swollen and vi'r>' blark, much reuembliog 
aliigh degree of morlincation. It wtkn indeed u Hhorking eight to heliotd. 
There were at thii tiuie standing at the f(^K)t of bis conin two young men 
of uncommon short stature, I should think not more than four feet high. 
Tlieir dre^s wo;* the most gaudy I ever beheld. One of them had the 
clothes juftt taken from Aadrv hanging on his artn. I took itarticular 
pains to learn who they were, and was informed that they were liis ser- 
vants, sent up from New York to take caro of his clothes, but what otlier 
busineM I did not learn. 

" I now turnM to take ti view of the executioner, who was still stand- 
ing by one of the |HMtM of tlie gallows. I walked nigh enough to him tu 
have laid mv hand u|K>n his shoulder, and lo<>ke<l hint directly in the 
face. lie appeared to I>e altout twenty-five years of age, his lieard of two 
or tliree weeks' growth, and liis whole face covere<I with what appeared 
to me to be a blacking taken front the outside of a greasy pot. A mora 
frightfuMooking being 1 never beheld; his whole countenance bespoke 
hiui to be A fit instrument for the business he had been doing. Wishing 
to see the ch>sing of the whole business, I remained upon the spot until 
scarce twenty persons were left, but the coffin was »titl beside the grave, 
which had previously l»een dtig. I now relurm-d to my lent, with my 
mind deeply imbued with the shocking scene I hiul t>een called to wit- 



In 1821 the remains of Maj. Andrt'' were disinterred 
by order of the Duke of York and taken to West- 
minster Abbey, where they now rest. When Dean 
Stanley wa-s in tins country, in ()ctol>cr, 1878, he and 
Mr. Cyru.s W. Field, his host, visited the spot where 
Andre* Wiw executed and originally buried. The cedar- 
trees which originally marked the spot had been dug 
up and removed with the remains in 1821, and two 
wild-c!ierry tree.s, which are still standinjr, planted in 
their jilace. A curious fact in this connection is that 
a peach-tree which had sprung up <»ti the j;rave was 
found to have wrapped its roots around Maj. Andre's 
skull. Mr. Grove, of Mnci»i(hn*s M(if/(iziiit\ who ac- 
companied Dean Stanley and Mr. Field, in recalling 
this incident, referred to Tennyson's well-known lines 
in (Hie of the openinj? stanzas of "In Memoriam," 
and said that possibly they liad been suggested by it. 
The lines are: 

"Old yew, which gmitpeth at the stones 
That mime the unilerlying dead. 
Thy fibres net the dreamk-M hvnd, 
Thy roolii are wnippo«l alN<ut the iKiues." 

In 1870, Mr. Cyrus W. Field purchased thirty acres, 
including the site of the execution and burial of An- 
tlr/', aiifl erected thereon a granite nionumciit, which 
contains tlic following inscription, written by Dean 
Stanlev : 1 



♦* Here died. October 2, ITSO, 
Major John A^nRBof the Urltisb Anuy, 

who, entering the American lines 

on a secret mission to Heneilict Arnold 

for the surrender of Weiit Toint, 

was takeu prisoner, tried, and condemned as a spy. 

Ills death, 

though according to the Ntern code uf war, 

moveil even his enemies to pity ; 

and both armies mourned the fate 

uf one so young and so brave. 

In 1821 his remains were removed tu Westminster 

Abbey. 

A hundred years after the execution 

this stone is placed above the spot where he lays 

by a citizen of the United States against 

whom he fought, 

not to per|>etuato the ie<--oitl of strife, 

but in t4iken of those better feelings 

which have since united two nations, 

oue in race, in lLinguaKe,and in religion, 

with the hope that tliis friendly union 

will never be broken." 

Under the inscription is the name, 
Penrhyn Stanley, Dean of Westminster." 



I 



' Arthur 



■ N*w Jonwjr llUt I'ol., |>|i. 77, 7H. 



CHAP T K K X V. 

UERGEX AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IX THE KEVO- 
LUTION— (ContinucJ). 

Miscellaneous Notes and Extracts. — In the 
luimitos 111' the liouni uf .lustitcs and I'rt'fholders, 
July 4, 1775, tlie (juestion was raised " whether the 
County Committee should have the riglit in case of 
emergency to take the county arms out of the court- 
house." The board unanimously agreed that they 
had such right. It appears in March, 177i), that the 
Continental Congress had purchased part of the arms, 
for we find the following: "Ordered liy the board 
that the remaining five guns, with the accoutrements 
belonging to four guns, shall be sold by Peter Za- 
liriskie, Esfj., at the same price that the Continental 
Congress allowed for the others, and that the money 
arising from the sale be paid into the hands of the 
County Collector." 

Of the .same date is a " Ueceipt from Jo-seph Meeker' 
for 7!l Guns, liayoneta, and ISelts, and 78 Cartridge 
Pouche-s and iiells, 42.') Flints and !).*<(» Belts, with an 
order from the Hoard of Justices and Frei'holders to 
call on Messrs. Ilendrick Fisher and Samuel Tucker 
for payment. The Hoard ordered that Mr. Job Smith 
call on Messrs. Fisher and Tucker for payment for 
the said arms ami aceoutrement.s, at the price the 
Congress allows, and also fcir the Hint.s and balls at 
the usual prices for those articles, and that Mr. Smith, 
when he receives the .said money, pay the same to the 
t'ounty Collector." 

Fines for the non-service of the militia were col- 
lected in 1780. "The Board ordercil that the Jus- 
tices order any number of men to guard the Consta- 

> UiyJ. JoM|>ti Blc«kor, uf .SuiMX County. 



BEKGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE KEVOLUTION. 



65 



ble in collecting tlie said Fines, and that 25 Dollars 
per Day be allowed to each man for their services." 

During the war the tax levies upon the county 
were enormous. The records show that from April 1, 
1780, to March 1, 1781, the total amount of tax col- 
lected in the county was £424,222 17(i. 6d. This will 
give the readersome idea of what a financial burden the 
war was ; yet, for the most part, it was borne cheerfully 
by the people. Had the whole county been united in 
support of the struggle for independence the burden 
would have been much lighter, but the county was 
divided on that question, as was more or less the case 
throughout the colonies. Too great honor cannot be 
accorded to those noble patriots, who not only pledged 
their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to 
uphold the cause of free government, but who made 
that pledge good through peril, hardship, and suffer- 
ing, and even at the cost of life itself Perhaps the 
hardest trial which many of them had to endure was ] 
to see .some of their own friends and neighbors turn 
their backs upon the cause of liberty and join the 
enemies of their country. 

There was an Englishman by the name of John 
Berry, called " John the Regular," who was a terror 
to this section of the country during the Revolution. 
The government at one time offered a thousand 
pounds for his apprehension. During one of those 
frequent raids from the old block-house, some com- 
panies of militia under Capts. Blanch and Van Valen 
were sent out from their rendezvous at Tappan to in- 
terrupt a foraging-party of British and Refugees. 
They met the party near Liberty Pole, now Engle- 
wood, where an engagement took place. In this en- 
gagement Berry, who was with the enemy, was shot, 
and was discovered concealed under a fallen tree by 
Samuel Van Valen and James Blauvelt, who knew 
him to be Berry and raised their guns to fire upon 
him, whereupon he begged for his life and surren- 
dered. He was then mortally wounded. He was 
brought in a wagon to Hackensack, and was buried 
near the present Kansas Street. 

Extracts from the Minutes of the Council of 
Safety, 1777.— June 21, 1777, Peter Fell, of Bergen 
County, declined accepting the appointment of com- 
missioner (to look after abandoned property), and 
Teunis Dey was appointed iu his place, July 8, 1777. 
A number of persons apprehended on suspicion of 
being disaffected and imprisoned were upon exam- 
ination discharged or exchanged for prisoners taken 
by the British. Such was the case with Isaac and 
Cornelius Van Saan, of Bergen County, who had 
been some time in jail at Morristown. On June 24, 
1777, these men were brought before the Council of 
Safety, and nothing being found against them were 
discharged. But Chief Justice Morris, happening to 
enter the Council at that moment, gave, probably 
upon rumor, such information as induced the Coun- 
cil to remand them again to jail. 

On the 27th of June a " petition of sundry inhab- 



itants of Bergen was read to the Council, setting forth 
that Isaac and Cornelius Van Saan, inhabitants of 
the county of Bergen, and now under confinement 
at Morristown, have not acted in opposition to the 
United States or aided the enemy otherwise than by 
compulsion, and praying that they may be released 
on certain terms therein specified." The motion was 
at that time laid on the table, but the Council after- 
wards agreed " that Isaac Van Saan and Cornelius 
Van Saan, now in confinement at Morristown, be ex- 
changed for John and David Demarest, now in con- 
finement in New York, and that Col. Boudinot, 
commissary-general of jirisoners, negotiate the ex- 
change." ' 

Aug. 20, 1777 : 

Jgre€dy7hat Cnpt. Abmliam Harring be directed and authorized to 
eiiliat ii company of thirty-six men, and to chooae one otlier commis- 
sioned officer, to serve a^ vohuiteera of tiie militia of tlie county of 
Bergen, to he employed for three niontlis, unless sooner discharged, as a 
guard for tlie North and East frontier parts of said County ; and that the 
said captain he authorized to purchase provisions for the said party wheu 
on actual service, or to appoint some proper person to purchase the same, 
and transmit proper accounts thereof to the Legislature, or in their 
recess to the Council of Safety, and that Mr. Camp do furnish Col. Teunis 
Dey with thiity-five pounds cash to purchase ammunition for said party, 
and that the said Camp do accovint for the expenditure of such ammu- 
nition when the said service is over.'" '^ 

Dec. 5, 1777 : 

"Agreed, That Maj. Mauritius Qoetschius be authorized to raise a com- 
pany of sixty men, with one lieutenant and an ensign, for the defense of 
the Northern parts of Bergen County, and to prevent the depredations 
of the enemy and disaffected persons, and the illicit trade and intercourst 
carried on between the county of liergen and New York, and that they 
continue to serve during three months unless sooner discharged." 3 

"Agreed, That John Alter, John Blinkerhoof, John Smith, and John 
De (Iroot, who have gone over to the enemy, have permission to return 
to this State, upon condition of their hringingwith them Peter Weater- 
velt, Jacob Westervelt, John Weslervelt, Henry Vervalier, and Jacob 
Fredon, now prisonei-s in New York." ^ 

Dec. 8, 1777 : 

"Jacob Bogert, Samuel Demarest, Henrick Zabriski, Cornelius Acker- 
man, Isaac Stags, and John Ackerman having been apprehended for 
going int«i and returning out of the enemy's lines without the passport 
required by law. Agreed, tliat they have five days to consider whether 
they will enlist in one of our battalions during the war."' 

The following are extracts from letters published 
in the newspapers of the time : 

Erlraclfriim a letter dated New BarUadoes, Bergen Co., April 22, 1779. 

" Yesterday evening Capt. Jolin Hopper, a brave and spirited officer of 
the militia of this county, was basely murdered by a party of ruffians 
from New York. He discovered them breaking open his stable-door, 
and hailed them, upon which they filed and wounded liim. He returned 
to his house; they followed, burst open the door, and bayoneted him 
in upwards of twenty places. One of them had formerly been a neighbor 
of Ilia." 

Ejirnctfrom u leUer dated Closter, Maij III, 1779. 

" This day about one liundred of the enemy came by the way of New 
Dock, attacked this place, and carried off Cornelius Tallman, Samuel 
Demarest, .Jacob Cole, and George Buskirk, killed Cornelius Demarest, 
wotinded Hendrick Demarest, Jeremiah Westervelt. Dow Tallman. etc. 
They burnt the dwelling-houses of Peter Demarest, Matthias Bogert, and 



1 Minutes of the Council of Safety, June, 1777, p. 70. 
- Ibid,, p. 122. ^ Ibid., p. 169. 

< Ibid., p. 169. ■' Ibid., p. 170. 



6G 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Cornelius Huyler, Samuel Deniareat'sliouBeand barn, John BAiita> house 
anil l>arii, and runielhis Bogert'o anil John WedtorrAlt*t! barns. They 
atttrnipted to 1<iirii every liiiililing tliey entered, but the fire was in »iine 
pincee exliiiguislied. They <l<>8tro>'ed all the fnrnltiire, etc., in niiuiy 
huusefl. aiitl abused many of tbe women. In their retreat they were no 
clu«ely pursni-d by the militia and a few Continental troope that they 
t<Hik ofTnn cuttle. They wereuf Bnukirk's eor|M,6ome of our old Cluster 
»hd Tappan neighUm, joined by a party uf negroes. I should have 
Diuntioued the negroe« first, in order to grace the Itritish anus.*' 

Extract/rom a letter dtited Seic BuWhiJom, July 22, 1779. 
" On Sunday afternoon, the luth iuKt., a party of Rerngeea and Toriee, 
In number about twenty, under the couiDnind uf Lieut. Waller (as it is 
mid), landed at Closter Dock, and atlvanced to the iieiKhborhood called 
Cloeter, from which ihey collected and drove ofT a considerable number 
of cattle iind horeeii, in order to carry them on Imard a sloop which they 
had brougtit up for that pur|K>8e. Tliey were pursued by Cajit. Ilarring 
and Thomnn Itninch, Keq., ut the heud of u few of their nejgliliors, 
haitlily collected, who recuvereil all the i-attio except two and a ctilf.and 
all the horacH save one and an old mure, which they had got ou board 
previous ti» the arrivitl of Capt. Ilarring. The captain Unyk. iwu primon- 
ere, seven Ktandof urms, and three suits of clotlic(<,atid obliged the enemy 
to cut their cable, conceal themselves below deck, and let tht-ir vessel 
drlvt9 with the tide, iiotwilhsianding above twenty vessels in the river 
attempted to pnitect them by cannonading Capt. Harring.'* 

The following miscellaneous items were printed in 
the newspapers in 1780: 

** An inhabitant of Bergen named Van Wagener was taken by the 
Refugees on his return from tbo rebels. He had gone, after recon* 
nnltring the Refugees* Post, to give intelligence of the situation. It is 
n\»'> said that the rebels hit vr carried otT Mr. .lohii Phillips, u quiet itihiib- 
ilnnl, on a suspicion of his huvirig l>een friendly to our pe«»ple.*' — New 
York GaxeUe and H'cekhj ,lfej*-iij/er, Oct. 16, 17H0. 

"The rebels on Saturdiiy burnt Col. William Bayard's new house and 
l>nrn at Cttstile, on the north end of Iloebuck, and destroyed all the for- 
age and timber to be found there to a very large amount." — AVir )*or|: 
Mercury, .\ug. 2«, 1780. 

"Gens. Washington, Lafayette, Greene, and Wayne, with many other 
ofBcers and lari^o iNxlles of rebels, have been in the vicinity of Bergen 
for many diiys past. They have taken all the fonige fmni the inbnb- 
itaiits of tliHtplac*'. Their officers were down to Prior's Mill last Friday, 
but did not seem iucUned to make any attack.** — Same paper. 

*' In one of these visits to Bergen, Wasliington and 
Lafayetto dined under an apple-tree in tlie (orchard 
hack of Ilartinan Van Wagener's liouse, close by the 
Bergen Square. Tliis w;lh blown down by the great 
gale of Sept. 3, 1821. A pleasing reference was made 
to thi.s incidrnt when the marquis visited this country 
in 1X24. ( )ti Thursday, the 2:{d of September in that 
year, he liinded in Jersey City. At Lyon's Hotel he 
was introduceii to Governor William.son and others. 
Accompanied by a large retinue he moved on towards 
Newark. At the Five Corners the Bergen people had 
gathered in large numbers to do him honor. He was 
preseiittMl with a superb cane, made (»f the apple-tree 
under which he and his chief had dined, elegantly 
mounted with gohl, with this inscription: 'Shaded 
the hero and his friend Washington in 1771); pre- 
sented Ijy the Corporation of Bergen in 1824.* " It was 
aceompanie<l by the following addr(\Hs by Dominic 
Cornelison : 

"GcNKRAL, — In behalf of my fellow-cftlzens, I bid ymi a hearty and 
oonllal welcome to the town of llergen, a phice t)irt>iigh which yon 
trmveleil during our llevidutlonnry struggle for Ijlwrty and Independ- 
ence, AiMK-latoil with our llluslriouk Wnshlngtou, yoiir example In- 
spired roumge anri patrloiliim In the heart of every true .\nierican. 

" You, sir, left your abotle of ease, aflluenre, and happinriw to endure 
llie hardahiiM and prlfatlons of the i-anip. To nnuniernte your marllst 
deeds is st this lime iinneceMary, yet they awaken and call forth our 



warmeet gmtitude. As a tribute of esteftoi and veneratton, permit me, 
sir, to ask the favor of your acceptance of this small token of respect, 
taken from an apple-tree under which you once dine<t, nnd which once 
offered you n shelter from the piercing mys of noonday ; and, although 
it possesses no healing virtue, may it still be a support. And may you, 
sir, after ending a life of usefulness and piety, be adndttinl into the 
regions of everlasting joy and felicity." — Sentitul of Preedomt Sept. 28, 
1824. 

, " A party of rebels came to and plundered Bergen last Friday.** — N*%e 

I I'orJt Merrury, April 2, 1781. 

"Last Friday night a party went from Newark and captured two 
sloops lying near Refugee Post, on Bergen shore, out of which they took 
eight prisoners, who were sent to Morristown.*' — .V<*r York I'uckel, Aug. 
30, 1781. 

** Last Wednesday night a party of Ward's plunderers fh>Di Bergen 
Neck came to the neighborliood of Hnckensack, where they collected a 
number of cattle, which the inhabitants retook, and killotl and wounded 

, several of the miscreatits." — A>ir Jeru'y Journal, Sept. 5, 1781. 

"On Wednesday evening last a party of eleven men under Capt. Wil- 
liam Harding went from Fort De Lnncey, on Bergen Neck, to Closter 
and oiptured a rebel guani of six men and Unpen cattle, and took tliem 
safely to the fort,*' — AVir York Mercury, Sept. 17, 1781. 

It was from Fort De Lancey, the stronghold of the 
Refugees on Bergen Neck, that the following address 
to Prince William Henry, the third son of George 
III., and afterwards William IV., emanated. In Sep- 
tember, 1781, the prince arrived in New York as mid- 
shipman under Admiral Digby. The Refugees at 
Fort De Lancey availed themselves of the oi>portunity 
to display their obsetinious loyalty, and on the 1st of 
October laid before His Royal Highness the address 
which we give below : 

"To His Roval Hioiiness Puince William Hlnsy: 

" We, His Majesty's dutiful nnd loyal subjects, the Kefngeee stationed 
on Bergen Neck, beg leave to address your Royal Highness (through the 
channel of our commanding officer) on your safe arrival In America. It 
is impossible for us to express the satisfaction thai is visible in the (ace 
of ever>' Individual l>olouging to our immll iwrty at m) dlHtinguisbed au 

'■ honor paid to the loyal inhabitants of (hie continent by the arriral of so 
amiable and distinguished n character as the son of our royal sovereign. 
"The mensures pursued by a designing, base set iif men early lu this 
unnatural contest obliged ns to leave our habitations and tly for safety 
to His Majesty's troopt^, since which we have let our )H.<rse<-ulor8 (who 
meant our dwtruction) feel the ofii*cts of our resentment, and ct>uviuced 
them that we contended for that which every man, at the risk of his life, 
ou^ht to defend. 

"Therefore we flatter onrs«*lveH that your Royal Highness is ciinvinced 
of our sincerity, of our attachment to their Mt^esties and the royal pro* 

, geny iwhlch we are always willing to give frefh priKifs of), praying for 
that day when rebellion nmy bo crushed and |H)ftce eetablislteil through- 

\ out this continent, und His Majesty's standard <Iisplaye«l triumphant by 
land and sea. May Heaven protect your Royal Highness to time of 

I danger, and permit you to n^turn cimwuihI with th** launds uf victory to 
your niyal parents. 
"Fort I>r. Lanckv, os Rkroen Neck, 1st October, 1781.'* 

This address was presented to the prince by Maj. 
Thoma.s Ward and his ofticers. Through Admiral 
Digby the prince replied: 

I "OOMMAFfDANT*S HorSR, 

I "Niw YoKK.Oct. 3, 1781. 

"The hnndde addnwi of llirt Majesty's dutmil and loyal subjects, the 
Refugees Htatione<l on Rergon Neck, has l>een received by Ills Royal 
I Highness. 

"Ills Royal HighiiMs has ieen with pleasute the lt>yal sentiments 
contained In Iheaildress.and Rear- Admiral IMgby will take cnrr to make 
them known to His M'ljraty. Roni-.RT Dioiir. 

"To TIIK CoMMtNDINU OrtliTK Of Till: I«OYAL ItP.rt'OrKS STATIONi:i> 

AT UKitur.N Nkck." 

About the Ist of September, 1782, Fort iK- Lancey 
was evacuated and burned. On Saturday, October 



CONFISCATED ESTATES IN BERGEN COUNTY. 



67 



5th, Maj. Ward, with his despised and motley crew of 
Refugees, embarked for Xova Scotia, carrying with 
them implements of husbandry, one year's provisions, 
and the undying hatred of all Americans. The 
patriots who had suffered at their hands rejoiced at 
their exile, and in song sneered at their future home: 

" Nova Scotia, that coUi, barren land. 
Where they live upon shell-fish and dig iu tlu' sand."' 



CHAPTER XVI. 

CONFISCATED ESTATES IN BERGEN COUNTY. 

Among the first acts passed by the Legislature of 
New Jersey were those relating to the security of the 
government and the punishment of treason. At the 
first session under the Constitution, held at Princeton, 
from the 27th of August to the Sth of October, 1776, 
an act was passed, on the 19th of September, repeal- 
ing the old oath of loyalty to the king, and prescrib- 
ing the new oath of allegiance to the government 
formed by authority of the people. The oath of 
abjuration of the kingly authority is in the words 
following, to wit : 

" I, A. B., do sincerely profess and swear (or, if one of the people called 
Cfuakers, nffirml That I do not hold myself bound to bear Allegiance to the 
King o/ Great Britain. So help me God." 

The following is the oath of allegiance to the popu- 
lar government : 

" I, A. B., do sincerely profess and swear (or, if one of the people called 
Quakers, affirm) That I do ond wilt bear true Faith and Allegionce to the 
Government established in this State under the A uthority of the People. So 
help me God." 

In an " Act to punish traitors and disaffected per- , 
sons," passed Oct. 4, 177G, it is provided in the fourth 
section — 

" That any two Justices of the Peace shall and they hereby are em- 
powered and directed to Convene by Summons or Warrant any Person 
whatsoever whom they shall suspect to be dangerous or disaffected to 
the present Government, and to tender and administer to him the Oaths 
of Abjuration and Allegiance set forth in an Act entitled ' An Act for the 1 
Security of the Government of New Jersey,' passed the nineteenth 
of September, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-Six.2 And if 
any person to whom the said Oath shall be tendered shall neglect or re- 
fuse to take the same, the said Justices shall hind him over with suJB- 
cient Sureties to appear at the ne.\t Court of General Quarter-Sessions of 
the Pea^^e, and to be in the meanwhile of good Behaviour ; and in de- 
fault of sufficient sureties, or on refusal to be bound, the said Justices are 
hereby empowered and directed to Commit such Offender to close Gaol, ' 
and Certify the same, witli the cause of commitment, under their Hands 
and seals, to the next Court of (Juarter-Sessions of the Peace, where, if 
such offender refuse to take the said Oaths, he shall continue bound to I 
his good Behaviour, or be fined or imprisoned, as the said Court shall 
deem necessary." 

In the early stage of the war many persons had 
been induced to leave their homes and their friends 
and join the army of the king of Great Britain. 
Others who had been guilty of treasonable practices 
against the State secreted themselves to escape punish- 



ment. " In compassion for their unhappy situation," 
and desirous that every means should be employed to 
restore such to their allegiance and to the benefits of 
a free government, the Legislature of New Jersey, on 
the 5th of June, 1777, passed " An Act of free and 
general pardon, and for other purposes therein men- 
tioned." This act provided that all such offenders 
who chose to return to their allegiance or join the 
cause of their country before the 5th day of August 
next ensuing should meet with amnesty on the part 
of the government, and upon taking the prescribed 
oath before the judge of the Supreme Court, or of the 
Court of Common, or any justice of the peace, should 
receive the following form of certificate : 

*' I, C. D. (one of the Justices, etc., as the case may be), do lierehy Cer- 
tify that A. B., being one of the Offenders described in an Act of the 
Legislature of New Jersey, made and passed the fifth day of June, One 
Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-seven, intitled * An Act of free 
and general Pardon, and for other Purposes therein mentioned,' having 
volnntarihj appeared before me and claimed the Benefit of the said Act, 
hath this day taken and Subscribed the Oaths (or Affirmations, as the 
case may require) prescribed in tlie said Act. Given under my Hand and 
Seal the Day of Anuo Domini 1777. 



• C. D. 



JL.S. 



On presenting this certificate to the clerk of the 
county of his residence, to be recorded in a book kept 
for that purpose, the offender should be " freely and 
absolutely pardoned, released, and discharged from 
all Treasons and other offences specified in an Act 
of the Legislature of the State made and passed at 
Princeton on the fourth day of October, in the year 
of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sev- 
enty-six, intitled ' An Act to punish Traitors and 
Disaffected Persons,' " and should be thereupon " re- 
stored to all the Rights, Liberties, and Privileges of 
other and good subjects of this State."'' If, on the 
contrary, they declined or refused to accept of the 
generous offer of the government within the time 
specified in the act, commissioners appointed by law 
were to take possession of their estates, real and per- 
sonal, and under certain conditions lease or sell the 
same for the benefit of the gtate. That part of the 
act relating to this subject is as follows : 

" That the commissioners for the respective counties hereinafter ap. 
pointed, or any or either of them, shall and may, with all convenient 
speed after the publication of this act, make a true and perfect inventory 
of all the personal estate and effects of every such offender, and dispose 
of all the perishable part thereof; and in case they shall apprehend any 
danger of such pereonal estate or effects falling into the hands of the 
eneniy, then to sell and dispose of the whole thereof, and keep in their 
hands the monies arising from such sale for the loie o/ t/ie ojriier, who 
shall as aforesaid appear and take said oaths on or before the said first 
day of August next, and the same to him pay, deducting therefrom for 
their trouble over and above all reasiuiable charges and expeuces at the 
rate of five per cent. ; and if such owner shall not appear and take the 
said oaths as aforesaid within the time aforesaid, then such commissioner 
or commissioners shall pay the same, deducting as aforesaid, to the treas- 
urer, for the use of the State, whose receipt for the same shall be a 
sufficient discharge." 

In case the personal estate and effects were not con- 
sidered iu danger of being taken or destroyed by the 



t New Jtrgey Journal, Sejit. 1 1, 1782. 



'- Chap, ii.. Acta of 1776. 



» Chap, v., Laws of 1776. 



68 



HISTORY OF RERGEX AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



enemy, they were not to be sold, but kept safely for 
the owner, wlio should receive tliern, abating the cost 
and commission, upon liis return and acceptance of 
the conditions of pardon by takin-r the prescribed 
oath of allegiance. But " in case the said owner shall 
not appear and take the benefit of the said Pardon, 
then such Personal Estiite and Effects shall be and 
are hereby declared to be forfeited to this State, and 
shall be disjKised of by some future Law of the Legis- 
lature." 

The commissioners appointed for taking charge of 
the abandoned personal property in Bergen County 
were James Board, Hendrick Kuyper, and Peter Fell, 
appointed by the act of June 5, 1777. Under this 
act only personal property of fugitives wa.s taken care 
of or sold, accordingly as it was found exposed to de- 
struction by tlie enemy or otherwise. Considerable 
property of the latter sort was sold by the commis- 
sioners in Bergen County, on account of the more 
exposed condition of this section. But we have no 
records showing the amount ami kind of such prop- 
erty sold. 

On the 18th of April, 1778, the Legislature passed 
" An Act for taking Charge of and Leasing the Real 
Estate, and for Forfeiting the Personal Estates of 
certain Fugitives and Oflenders, and for eidarging 
and continuing tlie Powers of Commissioners ap- 
pointed to seize and dispose of such Personal Estates, 
and for ascertaining and discharging the lawful debts 
thereon." 

This act empowered and authorized the commis- 
sioners, or any or cither of them, to make returns to 
any justice of the peace in the county of the name and 
place of the late abode of each person whose personal 
estate or effects had been seized, and thereupon such 
justice wa.s required to issue a written precept to any 
constable of the county to convene a jury of twenty- 
four freeholders, who should make inquisition into 
the matter before the said justice of the peace upon the 
evidence presented by the commissioners, and such 
other evidence as might be obtaineil in the premises. 
At least twelve of the jurors were reipiired to agree 
in their verdict, which should be in writing under 
their hantis and seals, and slioiild be returned by the 
justice to the next Inferior Court of Common Pleas 
held in the county. The manner of proceeding in 
the Court of Common Pleas is set forth in the act as 
follows: 

"2. Antt hr U/urther eaatlnt, TliM Oie ln<|ilisltion rerUOnl ai sf(ir«8aid 
ahaU l*o rctiiriKMl !•>- ttio Justice Wforo wlioiii it wnn tnkiMi \ln the next 
Inforiur Cuiirt of (Vmititoii I'Iniui hulilon in the L-outity ; aii<l |iriM-laiiiA- 
tion tliall DirfiiiHii) hv niiulo in opoii cmirt tliat \t tiu< )t«nion a^iiitt 
whom aiK-ti inqiilniliftn hatti 1h>pii fnmieii.or an; p^'imiii on lilj l>f>hair,or 
who Riiall think hinmoif IntfToato*) in tlio prpiiiisiNi, Mtii a|i)K-aran<l tni- 
TerM» the naid ln<|iiiflllon, ami put in leciirity in tlip snni nf viir Utomnntl 
jtouniU, or ancli otliir mini aa llifi court nia> ilirprt, Ijy rrcotcniranre or 
tiond, to tho OoTprniir or i-oniinnn<lor.in.clili<f of liif SIntr for tln' llnio 
bciiifE, ami iiia Huixrawim, for liii< nito of tiirStato. Willi ronilitloii to pnw- 
ixnit)* ttio traTPRM* to I'ffn t, nnri li> |>a)' ail inili cohIp iu liiaii t>f> nwiirili^l 
in ra»(' jniifiniKiit Rlinll ).«* icivon ai^liint tin* ppiwin mi imvprninK; iIm'ii 
Iha aalii triivi<r»« aliali iw ri^ii'lTiHl aii<l a trial liiarroii awan|p.l ; hut If no 
|>«rion ihall apixiar ttilravrnip tlip rfliTt of tlip mhl prticlaiiiatlon ahall 



be adv«cliM(l hy Uie couMiiiiiaioiier ur commiHiunpra who applied for the 
precept ait afort'said in liw uf tiit- moat pnhilc piace« in the county, and 
ttl*) inserteii ill the A'eir Jrrtey GuMflte, if the wtnio elioll be tlien puli- 
iiiihetl, within thirty dayn after hucIi court; and if the por»un n^initt 
wlioni such iii(|uiKitioii bIihII have K-un found, or any {lenion in hi« lie. 
Iiiilf, or who shall think hiuinelf interented in the prenii6e«, shall at the 
nextcourt afler the return of inch llitiiiit.ition appear and offer to tra- 
verse the same as aforeeaid, and put in security as aforei«id, the said 
tniTerse blinll tlion he received and a trial thereupon awanled ; otherwise 
liuch intinisition shall be taken to be tine, and final judgment shall be 
entered Uiereon in favor of the Slate. And all and sini^lar the goods 
and chattels, rights and croihls, and other personal estate whatsoever of 
the offender against wiioin judgment is so entered shall lie and ai^ 
hereby declHred to be forfeited to and for tlie use of the State ; and the 
ciininiissioners, or any or either of llieni, shall thereupon sell at public 
venilue all such of the goods, chattels, and personal estate of such of. 
fender as remain unsold, giving si least ten days* notice of the time and 
place of sale l>y ndvertisenients set up in not less than Ave of the moat 
public idaces witliin ten mill's of the |ilace of sale, tliereiu describing Uie 
principal articles to lie Hold.'* 

Real estates, left without legal or rightful occupants, 
and subject to great waste or damage by the enemy, 
were by the eighth section of the act of April 18, 1778, 
to be leased by the commissioners until the Legisla- 
ture should take further action therein, and the ten- 
ants were made responsible for the rent and proper 
care of the premises. This was a wise provision, in- 
asmuch as the property would otherwise have greatly 
depreciated in value before the lime of sale, and the 
State tliereby sutler considerable lo.ss. It w:us, there- 
fore, made lawful for the commi.ssioners, immediately 
upon inquisition found, and without waiting for entry 
of final judgment, to fjike into their care, jwssession, 
and management all such hereditaments, real estates, 
lands, and lenements, ami to let and lease them, as 
provided in the act, for a term not exceeding one year 
from the 21st of March, 177>!. .Vll sales made by the 
(illcnders alter joining the enemy were declared void. 
Quartermasters of the army taking forfeited property 
were made aeconntable therefor. 

High Treason. — The crime which worked the for- 
feiture and confiscation of real estates in New .Jersey 
was that of high treason, and is thus defined in the 
act of Dee. 11, 1778, entitled "An act for forfeiting 
to and vesting in the State of New Jersey the real 
estates of certain fugitives and offenders, and for 
directing the mode of determining and satisfying the 
lawful debts and demands wliicli may be due from or 
made against such fugitives and ortenders, and for 
other purposes therein mentioned" : 

"JUU tttrtcM hp the Authortin n/ortmid. That each and every InhaU 
Itaiit of this stale, seized or |MiBSesM>d of, interested iu or entltleil to any 
KstHte, Ileal or I'erfxiniil, within the same, who hath, since the nineteenth 
T>ay of Al>ril, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy. live, and be- 
fore the fourth I>ay of October, One Thousand Seven llunclred aiel Sev- 
enty-six, aided and amisted the enemies thereof, or of the United States, 
by Joining their Armies uilliin this Stale, or otherwise, or who hath 
voluntarily gone to, taken refuge or continued with, or en<leavttre<l to 
continue with the Enemy aforesaid, and aiil them by Counsel or other- 
wise, and who hath not shire returned and lieeome a Sul^i>et in Alle- 
giance to the present Goveriinieiit by taking tlie (laths or Alllrniations 
proscribeil in the Act eiitllbHl ' An Act f.ir the Seeurily of the liovern- 
nient of Now JenHiy,' |iasaa<l the niiioloeiith Ilay of Septamlwr, One 
Thnusanil Seven Hiindred and S-venty-six, when re<)ulred, each and 
every bik-Ii Teraon is hereby t*eolare<i to be guilty of High Treaiatll 
against thb Slate; and on Convictluii thereof by luqalsltiuu found, and 



CONFISCATED ESTATES IN BERGEN COUNTY. 



69 



final Juilgment thereou entered in favor of the State, as hereinafter de- 
clared, s'lch Conviction sliall amonnt to a full and absolute Forfeiture 
of such Person's Estate, both Real and Personal, whatsoever, within 
this State, to and for the Use and Benefit of the same: Proviped Al- 
ways, That such Conviction sliall not extend to affect the Peraon of any | 
such OtTender, but shall operate ag-ainst his or her Estate only."l 

Under the provisions of the foregoing acts estates 
were confiscated and sold in New Jersey in 1778 and 
1779. But the war still continuing, the poverty of i 
the country and tlie depreciated state of the currency ■ 
made it necessary to discontinue their sale to a more 
favorable time. Hence on the 26th of June, 17S1, an 
act was passed by the Legislature of Xew Jersey, en- 
titled " An act to suspend the sales of real estates 
which have or hereafter may become forfeited to and 
vested in this State." Under an act passed Dec. 20, 
1781, Hendriek Kuyper was appointed agent to take 
charge of forfeited estates in Bergen County. Some 
of the confiscated estates disposed of in this county j 
were sold by the commissioners, James Board, Garret ' 
Lyndecker, Hendriek Kuyper, Peter Fell, and others, 
previous to the act of suspension. After that they I 
were sold by the agents, Hendriek Kuyper and Cor- [ 
nelius Haring, who executed the deeds to the pur- j 
chasers, which are found recorded in the clerk's office 
of Bergen County. We have comjiiled from these deeds, 
as matters of pulilic record, the following: 

List of Confiscated Estates in the County of 
Bergen. Sohlbytlie Cr»ntnis«ionrrt< fnnn June 10, 177'J, 
to March 8, 1787.— Estate of Albert Zabriskie, " late of 
Schraalenburgh, township of Hackensack, who joined 
the army of the King of Great Britain on or about Dec. 
7, 1776," consisting of 14.'-!i acres, bounded south by 
the land of David D. Demarest, east by the land of 
Seaba Banta, north by the land of Joost Zabriskie, 
and west by Hackensack River. Sold to Isaac Nicoll, 
of Orange County, N. Y., for £4734, June 10, 1779. 
Book D of Deeds, page 97. 

Estate of John Merseles, " late of the township of 
Hackensack," consisting of 100 acres and appurte- 
nances, in Schraalenburgh. Sold to Peter Wilson, for 
£3367, Nov. 3, 1779. Book D of Deeds, page 287. 

Estate of Daniel I. Brown, of Hackensack, 8? acres. 
Sold to Peter Wilson, for £204 16,'i., Sept. 6, 1780. 
Book D, page 317. 

Estate of John Myers, New Barbadoes, 33.1 acres, 
with tenements, in the township of New Barbadoes, 
aforesaid. Sold to Isaac Vaii_ijiessen, for £974 10.«., 
June 3, 1779. Book D, page 320.^"^' 

Estate of Daniel S. Demarest, of Hackensack town- 
ship, 25 acres and buildings, lying south of the land 
of John S. Demarest. Sold to Beekman Van Bueren, 
for £1125. Book D, page 351. 

Estate of Aaron Demarest, of the township of 

Hackensack, consisting of 103 acres, more or less. 

Sold to Weist Banta and John W. Christie, for £2178, 

Nov. 4, 1779. Book D of Deeds, page 354. 

^ Estate of John F. Byerson, of Saddle River, bounded 

1 Chap, cxxii., Acta of 1778. 



north by the Ramapo Patent, containing 262 acres. 
Sold to John Van Allen, for 4;9775 16s., Nov. 5, 1779. 
Book D of Deeds, page 389. 

Estate of John F. Ryerson, aforesaid, containing 
49 acres more or less, bounded south by the Pas- 
saic River, etc. Sold to John Van Allen, for £1825, 
Nov. 5, 1779. Book D of Deeds, page 393. 

Estate of James Van Bueren, consisting of lots and 
tenements, south of Jacobus Bogert's. Sold to Adam 
Boyd, of New Barbadoes, for £2428 is. 6rf., Nov. 3, 
1779. Book D of Deeds, page 425. 

Estate of Daniel Jessup, of Hackensack township. 
Sold to Adam Boyd, for £234 7.«., June 3, 1779. Book 
D of Deeds, page 433. 

Estate of David Peck, of Schraalenburgh, adjoining 
Abraham Quackenbush's land on the west, running 
east to Owspeck Creek, 122i acres. Sold to Henry 
Folks, for £1921 lO.-*., June 3, 1779. Deed recorded 
in Book E, page 224. 

Estate of Abraham Van Embergh, of New Barba- 
does, 74] acres, north of the land of Arent Schuyler, 
on the east side of Passaic River, with tenements, etc. 
Sold to William Clark, for £638 6». 9(;., June 3, 1779. 
Book E, page 349. 

Estate of Hendriek Doremus, "late of Saddle 
River," containing "304 acres more or less," with 
buildings, etc., in Saddle River township. Sold to 
Adolphus Waldron, for £6575, Nov. 1, 1779. Book 
F, page 99. 

Estate of Jacobus Fox, " late of Franklin town- 
ship," containing 100 acres more or less, with tene- 
ments and appurtenances thereunto belonging, etc. 
Sold to Hendriek Bogert, for £1457 ll.«., Nov. 3, 1779. 
Book F, page 331. 

Estate of Abraham and John Haring, " late of the 
township of Harington," containing 200 acres, with 
houses and tenements, lying on the Hackensack River, 
west side, and bounded south by the land of Cornelius 
Blauvelt. Sold to Henry Wisner, for £3778, Nov. 2, 
1779. Book G, page 35. 

Sold by James Board et al., Commminners. 

Estate of John Merseles, "late of the township of 
Hackensack," 100 acres, with buildings, etc., bounded 
east by the land of the Schraalenburgh parsonage, etc. 
Sold to Peter Wilson, for £3367, Nov. 3, 1779. Book 
D, page 287. 

Estate of Hendriek Bush, " late of the precinct of 
New Barbadoes," containing 24 acres more or less, 
with buildings, etc. Sold to Peter Wilson, June 10, 
1784, for £150. Book D, page 309. 

Estate.of John I. Ackerman, " flfty-six acres more 
or less," with buildings, etc., lying north of the land 
of Peter Van Blarcom. Sold to Cornelius Van Home, 
for £2437 10«., Nov. 4, 1779. Book D, page 405. 

Estate of John Lukins, 13 acres and appurtenances, 
in two lots of 6i acres each, in New Barbadoes. Sold 
to Adam Boyd, for £726 lOs., May 11, 1784. Book D 
of Deeds, page 429. 



70 



HISTORY OP BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Estate of Abraham A. Quackenbush, " late of the 
township of Hackensack, in said county of Bergen," 
lands and tenements situatetl on tlie Ilackensack 
River, bounded west by tiie land of Isaac lUaiivelt, 
south by the land of Cornelius Van Home, etc. Sold 
to Samuel Sayer, for £1320 10». 9rf., Nov. 3, 1779. 
Book E, page 14. 

Eiitate of Herman Van Hlarkum, " late of Par- 
amus," l.'>.» acres, buildings, etc. .^old to Albert 
Hopper, for 413400,' Oct. Id, 1779. Book P of Deeds, 
page 191. 

Sold by Corneliits Harinij, Agent. 

Estate of John Spier and Jacob Demarest, lands 
and tenements, in Ilackensack township, beginning at 
Hackensack River on the line of Peter Wilson ; thence 
south eighty-eight and a half degrees fourteen chains, 
all along the land of said Wilson to the road ; thence 
north fourteen and a half degrees, east seven chains 
and ten links to the land of said Van Bueren ; thence 
north eighty degrees, west seven chains ; thence north 
five and a half degrees, east nine chains to the Ilack- 
ensack River; thence southerly along said river as it 
runs to the place of beginning. Containing 12 acres 
and three-quarters. Sold to Beekman Van Bueren, 
Aug. 25, 1784. 

Estate of Thomas Outwater. Sold to Jacobus 
Pauelse, Oct. l.i, 1785. Book D, 261. 

Estate of William Bayard, .564 acre^, in the town- 
ship of Bergen, at Hobokcn. Sold to John Stevens, 
Jr., July 26, 1784, for the sum of £18,360 lawful 
money of New Jersey. Deed recorded in Book D, ' 
page 437. 

Estate of William Bayard, 1 25 acres, in the township 
of Bergen. Deeded to John Stevens, Aug. 25, 1784. 
Lib. D of Deeds, 440. j 

John F. Ryerson, Saildle River, 130 acres, formerly 
surveyed for John Fane Ryerson and Dick Ryerson. 
Bought by Benjamin Shotwell, Jan. 16, 1787. Lib. 
E, page 21 of Deeds. 

John F. Ryerson, 93 acres, in the Ramapo Patent. 
Purchased by Benjamin Shotwell, Feb. 24, 1787. Lib. 
E, page 24. 

John Zabriskie (see Book E of Deeds, ]>age8 87, 
88). Bought by .Joseph Johnson. 

.lohn F. Ryerson, ^<addle River, 4(t,*,,'„ acres. Sold 
t" Isaac Nicoll for £1069. Book V. of Deeds, page 94. 

William Bayard, land on Norths River, adjoining 
Wcehawkeii. Sold to Daniel Baldwin, Dee. 1, 1784, 
for £800 lawful money of New Jersey. Lib. E of 
Deeds, page 136. 

William Bayard, 104 acres, adjoining Hoboken 
Creek. Sold to Jacobus J. Bogert, May 11, 1784. 
Lib. E, page 1.53, Deeds. 

Michael Van Tuyl, township of Bergen, 20 acres at 
Bergen Point. Sold to .\n<lrew Van Tuyl el ul., June 
20, 1787. 

.Irilin Richanis, loO acres and appurtenances, in the 
township of New Barbadoes, being a tract of land 
conveyeil by Warner Richards and Mary, his wife, 



to the said John Richards. Sold as confiscated prop- 
erty to James Thompson, Dec. 6, 1786, for £3100. 
Lib. E, page 239. 

Garritt Lyndecker, township of Hackensack, 180 
acres and tenements. Sold, Aug. 2, 1784, to Oarritt 
Lyndecker, Esq., for £3712. Liber F, Dee<ls, page55. 

William Bayard, 23 acres, bounded west by north 
of lot No. 17, ca-st by Jacobus Bogert, south by lot 
No. 19, township of Bergen. Sold to William Jack- 
son for £502, .May 1, 1744. 

William Bayard, 25 acres, bounded northerly by 
the road or lot No. 10, east by lot" No. 4, south by 
lot No. 12, township of Bergen. Sold to William 
Jackson, of the township of Bergen, for £550, May 10, 
1784. 

Christian Pullisfelt, of the township of Franklin, 
100 acres, bounded southerly and westerly by lands 
belonging to the general proprietors of East Jersey, 
northerly by Jacobus Bogert, easterly by Jacobus Pul- 
lisfelt, township of Franklin aforesai<l. Sold to Peter 
Ward, of Saddle River, for £800, July 2, 1784. Lib. 
F, Deeds, page 198. 

John F. Ryerson, of Saddle River, 229 acres, in 
Saddle River township, lying on the- southeast of 
High Mouiitain, adjoining a tract belonging to John 
Ryerson and Cornelius tiarretson. Sold to John Ste- 
vens. Jr., Esq., for £300, March 8, 1787. 

Albert Zabriskie, 5 acres on the Ilackensack River, 
beginning at Doe's Creek, on the southerly corner of 
John Romeyer's meadow. Sold to Isaac Nicoll, for 
£48, May 1, 1785. Lib. G, Deeds, page 310. 

Nicholas Hoffman, 5.35 acres, in township of Hack- 
ensack, '' being the lands on the meadows formerly 
belonging to Mr. .\braham Oouvernor, of the city of 
New York," and "the other equal half-part being 
formerly granted by David Ogden, Ks<i., to Abraham 
Ogden, Esq." Sold to Martin Hoffman el <il., for £220, 
Dec. 1, 1786. 

Robert Drummond, of Esse.K County, 63 acres, in 
Franklin township, bounded northerly by lands of 
Peter Van Zile, easterly by the land of Simeon Van 
Winkle, south by the said Van Winkle, west by the 

land of Romine. Sold to Peter Ward, July 16, 

1784, for £765 lawful money of New Jersey. Lib. H, 
jiagc 43. 

Edmund Simmons, " late of the precinct of Hacken- 
sack," 6J acres, " beginning at a dock on Hackensack 
River, below New Bridge, so called, and near the house 
formerly occupied by Dr. Van Bnskirk," etc. Sold 
by the agent to Capt. Gyles Mead, of Hackensack, 
for f4<M), July 1, 1784. Lib. K, Deed.s, 128. 

Niclnihis Loshier, " late of the precinct of Hacken- 
sack," lands and tenements in Hackensack township. 
Sold to Arie Westervelt el al., for £153 15*., Sept. 21, 
1784. Lib. O, Deeds, page 231. 

Peter P. Bogert, " late of the township of Harring- 
ton," lands urnl tenements in that township (14S acres, 
"strick measure"!. Sold to John Stevens, Jr., for 
£1800, March 1, 17.S7. 



BERGEN COUNT i' iMEN IN THE REVOLUTION, ETC. 



71 



William Bayard, *'late of Hoboken/' in the county 
of Berg-en, lot containing 4-] acres, extending from 
Hudson River on the east to vSecaucus Commons on 
the west. Sold to Cornelius Huyler, for £702, Aug. 
25, 1784. Lib. E 2, page 67. 

As a specimen of the deeds given by the agent, we 
copy the following:^ 

*' Tu all to whom these presents shall Come, ur may Concern, Greet- 
ing: Whereas lately, that is to say, of the Term of January last, a Writ 
or Process, directed to me. Cornelius Haring, Agent of forfeited Estates 
in the County of Bergen, in the State uf New Jersey, issued" out of the 
Court of Common Pleas lield at New Barbadues, in and for the County 
of Bergen, setting forth that of the Term of March in the year of our 
Lord one tliousand seven hundred and seventy-nine, in tlie Court of 
Ctinimon Pleas held at Pompton in and for the County aforesaid, before 
the Judges of the same Court final Judgment was had and entered in 
favor of the State of New Jersey, pursuant to the Laws, against Lewis 
Miltenberry fur joining the army of the King of Great Britain, Ac, and 
returned to the said Court : And thereupon I the said Agent wasin and 
by the w rit or process aforesaid commanded and required to sell and dis- 
pose of all and singular the lands, tenements, and hereditaments so held 
iu fee or for term of life and personally all Estate Real of whatsoeverkind 
belonging or lately belonging to the said Lewis Miltenberry within the 
said County of Bergen, as iu and by the said Writ or Process, and the 
Record thereof in tlie Clerk's Office of the said County of Bergen, refer- 
ence l)eing thereunto had, tliese things will more fully and at large ap- 
pear; and whereas the Premises hereinafter mentioned and described are 
or were reputed to be or lately to have been the property of the said 
Lewis Miltenberry, I the Agent aforesaid, pui-suaut to the Command 
and direction to me in the said Writ or Process specified and Contained ; 
and also by furce and virtue of Certain Acts of the Legislature of the 
State of New Jersey, in such case made and provided, did Expose and 
Cause the said Premises to be sold at public sale or vendue to Albert 
Wilson, of Franklin aforesaid, the Seventeenth day of June, a. d. one thou- 
sand seven hundred and eighty-four, then and there being the highest 
bidder for the sum of seventy-four pounds lawful money of the said State 
of New Jt-rsey, first having duly advertised and published the sale 
thereof : 

"Now Know ^e that I the said Cornelius Haring, the Agent afore- 
said, by virtue of the Writ or Process aforesaid to me directe<i and deliv- 
ered, and by force and virtue of the laws in such case made and provided, 
and fur and in Consideration of the sum of seventy-four Pounds to me 
well and truly in hand paid by the said Albert Wilson, the receipt 
whereof I hereby acknowledge, have granted, bargained, sold, &c. . . . 
to the said Albert Wilson, his heirs and assigns forever, all the estate, 
right, tille, interest, property, claim and demand whatsoever, either in 
law or equity, which the said Lewis Miltenberry hath or lately had, or 
ought to have had, of, in and to all that certain messuage, tennameut 
huuse and piece or parcel of land situate lying and being iu the Town- 
ship of Fmnklin aforesaid, beginning at the road and at the line of 
Abraham Hopper; thence North seventy-three degrees, we^t five chains 
and fifteen links; ihence South seventy-three degrees, E;iSt four chains 
to the road; thence all along the road to the place of beginning: Con- 
taining two acres he tlie same mure or less, bounded northerly by Abraham 
Hopper, westerly by the lands formerly the property of J. M. Provost, 
and southerly by the same lands, and esislerly by the road. ... To have 
and to hold, etc. ... In witness whereof the said Apent hath hereunto 
set his hand and seal this Second day of December, Anno Domini one 
thousand seven hundred and eighty-four.'* 



CHAPTER XVII. 

BERGEN COUNTY MEN IN THE REVOLUTION, Etc. 

Under the act of Dec. 26, 1780, eight hundred and 
twenty men were ordered to be raised to .serve till 
Jan. 1, 1782. The quota of Bergen County was one 



hundred and twenty men. They were organized in 
two companies. 

First Company. — John Cutwater, captain ; Joseph 
Catterline, lieutenant; Abraham Hoagland, ensign. 

Second Company. — Thomas Blanch, captain ; David 
Demarest, lieutenant ; Jacobus Bogart, ensign. • 

Another call for troops was made Dec. 29, 1781, for 
service until Dec. 15, 1782. A force of four hundred 
and twenty-two men was organized and placed in com- 
mand of Maj. Samuel Hayes. The officers of the 
Bergen company were Peter Ward, captain; Joseph 
Catteline, lieutenant; Samuel Verbryke, ensign. 

Under the act of Aug. 16, 1775, Bergen County 
had one company of militia in the service and four 
companies of " Minute-men." These latter were 
'* held in constant readiness, on the shortest notice, to 
march to any place where assistance might be required 
for the defense of this or any neighboring colony." 
They were to continue in the service four months, 
and they had precedence of rank over the "common 
militia" of the province. The companies from each 
county formed a battalion, — in all ten battalions. 

In 1776 three companies from Bergen were joined 
in battalion with three from Essex and two from 
Burlington, under Col. Philip Van Cortland, Lieut.- 
Col. David Brearley, and Maj. Richard Dey. The 
regular militia of Bergen County was organized in 
one regiment, as follows : 

Teunis Dey, colonel; John Zabriskie, lieutenant-colonel; Cornelius 
Van Voorst, lieutenant-colonel; Peter Fell, lieutenant-colonel; 
Richard Dey, captain, first major ; John Mauritius Gu'schius, captain, 
second major; George Eyerson, adjutant ; Abraham Van Boskirk, 
surgeon. , , 

GijjtoiJts.— Cry nes Bartholf, Thomas Blanch, Joseph Board, James Christiile— 
Samuel Demarest, Abraham Earring, Cornelius Earring, Abraham 
A. P. Earring, John Eopper, Jonathan Bopper (murdered by Tories 
at New Barbadoes, Bergen Co., April 21, 1779), Adam Huyler, John 
Buyler (twice a prisoner of war). Jacobus Jaraloman, Henricus 
Kuyper, David Marinus, Henry Obest (wounded near Backensack, 
March 17, 1780), John Ontwater (wounded March, 1780), Elias Ro- 
mine, Jacob Terhnne, Nicausa Terhune, David Van Bossum, Conner 
Van Bouten, John Vreeland, Peter W'ard, John Willis. 

Lieulenants.—UeM\y Bardan, Thomas Blair, David DufTe, William Den- 
niston, David Doremus, John D. Earring, David Van Busse, Peter 
S. Van Order. 

First I i/'Hfpii ants. —Cornelius D. Blauvelt, George Brinkerhoff, Peter 
Sand ford. 

Second X(>i(/eiia»i(5.— Gilliam Bogart, John Uriancy. 

Sergeants. — Anthony Beam, Cooms, Jolin F. Earring, Carpenter 

Kelley, James Riker, Benjamin Romine, John Haahrook, Cornelius 
P. Westei-velt, Epson Van Winkle, Albert Wilson. 

Corporals, e(c — Abrara Vreeland; Abraham King, drummer; William 
Blair, drummer ; Garrett Post, farrier, " Lee's Legion," Continental 
army ; Jacob Vanderpool, bombardier, Continental army. 



1 Book D of Deeds, {uge 156. 



Ackerman, Abraham. 
Ackerman, Johannes. 
Arrainson, Garret. 
Arrainson, John. 
Arrainson, Resolvent. 
Baker, William. 
Baldwin, Israel, 
Baldwin, Thomas. 
Baiita, Daniel. 
Banta, Dirck. 
Banta. Hendrick. 
Banta, John. 



Banta, Peter. 
Banta, Samuel. 
Banta, Weirt. 
Bardan, Isaac. 
Barkedale, Henry. 
Beam, James. 
Beam, John. 
Beagle, Thomas. 
Bennett, Jeremiah. 
Berdan, Benry. 
Berlolf. John S. 
Blair, Robert. 



72 



HISTORY OP BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Blarvum, Henr). 
IMauvelt, Abraliam.l 
Itlmir«>lt, Abraoi. 
UlHUvelt, AltrHltAni T. 
Blnuvrli, Frederick. 
Blaiivfit, IiMMC- 
Ultiuveli, llHrlaii. 
^luuvelt, Jaiuli. 
Blaiivrlt, Jacobiiti. 
Bluuvelt, Janie^ J. 
Blauvelt, Janiea T. 
Blauvelt, Juhauaea. 
Blauvelt, John. 
Blauvilt, Juhn A. 
Boitrfl, Cornelius D. 
Bugcrt, Cuflpurus. 
Bo(;ert, John, 
Bug4'rt, Mat' hew. 
Bugert, (Jttrtielhis. 
Bogert, Nicholas. 
Bogert, JnDieH N. 
BroHK, Ht^riuau. 

\ Brewer, AUraui. 
Brewer, .^Urutn J. 
Briiikerhufr, Curnellus. 
Briiikerhuff, Garret. 
BiiiikerhofT, Hfiiry. 
BrinkerhofT, Jacubus. 
Brinkorhufl, JHtnes. 
BriukerhufT, Necause. 
Brocaw, John. 
"^—Brower, Abmm. 
Brower, David. 
Brower, Jacob. 
Brower, John. 
Browor, William 
Brown, Anthoii}'. 
Burdan, Henry. 
Burk, ThoniiiM. 
CadniiiH, Aiidreitd. 
Canip, Nathaniel. 
Camiibell, Archtbah). 
Campbell, David. 
Campbell, jHOi>b. 
CAniplicU, John. 
CaDipl»ell, SadiuoI. 
Carr, Thoman. 
Cawndi-, John. 
Caton, John. 
Chap|»f>l, John. 
Chttp|>«l. Thoniaa. 
Chnriii, I'l-ter. 
Chrimli', Daniel. 
Cbriitio, John, 
airiille, John W. 
Chriiitie, Peter D. 
Clark. William, 
(xigh, Cafl|>ani*. 
Cogh, Elian. 
Colo, Henry. 
Cole, 8amiiol. 
Coml«, Mo«eii. 
CooiKtf, IhTrick, 
Cornollwtn, John.' 
Corueliaon, Michaal.* 
Cunetcr, William. 
Cniiiel, Henry. 
iHiTldi. David. 



Davis, Richard. 

Day, Klia8. 

Degmw, Waltpr. 

Degrofi, Walter. 

Dt-hiDiHter, .\bmni. 

Dennireet, .\dani. 

Deniarpttt, BtMijaniin. 

Deninrpfit, Cornelins. 

DeniHieDi, Daniel. 

Denmreift, David. 

D<-niJire8t, Gilliam. 

Deinart."'t, Ilvndrick. 

Deniar«it, Henrj*. 

Dt-marest, Jacob D. 

Deniurt-st, Jacob P. 

Pemartrtit, Jnmee. 

Denmrcst, John. 

Demiirvst, Ji>8'-ph. 

Deniarubt. rct«?r. 

Df'nmrfBt, IVtcr B. D. 

Dcnmifsl, IVter D. 

Den^l^e^t, rfl«T J. 

DeniHrt-Ml, Peter P. 

DeniHre.xt. Philip. 

Denmreet, RoelirS. 

Demurest, Simon. 

Demurest, Williaiu. 
I Denny. Henry. 
/ Devoe. John.-' 

Dcy, B^^njamin. 

Dey, David. 

Dey. John. 

Dey, Peter. 

Dickiniwtn, Walter. 

Pood, Rolierl. 

Doud, Samuel N. 

Dogherty, Charles. 

Pon-nius, George. 

Duniar, JuHtln. 

Purham, NatliHiiiel. 

Eckorson, Cornyliui*. 

E< kor»on, Thi»mas. 

Eilwardn. Jficuh. 

EmhiiTgh, Jonathan. 

Erem. « 

Ever84tn, Baniet. 

Kerdun, Abram. 

Fenlon, Jactib. 

Fertlon, WMhelm. 

Fenlon, .\ndrew. 

FiHher. Immc. 

FIjiher, Peler. 

Folk, Henry. 

Freoland, Putor. 

Garland, John. 

Guble, Abraham. 

Green, J<din. 

Grimib, Benjamin. 

GriOlth, DH%ld. 

Guilluni, Michael. 

Harlng, Abnini. 

Ilaring, Abram J. 

Haring, David. 

Haring, Darld P. 

Haring, Fre^lerick. 

Haring. Garret. 

Haring, Garret F. 

Haring. Ger^eo. 



Haring. Jubu J. 
Haring, Jtiseph A. 
Ilaring, Peter A. 
Ilaring, Peter G. 
Uenuion, David. 
Henniiin. John. 
Hefisell, Frelick. 
Huagland, Joseph C. 
Hugencamp, Evert. 
IlogeucHnip, John. 
Hogencanip, Martin. 
Hopper, .^bntm A. 
Hopper, Andrew. 
Hopper, John J. 
Hopper, Peter A. 
Hup]>er, Richard. 
Hopper, Riiianl. 
Huysnian, Jacobus. 
Jones, Stephen. 
Jone»-, Henry. 
K»i r, Peler. 
Kennedy, Thomiis. 
Kenny, Willlani. 
Kent, James. 
Ktpp, Amo8. 
Kipp, C-oiuelius. 
Laliach, It<>aac. 
Lacy, Williuni.* 
Leforce, Levi.^ 
Lofoy, Abraham.' 
Lofeey, Abram.i" 
Low, William.^* 
Lozier, Peter.'- 
Lynch, Daniel. 
Lyon, Samuel. 
Magdalen, Abraham. 
Mariut«, Sylv-ster. 
Marcelles, Edo 
McDonald, Alexander. 
Mitchell, Joseph. 
Murray, Thomu." 
Naugle, Barent. 
Nangle, Itarunl J. 
Nuiigle, Harent II. 
Naugle, David. 
Naugle, Ifoutc. 
Odol, Garret. 
(.Xiver, Jamefl. 
Parcell, Jacob. 
Peitnon, Thomns. 
Pennington, Nathan. 
Perry*. Jithn. 
Persal, Jacob. 
Picket, Francis. 
Pope, Chrii^lopher. 
Pope, Jeremiah. 
Pofit, Abraham. 
Pofil, Adrian. 
Pimt, Ansi>y. 
Po«t. John. 
P.«t. John C. 
Pont, John H. 
Ponlen, Jacob. 
Ponleeon, Martin. 
Puwelsiui, MartlD. 



Powle8,Powlc«. 
PowK^on, James. 
Quackenbusb, ComelluB. 
QuiNloir, Peter. 
Biggs, (.*yrenu8. 
K*>bards, Ichabod. 
Kollins Stephen. 
Romlne, Nicholas. 
]io«s, Isaac. >< 
Rutan, JoliD.i^ 
Ryerson, 31art1n G. 
Ryersoii. Ryor. 
Sedam, Cornelius R. 
Simonson. Siuieon. 
$isc4), Nathaniel. 
Sisco, Peter. 
Sisco. Peter J. 
Smith, StAftts. 
Smith, Stadus. 
SpiuHge, El>ene»er. 
Springer, Jacob. 
StAgg. Cornellun. 
Stagg, John. 
Singg, Powlos. 
Stephoiuif John^ 
Storms. Joho. 
Tant, Thomaw. 
Tatller. John. 
Taylor. John. 
Terhune. John D. 
Totlur, John. 
Tunie, Jacob. 
Tursc. Jtdin. 

Ynlentine, Jacob. 

Van Duffee. John." 

Van BuHkirk. George. 
Van BuMen, Philip. 

Van Dalsen, Henry. 

Van Dat»en. William. 

YonderlK'ck, .\liram. 

Vamlcrbeck, Barent. 

Viui>lert>eck, Jacob. 

Vanderl*eck. Powles. 

Vandorvoort, (Vmellus. 

Vandervoort, Peter C. 

Van Kuiburgh, John. 

Vau Gleson. Henry. 

Van (iieson, John. 

Van Houien, Adrian. 

Van lionten, t'arinus. 

Van Houten. Hendrick. 

Van Hoiiten, Jacob. 

Van llouten, Powles. 

Von Houien, Ralph. 

Van Houten, n^vMt. 

Van Norden, John. 

Von Norden, Peter. 

Van Nonlen, John. 

Van Pelt, Peter. 

Van ViHirhoes, Albert. 

Van Voorhees, AU>ert P. 

Van ViM)rhre*, Peter. 

Van V.N.rbees. Williuni. 

Van Winkle, Henry. 

Vm Winkle, Luk«. 



1 Woand«d.1791. 

•Also Llent-C4il. Fell'- UtiAlhin State Tn»oi>». 
> .\l»( I. lent -r'ni. Frll'ii liailallon Slate Troops. 
4 Also l.feui M^'ol. Fell's Imttftllon SUte TnHi|wi. 

^ CM\tt .'^amunl DeniarestVconiiiany ; wonndcl and taken prleouerMay 
20. 17hl ; exchanged. 

^ Capt. Cutwater's comtiany State l:uups. 



T Also MiO- Gottclilus* battalion. 
" Also Mf^J. Gietachlus* bntUUon. 
A1m> Lleut.-Cul. Fell's l>attalion State troops. 

I > AlfKi Llent.-Ctd. FelPs Inttnllon; nlm> i'ontlnental army. 

II Also Lleul.-Cd. Fell's UtUlioii Slnle triKi|«. 
I- Also Lleiit.rol. Fell's battaUon Stale trooiw. 
^ Also Lieut -Col. FetPii battalion Slals troo|i«t. 
I* Also MiiJ. Go-tschiufi' bnllnllMii Hints !nK)|)S. 

I-' AlsoCigii. Samuel Deuinrcnt's coni))aiiy ; woundnl. 
lA Woundeil May i:i, 1777. 



BERGEN COUNTY MEN IN THE REVOLUTION, ETC. 



73 



Van Z)lc, Alljerl. 
Varrick, Abraiu. 
Varrick, John. 
Vercler, Samuel. 
Verbryck, Samuel. 
Vervelen, Abrum. 
Verveleu, John. 
Vervelen, Samuel. 
Vreelaiid, Peter. 
Walker, James. 
Ward, James. 



Weiidover, Flcrcules. 

Werte, Willi.un. 
Westervelt, Albert. 
Westervelt, Ileiijamin. 
Westervelt, IJenjjinilii I*. 
Westervelt, t'asparus. 
^Vestervelt, Jereiniali. 
Westervelt, Johannes. 
Westervelt, John. 
Westervelt, Uriah. 
Young, William. 



Incidents of the Revolution in Passaic County. 

■ — " At the time of the Kevolutioii Pas.saic County 
was almost exelusively .igricultiiral. Only at three 
points were there any considerable hamlets, — at Ac- 
quackanonk Landing, where were the merchants and 
shippers, and at Pompton and Ringwood, where the 
iron works were. In 1775 some of the Acquackanonk 
people held a meeting to concert measures with those 
of Newark and other towns for the common defense 
against Britisli aggression, but there were leading 
men who discouraged any such movement. 

" Contrary to what might have been expected, con- 
sidering his position as agent of the London Company, 
Robert Erskine took sides from the first with the colo- 
nies, and though he fully expected that the British 
king and ministrs' would recede from their insane 
policy before reconciliation should be too late, yet 
from the start he prepared for the worst, and so early 
as August, 1775, he fully equipped a company of Con- 
tinental militia at the Ringwood works at his own 
expense, one of the very first companies organized in 
the State for war. The Provincial Congress warmly 
commended his zeal, and ordered that he be commis- 
sioned captain of the company. He did valuable ser- 
vice to the American cause in running the works 
during subsequent years, supplying cannon-balls and 
other necessaries to the army. Moreover, his knowl- 
edge of the topography of the country was great, and 
Washington made him geographer and surveyor-gen- 
eral of the army, which position he doubtless held 
until his death in 1780. He is buried at Ringwood, 
not far from the ruins of the old Ringwood furnace, 
and near the road running from Ringwood to Long 
Pond. He was forty-five years of age when he died. 

" Just here let us notice an old slander, which is 
sometimes repeated to this day. It is said that one of 
the Ryersons, who owned a furnace and forge at Pomp- 
ton, made cannon-balls and secretly delivered them 
on board of British war-ve.ssels at New York. The 
story really originatid at the time of the war of 1812, 
and did not relate to transactions during the Revolu- 
tion. In 1821 Mr. Ryerson traced the report to two 
well-known citizens, and compelled them to acknowl- 
edge over their own signatures in the public prints 
that they did not believe there was any foundation 
for the rumor. 

" After the disastrous defeat at the battle of Long 
Island, the American army crossed the North River 
at Fort Lee and retreated through New Jersey, pass- 
ing through Acquackanonk in November, 1776^ It is 



said that the British were in such close pursuit that a 
few shots were exchanged, and to check the progress 
of the invaders the Americans, after crossing the 
river, cut away the bridge. Edo Merselis, of Preak- 
ness, a lad of fourteen or sixteen, was driving a load 
of wood to market. The soldiers took his horses from 
the wagon, attached them to a caisson, and made him 
drive this strange load to New Brunswick, whence he 
made his way back with his team to his alarmed 
parents. 

" The battle of Monmouth in 1778 caused the British 
to retreat hastily back through Jersey, and a detach- 
ment of them appear to have been chased all the way 
to Acquackanonk, where there was a little skirmish, 
and several were wounded on both sides. 

" In December, 1778, Gen. Putnam's division of the 
Continental army marched through Paramus and Ac- 
quackanonk, the event being marked by no noticeable 
incident. Surgeon Thacher, who belonged to the di- 
vision, received a pleasing impression of the people 
and their surroundings. 

Oct. 7, 1780, the American army, then at Newburgh, 
was ordered to Totowa, one column, under command 
of Lord Stirling, marching through Paramus, where 
the headquarters were established next day, and or- 
ders given to repair the road thence to ' Totoway 
bridge.' On the 9th the headquarters were estab- 
lished at Totowa, where they remained for six weeks. 
The main army was encamped at the foot of the 
Preakness Mountain, extending along for two or 
three miles. Gen. Washington being quartered in a 
fine brick house, still standing, a mile or two west of 
Paterson, in what was long known as the ' Hogencamp 
house,' although he occasionally passed a night with 
some of the Van Houtens, of Totowa. The grand 
parade was on the level plain used as a cricket-field 
a few years ago, near the Falls. Col. Mayland's 
regiment of cavalry was stationed near Little Falls, 
and Maj. Parr's rifle corps in a ravine near the Great 
Notch, both being enjoined to watch the roads through 
the Notch to Newark and Acquackanonk, to guard 
against surjirises. Lafayette was stationed along the 
river at and below Wagraw, his headquarters being at 
Gaffi'L When he revisited this part of the country 
in 1825 the spot where he had encamj^ed in 1780 was 
conspicuously marked. The whole army was kept in 
a constant state of readiness for active operations, the 
advanced corps being placed under the command of 
Lafayette, the right wing (Pennsylvania and Con- 
necticut brigades) under command of Lord Stirling, 
and the left wing (the four Massachusetts brigades) 
under Maj. -Gen. St. Clair. A flying hospital was es- 
tablished at Demuud's, on the old Pompton road. On 
the 23d the light infantry were ordered to a new 
position, the better to command the Notch and Crane- 
town Gap, and .so protect the right wing. It is said 
that the bold hill on the east side of the Notch was a 
favorite lookout of Gen. Washington at this time, and 
that from this point he once detected a raiding-party 



^ 



74 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



of British sallying out from Eli/.abethtowii, and 
promi)tly dispatching a troop of cavalry behind the 
hills to Springfield, intercepted the foragers as they 
were niakingoM'with a fine lotofcattlcand other booty. 

" While the army was encamped at Totowa there 
was a great deal of straggling. Washington rebuked 
this in a general order, in which he stated that in a 
ride which he took the other day he found the sol- 
diers as low as Acquackanonk bridge on both sides of 
the river, and, as far as he has ever yet gone around 
the environs of the camp, the roads and farm-houses 
are. full of them. 

"An incident is handed down by tradition that 
probably grew out of this habit of straggling. On 
one occasion a party of American soldiers were chased 
by a daring company of red-coats, even to the Passaic 
River, near the present Main Street bridge. The 
Americans got across safely, and partly cut down the 
old bridge. The impetuous British, bent on pursuit, 
diished into the water, the officers mounted on the 
privates' shoulders, but ere they had got half-way 
across a hot fire from the troops encamped on the 
other side compelled them to beat a hasty retreat. 

" A number of incidents are related of Wa.sliing- 
ton's personal intercourse with the people during this 
brief sojourn of the army, but space forbids relating 
them here. 

" On the morning of November 27th the army broke 
camp and marched, with two days' rations cooked. 
Part of the army went to the Hudson River, and part, 
including the Jersey Line and the Pennsylvania Line, 
went into winter quarters between Pompton and Mor- 
ristown. The condition of the troops was deplorable, 
and to add to their misfortunes hundreds of the sol- 
diers who had enlisted for only three years were being 
unjustly detained by their officers, while a bounty was 
paid to new men who entered theservice. The Penn- 
sylvania Line, two thousand strong, mutinied, and so 
far succeeded in their revolt as to get most of the 
concessions they demanded. ( )n the night of Jan. 
20, 1781, a part of the Jersey brigade, stationed at 
Pompton, arose in arms, made the .same demands as 
their Pennsylvania brethren had succCAsfnlly asserted, 
and marched to Chatham to incite the rest of the 
brigade to revolt. Washington was incensed at this, 
and immediately ordered Cien. Howe with a special 
detachment of five hundred New Kngland troops to 
the scene of the juuliny, which they reached by forced 
marches in five days, passing through Ririgwood on 
the way, where the officers were lodged by Mrs. 
Erskine. Suys Surgeon Thacher, — 

" * Wo wrre fintertiiilKHl wUh nil i^legniit i>iip|>f<r aiiil e\<'(*l]i<iit wine. 
Mri Knikino i* n iK-tiiilMi* niMl nrr<iiii|ihit)i«xl woniiiii who lIvM in a stjrle 
uf ■niiionrf nliil fnjitiiun ; p\rr,>tliltit( IridiniUii woiiltti,Itutto, niiil npli-ndor, 
ttliil nIk' tukoM iilKiuiire ill oiitt'rluiiilni; the frii'iidi of tier Inle hiislwnd 
with golieniiiH liiwlillality.' 

"On the morning of .lanuary 27tli the insurgents' 
camp was readied, and the mutineers, to the number 
of two or three liunilred, were rom|ielhd to surrender. 



Three of the ringleaders were taken out, tried by 
court-martial on the spot, and sentenced to be shot 
immediately by twelve of their comrades. Two were 
thus executed ; the third was jiardoned. The muti- 
neers were buried where they fell, a mile or two north- 
east of Pompton, in a secluded, neglected spot among 
the hills, where a few stones rudely heaped together 
are the only monuments to two misguided men, who 
were about as much sinned against as sinning. 

"On Aug. 21, 1781, an army psissed through Ac- 
(piackanonk for the last time. It was the American 
forces hurrying towards Virginia to attack Lord Corn- 
wallis, whose surrender followed two months later. 

" In addition to what has been related there were 
sundry minor incidents of the Revolutionary struggle 
occurring in Pa.ssaic County that cannot be dwelt 
upon here, but which throw much light upon the state 
of public sentiment at the time. 

" The records of the county courts show that all 
the people were not patriots. Not a few were attjiinted 
of treason and their property confiscated to the State, 
and many more were sent within the British lines at 
New York for disaffection towards the American cause. 

" The most prominent active British sympathizer in 
this part of the State, if not in New Jersey, was Rob- 
ert Drummond, a wealthy ship-owner ami merchant 
at Acquackanonk Landing, who had nuvrrietl Jan- 
netje Vreeland. He was a member of the Provincial 
Congress in May, June, and .Vugust, 177'), and 
acquitted himself so satisfactorily to his constituents 
that they re-elected him in September, but when 
active hostilities began he placed his services at the 
disposal of his king, and organized the Second Bat- 
talion of New Jersey Volunteers, of which he was 
commissioned major. It is said that upwards of two 
hundred members of this battalion were his neigh- 
bors, who had been persuaded to eidist under his in- 
fluence. This, however, is certainly an exaggeration ; 
at least no such number of Acquackanonk men enlisted 
in the British army. . . Most of his battalion fell 
victims to the climate in the Southern States or per- 
ished in battle. Maj. Drummond himself went to 
England after the war, with his wife, and ilied at 
Chelsea in 1789. As an instance of the division in 
families during those trying times, his brother David 
did valiant service in the patriot army, and after the 
war was rewardcil with a tract of land in New York 
Stale, while Robert was given a farm in Nova Scotia 
and a pension by the British government.'" 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

Tin: 01. 1) rowNsiiii' uk iiackensack. 

We propose in this chapter to condense some facts 
respecting the old township of Iiackensack, which 
ceased to exist in name in 1872. The histories of the 

' I>iini|ililoi Hiilury uf Pamaic Coiiiiijr, liy Willlimi NoUon. 



THE OLD TOWNSHIP OF HACKExVSACK. 



newly-formed townships which at present cover its 
. area on the map of the county are given in their ap- 
propriate places, but a more thorough treatment of 
the old township is needed than the necessarily brief 
allusions to it in those histories. 

Original Boundaries and Extent of the Town- 
ship. — In 1682 Bergen County embraced only the 
territory between the Hackensack and Hudson Rivers, 
from Constable's Hook up to the province line, — a 
narrow strip of land along the west side of the Hud- 
son, at no place over five or six miles wide, and from 
twenty-five to thirty miles in length. The old town- 
ship of Bergen, from the date of its charter, in 1658, 
comprised the southern portion of this strip of terri- 
tory, as far up as the present northern boundary of 
Hudson County ; and the settlements above that, 
being regarded as " outlying plantations," were at- 
tached to Bergen for judicial purposes, and so re- 
mained until 1693, when an act defining the bound- 
aries of townships was passed by the General 
Assembly. That act recites as follows : 

" Thiit the Township of Hacksack* shall include all the land hetween 
Hackinsack and Hudson's River that extends from the Corporation Town 
Bounds of Bergen to the Partition line of the Province." 

It appears from this act that the township of Hack- 
ensack was bounded on the north by the province line 
of New York, on the east by Hudson River, on the 
south by the corporation line of Bergen, and on the 
west by the Hackensack River. It covered nearly 
the whole table-land of the Palisades Mountains, and 
the beautiful valley of the Hackensack on its eastern 
side from the New York State line to the northern 
boundary of Hudson County. The scenery of this 
region, including the Palisades and the views of the 
Hudson and its valley from their summits, is among 
the most picturesque and romantic in America. Here 
the Indians loved to roam before the advent of the 
white man, and their bark canoes glided down the 
smooth waters of the Hackensack to their summer 
resort on Staten Island. This was their avenue from 
Tapaan to the Kill van Knll, and out among the bays 
and inlets around New York. 

Grants of Land. — Among the early purchasers of 
land from the Indians in this township were Casper 
and Alattys Jansen. We find the following allusion 
to them and their lands in 1684, in the records of the 
Governor and Council of East Jersey : 

" The petition of Casper Jansen and Alattj-s Jausen, setting forth that 
about seven years since (lf>77) the pclitionerB obtained by gift from the 
Indians a parcel uf Land lying at Hackinsack, on the north side of the 
creek, which gift was then also acknowledged by the said Indians before 
the late Governor Carteret, who promised the petitioners a Confirmation 
4bthe same, only delayeil the full grant or patent till the adjoining lands 
should be purchased from the Indians and laid out into Lots, and that 
since one Jacques Le Row hath entered upon the said Lands and taken 
possession of the same without having any Indian deed of gift. The pe- 
titioners praying a warrant to lay out thesame directed to the Surveyor- 
General in order for a patent, which being read and the petitioners 
called in, who brought with them two Indians that had formerly given 
the said land to the petitioners, and the Indians being examined con- 

1 So spelled Id the act. 



cemiDg the premisee. Declared that they never made any deed to Jacques 
Le Row of the said land, but that the same did belong to the petitioners, 
whereuiKin it was ordered that both parties attend this board the 27tli 
9b« next, that they bring with tliem the Indiaus concerned, and that 
.Jacques La Row have notice thereof." 

This extract from authentic records carries us back 
to 1677, when lands were purchased from the Indians 
by Casper and Alattys Jansen. They show that the 
Indians were still residents of the township, and were 
ordered brought before the Governor and Council at 
Elizabethtown. The " creek" referred to in the In- 
dian grant, on " the north" of which lay the lands in 
dispute, was probably that of English Neighborhood. 
One Jacques La Row was then a settler in that vi- 
cinity, for he is complained of as having " taken pos- 
session without any grant or warrant" from the 
Indians. 

The name of the township and that of the river 
which formed its western boundary had been derived 
from the Indians, who had lived along its banks and 
had fished in its waters from time immemorial. 

Most of the early purchases of lands from the In- 
dians and grants from the government within the 
bounds of the township are referred to in another 
portion of this work, and need not be repeated here. 
The early settlers were of the same class as those who 
colonized the township of Bergen and gradually ex- 
tended themselves from the Neck northward between 
the two rivers. 

Traditions of Van der Horst and Others,— There 
can be little doubt that the lands between the Hudson 
and the Hackensack were selected in the early days of 
New Netherland settlement as the manors of some 
wealthy patroon from Holland. Myndert Mynderlsen 
Van der Horst, of Utrecht, was one of these, and in 
1641 he had a plantation, purchased of the Indians, 
extending from Achter Kull, or Newark Bay, far up 
the valley of the Hackensack. It is said that he se- 
lected for his town site the beautiful situation on the 
Hackensack now known as Little Ferry, and that, in 
consequence of the introduction of strong drink among 
the Indians, he and his settlement were doomed to 
destruction. The house of Van der Horst was burned 
on the night of Sept. 17, 1643, and his plantation made 
desolate. This story is not wholly traditional ; there 
are enough historical facts to warrant the conclusion 
that Van der Horst was an actual resident of the vi- 
cinity, although it is difficult to tell precisely where 
his house was located, or what his plans were with 
rei'erence to the establishment of a town. On the 
oldest map of New Netherland, that of Vanderdonck, 
published in 1656, we find the colony of Van der Horst 
laid down. It is called the "Colonic van der Heer 
Neder Horst," and is situated on the Hackensack, as 
described above. 

The Baron Van der Capellen also essayed to estab- 
lish a colony in the old township of Hackensack. He 
ha purchased Staten Island of the Indians, and 
fou ed a colony there, which was destroyed in 1655. 
1 He I 1, through his agent, " concluded a treaty with 



76 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



tlie Indians, with submission to tlie oourU; of justice 
at Hospating, upon Wearkaniius-Connie, near Hack- 
ensack." This was in lt>57. The place " Hospating" 
("Espatin," a hill) was on Union Hill, between the 
Hudson and the Hackensaek, and on the boundary 
line between the old townships of Hackensaek and 
Bergen. (See chapter on Early Courts in this work.) 
This attempt to establish a settlement and courts of 
justice was temporary. If it existed till the conquest 
of 1664, it was probably given up at that time. Traces 
of the foundations of buildings were known to exist 
in that locality not more than a century ago. A gen- 
tleman by the name of Earle, residing not far from 
there, now about ninety years of age, related to the 
writer' that ruins of old buildings were known to exist 
at or near the place indicated as " Espatin" when he 
was a small boy, and that the early settlers had no 
trailitioii as to their origin. 

The Patent of John Demarest, located in this 
township, is thus referred to in the records of the 
Governor and Council of East Jersey, May 30, 1684, 
page 109 : 

"The l)etitfon of Jotm De Marin fcir liceiiae to pi;rcli&ie 2<)0 dcnsa of 
laud of ttie ItidJAOa at Kinderkauiacke, at Hucki'iiBacke, Hl>uve the niill. 
ill order to patoDting tliereof. Ordered that lie have licellAe granted him 
to purchaoe, making use of such peraoQB aa the Governor shall appoint 
for Nictiolaii De Vow and others, who presented their petitions yeater- 
day." 

In the same records, on page 30, it appears that 
David De Maris presented a petition, and w:is a.sked 
by the Council 

" what lands he had purchased of the Indiatm for the supply of his saw- 
mill, although the land is not imtentcil to him and his sons. The land 
purliase*] is about two miles in l>reailth, anrl coming to a |K)iiit, and six 
miles in lungtli. Agreed that David De Mans have patents for tlie lands 
which is surveyed t* liini and his Mjnt« at two sliiliingsaii ii>-re. Hut that 
we cannot see renAin to grant liherty to cut Ilie timber from tlie land he 
takes not up until further matters appear than what is yet niiinifcstcd, 
and that our purpose Is to view the same." 

It is of record that Peter Faiu-oiiier purchiused of 
AVilliam Davis :i4"J4 acres of land on the eiust side of 
till- HackciisMik ill 170'.i. 

Civil Organization of the Township.— .Vftcr 1693 
the township had its local court for the trial of small 
cau.ses. We find this several times referred to in dif- 
ferent records, but in no instance in such a manner 
as to indicate where in the township the court was 
held. Probably English Neighborhood was the chief 
place, iLs that was one of the ino.st important early 
settlements. 

The minutes of the board of justices and freeholders 
from 171') (the earliest extant in the clerk's office at 
Hackensaek) to .May 10, 1769, while they give the 
meetings an<l transactions of the board, do not indi- 
<nite the representatives iVoiii the piirliculiir townships. 
At the meeting, May 111, 1769, Martin ^owleson aji- 
))earetl for Hackensaek township, and \vas freeRolder 
in 1770, '71, '72, '73, '7.'>, and in the May meeting of 
1776; Jacob D.ui.it. 1769, '70, '71, '72, '73, and '7.'). 

I The hltlorlau of this work. 



They were also freeholders in 1768, and Demot in 
1767; John Henson in 1773, '74, '75, '76, and Yost 
Zabriskie in 1774. 

There was no meeting of the board from May 15, 
1776, to May 13, 1778. The last entry in 1776 is, 
"Ordered that this book be kept in the charge of 
William Serrell, clerk." Serrell had been clerk of 
the board from May 10, 1769. The stormy times of 
1776 admonished them of the uncertainty of their 
next meeting, and so they made this order. When 
they met again a new order had superseded the old 
provincial system, and New Jersey had been nearly 
two years a State. Hence on the 13th day of May, 
1778, when they assembled again, the first entry in 
the^book, in round, bold letters, is, 

"State of New Jersey." 
Some of the members of the board just before and 
during the Revolution had suffered loss of property 
anil life in maintaining the cause, which in 1778 was 
still one of doubt and uncertainty, although the cam- 
paign in New Jersey had ended in defeat to the Brit- 
ish, and the authority of the latter had been superseded 
by a republican form of government. 

From 1794 the following were freeholders of the 
township : 

1794, 180(1-2, John Deinott; 1794, John Hurler; 179.'V-9«, 1S17, John G. 
Beneou; 179:>, Nicholas Wratervelt; 1798-97. Dawes Westervelt; 
1797-99, 18in;-lo, John 1". Durie ; 179»-!>», Isaac Nladl; ISOO, Cor- 
nelius UantH; 1801, Cornelius Westervelt, Junes Westervelt; 1HU3, 
Il.niy Deniolt ; lSiH-5, .Mliert A. WValcrvelt ; lS'S.-7, (ieo. lliiiiker- 
liolT; ISOS'l.'i, Kichiiici I'oweln ; IHI.-i, laaiiih Jidins-in; 181G-18, John 
Wexterveit, Jr., I'etcr C. We"tervelt; 1817, S. DrinksrholT; 1819, 
1821-24, 1827--28, I'etor C. Westervelt ; INIK-W, l.Si7-2.s. John West- 
I errelt, Jr.; 182U-2B, 1829-33, WilliauiKly; 1820, John Kd>all:1825- 

211, Richard Paulison ; 1S2'.I-3:1, Jacob V. Terhune ; 1834-30., John I. 
Demarest, Jr.; 1K34-:I6, 1M8-,MI. John R. i'aulistm ; 18:17 -!t9, Peter 
C. Westervelt ; 18;t7-38, Garret A. Westervelt ; Ig.l9-«1, 184(i, Abra- 
Imni Kly; 184IM2, 1849~5I, Jacob II. Urinkerhofl; IS4J-I4, Teter R. 
llogert; lS4;l-4.'i, John C". Westervelt ; 184.V47, Jacol. 1". Westervelt; 
1847 -4S, John W. Westervelt ; iafil-.''>3, Janiw Kly; 18.Vi-M, Thomiui 
W. Demarest; 1854-50, John J. Ilertli.df: ISflfl.John A. V. Terhune; 
1867-fill, I'aul R. I'aulison; 18'i7-MI, David I. WssUTveU ; l8ao-«2, 
I'eter llogert, Jr.; 18«l-6-\. Samuel Degns.t; l«a-m, ISWi. George 
Huyler; 18(H-rifi, Albert J. Uogert ; 18ir7-«, Garret A. I.ydecker; 
1868-09, I'etor P. Westervelt ; 1 s<i»-70, Joseph Sugg; I "70, Samuel 
S. Demarest. 

This old township during the Revolution was the 
theatre of some battles and of many exciting scenes 
and raids by the British and Tory refugee*. At every 
accessible point along the Hudson from Weebawken 
to Tappan the British .soldiery penetrated to the in- 
terior, driving oil' cattle, seizing and destroying the 
property of the .settlers, burning buildings, ami olten 
slaughtering in cold blood men, women, and defense- 
less citizens, whose only crime was their patriotism 
and hatred of British oppresision. The story of the* 
tragic events is told in our chapters on the Hevo- 
lulioii. In this township stood Kort Lee and the old 
block-house, so famous as the place of refuge for a 
band of the most unscrupulous Tories of the Revolu- 
tion. We will only give one extract here from the 
records of that period. It is contained in a letter 
dated Clostcr, May 10, 1779: 



THE OLD TOWNSHIP OF HACKENSACK. 



77 



" This day about one hundred of the enemy came 
by the way of New Dock, attacked the place, and 
carried off Cornelius Tallman, Samuel Demarest, 
Jacob Cole, and George Buskirk ; killed Cornelius 
Demarest ; wounded Hendrick Demarest, Jeremiah | 
Westervelt, Dow Tallman, etc. They burnt the houses I 
of Cornelius Demarest, Matthias Bogert, Cornelius ] 
Huyler, Samuel Demarest's house and barn, John 
Banta's house and barn, and Cornelius Bogert's and 
John Westervelt's barns. They attempted to burn 
every building they entered, but the fire was in some 
places extinguished. They destroyed all the furni- 
ture, etc., in many houses and abused many of the 
women. In their retreat they were so closely pur- 
sued by the militia and a few Continental troops that 
they took off no cattle. They were of Buskirk's 
corps, — some of our Closter and old Tappan neigh- 
bors, joined by a party of negroes. I should have 
mentioned the negroes first, in order to grace the 
British arms." 

Hendrick and Cornelius and Samuel Demarest were 
probably descendants of the old proprietor of Hack- 
ensack of that name. Their neighbors had turned 
Tories, and in that awful contest for their firesides 
and their homes, brother may have fought against 
brother and father against son. 

Nearly four years before these calamities at Closter, , 
New Jersey had declared herself independent of the j 
British crown, and nearly three years before all the 
American colonies had joined in the same patriotic 
declaration. The burning dwellings and barns and 
the insults to their women only served to fire the 
hearts and nerve the arms of the people of Hacken- 
sack in defending their country. 

The Township in 1840.— Ex-Judge Millard, who 
has furnished some of the material for the history of 
this township, thus speaks of it in 1840 : "The town- 
ship was then ten miles long and from three to five 
miles wide. It then largely supplied the New York 
markets with garden vegetables. Its annual sales of 
these products amounted to near $42,000, a large town- 
ship income at that day, more than doubling that of 
any other township in the county. Its four bridges 
crossed the Hackensack River, viz., at Hackensack 
Village, New Milford, Old Bridge, and New Bridge. 
At these places and at Schraalenburgh, Closter, and 
Mount Clinton were a few dwellings, scarcely enough 
even then to call any of them a hamlet. English 
Neighborhood, in the southern part of the township, 
was thickly settled, and had one Reformed and one 
Christian Church. The township then contained five 
stores, nine grist-mills, six saw-mills, six schools, and 
two hundred and eighty-one scholars. It had a popu- 
lation of 2631. 

By the census of 1865 the old township of Hacken- 
sack had a jiopulation of 7112, and by the census of I 
1870, which was the last enumeration before the di- 
vision and final cessation of the township, it had a j 
population of 8039. ' 

6 



Early Schools.' — Previous to the passage of the 
scliool act of 1846 the schools were supervised by 
township school committees, elected at the annual 
town-meetings. It is not remembered how many 
years this economy existed, but it is remembered that 
prior to 1842 the school committee of Hackensack, as 
well as other townships, never had reported to the 
board of trustees of the school fund, as the law re- 
quired them to do. They passed over to their succes- 
sors in office a bundle of papers, in which there was 
nothing of importance except a description of the 
school districts as they had been formed by them- 
selves, and a loose copy of apportionments of the 
very meagre appropriations to the schools in their 
charge. The newly-appointed committee in Hack- 
ensack township, in conformity to a resolution 
adopted by the people assembled at town-meeting, 
were instructed to report at the ensuing town-meeting 
the condition of the public schools in the township. 
A reproduction of their report may not be uninter- 
esting at this time, as it serves to exhibit the differ- 
ence between their condition then and now. It was 
as follows, viz. : 



" Report read at the AnniKtl 7\''tni-Me€ti»g, lOlh April, 18-13. 

"The school committee choseu at the last aiiuual tuwn-nieeting report 
as follows, viz.: 

"Tliat when they accepted their office, they did so with a mutual un- 
derstanding that they would discharge their duties according to law. 
The reasons they would assign for coming to this determination are 
that no report had at any time pieceding the last year been received by 
the trustees of the school fund from the towusliip of Hacliensack, that 
their predecessors had performed their duties in part only, and that it 
seemed to be the wisli of many that information should be publicly com- 
municated this day respecting the expenditure by tlie trustees of the 
different schools, of the interest of the suri>lus revenue which tlie people 
of the town had benevolently appropriated to the use of schools. The 
committee have mainly directed their attention towards acquiring the 
necessary information in this particular, so as to make it satisfactory to 
the public tliat the money baa been judiciously expended. 

"Section thirteen of tlie act to establish public schools in the State of 
New Jersey imposes upon one or more of tlie members of the school com- 
mittee to visit and examine the schools in their respective townships at 
least once in every six montlis, and on or before the first Monday in 
March report their stale and condition, tlie number of scholars taught, 
the terms of tuition, the length of time the schools have been kept open, 
the amount of money received of the collector, and the manner in which 
the same has been expended. 

"In obedience to the mandate contained in this section, the school 
committee did visit a majority of the schools last fall. In the early part 
of February last they sent circulars to the trustees of all the scliools, 
inclosing a blank form of a legal report, and requesting the trustees to 
complete the same, for which the committee would call on or before the 
first Monday iu 5Iarch. 

"On the Friday preceding the first Monday in March the committee 
' visited school No. C, New Bridge, and No. 7, Scliraalenburg. The com- 
mittee feel gratified in stating that in both of these schools they met the 
' trustees, who with the teachets politely furnished the information asked. 
I At the New Bridge the average number of scholai-s taught is thirty-four; 
terms of tuition, S1.5n, 81.75, and 82.tM). The school has been kept open 
all the year ; the amount of money received of the collector S74.80, which 
has been expended for the education of poor children, and for the ex- 
penses of the school-house. 

"The average number of children taught at Schraalenburg is forty- 
seven ; terms of tuition, S1.50 ; school kept open the whole year ; amount 
of money received of the collector S83.60, all of which, except a balance 
of go.48, has been expended for the tuition of poor scholars, for extin- 

t Centeonial Hist. Schools in Bergen GouDty, by Supt. Demarest. 



rs 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



guitbing th» dobl on the •cliool-hoUM and paying the expenaea of the 
scliool. 

"Some time previously the coDimilloe vi»itod scbool No. 4, at the 
Liberty Pole, on the day of the examination. Thie school is in good con- 
dition. The average niinilwr of s^liolarii taught i« forty-five ; price of 
tuition, 81.7'i; school kept open the whole year with the umlsnion of a 
few days ; received of the collector SlWI.lo, 8<!>.Si of » hicli has been ex- 
pendeil for the education of poor children; the surplus funds of laat 
year, added to the remainder of this year, have iK-eu used for erecting a 
cupola on their echool-house and the purchase of a bell, for keeping the 
school-house in repair and providing the necewary articles for the use of 
the school. 

" So. 2, at Fort Lee, was visited on the first Monday in March. The 
school building nppiars tu he the liest, largest, anil niwt commodious of 
any in the township. .\ becoming spirit animates all in the furtherance 
of popular education. The average number of scholars taught is fifty- 
two; the terms of tuition, Sl.50 and S2.00; the bcIkhjI has been kept 
open the whole year; the amount of money received, S'J2«. Out of 
this sum was |>aid for interest due on the school-house debt, SKi ; to pay- 
ing teacher, SM); for stove and fuel, $24 : leaving an unexpended balance 
of S3.4I1. Poor children arc udmitle<l fne of charge, the teacher being 
engaged by tlip year at a fixed comlH'nsation. 

■' So. :l, at the English Neighliorhood, wn-s next visited. The school 
at the time co»laine>l only eighteen scholars, whilst the uumber residing 
in the ilistrict is eighty. The principal cause of this discrepancy is that 
another school is taught in the district. It is the opinion of this com- 
mittee that this could be made one of the best districts in the township 
If the inhabitants would lake a more lively interest in the alTairs of the 
scliool; price of tuition, $i.OO; school kept open eight months in the 
year ihisi : received S79.'20, of which J4^.17 has been expended for school 
furniture, for cleaning and repairing school and paying the teacher. The 
reason assigned for so large a balance (?) SiC.03 remaining unexpended 
was that, the school not having been kept open more than eight months, 
the money was not required. 

"Scliool No. o, at Teaneck, was next visited. There were about sixteen 
scholars preeent. The only report we have obtained from the trustees 
merely mentions the number of children in the district, which is fifty- 
six, and the number taught, which is twenty-eight, and the amount of 
money received, lieing §4y.5<i. Why the trustees failed to connnunicate 
to the coinniiltec the terms of tuition, thi- length of time the school had 
been kept open, and the manner in w liicii the money received had been 
expended Is unknown to ns. When this committee submitted to the 
trustewi of the dilTerent schools blank forms of reixirhi, requesting them 
to cnniplete the sauie, they were not prompted thereto by idle curiosity, 
but simply Ui comply with the requirements of section thirtecTi of the 
school law. How It is iwsslhlo for this mmmitlee to make out their re- 
port conformably to this section when trustees fall to give the ueceeaary 
information we are nnalde to determine. 

"School No. ^V, at Liqier Teaneck, was next visited. The average 
nnniber taught is thlrtyeight ; price of tuition, SI.60; received ..f the 
culleclor S5'.i.40, which, according to the statement of the trustees, ' has 
been ex|i«ndcd for the use anil support of the school.' No vacancy the 
past year. 

"The relKirt rvcolved from port District No. 8, at the Flabj, says that 
the niimlwr of scholara taught Is twenty-three; price of tuition, Sl.oO 
and 81 .T.'i ; no vacancy the paat ywir ; $.11 .911 money received ; T.'i cents of 
this has l«en oiliendiil for re|>alr8, and the remainder eyaciHy dii idiil 
among t/tt children. 

•• The roi«ort of part District No. 0, Closter, marely glree the number 
of children of legal school age realding In the district, which Is thirty- 
four, which liorely enahlea them to receive their portion of the school 
mon<-y. 

" Keii..rt of imrt District No. 1, «l Bull's Ferry, gives the average 
nunilier of jM-holan taught at sixteen; terms of tuition, »2; recelvo.1 of 
riiUiiliir SIT.fiD, which has lieen ei|>ended in repairing schoobhouse and 
purchasing fuel. 
" .Ml of which Is reaiMKtfully submitted. 

(Slgne<l> "Joiix V,M< BaHNT." 



Property destroyed by the British.— Tlu- follow- 
ini{ Im im iiiviiitorv (if tin- .'oocis ;in<1 i-linttol,s destroyed 
livtlif Hritiuli ill tlifolil township of HiickensHck from 
177i; to UH'I, as valiiid liy tlie awarding coinmittec. 
The record from which it i.'* taken is entitled "The 



Book of the Precinct of Hackensack," and is No. 172 

in the State library at Trenton. 

This inventory was made in accordance with "an 
act to procure an estimate of the damages sustained 
by the inhabitants of this .State from the wtiste and 
spoil committed by the troops in the service of the 
enemy and their adherents, by the Continental army, 
or by the militia of this or the neighboring States," 
passed Dec. 20, 1781. In pursuance of this act ap- 
praisers of damages were appointed in each county. 
Those for Bergen County were James Board, Henry 
Mead, and John Hogan, Jr. 

£ t. .1. 

I'etrus Bogert, Hackensack, June. 1780 19 1" 

Philip Mnrra, Uaikensack, Sept 1778 :!! 18 U 

(jornelius Hoagland. 177i; to March, 1780 '21 8 6 

Mary Van Osdeu, Hackensack, 1776, 1T78 4» 13 10 

Johannes Demaicsl, Hackensack, Sov. 1776 60 o 

Johannes Terbune, Hackensack, Nov. 1776 to Oct. 1778 109 14 11 

David Demarest, Hackensack, Sept. 1776 to Sept. 1781 156 19 10 

AlbertTerhune, Hackensack, Sov. 1776 to Sept. 1778 185 9 6 

Jacobus Bliukerhof, Hackensack, Nov. 1776 to Oct. 1778 334 15 9 

Joet Zabri»kie, Hackensack, 1776 to Sept. 1778 657 14 11 

Eva Conniiver, Huckonsiick, 177« to Oct. 1778 675 5 10 

Peter Christie, llackensiick, 1770 to 1779 31 2 3 

John D. Deniaresl, Hackensack, 1776 to 1778 8» 8 7 

Wicrt D. Banta, 1770 to Sept. 1778 101 18 3 

Abraham D. Demarcsl, Nov. 1776 to Nov. 1778 81 13 3 

William Campbell, 1776 to Sept. 1778 400 9 1 

John Haves, 1776 lo 1782 _ 86 14 

fharles try Weslervell, 1778, 1779 20 8 6 

Marv Vandike, 1776 89 3 3 

HenVv Kreilon. 1770 to 1782 «l 3 

JobuCanipbell, Oct. 1778 71 4 11 

Alinibani Devoe, 1770to 1781 347 9 

Jumes P. Deniaresl, 1776 to 1778 331 12 

Isaac W. Kipp, 1776 to 1779 80 12 

Samuel llanll^ Nov 1776 165 10 

Nicausie Blinkeihof, 1776 to 1778 „ 417 15 6 

Hem V Deniarcst, N"V. 1770 to 1782 141 3 4 

SamuVl Demaicsl. 1779. 1780 _ 61;) 1 8 

John Demarest, Sov 1770 to Sept. 1778 407 19 8 

Benjamin Demarest, Sov. 1776 to Sept. 1780 47 10 6 

Klizabeth Moore. 1776 to 1778 65 7 6 

Cornelius Lvdecker, Nov. 1776 to tX-t. 1778 :136 14 

Johannes Weetervell, Nov. 1776 to t)ct. 1778 l.'>2 8 

J.ihannes Bogert, Nov. 1776 to 1782 19t) 11 9 

Jacob Bogert. Sov. 1776 hi 1778 l.'iO 14 6 

Leah Kipp, Nov 1776 to 1779 101 16 

Eva Banta, Nov. 1776 lo 1778 146 6 6 

Jane Deniareet, Nov. 1776 to Oct. 1778 61 

Benjamin Komiiie, Nov. 1776 lo 1782 46 17 6 

John Brower. 1777 to 1781 _ 57 8 6 

Koelef B-'gert, Nov. 1776 to Nov. 1781 106 18 3 

Sanmel S. Demarest. Nov. 1776 to 177H 201 9 9 

Abraham l.o/.ier, Nov. 1776 to March, 1781 104 1 6 

llaninih It ine. 1776 to 1778 140 18 8 

David P. Deniaresl, Nov. 1776 to May, 1779 149 1 2 

Samuel Deliinre-I, Nov. 1770 to 1782 _ 188 3 2 

John Montanye, Nov. 1776 ~ 152 II 9 

Daniel Chrislle, Nov. 1776 to Oct. 1778 122 IT 4 

John Nelson, Sov. 1776, 1777 2«2 10 6 

Jacob W. lilauvell, N.iv. 1776 to April, 1779 294 12 2 

. John W,«lervelt, Nov. 1776 to Sept 1778 19 7 8 

Klias Ibiniine. Nov. 1776 to June, 1779 157 2 2 

John Christie, Nov. 1778 lo 1778 29 11 3 

John W. Christie, 1777, 1778, 1780 27 II 6 

Jani,» Christie, Nov. 1776 26 7 

Kliiu. Dav. S,.v. 1776 160 16 

Wiilter Van Osden, 1778 U » » 

.Sl,.iilieii Hogert, Nov. 1776 03 13 

Kli/Jibeth Banta, Nov. 1776 lo 1780 163 9 « 

James lllinkerhof. N.,v. 177(1. 1778 310 13 

D..wer Weslervell, 1777 lo 1779 22 14 

Jane Weslervell, 1777 b. 1779 25 10 

Peter Weslervell, 17711 lo 1779 '269 S 

Albert Bauta, 1771. to 1779 634 3 3 

Marv Hogirl, 1776 1,1 1770 4111 8 8 

Heiidriek ll,igert, 1770 10 1778 _ - 128 4 8 

Kvi. Hiivler, 1776. 1779 28 4 6 

Heiirv lb liikerlii.f, 1777 lo 1781 160 2 

AlU-rl C. Zidirlskie. Nov. 1776 to 1779 384 1> 8 

Peter Demareel, 1778, 1779 19 3 

John Jai-.di Banll^ 1776 58 12 3 

Jn.obNagel, 1776IO 17M0 _ 79 9 

Marv lluvler, 1770 to 1780 „ 90 11 2 

JuhliCWestervell. 1770 10 1779 316 4 8 

Coinelliis llMgert, 1776 409 13 4 

Davl.l Vnii Osden, Nov, 1776 106 13 6 

Daniel S Deniaresl. Nov. 1776 to Oct. 17T8 108 II 6 

, Derrick Banta. 1776 to 1780 440 2 4 

Janie. Slagg, 1776 171 8 

' Mary Moore, 1776 to 1778 310 7 « 



THE OLD TOWNSHIP OF HACKENSACK. 



79 



£ a. d. 

John H. Banta, 1776 to 1779 437 4 3 

Kev. D RonieyD, 1776 to 1782 387 11 7 

David B. Demarest, 1777 to 1780 549 4 3 

Peter Bourdett, 1770 lo 1781 209 7 6 

Samuel Campliell, N'uv. 1776 to Sept. 1778 146 14 9 

William Christie, Nov. 1776 to 1780 790 3 8 

J'.hn Mauritius, Nov. 1776 to June, 1780 361 10 

Ganet Lvilecker, Nov. 1776 to 1778 1064 12 

J.-hii Beuson, Nov. 1776 to 1780 154 16 G 

Aruie Banta {widow of David Banta) 710 1 3 

David Samuel Demarest, 1776 to 1780 721 17 

Mary Dav (wid..w), 1776 to 1779 233 12 8 

Samuel Demarest, 1776 to 17S2. 74 11 4 

Thomas Ricknmn, 1776 83 19 9 

David Hammond, 1776 15 

Jacoh Fredon, Nov. 1776 to June, 1780 800 16 9 

Abraham Montanye, Nov. 1776 to Aug. 1777 275 5 9 

Peter Demarest, Sept. 1777 to Oct. 1778 213 6 

Arie Westervelt, Nov. 1776 to 1779 230 9 6 

William Hammond, Nov, 1776 to 1781 62 9 3 

John Moore, 1776 to 1778 122 14 6 

jHiues Campliell, Nov. 1776 to 1778 54 15 

Peter Westervelt, Nov. 1776 to 17S2 44 10 6 

Daniel N. Demarest, 1776 to 1782 145 16 9 

John Hudson, 1776 to 1779 97 6 

Rachel Allen, 1778 142 13 6 

Hendrick Kuyper, Oct. 1776 to 1777 1644 3 

The inventory of Mr, Kuyper is worth giving in 
full to show what a Bergen County farmer possessed 
in those times. The items are charged as follows : 

£ s. (I 

Tu two hundred bushels of wheel in Barn 65 

" :J5 Bushels of Barleiij 7 17 6 

'' two Tuus of hay .^ 6 

" 150 bushels of Indian Corn in field 28 2 6 

" 100 bushels of potates 10 

•* five WagKon Ixjads of Sax 17 10 

" a=> Bushels of flax seed 13 2 6 

" one wind mill to dene giain 4 10 

" four Spinning Weele.i 4 

■" two Wnoling Weeis 16 

*' twelve bushels of malt 4 16 

" lire Petaunger'J Copls Burden 40 

" Ci iipannel of fence one half new 54 

" oi;0 Lome (loom) hs good as new 3 4 

•■ t\'0 Plows with tlie fnll sets of Gears 4 

" ore iruuTuth (tooth) harrow 12 6 

" two Spads, 5 hoes 1 bog hoe 2 4 

" eight new barrils 1 12 

'■ fciirSiths with all their acutrementa 2 8 

■• three Sith to cut weet 2 5 

" four beef Tubs and Ley Cask 2 

" one pare handirons 1 10 

" one Large Cubbei-d 2 Large Tables 8 

*' two Wood Sleays 1 10 

" one Iron Shod Sleay half worn 2 

" one Louse (loose) Corner Closet and one small Cubbert * 5 

" two young Cows 9 

** on Hundred acres of Wood Land cutoff 500 

" three horses 1 of 4 years 14.% high 10-7 do 14J/f; 10-9 do 

14 .* 60 

•* on Waggon and Geai-s good. 12 

*' two Negro Wenches, value £60each 120 

" thre Negro Children one garrJl (girl) of 8 years one boy 

i>f three years one boy of 1 year and 8 mouths 68 

'■ four milks Cows 19 

■ one mare and yearling Colt. 30 

" one Sute of broad clotli Close good 8 

'• one Waggon New 18 

'■ one Sute of Soutc half worn 3 

■' one Barcelona Handkerchief 8 

" one pure of new shoes an plated buckets (i 15 

" one Shuger Box seven pound of Shuger 7 6 

'* twelve gallons of Westindia mm 2 14 

*' one Gammon of Bacon 7 6 

" two Sheatsone Callego Coverled quilted ^^ 10 

■' one blanket and one great Coat 2 5 

" one Docket Book wasted 6 

" Hard Money Eight Dollars :j 

" Continental Money one hundred pounds 2 10 

" one pare Silver Studs and pare Silver Buttons 7 6 

" one pare Silver Shoe buckels cost £1 12 1 10 

" one gallon of rum 4 

•' two Caster Hats one lialf worn 2 6 R 

" one new black bonnet 13 

" seven yards of linen 13 4 

" two Check Aprons 10 

■* one puter Viason 5 6 

" one new featherbed 6 

" four pare of troweersone check 17 6 

*' six behives with hunney 6 

" six wemens caps at 2 shillings each 12 

" two Looking glasses, one cost £4 one £o 9 

" an Armed Chair 7 6 

" one gun fowling piece 3 10 

*' one new piggon net 12 6 

" one Psalm Book Silver Clasps 10 



£ 

To two buckechin bi inkers half worn 1 

" two Sets of Curtens almost new 10 



" one Dutch Bible cost £4. 

" ten Shirt^ 

" four toble Cloths 4 Towels. 

** 8 Linnen Sheets 

'* 35 Eels of new Linnen 

" one Callego Bed Spred , 

" one fether bed two Bolsters two pillows 10 

" one House Clock 8 

" one Tea Kiltie and 1 Coffee Pot — copper 

" one Large english Bible 

" one Brass Kittle.. 

" three iron Pots 

** one Gridiron, Tiivit and Toster 

" one frying Pan 

" oue Side Saddle , 

" one Steer and one Heffer 

" one Large Trunk 

" one Negro man about 60 years old 

" a Dwelling House 54 feet in front 25 in rear. 

" one Dwelling House 18 by2o feet 

" one Barn 48 feet long 45 wide Seder roof. 

" one out house 18 feet square 12 

*' one small Barn 30 by 20 feet Seder roof 15 

" Cow house •J.S by 12 feet Seder roof Kt 

*' half of one Brew House 30 by 20 feet 15 

" half of a Copper Brew Kittle, held 5 barrels 20 

" half of the other Brewing Utencels 8 

" one Bote 24 feet long 3 feet 6 inches wide 8 

" half of one fish net near lOOfadam.... 15 



1 

1 

2 

2 





5 

9 

1 

90 

150 

50 

80 



«. d. 

10 







6 



5 







15 

10 























Total £1644 3 

" Hendricus Kuyper being duly sworn and says the above Inventory 
is just and true, and that no Satisfaction or Restitution has been made 
for the same. 

"Hendhicus Kxitpfk. 
" Sworn before me George Doi emuc, Nov. 20, 1782." 

£ 8. d. 
To one Young Man's Companion 5 6 



Inventory of William Campbell : 



To one Chany Bowl Containing three quarts.. 

" one of two Ditto 

" four of oue Ditto 

" twelve wine glasses 

" two quart Tumblers ... 

" four quart Decanters 

" two large puter dishes 

" Twenty-four Eels of New Liasy Woolsy. . 

" two good lanterns 



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15 








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Among Rev. Mr. Eomeyn's books were : 



L. Eihard's History of England 

C. Beubroglio's History of the Ware of Flandere.... 

Cniden's Concordance.. 

Furguson's Lntore - - 

Godfrey's Poems ., 

Connie on the Catechism 

Beddirus on the Passion of Christ 

Taynman on Job 2d Vol 

Helenbrook on Isaiah 2d Vol 

Cocceyusou the Ephesians 

Maccovius System on Divinity , 

Driesen Sermons 

Van Stavereii on E.Kodu8 

Wingate's Arithmetick 

Cole's Dictionary, Latin and English 

Johnston's Do., 2d vol., English 

Smith's Longinus 

Evan's Sermons, vol. 2 

American Miigazine 

W'ine's History of AmenVa, 2d Vol 

Dr. Watts' Sermons, 2 vols, in one 

English Psaln) Book bound in Mnrocco 

Edwards on the Wilt 

Do. on Original Sin 

Do. on Religious Affections 

Do. on Moral Virtue, etc 

Do. Life and Sermons 

i Perries' Longinus. Latin and Greek 

Six volumes of Swift's Works at 5« 

Spectator, 8 vols., at 5s 

I Milton's Poetical Work8,2 vols 

' Milton's Paradise Lost in Prose 

I Thre volumes of Pntdius Remuneration, at 7«. 6d.. 
j Rolin's llelle Le1tres,4 vols, at 6c 

Thre volume)* t)f Calo's Letters at 6« 

I McLaurin's Essays 

Cambray on Eloquence 

I Duncan's Logic 

! Boston's Four Field State 

j Preceptor 

' Bucban's Family Physician 



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10 






80 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES. NEW JKRSEY. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

CIVIL ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY OF BERGEN. 

In December, 1682, the Assembly of East Jersey 
passed an act ilividing tlie province into four coun- 
ties, viz. : Bergen, Essex, Middlesex, and Monmouth.' 
Bergen included all the settlements between the 
Hudson and Hackensack Rivers, and extended to the 
northern boundary of the province. Bergen and its 
outlying plantations comprised about si.xty thousand 
acre.s of land. In the act of Jan. 21, 1709, " for de- 
termining the bounds of the several counties," those 
of Bergen were e.\tended, as follows : " Beginning at 
Constable's Hook, so up along the bay and Hudson's 
River to the partition point between New Jersey and 
the province of New York ; along this line and the 
line between East and West Jersey- to the Peipianeck 
River; down the I'equaneck and Passaic Rivers to the 
Sound ; and so following the Sound to Constable's 
Hook, the place of beginning." 

In 1693 the counties were divided into townships. 
But those of Bergen County — viz., the townships of 
Bergen and Hackensack — had e.\isted for many years ' 
and been organized municipalities, the former under 
the Dutch government of the New Netherlands,' and : 
the latter under the proprietary government of East 
Jersey. No court e-xisted at Hackensack in 1G82. 
Smith says, in his " History of New .Icrsey," under ! 
date of this year: " The plantations on both sides of 
the Neck, as also those at Hackensack, were under the 
jurisdiction of Bergen Town, situated about the mid- 
dle of the Neck." The act of organization established 
the county courts at Bergen, where they remained 
until the enlargement of the county in 1709. 

Bergen, in 1080, is thus described by (Icorge Scott, 
of Edinburgh, who published a book entitled "The 
Model of the Government of the Province of East 
Jersey in America:" 

" Here is a Town Court Ili-Id by SeUcI Mm or iirrrtrrr*, wli.i iiw'il to he 
four or liiitn- OM thoy iOohho to chuoflo ^tnnually to try tvuilt rimtft, oj in <i// 
the rtMt tif the T^'imn ; <ind two Oourl$ of Setfwn$ in the year, front which, if 
the caune rjceed twenty poumte, they tnoy appeal to Ifie Guermor and Council 

and Court of DeputieA ill their AMcmhty, who n ( once a year. The town 

i> coni|«ct, >iiil hutli Inieii fortineil ugainst Hit Inilluiia. Tlioro aro not 
»l«vi> Mivnnly fiimlllM in it. Tlio ocren liilion up liy llio town nmy bo 
■IhiuI 1U,i<x>, anil for llio Out PlanlationM, .'.O.liW, and tlio niinilior of In- 
habllaiiln aro computed to Iw 350, but many raoro aliruad. Tlio groatoit 
part of the Inliabltnntawliicli arc In thi« jurindiction aro Dutch, uf which 
■omo liur*' noltlod horo upwards of forty ypara ago." 

' In onlor ro rniiw Ilflv pound*, the Logltlatiiro couionml in 108.1 laid 
aiueaimontJi to lio raliod In the four countira ai followa : Ilorgon, £11; 
MhbllnH'X, £10: h>iiox, £14; Monmouth, £15. 

Ill low Iho iiuni ol £70 I2j. 9.1. wa» awSMxl for Ilergoii County: 
Borgon, £7 Oi. >1 , Ilackouiiack, t3 18a. 0<l. 

3 Tito line U'tweon Koal and Wrat Joney, liera referred tu, la not tlia 
line nnally ad<ipto<i and linowii aa Iho Lawrence line, which w«a run 
liV Jolili Lawrolue in Soplember and October. 174:1. It wan the com- 
prxsmlae line agreeil uiion between (Jorernora Cole anil Barclay in lfl«2, 
which ran a little north of Morrlatown tu the PaaNlic UiTor; Uienco up 
the PiKiuannk to rortyH>ne degroea of luirlh latiluiie; and thence liy a 
alralKhl line due oaal Ui the New York Stale line. Thia lino IK-Ing afler- 
watdn ol.Jrcled to by tlie F.nal .leraey proprietor*, the latter procured lb* 
ninniuii of the Lawrence lino. 

^ Tlie Dutch goTornnient formeil no countle* In New NelhorlaiiiU. 



We have been particular to underscore a part of 
this quotation, inasmuch as we find it in some local 
histories misapplied to Hackensack Village, which 
latter place, it is well known, was in Essex County 
till 1709, and only upon the enlargement of Bergen 
County in that year was made the county-seal of the 
same. This was done l)ecause it was a thriving village, 
more centrally located than any other in the enlarged 
county. 

County officials in the reign of George the Second 
had to subscribe to certain oaths which sound strange 
to their descendants of these days in republican 
America. We give a list found attached to an old 
liarchment roll in the clerk's office, dated 17')5, 
wherein the names are subscribed to the following 
oaths : 

"Al-LEOIANCB TO THE KiNO. 

**I do heaitily and uiicerel.v acknowlodge, profeaa, teatify, and declare, 
in roy conacience, before God and the world, that our sovereign lord, 
King George the Second, is lawful and rightful kin^ of threat Uritain and 
all otliiT his Mi^eaty's dominions iind couutnos thereunto belonging; 
and 1 do solemnly and sincerely declare, and I do believe in my con- 
science, that the person pretending to be the Prince of Wales during the 
life of the late King James, or since bis decease, pretending to assume 
to himself the title of King of England, by the name of Jamee the Third, 
or James the Eighth, or the full title of tiie King of Great Britain, or by 
any riglit or title whatever to tht.- crown of threat Britain, or any otlier 
dominions tiiert-unto belonging; and I do renounce, refuse, and abjure 
any and all allegiance or obedience to lilm; and I do swear tliat I bear 
faithful luid true allegiance to bis Mnjeoty King George the Sccontl, and 
him will defend to the utmost of my iKivver against all tmitorona con- 
spiracies or attempts wtiatsoever to l)e made against his person, ct)WD, 
or dignity, and 1 will do my utmost endeavors to disclose and make 
known to his Majesty and his bucccssoib ail treast-)ns and traitoroiil cun* 
spiracles which I shall know to be against him or Ilo-ni; and I di> fallll- 
fnlly promise to tlie utmost of my [niwer to uphold iiml defend the sacrtHl. 
ness of llie crown against him, ttie said James, under any title w iiatao- 
over ; v^iiicb succession, by an act entitled ' .\n act for tlie succession of 
the crov\'n and the better securing the riglits a»d lilierties of the sub- 
jocts,* is limited to the Princess Sophia, electress and duchess dowager of 
Hanover, and the heirs of her body, tieing Proleetaiils. And all these 
things I do plainly and sincerely acknowledge anij swear according to 
tlie express words by me s|Hikeii, and according to the pbiiii sense and 
nnderstaniiing of the same, without any e<)nivocation, mental evasion, 
or soi'ret reserVHlluli wliatsoevor. And I do make tliis recognition, ac- 
knowb-dgmetit, alijunition, renunciation, and promise heartily, willingly, 
and truly, iilsin tiie true fallli of a Christian. 

'* So help ino God." 

" AbJIK.VTIO?! or THE P.VPACY. 

" 1 do swear that I do from my heart ablior, deli>8t, and abjure aa ini* 
pious and heretical tliat damnable doclline and poeitlon that princes ex- 
communicated by the Po|>e or any authority of the See of Ibuno may be 
dejiosed or iiiunlereil by Iheir siibjiH'ts or any other t'uthidtcs; and I d.i 
promise timl no foreign prince, |>enioii, prelate, or potentate siiali or 
ouglit to lake any jurisdiction, su|ierlority, pre-eminence, ur authority, 
eillier ecclesiastical or civil, within the re«]ni of Gieat Britain. 

" So help me God. 
"William Kingsland, AroDt Schuyler, Johannes Van ilouten, Michael 
Vreeianiit [Ilia (M. V.t mark], John Cardan, Isaac Kingsland. Joel 
Van lloskirk. Wallngh Van Winkel, Johnnnrs Dougart, Philip 
Schuyler, Jan Van Oideii, Jacobus Wynkoop, Pieler IVigert, George 
Royonte, Jr., Ilooled Van Der l.iliiler, Tlii-unis Day. Simon Vreeiand, 
Allairt Zabrlskio, Jacidius Van lliiskirk, Abrmliam Iwiydecker, Jacob 
Home [Ills (X) mark], Theodore Vailon, Hoberl Van Ilouten, llel- 
inago Van Home, Jacob Van Noalrand, Jr. [his (C) mark], Luke 
Itoyeme, Albert Heniali, Jiicoii Sitsofi, .\nisen Keraoria, Garret llid- 
lenlieck, Jidin S< liiiyier, William J. Kiiigsbind, Jacoli, hia aun, Isaac 
Kingsland, Jacob Van Bnakirk, Helmage Van Houle, Abraham 
Gonvenier, Isaac Sclmyler, Jiicobua Van Winkel, Jobannoa Vree- 
latidt [Ills (J. V.) mark]. George Vreolandt. Jan Terliiiyn, Ilendrlck 
lioremus, Johannes Reyone, Johaniies llougart. I'loter Domarest, 



CIVIL LIST OF BEKGEN COUNTY. 



81 



Sorens Jan Van Buskiik, David Van Buskirk, Henry Van Dalinda, 
Cornelius Wynkoop, Roelef Van Bouten, Derick Cuyper, George 
Reverse, Juliannes Post, Bejof Lyndaker, Abraham Ackernian, 
Micliael Noorland [liis (M.) mark], David Demarest, Timothy Ward, 
Henry Van De Linda, Jacoben Wyckoff, Picter Post, David Terliiiyn, 
Samuel Bogert, James Board, Peter Schuyler, John Berdan, Jacob 
Magel, Johannes Van Houten, Johannes Wagner [his (V. W.) mark], 
Roelef Westervelt, Heudrick Yeshopp, Abraham Dirick [his (A. D.) 
mark], Dirick Guysen, Peter Marsetin, Jansen Post, Jacobus Buck, 
Keynier V. Giere, Timothy Moore, Jr., Jacob Mead, Joliaunes Rey- 
erse, Dirick Cuyper, Samuel Moore, Jacob Dobson, Cornelius Bo- 
gert, Houseus Van Buskirk. Casparns Schuyler, Simon Juland. Wil- 
liam Van Emburgh, Johannes Demarest, Ephanus "N'an Home, Wa- 
bigh Van Buskirk, Peter Bogert, Rydsley Jecken, Jacobus Jeter, 
Isaac Kingaland. 
' Qualified as vendue master this 23d May, 1765, before me.i 

"John Schuyles." 



CHAPTER XX. 

CIVIL LIST OF BERGEN COUNTY. 

At the head of this list we give the board of justices 
and freeholders from 1715 — the date of the earliest 
records to be found — to 1794, when the justices ceased 
to act in the board with the freeholders, and the board 
from that time forward was composed only of the 
latter. The freeholders will be found named, so far 
as data could be obtained, in their respective town 
histories : 

Justices and Freeholders. 

1715. — Ju6(icc«— Thomas Larence, George Ryerson, Jobn Berdan, Martin 
PowlBon. Freeholders— John Flagg;, Ryer Ryerson, Rutt Van Home, 
Cornelius Blinkerhof, Xicliolas Lazier, John Bogart. 

1716.— Justices— David Provost, Thomas Lawrence, Thomas Van Bus- 
kirk, George Ryersou, John Flagg, David Demarest. Freeholders— 
Hendrick Cooper, Cornelius Blinkerhof, Miholes Lasire, Jacob 
Blinkerhof, Ryer Ryerson, David Danjelse, Peter Garretson, Cor- 
nelius Van Voi-st, John Van lioute, John De Mutt, John Huyler, 
Isaac Van Der Beck, Jr., Arent Schuyler, Jacob Be rdau, Abraham 
Haring, Abraham G. Hariug. 

1717.— Jnflitc«s— David Provost, Thomas Lawrence, Thomas Van Bus- 
kirk, George Ryerson, John Flagg. Freeholders — Andries Van Bus- 
kirk, Rutt Van Home, Jacob Bantaw, Jacobus Blinkerhof, David 
Ackernian, Harp Garrebrantse, Peter Garretson, Thomas Garretson. 

1720. — Jtistices — David Provost, Thomas Lawrence, Thomas Van Buskirk, 
George Ryerson, John Berdan, Frefholdi-rs — David Ackernian, 
Lucas Kinstud, Lawrence Van Buskirk, Rutt Van Home, Roelef 
Bogert, Roelef Westervelt. 

1721. — JH/!^'ces— Thomas Lawrence, Thomas Van Buskirk, George Ryer- 
son, John Berdan, John Flagg. Freeholders — Hendrick Cooper, Rutt 
Van Home, Charles Lezier, David Demarest, Michael Van Winkle, 
David Ackernian, William Flagg, Arent Turce. 

1722. — Justices — Thomas Lawrence, Thomas Van Buskirk, George Ryer- 
son, John Flagg. Freeholders — Hendrick Cooper, Garret Turyance, 
David Demarest, Audriese Van Orden, Thomas Fredrickson, Johan- 
nes Nefie, Johannes Walingson. 

1723. — Justices — Thomas Lawrence, Thomas Van Buskirk, George Ryer- 
son, John Berdan, John Flagg, Wander Deadrick. Freeholders — 
John Wright, Egbert Ackerson, Andriese Van Orden, William Dey, 
Cornelius Blinkerhof, David Danjelson, John Hopper, Peter Tebon. 



1 This probably refers to the last person named, Isaac Kingsland. The 
following note fron- the records will throw some light upon the office of 
"vendue master:*' 

*' It is ordered by the Board of Justices and Freeholders of the county 
of Bergen that Jacob Titshort shall be vendue master to sell arms and 
accoutrements, and to receive for his trouble 6 pence per pound. 

"Oct. 4, 1763." 

These were arms and accoutrements used in the French war. They 
were sold at the court-house in Hackensack on Monday, Oct. 17, 1763. 



1724.— JuB/ices— Thomas Lawrence, Thomas Van Buskirk, John Berdan, 
Ryer Ryerson. F/«e/ioMer8— Philip Schuyler, Garret Garretson, 
Martin Powlson, John Loats, Cornelius Blinkerhof, Johannes Gar- 
retson. Johannes Ackernian. 
1725.— J^iw^iVes— Thomas Van Buskirk, Isaac Van Geren, Jnhn Berdan. 
Freeholders— PhUip Schuyler, Garret Garretson, filartin Powlson, 
John Loats, Cornelius Blinkerhof, Johannes Garretson, Johannes 
Ackernian. 
1726.— Ji«( icea— Thomas Van Buskirk, Thomas Lawrence, Isaac Van 
Gesen, John Berdan, Thomas Oldwater. Free/toMe)-8— Cornelius 
Blinkerhof, Johannes Van Wagen, John Bogert, Jacobus Blinker- 
hof, Michael Van Winkle, Egbert Ackerman, Johannes Garretson. 
1727.— J«8(jce5— Thomas Van Buskirk, John Berdan, George Ryerson. 
Freeholders— Ueury Brockiiolst, Derrick Barenteon,. John Guest, 
Egbert Ackeiman, Claes Lazier, John Bogert, Johannes Garretaon, 
Cornelius Blinkerhof. 
1728.— J««Aicc«— Thon)as Van Buskirk, George Ryerson, Isaac Van 
Gesen, Ryer Ryerson. Freeholders— VhiUp Schuyler, Derrick Bar- 
entson, Abraham Ackerman, Tury Westervelt, Johannes Van Wa- 
gene, Claes Lezier, John Zabriskie. 
n^,— Justices— Thonisis Van Buskirk, Thomas Lawrence, Isaac Van 
Gesen. Freeholders— M&thias De Mott, Hendrick Cuyper, Joliannes 
Van Wagene, John /-abriskie. Arie Bunta, Hendrick Van Der Linde, 
Egbert Ackernian. 
1730.— Jw«((ce8— Thomas Van Buskirk, Isaac Van Gesen, Thomas Old- 
water, George Ryerson, Roelef Van Houten. Freeholders — Hendrick 
K. Kuyfer, Cornelius Blinkerhof, Arie Banta, Derrick Van Houte, 
Derrick Blinkerhof, Hendrick Van Der Linde. 
1731. _jHs(iVes— William Provoost, George Ryerson, Isaac Van Gesen, 
Ryer Ryersun, John Flagg, Henry Van Der Linde, Derrick Kuyper, 
Mathias De Mott, Richard Edeall, Benjamin Demarest. Freeholders 
— Henry Van Der Linde, Hendrick Kuyper, Cornelius Blinkerhof, 
Arie Banta, Thomas Fredericks. 
1732. — JiLsiiVes— William Provoost, Ryer Ryerson, Henry Van Der Linde, 
Benjamin Demarest, Derrick Kuyper. jPr^e/io/rfci-s— Egbert Acker- 
man, Hendrick Kuyper, Hendrick Van Winkle, Jacob Hendrickse 
Banta, John Christian. 
1733. — Ji(«(tc(?s— William Provoost, George Ryerson, Ryer Ryerson, 
Henry Van Der Linde, Derrick Kuyper, Benjamin Demarest, 
Mathiaa De Mutt. Freeholders— John Romine, Reynier Van Gesen, 
Hendrick Kuyper, Martin Powlson, Jan Duryea, Hendrick Van 
Winkle, Johannes Garretse, Garret Garretse. 
1734.— Ji«(ure^— William Provoost, David Provoost, Isaac Van Gesen. 
Freeholders — Martin Powelson, Jacob Dey, John Romine, Rynier 
Van Gesen, Philip Schuyler, John Garretson, Henry Cooper, Henry 
Van Winkle. 
1735.— Justices- William Provoost, David Provoost, Henry Van Der 
Linda, Poulus Van Der Beek. ^'rec/ioWers— Martin Powelson, Yost 
Zabriskie, Derrick Dey, John Garretson, John Van Orden, John 
Van Home, Henry Van Winkle, Garret Hopper. 
1736.— JiMi(rce«— William Provoost, John Flagg, David Provoorst, Paul 
Van Der Beck Freeholders — John Garretson, Yost Zabriskie, Jacob 
Day, John Van Home, Henry Van Winkle, Derrick Dey. 
1737. — /?i«(iofs— William Provoost, David Provoost, Paul Van Der Beck, 
Henry Van Der Linde, James Duncan. Freeholders — John Garret- 
son, Jacub Day, John Poet, Garret Halenbeck, Eden Sipp, John Van 
Home, Egbert Ackerman. 
nSS.— Justices— D&rid Demarest, Paul Van Der Beck, Henry Van Der 
Linda, James Duncan, Benjamin Demarest, Garret Halenbeck. Free- 
holders-John Romine, Cornelius Wynkoop, Henry Kipp, Arie Siebe 
Banta, Jacobus Pick. 
1741. — JtwiiccN- Paul Van Der Beck, John Berdau, Jacobus Bertholf. 
iiVceftoWers— Michael Van Winkle. Jacob Dey, Derrick Dey, Rynier 
Van Gesen, Juhn Duryea, Derrick Van Gesen. 
1742.— jM«(i,e«— David Provoost, Paul Van Der Beck, Henry Van Der 
Beck, Henry Van Der Linde. Freeholders — Cornelius Van Voss, 
Derrick Dey, Derrick Van Gesen, Cornelius Lydeker, Cornelius 
Wynkoop, Michael Vroeland, Jacobus Blinkerhof, John Duryea, 
Cornelius Van Vorst, John Van Hoin, Derrick Van Gesen, Jacob 
Oldwater, Jacobus Bertholf, Rynier Van Gesen, Jacobus Bertholf. 
1743.— ./Hsfices — Paul Van Der Beck, Henry Van Der Linde, John Ber- 
dan. Freeholders — Luke Ryerson, Garret Garretse, Jacobus Bertholf, 
Cornelius Van Vorst, Cornelius Wynkoop, Cornelius Leydeker. 
, 1744. — Justices — David Demarest, Hendrick Van Der Linde, Cornelius 
Wynkoop. Freeholders — Jacobus Bertholf, Cornelius Leydeker, 
Jacobus Blinkerhof, Abraham Ackerman, Garret Garretson, Lnke 
i Ryerson, Cornelius Van Voi-st, Derrick Cadmus. 



82 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



1746. — JitMicta — Hendrick Tan J>eT Linde. Abraham Ackennan, Law- 
rence Van BiiBkirk. Frirtholder$ — Jacobus BUnkerbofT, Joliti Ber* 
dan, Oomplius Loydoker, Derrick Doy, Garret Garretsou, Derrick 
Catluiiia, CoriieliiiH Vau Vurat. 
174B. — Jtuticfa — Garret Ilalenbeck, John Vnii Nurdo, Derrick Leydeker, 
John Bogert. FVefholden — Dorrk-k CailmuB, Cornelius Van Vomt, 
JacobuH Uliiikerhof, Cornelius Leydeker, Derrick Dey, Garret Gar- 
retsoD, Jacobud Bertliolf. 
1747. — Jutticf^ — Derrick Kuyper, Garret Ualeiibeck, Jacob Oldwater. 
Freeholders — Derrick Dey, Jacobus Bliukcrhuf, Cornelius Van Yorst, 
Jubn Van Home, Cornelius Leydeker, Garret Garret«ou, Jacobua 
Herthuir, Jnhu Herdnn. 
1748. — Ju»tice» — Derrick Kuyper, Garret llaleubcck, Jacob Titsort. Free- 
holders — Jacobus BertholT, Jacobuti Blinkcrhof, John Berdnn,Jobn 
Tan Horu, Derrick Dey, Garret Garretsou, Cornelius Van Vuntt. 
1749. — Justice* — Jacobus Peck, Jacob Titaort, Garret Ilnlenbeck. 
1760, — JiuUce* — George Ryergon, Derrick Kuyper, Garret Haleul>eck, Ja- 
cobus Peck. Freehohieri — John Van Horn, John Durie, Cornelius 
Van V«)rst, Coruelins Leydecker, Derrick Geisen, Garret Van Wa- 
ge ne. 
17&I. — JualicfM — Derrick Knypsr, Keynier Van Geisen, Abraham Van 
Buskirk. Freeholder*— John \ an Horn, Cornelius Vnn Yoret, Cor- 
Deliiis Leydocker, John Darje (Durjea?), Derrick Vau Geisen, Gar- 
ret Van Wageoe, JacoI> Titaort, John Zabriskie. 
1762. — Jtuticet — Derrick Kuyper, Jacobus Peck, Jacob Titsort. fVee* 
holder »— Isaac Kingsland, Garret Gnrretse, iiendrick Van Winkle, 
Derrick Van Geisen, John Van Horn, Johnnnee Bogert, Lawrence 
Vau Buskirk. 
1753. — Jtuticee — Jacobus Peck, Samuel Moore, Rcynlor Van Geisen. 
iiVeeAo/'i*r«— Garret (iarretse. Derrick Van Cieison, Isaac Kingsland, , 
Cornelius Leydocker, Barent Cool, Ilendrick Van Winklf, John Van 
Horn. I 

17M. — ./M*/k'M— Jacobua Peck, Jacob Titaort, Samuel Moore. hWekold- 
ers — Peter Zabriskie, Ilendrick Van Geisen, Barent Cool, Cor- 
nelius Leydocker, John Van Horn, George Vreeland, Derrick Van 
G risen. , 

1766. — ./kWicm— Jacobus Peck, John Demaresl, Jacob Titsort. Freehold- i 
rr* — Peter /abrisklo, Jacob Oldwater, John Van Horn, George Vree- : 
land, Dorrfck Vau Geisen, Turja Pieterse, Lawrence Vau Buskirk, I 
Johannes Bogert, I 

1766.— ./tti/icea — I>awrence Van Buskirk, Jacoluis Peck, Johniiuea Dema- ' 
reel. Freeholder»—3o\\\\ Van Horn, Hendrick Kuyper, Jacob Old- i 
walei, Lawrence Ackermiui, Barent Cool, Cornelius Leyiiocker, I 
Turjii Pioterse, Derrick Van Geifcn. 
1767. — Jtuticet — Jacobus Peck, Lawrence Van Buskirk, Johannes Denia- 
rest. Freeholdert — Ctirnellns Leydocker, Barent Cool, John Vau 
Horn, Hendrick Kuyper, Lawrence Ackeruian, Jacob Oldwateri 
Turio Pleterse, Derrick Van Geisen. i 

176S.—./i«/(Ve«— Jacobus Peck, Keynier Van Geisen, Lawrence Van Bus- 
kirk. I'reehoUhrn — .Jacob Oldwater, Lawrence Ackemiiin, Hendrick 
Kuyper, ('ornolius Leydocker, MIrhacI Do Mott, Barent <'ool, Then- ' 
nls Doy, Derrick Van Geisen. 
1769. — JtutuM — Reyuler Van Gteson, Jacob Titshurt, JolntiiueK Deniarest, 
Lawrence Van Buskirk. /VrcfcoMfTn— C^ornelius Leyiiocker, Barent 
Cole, Hendrick Kuypvr, Micbatd De 3Iott, Tennis Dey, Albertus 
Ti'rhuuo, John Zabriskie. 
1760.— JttJiirrj.— Keynier Van Geisen, Lawrence Van Buskirk, Jacob Tit- 
short. fVe^Ao/'ierji— Cornelius Lr>yd(tck<-r, Barent Cole, Teuuis Dey, i 
Derrick Vau Geisoti, Lawr<'tif<' Ackerinaii. 
nQl.—jMticr* — Jacobus ■*•-< k, Keynier Van liflnen, l^wronco Van Bus- 
kirk. Jiixdi Tltshurt, Hariman Blinkerhuf, Daniel Mariug, Derrick 
Van Geisen, Roelor Westervelt, Cornelius Van Vorsl, Hi-ndrick Kuy- 
per. 
1702. — Jii«lic^j— Keynier Van Qolsan, Lawrencn Van Buskirk, Jacob Tlt- 
slmrt. ^Vs«AoW«r»— Derrick Van GolBen, K<»eler Westorvelt, P«ter 
Zabriskie, Lawrence Ackerman, Ilartnian Bllnkorbof, Dauit*| ||a- 
riug, Cornelius Van Vorst, ILnidrirk Kuyper. 
17e:t.—./iu/trr>— Keynier Van Gi'lsen, lUielef W<'st4>rvelt. JacubTlUhort. 
FrefholtUrt—l'ptvr Zabiliikl«>, Lawrence Ackerman, Jacobus Berlo, 
Kdo Maraellse, Michael De Mott, George Cadmus, Johannes Dema- 
resl, John Duryi»a, 
1704.— ./iM<i/-e»— Keynier Van GeUf-n. Jacob Tltsh<irt, John B^rry. Free- 
holder*— Vctor Zabriskie, I<awrencti Ackerman, Jacobus Berio, Kdo 
MarcrleM, Johannes Domarrat, John Duryaa , Michael Do Molt, 
Tores Cadmus. 
1766.—./iu/u:«*— Ijiwrencc Van Buskirk. Jacob Tltshorl, Gourge Vree- 
land. fViieAol'(«ri— Ueudrirk Bllnkerhiir, Cornelius Garrebrantse, 



George Bllukerhof, l*eterZabriakle, John Zabriakle,Ar«ot Schuyler, 
Edo Marcelese. 

1766. — i/u*/tr«(i— Keynier Van Geisen, Peter Zabriskie, Hendrick Kuyper, 
lioelef Weetervelt. /V«AoWeni — Cornelius Vau Von«t, (^melius 
Gerrabrantae, Jr., Abniham Van Buskirk, Derrick Terbune, George 
Bllukerhof, John Demari>st, ArenI Schuyler, Edo Marcelese. 

1767. — Justtcej-- Keynier Van Giescii, Lawrence \'an Buskirk, Jacob Tit- 
short. Freehold'-rs—Aretit Scliuyler, Edo Marcelese, Abraham Van 
Buskirk, John Terhuue, Jacob De Mott, John Dcmarest, Hendrick 
Blinkerhof. 

176H.—Ji«/icM— Keynier Van Geisen, Lawrence L. Van Buskirk, Peter 
Zabriskie. >Vre/ioWrT«— John Demurest, Jacub Do Mult, Ilendriik 
Blinkerhof, Coruelius Garrabrante, John Terbune, Edo Marcelese. 

1769.— Ju«<ic«#— Keynier Van Geisen, I*awreuce Van Buskirk, Peter Za- 
briskie. l-WeholderB- John Terbune, Isaae- Van Der Beck, Idumus 
Marcelese. John Kyoraon, Sfartiu PauUson, Jacob De Mutt, Helmer 
Van Houten, Abraham Prior. 

1770. — JiWi'e«— Keynier Van Geisen, Peter Zabriskie, Lawrence Van 
Buskirk, Roelef Westervelt, Thomas Moore. FrefWJer*— John 
Terhune,i Samuel Berry,' Hendrick Vau Huuten,' Abraham I'rior,^ 
Jacob Do Motl,^ Blathios Uoulse,' Edo Marcelfse.* 

1771. — Jt«/ic«"«— Reyni<'r Van Geisen, Lawrence Van Buskirk, John Tell, 
Roolef Wester^elt, Thomas Mtvore, Freeholder*— JoXiu Terhune, 
Samuel Berry, Abraham Prior, Hendrick Kuyper, Jacob De Mott, 
Mathius Ruulse, Jacob Post, Edo Slun'clese. 

1772.— JhWicwi- Keynier Van Geisen, Peter Zabriskie. Roelef Westervelt. 
fVeeAoWrrj— Samuel Berry.i Heudricus Cooper.s An>ert Bant*,*M«- 
thios Roulese,^ Kdo Marcelese,* Hendrick l)orenins.* 

1773,_ji«/Mr«*— Lawrence Van Buskirk, Peter Zabriskie, Roelef Wester- 
velt. Fre«/ioWcr(i— George De Mutt, Mathias Koulese,' J-din Benson,^ 
leoac Vau Der Beck,' Nicause Terhune,' E<lo Marceles, Hendrick 
Doremus, Albert Ackerson,'' Janie« Ikmrd.-"* 

1774.— Jiw/ic«— lAwreuce Van Buskirk, Peter Zabriskie, K«)elof Wester- 
velt. Freeholdm— Isaac Van Dor Beck, Nicause Terhune, Hendrick 
Kuyper.= John Vau Home.- John Benson, Yt»st Zabrif«kie, Albert 
Ackerman, .lames Board, Edo 3IurceK^, Hendrlrk lK>remufl. 

1776. — /iij/icM— Lawrence Van Buskirk. Peter Zabriskie, Roolef Wester- 
velt, Thomas Moore, Abraimm Monlayne. /Vr<-A<i/«/fnr— Hendrick 
Kuyper, John Van Hurne. John BenB^>n, Marten Rouleso, Isaac Van 
Der Beck. Nicause Terhune, Edo Marceles, Ilendrick Doremus, Ja- 
cobus Bertholf, Corneliu{< La/.ler. 

1776._j„*fMv^_]Vtcr Zabriskie, Tbumaa Moore, Stephen Baldwin, Abia- 
hoin Moutanye. /V«Aol*/eT<.— Ilartnntn Brinkerbofl, Job Smith, 
John Benson, Martin Roulese, John Rlchanls, Coruelius Cooper, 
Hendrick Doremus, Garrabrante Vau Houten, Garret Hopper, David 
Board, John Vau Boaklrk,*^ Jacob Cole.« 

There is no meeting of the board recorded (or 1777. 
The first ineetin^^ under the State of New Jersey wjus 
held at the liouse of Stephen Hugert, ai Haring's 
Plain (Harrinjrton ti)\vnship?), May 13, 1780. The 
members of the board were : 

Justice*— Kuolef Westervelt, Jacob Roam, Abraham Ackerman. *V*e- 
A<>Mrt-»— John Ryerann, Edo Blarceles, David BoanI, I^awrence 
Ackerman. 

No biisines.s wa.s transaeleil, exeept the appoint- 
ment of Abraham Westervelt ii» county cttUeetor, in 
the place of Jacob J. Deniarest. 

Tlie next meeting was on the 12th of September, 
1778, at Garret Hopper's house in Paranius, the 
board being: 

./kWiVc-— Roelef Wcatenrelt, Hendrick Kuy|>er. Abraham Ackerman, 
Peter llaring. hyr^hotdrtt — John Ryerson, Edo Marceles, David 
B4>ard, Lawrence Ackermnn. 

The former collector, Jacob J. Deniarest, at thia 
meeting rendered an account of C142 17x., being part 
of a tux raised in the county by order of the Conti- 

I Now Barbadooa. * Bergen. * Hackenaack. * Saddle River. 
^ Franklin township, first represented in the board. 
narrlngton township flral reproeented 



CIVIL LIST OF BERGEN COUNTY. 



83 



nental Congress in 1776, and £357 Ss. 9^/., " received 
for the county arms sold out of the court-house at 
New Barbadoes." He also turned over the balance 
of the sinking fund in his hands, amounting to £95 

Abraham Westervelt was ordered to take charge of 
the record-book of the board. 

1779.1— JuafKes—Heudrick Kuyper, Peter Haring, Garret Lyndaker, 
Abraham Ackernian, Jacob Tcrhune. Freeholders — William Cliris- i 
tie, David Banta, David Terhiiiie, Jacob Zabriskic, Edo Marcelese, 
Adrian Post, David Board, Lawrence Ackerman, Daniel Raring. 

17SI).— Jnefict'S — Hendrick Kuyper, Peter Haring, Garret Loydacker, 
Isaac Van Der Beck, Dand B. Demarest, Jacob Terhnne. Freehohl- 
ei's — William Christie, David Batita, David Terbune, Martin Ryer- 
sou, Daniel Haring, William Nagal, Jacob Zabrigkie, Lawrence 
Ackerman. 

1781. — Justices — Hendrick Kuyper, Abraham Ackerman, Henry Mead, 
David Demarest. Freeholders — Lawrence Ackerson, Andrew Hop- 
per, Garret Van Houten, Peter Demarest, Jacob Demarest, John 
Kuyper, Albert Banta. 

1782;-i — Justices — Abraham Ackerman, Peter Ilaring, Yost Beam, Henry 
5Iead, David Demarest, John Benson. Freeholders — Garrebrant Van 
Houten, Edo Marceles, Lawrence Ackerman, Andrew Hopper, Peter 
Demarest, Thomas Blanch, Peter Bogert, Jacob Zabriskie, John Ter- 
hune, Samuel Demarest. 

17S;i.'' — Justices — Abraham Ackerman, Peter Haiing, Isaac Van Der 
Beck, Jacob Terhune, John Benson, David Demarest, Daniel Van 
Riper. Freeholders — Job Smith, 51. Garrabrant, Garret Leydacker, 
Jost Zabriskie, Jacob Znbriskie, Edo Slarceles, Lawrence Ackermau, 
Thomas Blanch, Abraham Haring. 

1784.5— /us/ices — Peter Haring, Isaac Van Der Beck, Jacob Terbune. 
Freeholders — Job Smith, Nicholas Toers, Jost Zabriskie, Garret Ley- 
dacker, David Terhuin', Eden Merselis, John Mead, Lawrence Ack- 
erman, Abraham Haring. 

17so.3 — Justices — Peter Haring, Jacob Beam, John Benson, Jacob Ter- 
hune, Isaac Van Der Beck, Daniel Van Reipen, Isaac Blanch, Isaac 
Van Der Beck, Jr. Freeholders — Nicholas Toers, Daniel Van Win- 
kle, Jacob Zabriskie, John Berdan, Garret Leydacker, John Mauri- 
tins Goetshius, David Haring, Abraliam Blauvelt. 

1786.^' — Justices — Peter Haring, Jost Beam, John Benson, Isaac Van Der 
Beck, Isaac Bl^mcfi, Garret Leydacker, Albert Van Voorbis. Free- 
holders — Nicholas Toers, Garret Van Reipen, John Cutwater, Abra- 
ham Huysman, Abnihani Westervelt, Cornelius Haring, William 
Christie, J, Mauritius Goetshius. 

1787. — Justices — Peter Haring, John Benson, Isaac Blanch, Garret Ly- 
decker, Jacob Terhune, Isaac Van Der Beck, Henry Spier, Albert 
Van Voorhis. FVeeholiers — Job Smith, Cornelius Garrebrant, John 
Dey, Mauritius Goetachius, Cornelius Hinsman, Garret Duryea, 
Abraham T. Blauvelt. 

17S8. — Justices— Peter Haring, Isaac Van Der Beck, Isaac Blanch, Jacob 
Terhnne. Freeholders — Job Smitli, Cornelius Garrebrant, J. 31. 
Goetshius, John Day, Peter Zabriskie, Nicausie Van Voorhis, Samuel 
Van Zaen, George Doremns, Abraham Westervelt, Peter Ward, 
Abraham T. Blauvelt, Albert Bogert. 

1789. — Justices — Peter Haring, Garret Lydecker, Daniel Van Riper, Al- 
bert Van Voorhis, Henry Spier. Freeholders — Helmigh Van Houten, 
Garret Van Geisen, John Day, Albert C. Zabriskie, Samuel Van Zaen, 
George L. Ryerson, Garret Ackerman, John W. Hopper, Albert Bo- 
gert, Jacob Vlauvelt. 

179u. — Justites — Peter Haring, Jacob Terhune, Albert Van Voorhis. 
Fri-eholdcrs — Garret Van Geisen, John Van Horn, Jr., Albert C. 
Zabriskie, Isaac Kipp, Nicausie Van A'oorhis, Henry Kingsland, 
Samuel Van Zaen, George L. Ryerson, John Haring, Jacob Blauvelt, 
John H. Camp. 

1791. — Justices — Peter Haring, Jacob Terhune, John Outwater, Abraham 
Westervelt, Daniel Van Reype, Garret Lydecker, Garret Duryea. 
Freeholders— Garret Van Geisen, John Van Home, Nicausie Van 
Voorhis, Henry Kingsland, David Board, Albert Zabriskie, Isaac 
Kipp, Samuel Van Zaen, Jacob Blauvelt. Jolin Hogan Camp. 

• Met this year at Pompton. 

2 Met in Paranus, at the house of Capt. John Ryei-son. 
■' Met at the house of Archibald Campbell, in New Barbadoes (village 
of Hackensack). 



1792. — Justices — John Benson, Jacob Terhune, Daniel Van Reype, Abra- 
ham Westervelt. Freeholders — Cornelius Van Vorst, John Van 
Houte, Isaac Nicoll, John I. M'estervelt, Christian Zabriskie, Nicau- 
sie Van Voorhis, George L. Ryerson, Peter Day, Peter Ward, Abra- 
ham Demarest, David Duryea. 

1793. — Justices — John Benson, Jacob Terhnne, Abraham Westervelt, 
William Davis. Freeholders — Cornelius Van Vorst, John Van Houte, 
John Westervelt, Christian Zabriskie, George L. Ryerson, Peter 
Day, Peter Ward, John Hagan, Abraham Demarest, David Duryea. 

1794. — Justices — Peter Haring, John Outwater, Jacob Terhune, Abmham 
Westervelt, Adam Boyd, William Davis, Peter Dey. 

Freeholders of Bergen Township.-* 

1794, Cornelius Van Vorst ; 1794-95, John Van Houte; 1795, Garret Van 
Geisen; 1796-1805, John Van Home; 1796, Garret Van Reyland; 
1797-1800, John Smith; 1797, Jasper Zabriskie; 1798-99, 1807, Gar- 
ret Freeland ; lSi)0, Cornelius Van Vorst, Jr. ; 1801-2, 1805-6, 1808-9, 
Cornelius Doremus; lSOl-4, Jacob Van Wagoner; 1S03, Casparus 
Cadmus; 1804-13, Richard Cadmus; 1806-11, 1816, Peter Sipp; 
1810-12, Thomas Dickersou ; 1812, Elias Biuger; 1813-14, Rynier 
Van Geisen; 1814-15, John Goodman; 1815, James Van Buskirk ; 
1816, Cornelius Van Riper ; 1817-18, Casparus Prior; 1817-18, Adrian 
Post; 1819-20, 1822, Casparus Prior; 1819-20, Adrian Post; 1821-2G, 
1828-29, 1831, Peter Sip; 1821, Stephen Vreelaud; 1822-26, 183], Cor- 
nelius Van Winkle; 182.3-25, 1827, 1833-35, 1839, Harlman Van 
Wagoner; 1827-28, 1830, 1832-34, Abel I.Smith; 1829, Cornelius 
Van Vorst ; 1830, Jacob D. Van Winkle ; 1832, Merselis Merselis ; 1835, 
Garret Vreeland; 1S36, Asa Wright; 1836, Mitchel Saunier; 1837, 
Dudley S. Gregory ; 1837-38, Garret Sip ; 1838-39, William C. Vree- 
land. 

Judges of the Covrt of Common Pleas. 



r^ 



Eilniuud \V, Kingsland 1789 

Petrus Haring 1789 

Ganet Lydeclier 1789 

Daniel Van Eeyan 1790 

Petrus Haring 1791 

John Benson 1791 ; 

Jacob Tcrliune 1797 : 

William Oolfax 1800 

John Oulwater 1800 

Abraham Westervelt 1800 

William Davis 180O | 

Abraham Eyerson ; 1800 

Martin llyerson ISOO I 

John Hopper 1801 

Daniel Van Ryan 1801 \ 

Adam Boyd 1S03 i 

Isaac Nicoll 1803 

Benjamin Blacklidge 1803 

Henry Van Dalsom 1803 

Lewis Moses 1804 

Jacob Terhune 1804 

Garret Durie 1804 

Martin I. Ryerson 1805 

Abraham Westervelt 1806 

David P. Haring 1805 

Adam Boyd 1805 I 

Abraham Ryerson 1805 i 

John Hopper 1806 

William Colfax 1806 

Daniel Van Reyan 1806 

William Davis 1806 

Samuel Beach 1807 

Benjamin Blacklidge 1808 

JohnCassidy 1808 

John Westervelt 1808 

Peter Ward 1808 

Jacob C. Terhune 1809 

LewisMoore 1809 

Garret Durie 1809 

Martin I. Ryerson 1809 

John Outwater 1810 

David P. Haring 1810 

Abraham Westervelt 1810 j 

Garret Van Houten 1811 

John A. Berry 1811 

Daniel Van Reyan 1811 

John D. Haring 1»12 

Christian Zabriskie 1812 

Elias Brevoort 1812 

Dower Westervelt 1812 

Cornelius Merselis 1812 

John Al. Voorhis 1812 



John Hopper 1812 

William Colfax 1812 

Jacob C. Teihune 1813 

Adam Bovd 1813 

Jacob Banter 1813 

John Westervelt 1813 

Lewis Moore 1814 

Jacob C. Terhune 1814 

Martin I. Ryeraon 1814 

William Colfax 1R14 

John T. Banta 1815 

B. V. Haring 1815 

Simon Mead 1815 

Garret Van Houten 1816 

Garret Durie 1816 

John D. Haring 1817 

John Outwater 1817 

Christian Zabriskie 1817 

Elias Brevoort 1817 

John Al. Voorhis 1817 

Dower W'pstervell 1817 

John Hopper 1817 

Adam Boyd 1818 

Peter Sip 1818 

Cornelius Van Winkle 1819 

Cornelius Merselis 1819 

Henrv W. Kingsland 1819 

Jacob Banta 1819 

William Colfax, 1820 

John T. Banta 1820 

Garret Van Houten 1821 

John D. Haring 1821 

Peter I. Terhune 1821 

David I.Christie 1821 

Dower Westervelt 1821 

John Outwater 1821 

Elias Brevoort 1821 

Cornelius Van Winkle 1821 

Christian Zabriskie 1821 

John Al. Voorhis 1821 

Henry B. Hagerman 1822 

John A. Westervelt 1822 

Adam Boyd 1822 

Charles Board 1822 

John Cassidy 1823 

Peter Sip 1823 

Jacob Banta 1823 

Henry W. Kingsland 1823 

Garret P. Hopper 1824 

David I. Christie 1824 

Garret Ackerson 1825 

Garret Van Honten 1825 



* This list contains the names and years of service of the chosen free- 
holders of Bergen township, which became the county of Hudson in 
1840. They are given from the close of the above list (1794) until the 
township ceased to exist as such. 



84 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Marcus B. Ituuglass 18i5 

Wllliulu Calfui 1K26 

Cliristi.in Zabruklo Ifid 

Jolili I> llnriiig 1826 

PHer I.Terhuno 182C 

Nalliaiiiel Ujard 1826 

John Al. V.jurhis 1826 

Heur>- U. llaKeniian 1827 

Albert G. DorcDius 1827 

John lloGpxit 1S27 

Adam Bovd 1827 

John A. Wc»terv6U 1827 

Cornelius Vau Winkle 1827 

J.WellB 1827 

Clmrles Bourd 1827 

Henrv \V. Kingslund 18'28 

Peter I.Terliune 1828 

John Caxidy 1828 

John A. Borr) 1828 

Peter Sip 1828 

Cornelius Vnn Winkle 1829 

Henry 1). Baula 1829 

Kichurd Ackermuu 182<J 

Uarrnt P. tlupper 1829 

John G. AL'kernian 1830 

Charles Kluwv IKU) 

Peter 1>. Westfrvelt 1830 

Garret Vau iloulen 1830 

Garret Ackonton IKiO 

Marcus B. IK.uglajs 18;!0 

Junu-a K. Mullnny IKU) 

Cornelius Van Winkle 183(1 

William Colfax 18:il 

Perrignin Sandford 1831 

Peter l.Terhune 18.il 

Nalliauiel Board 18;ll 

John Al. Voorhil 18^11 

Adam Boyd 18.12 

Charles Board 18:12 

J. Wells 1832 

Henrv B. Uagerman 18.a 

William V. Itiithlnme 1833 

Albert G Dor<<mu« 1833 

John DeOnK.t 1833 

John A. Westervelt 1833 

Albert Van lleuren 1833 

Samuel li. Berry 1833 

John Cassldy I8.'»3 

C. It. Zaiiriskle 18;i3 

PelorSIp 18;« 

Cornelius I. Wealervell. 1833 

John H. 7jibriekie 1833 

David 11. Keen Wtl 

Davis D. Van Bubsudi 183:t 

lorneliuB Van Winkle 18.14 

Garret P. Hopper 1834 

John U. Hopiier 1834 

Josei.h Post I'i:i4 

Thomas M. Gahagan 1S34 

William Jenner 1834 

Henry I. Spear 18:15 

Jacob Beidan 18:1.') 

Cornelius Van Reypon IKIO 

Charles Kinsey 1835 

Garret Ackeraon lK:t/) 

Francis Price 18:16 

Wllllaiii Colfax 1K3B 

I'erreguin Sandford 18.36 

Peter l.Terhune 18.17 

Stephen H. Sulkins IKI' 

I'eter 1. Ackerman 18.17 

Abraham Westervelt 1837 

Chandler Dayton 18.37 



Andrew H. Hopper 1837 ' 

Martin Van Houten 1837 

Henry W. KIngsland 1837 

John A. Berry 1837 I 

David I Chrietle 1838 

John K. Blauvelt 1838 

William I'. ItHlhUme 1838 

Henry II. Banta 18;i8 

II. SiiUllimayd 1838 

Cornelius Van Winkle 1838 

Peter Sip 1839 

George C. De Kay 1839 

Kolwrt S. Gould 1840 

Charles Kinsey 1840 

Abmhani Westervelt 1840 

Geroge Zabriskie 1841 

Henrv B. Hugeroian 1841 

Albert G. Duremus 1842 

Andrew II. Hopper 1842 

Abruham Westervelt 1843 

John A. Blauvelt. 1843 

David I. Christie 1843 , 

Abrnham I. .Ackerman 1843 

Peter I. Ackerman 1843 

Henry H. Banta 1843 

Martin Van HouteD, Jr 1843 

Samuel H. Berry 1843 

Abraham Carlock 1813 

John G. .\ckernian 184:1 

Peter D. Westervelt 1843 

tiarret Ackers«m 1843 

I-aac I. Hariiig 184:1 

Peter 1. Terhune 184.3 

Abraham J. Terhune 184:1 i 

James Van Houten 1843 

John II. HopiK-r 1843 

David I>. V.iri Busaum 1843 

Garret P. Hopper 1813 

Joseph Post 184:1 

Garret A. Zabriskio 1844 

Chrisllan De llaun 1844 

John H. /.abriskie 1844 

Stephen Bonlan 1844 

Gariet S. Demarcst 18+5 

Jalne.4 Hennie 1845 

James P. Demarest 1846 

Audr.-w H. Hopiwr 1847 

Peter I. Ackerman 1848 

Abniham J. Ackerman 1849 

Garret S. Deraarest 1850 

Jacob I.Zabriskie 1851 

Samm-I II. Ilerry 1852 

Albert J. Terhune 1853 

Jacob J. Brinkerhof 1854 

Henrv II. Voorhis 1857 

Albert J. Terhune 1858 

Peter I. Ackerman 1859 

John II. /abriskia 1862 

Albert J. Terhune 186:1 

John H. Post 18B4 

Tlnmiaa t'limming 1807 

William Grelg. 1867 

Richard B. Pauliaon 1868 

Charles II. Voorhis 1868 

John R. Post 1869 

Aslilwl Green 1869 

William S. Banta 1872-77 

Peter 1, Ackerman 1872-77 

Nehemiah Millard 1874-79 

Garret G. Ackerson 1877-82 

William K. Skinner 1878-83 

, Williams. Banta 1879-84 



SiiKftim. 



Adam ll.ivd 1789 

Wllllnm M. Betz 1791 

Albert I'. Zabriskio 171P8 

Lawrence Ackerman 1800 

Caspanis llogert 1801 

JohriT. Ilanu 1810 

.■<amuel II Ilerry 1813 

James II Brlnkirhoir. 1816 

Samuel II. Ilerry 1819 

Andrew P. Hopp«r 1821 

Andrew II. Hopper 1824 

John U. Blauvelt. 1827 

Garret Van Dion 18;lO 

John G. Ackeraon 1833 

Jacob C. Tarhune 1836 



George II. BrlnkerbolT. 18.39 

David D. Demareat 1841 

Peter Van Kmburgh 1844 

John A. Hopper 1847 

John V. II. Terhune 18.W 

Abniham H. Haring 1843 

Cornelius L. Blauvelt 1855 

James J. Brinkerhon 1859 

Henry A. Ilopiwr 1862 

John II. Banta 1865 

Jacdi C. Van Blarum 1868 

David A. Pell 1871 

Garret II. Hering 1874 

David A. Pell 1878 



Peter StoulenburKb 1728 

Nehemiah Wade 1789 

Henry Van Dalsi>m 1804 

Abraham Westervelt 1811 

Abraham Westervelt 

Samuel II. Berry 1835 



John H. Berry 1840 

Garret G.Acketaon 1845 

Cornelius L. Blauvelt I860 

Thomiu! W. Demareat 1870 

Thomas W. Demareat. 1875 

Samuel Taylor 1880 



Hemdebs or THE CoC.KCIL. 



Peter Haring 1702-06 

John Outwator n»$-1807 

Peter Ward 1807 

Adrian Post 1815 

John I). Haring 1816 

Martin I. RyersoD 1817 

Adrian Post 1818 

John D. Haring 1819-22 

Chrisllan Zabriskie 1822-24 

Charles Board 1824-27 



Si:kbooatU. 

John A. IViyd 1808 Iiaac Wortendyke 1868 

David I.tnirlslU 1828 Isani Worlendyke 1872 

Abraham o. Zabriskie 1838 John M. Knapp 1877 

Richard R. Pauliaon 1848 

Paoac iToRa or Tiir. Pi.«.i». 
Lewis D. Ilardeiiburgh 1836 Garret G. Ackerson 



Nathaniel Board 1827-30 

Charles Board 1830 

Jacob M. Rveraou 1831 

Charles Riard 1832-34 

Christian Zabriskie 1834-:ie 

Samuel R. Demareat 1836-38 

Francis Price 1S38 

Albert G. Doremus 1840 

John Caseedy 1841-43 

John H. Zabriskie 1843-44 



St.VTE SrN.iTORS. 



Richard R. Panlison.. 1814-47 

Isaac 1. Haring 1847-49 

John Van Brunt' 1849 

John Van Brunt 1850-51 

Abraham Hopper^ 1851 

Daniel D. Depew 185.1-56 

Thoniioi H. Haring 1856-59 

Ralph S. Demarcst 1859-62 



Daniel HoUroan 1862-65 

John Y. Dater 1865-68 

James J. BrinkerholT. 1868-71 

Cornelius lydecker 1871-74 

George Davton 1874-77 

OirneliuB S. C<iop«r 1877-80 

Isaac Wortendyke 18*0-83 



Abraham (I. /.abriskie 1842 

.Manning M. Knapl 1851 

William 8. Banta 1861 



1869 

Abraham D. Campbell 1870 

Abraham D. CampUII 1875 

Abraham I). Oampball 1880 



Members or Assehblt. 
1792.— Henry Berry, Jacob Terhune, Peter Ward. 
1793.— Peter Ward, Henry Berry, .\dam Boyd. 
1794. — Adam Boyd, Peter Ward, BenJamiD Blackledge. 
1795. — Adam Boyd, Benjamin Blackledge, John Haring. 
1796. — J<din Haring, Henry Berry, William C. Kingsland. 
1797.— Thoniiis Blanch, Robert Campbell, Peter Ward. 
1798 —Peter Ward, Robert Campb-ll. Benjamin Blackledge. 
1799-1801.— Peter Ward, Thoniaa Blanch, John Dey. 
1802.— Thomas Blanch, Peter Ward, Isaac Kipp. 
1803.— Thomas Blanch, Isaac Kipp, Martin I. Ryenwn. 
18(H-5,— Peter Ward, B. Thomasanch, Adrian Post. 
1806.— Isaac Kipp, Adrian Post, William Colfax. 
1807.— John Van Il.irn, Abraham Foreshee, William Colfax. 
1809 —Adrian Post, William Colfax. John Hopper. 
18l.'i.— Martin Van Houten, John Outwater, William Colfax. 
1816.— Peter Sip, Jacob Bantu, Cornelius Meraelis. 
1817.— Albert C. Zabriskie, Cornelius Mersolls, Jacob Banta. 
1818.— Caspams Prior, Nathaniel B..nnl. .lohn Hopper, 
1819.— Cornelius Van Winkle, Caaparns Bogert. Seba Brinkerhoff. 
1820.- Soba Brinkerhoff, Cornelius Van Winkle, Charles Board. 
1821.- Peter Sip, John Weetenelt, Jr., Charles Board. 
1822.— Poter Sip, John Westervelt, Jr , David I. Christie. 
1823.— Garret Ackerson, John Weatervelt. Jr , David I. Christie. 
1824.— Garret Acket>(on, Jidin Van Wagenen, Nathaniel Ikiard. 
1825.— Cornelius Van Winkle, Henry B. Ilngerman, David I. Christie. 
1826.— Cornelius Van Winkle, Charles Kinsey. David I. Clirlstlo. 
1827.— David 1. Christie, Peter I. Terhune, Cornellii" |l. Van Ril>»r. 
1820.- Cornelius Van Winkle, John Want, Andrew P. Hopper. 
18.10.— Peter 1. Terhune, Samuel R. DemaresI, John Ward. 
1831.— Garret Sip, Andrew H. Hop|H>r, John It. Blauvelt. 
18.12-31. — John M. Coriielison, .«amuel R. Iieniaresl, Garret P. Hopper. 
1834.— Abraham Lydecker, John H. Hoi)per, IMer I. Ackerman. 
1835— Abndmm Lydecker, Michael .'Uunier, John II. Ilopiwr. 
1836.— Michael Saunier, Henry Doremus, Jeter R. Riggs. 
1837-38.— John CaasiHly, Albert G. Lydecker. David D. Van Bussum. 
1840.— John G. Ackerson. AlWrt J. Terhune. 
1841-42.— James I. DemaresI, Jcdin H. Zabriskie. 
184.1-44 —William G. Hopper, Jacob C. Terhune. 
1845-46.— John G Banta, Jac<ib J. Brinkerhoff. 
1847-48— John Ackerman, Jr., Henry II. Voorhl^ Jr. 
1849-fiO.— John lluyler, Jidin II. Hopjier. 
1851.— John lluyler, J.din H. Zabriskie. 
1862-53,— Jactdi I. DemarMt. Abraham Van Horn. 
1854-44.— Thomaa W. Demareat, Italpli S, Demareat. 
1856-47.— Daniel llolsnutn, Aaron II. Westervelt 
1848.— Kno. h Brinkertioff, Andrew C. Ca<lmua. 
1859.— Enmh Ilrinkeriioff, John II. IIop|>er. 
iHiui — \brabam Carlock, John R. Poil. 

< To All plat* of Is.vac I. Haring, deceuad. 
' To All place of J. Van Brunt, raalgued. 



INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 



85 



1861.— Thomae Ward, John K. Post. 
1862-63.— Thomas Dunn English, John T. Dater. 
1864-65.— laaac Demarest, Abraham B. Ilariug. 
1866.— -Abraham Van Emburgh, CoiiieUns Christie. 
1867.— Comelins Christie, Henr)' G. Bering. 
1868.— Eben Winton, Henry G. Heriug. 
1869. — Henry A. Hopiier, Eben Winton. 
1870.— Jacob G. Van liiper, Henry A. Hopper. 
1871.— Jacob G. Van Riper, George J. Hopper. 
1872. — George J. Hopper, Jolin J. Andei-son. 
1873-74.— Henry C. Bering, John W. liogert. 
1876-76.— Jolin H. Winant, Barney N. Fn-Jon. 
1877.— M. Corson Giilam, Sovithy S. Parraniore. 
1878.— Jolin A. Demarest, Southy S. Parraniore. 
1879.— John A. Demarest, Oliver Dral;e Smith. 
1880-81. — John Van Bussum, Elias H. Sisson. 

Members op the Phovinci.vl Congress of New Jersey from Bergen 

COI'NTY. 

June and AunMl, 1775. — John Fell, John Demarest, Henilrick Kuyper, 

Abraham Van Boakirk, Edo Merselese. 
October^ 1775. — John Demarest, Jacobus Post, Abraham Van Boskirk. 

Members of the Co.nstiti-tionai. Conventions. 
1776.— John Demarest, Jacobus Post, John Van Boskirk, Jacob Qnack- 

enbush, Daniel Isaac Brown. 
1844.— Abraham Westervelt, John Cassedy, of Bergen County, Elias B. 

D. Ogdeii, .-Vndrew Parsons. 

Members of Congress. 
Hon. Adam Boyd, 1803-5; to fill vacancy, 1809, and in Twelfth Congress, 
1811-13; Hon. John Huyler, 1857-59; lion. William Walter Phelps, 
1873-75; Hon. Charles H. Voorhis, 1879-81. 
Governor. 
Hon. Rodman M. Price, 1854-57. 

Jcstice of SrPREMK Court. 
Hon. Manning M. Knapp, 187.5-82. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 

Roads.— The first road in the old county of Bergen 
was the one leading from Communipaw to the village 
of Bergen. It was probably laid out in the latter 
part of the year 1660. In 1679 it was described as 
" a fine broad wagpn-road." The first commissioners 
of highways for Bergen County, and the first known 
to have been appointed in the State, were John Berry, 
Lawrence Andries (Van Boskirk), Enoch Michielsen 
(Vreeland), Hans Diedrick.s, Michael Smith, Hen- 
drick Van Ostrum, and Claes Jansen Van Pnrmerendt. 
They were appointed by an act of the General As- 
sembly, and it is doubtful if there exists anywhere a 
record of their proceedings. They appear to have 
held office a long time, for in 1694 Gerbrand Claesen 
was appointed in the place of Van Purmerendt. 

By resolution of the General Assembly, adopted 
Sept. 9, 1704, the grand jury of each and every county 
was authorized to appoint yearly at the February and 
March terms of court, with the approval of the bench, 
two persons in each county, precinct, district, or town- 
ship, to lay out all necessary cross-roads and by-roads, 
which were to be four rods wide, and also "to settle" 
what is proper to be allowed to those who shall be 



appointed for their services in laying out the said 
roads. 

On the 3d of June, 1718, a road was laid out from 
" Cromkill to Whehocken Ferry." Mr. Winfield is of 
the opinion that this was part of the present Hack- 
ensack turnpike. If so, it fixes the date of the lay- 
ing out of at least a portion of this important public 
highway. 

Tlie road from Bergen to Bergen Point was among 
the important early thoroughfares, though the date 
of its construction is not known. On the 2d of No- 
vember, 1743, James Alexander, of the Council, re- 
ported a bill "for continuing the king's highway 
which leads from Bergen Point to Bergen Town to 
some convenient place on Hudson's River, for cross- 
ing that river to New York." The bill "passed in 
the negative." On Oct. 10, 1764, a king's highway 
was laid out from Hendrick Sickles' barn to a point 
opposite the Dutch church on Staten Island, and the 
old road was vacated. The new road became part of 
the great stage-route from New York to Philadel- 
phia. 

The Bergen Turnpike Company was incorporated 
Nov. 30, 1802, for the purpose of constructing a road 
"from the town of Hackensack to Hoboken." It 
was constructed in 1804, and is known as the Hack- 
ensack turnpike. 

One of the most important roads in early times was 
that from Paulus Hook to Newark over the Hack- 
ensack and Passaic Rivers. Commissioners were ap- 
pointed to lay out this road and to erect ferries across 
the rivers by act of June 20, 1765. One of these 
commissioners was Thomas Brown, of Bergen, who 
owned the land on the east side of the Hackensack at 
the crossing of the road. He erected the ferry at that 
point, known as " Brown's Ferry." The road leading 
across this ferry from Paulus Hook to Newark was 
for nearly thirty years the only thoroughfare from the 
Hudson to Essex County and the country beyond. 
It was therefore a great object of the Americans to 
keep it open and to secure the safety of the ferries 
during the Revolution. 

" On the 7th of August, 1776, Richard Stockton, a 
delegate in Congress from New Jersey, sent to the 
New Jersey State Convention, then in session at Bur- 
lington, certain resolutions of Congress requesting the 
convention to make such provisions for keeping open 
these ferries as would be effectual." 

The convention on August 9th passed an ordinance 
for that purpose, putting the ferries into the hands 
of William Camp and Joseph Hedden, who were au- 
thorized to provide scows for each ferry, supply a suf- 
ficient number of hands, and stretch ropes across the 
rivers. The ferriage to soldiers was made one-third 
of the regular rates.' After the capture of New York 
the ferries were suspended, but were repaired at the 
close of the war, and remained in use till the bridges 

I 1 Am. Archives, 4th Series, vi. 1659. 



86 



HISTORY OF BERGHN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



upon the turnpike were built. Falling into disuse for 
a while, tiiey were again repaired in 1805, and con- 
tinued to be used until they were supplanted by the 
bridges built in connection with the plank-road across 
the meadows. 

Bridges. — The bridges across the Hackensack and 
Pa<saie Rivers on the road from Jersey City to New- 
ark were constructed in 179.J by Samuel Ogden and 
thirty-six other contractors, who obtained a lease of 
them for ninety-seven years from Nov. 24, 1792. On 
the 7th of March, 1797, they were incorporated as 
"The Proprietors of the Bridges over the Rivers 
Passaic and Hackensack," and under their charter 
claimed the exclusive right to erect bridges over these 
rivers. 

May 12, 1819, the Board of Freeholders adopted the 
following : | 

" Itetohedy That a committee be appointed to superintend the foUowing 
bri'lKet, viz., OM Bridge, New Bridge, ami Ilaikeusack Bridge. | 

" Brioliril, That UeMn. P. C. Woatorvell, .1. A. \Ve«tervelt, iind P. A. | 
Terhune be iitti<l coniniittee. 

*' ItttoUt^d, Tliat the committee be and they are lioreby authorized to 
pnuteciite all offenses that may be for the future committed ii;:aiii8t the 
act of the Council and Gonural .Xssenibly of the State of New .loriiey, 
entitled 'An Act to prevent the Draws of certain Bridges in tlic Count.v 
of Bergen being left open.' " 

In 1828 an act was passed by the Legislature to en- 
large the draws in the bridge over the Hackensack 
River. In pursuance of this a committee was ap- 
pointed, consisting of Peter C. Westervelt, John A. 
Westervelt, and Henry W. Banta. to construct an en- 
larged draw in the bridge opposite Hackensack Vil- 
lage. 

New Bridge wa.s constructed in 1820. In that year 
we tind the record of the sale of Old Bridge timber , 
amounting to i!>31.57. 

A new bridge across the Pa.ssaic River, "opposite ' 
the house of Gerrebrand Van Riper, in Saddle River 
township/" was built by subscription in 1819.' 

Ferries. — The ferries which connect the old por- 
tion of Bergen County with New York City are 
numerous. There are (1) the Coinmunipaw, (2) the! 
Weehawken, (3) the Jersey City, (4) the Hoboken, 
(.')) the I'avonia. Besides these, which are still in 
operation, there were several otliers of an early date 
whiili have long since ceii-setl to exist. These latter 
were Budd's Ferry, from Budd's Dock, in Harsimus 
Cove, to New York, established in 1802, and con- 
tinued a few years; Bull's Ferry, at tiie upper line of 
the jireseiit county of iliid.son, well known during 
the Revolution, which took its name from a family by 
the name of Bull residing there. Winlielil gives the 
names of the lessees of this ferry as follows : Corne- 
lius Uuyler, 1788 to 1792; Theodore Brower, 1792 to 
180.1; Garret Neefie, 18(t5; Lewis Concklin, 1806; 
Abraham Iluyler, 1808. 

De Klyn's Ferry wa.s started liy .lohii Towne I 
anil Harnct Dc Klyn, from the wharf (south and 



north) of the State Prison to Hobokeo, in 1796. No 

record is found of this ferry later than 1806. 

For many years the fanners and others in tlie 
northern part of Bergen County reached New York 
by means of the Weehawken Ferry, established by 
Samuel Bayard about the year 1700. In the charter 
granted to Stephen Bayard by George II. in 1752, 
the limits of this ferry extend from the " Bergen 
north line along the shore half a mile below, or to 
the southward of a place called the Great Slaugh." ' 

Incidentally connected with this portion of our 
territory is the ferry to Elizabethtown Point, of 
which we find the following in Winfield's " Historj- 
of Hudson County" : 

" About the year 1808 it was puriMiased by Col. .Varon Ogden, and by 
Uim leased tu John U. and Robert J. Livingston, who owned a monojwiy 
of navigaling New York water;* by steam. They placed on the ferry the 
' Karitan,' tlie tirst steamer l>etwi.en New York and Eli/jibeUitown 
Point. It was uot long, however, before Col. Ogden had built, by Cor' ' 
nelius Joralemon, of Belleville, a Uiat fourteen feet b«jim and seventy 
feet keel, in which Daniel Dodd, of Medham, put a twelve-horse engine. 
It was called the 'Sea tfol-se.' This boat the colonel placed on this 
ferry, but to avoid seizure under the New York navigation laws, ran her 
to .lerscy City. On the 18th of May, 181:1, she was advertised as 'an 
elegant steamboat, provided to run l*tween Klirjibethtown Point and 
Paulusllook; fore, four shilling^*.* Shu made two tri|isaday. The fare 
was afterwards reduced to three shillings anil sixpence. On the '21st of 
June, 1814, she was advertised to meet the steamltoat * SubeUtuUon' at 
Paulus HiMtk, which would carry the passengers to New Y'ork. 

" 'The Bellouo,' owned by Gibbous, ran Ironi Kli/abethtown to Jersey 
City ; fare, twelve nuil a half cents. In the advertisement was tlung to 
the breeze a banner inscribed with the motto, ' New Jersey must b« 
free !' " — SeHtiutl <*/ Freedom, July :U, 18'Jl. 

The Hoboken Ferry was established to connect 
the C«r|)oration Dock at the Bear Market in New 
York with Hoboken in 1774, and was leased to H. 
Tallman for £50 a year. It was advertised in May 
the following year as "the New Established Ferry 
from the remarkable pleasant and convenient situate 
place of ^^'illiam Bayard, Esq., at the ' King's Arms 
Inn'; from whicli place all gentlemen Travelers and 
others who have occasion to cross that ferry will be 
accommodated with the best of boats of every kind, 
suitable to the winds, weather, and tides, to convey 
them from tlicnce to the New Market near the new 
Cor|ioration Pier, at the North River opposite Ve.sey 
Street, in New York, at which place a suitable house 
will be kept for the reception of travelers |>a.ssing to 
and from his house, and will have his boats in good 
order." The advertisement closes by saying, "The 
boats are to be distinguished by having the name 
'The Iloobook Ferry' painted on the stern." 

During the Revolution this ferry was subject to the 
control of the army ocrupyiiig New York, anil in 
1776 the British placed a subaltern and twenty men 
to examine the i)assengers crossing going to and fro. 
In 1789 the ferry was owneil by .John Stevens, the 
proprietor of Hoboken, and after its comparatively 
unsuccessful management by several lessees, Mr. 
Stevens in 1810 proposed to place a steamboat upon 
the ferry, and completing his boat about the middle 



' Freeholders' Iteomls. 



< WIntleld'. IIIM llu.l. ('o,'J4l. 



INTEKNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 



87 



of September, 1811, he shortly after " made the trial- 
trip of the first steam ferry-boat in the world." It 
was immediately put into use, and on the 23d of Sep- 
tember, 1811, made sixteen trips, with an average of 
one hundred persons each trip." ' Col. Stevens, how- 
ever, soon abandoned the use of steamboats on the 
ferry, which were not again applied till the 22d of 
April, 1822, when he made a trial-trip with the 
" Hoboken," which thereafter made trips "every 
hour by St. Paul's church clock." - 

The Pavonia Ferry. — Letters patent were 
granted for the establishment of this ferry by King 
George II., Jan. 17, 1733, to " Archibald Kennedy 
his heirs and assigns." Capt. Kennedy failed to fulfill 
the conditions of the charter, and for over one hun- 
dred years nothing was done save the ottering now and 
then for the establishment of a ferry from " the west 
end of Pearl Street," or " from the foot of Chambers 
Street to Harsimus." Petitions of this sort were 
presented in 1753, in 176r), and in 1818, but nothing 
was done till the completion of the Bergen Tunnel 
by the Long Dock Company in 1861. 

The Erie Railway Company, lessees of the Long 
Dock Company, revived the Pavonia Ferry.' It be- 
gan business May 1, 1861, with three old boats — 
"Niagara," "Onalaska," and " Onala"— from the 
Brooklyn ferries. The Erie Railway Companj- have 
since put upon the ferry the " Pavonia," built in 
1861; "Susquehanna," built in 1864; "Delaware," 
built in 1865. 

Dow's Ferry over the Hackensack, a little north 
of the present bridge of the New Jersey Railroad, 
was a noted place during the Revolution. Mr. Win- 
field thinks it was established " about the time that 
Col. John Schuyler constructed the Belleville turn- 
pike, during the French war, and remained in opera- 
tion until superseded by the bridge erected in 1794. 
It received its name from John Douw, a friend of 
Col. Schuyler." The ferry and Douw's tavern were 
on the west side of the Hackensack. It was at this 
ferry that boats had been provided on the night of 
Maj. Lee's attack on Paulus Hook to facilitate the 
retreat of his forces. 

The ferry at Jersey City was e.stablished June 18, 
1764. 

The New Tor/.- Mn-curi/ of July 2d of that year 
says, "The long-wished-for ferry is now established 
and kept across the North River, from the place called 
Powless's Hook to the city of New York ; and boats 
properly constructed, as well for the conveniency of 
passengers as for the carrying over of horses and car- 
riages, do now constantly ply from one shore to the 
other." 

This ferry was established as a part of the new 
route from New York to Philadelphia via Bergen 
Point and Staten Island. Across the Kill van KuU, 



1 Srnlinc! 0/ Frefdom, Oct. 1, 1811 ; quoted by Winfleld. 

■ See full list of boats on tbis Hue in Winfield, 268. 

■^ The Pavonia Ferry Company was incorporated Feb. 28, 1849. 



between the two latter places, a ferry had been pre- 
viously in operation, and in 17.50 was kept by Jacob 
Corson, who that year petitioned the government of 
New York for letters patent, which were granted, for 
the purpose of erecting his ferry into a public ferry. 
The ferry at Jersey City was owned by Cornelius Van 
Vorst, the proprietor of the adjoining land, up to 
the 2d of February, 1804, when he sold the Hook and 
ferry to Anthony Dey, who leased the latter to Maj. 
David Hunt, who operated the ferry till the property 
was sold to the associates of the Jersey company. 

In December, 1810, the New York Evening Post 
announced that arrangements had been made with 
Fulton for the construction of steamboats for this 
ferry. In May, 1811, two boats were being built by 
Charles Brown, and were eighty feet in length and 
thirty feet in width. " One peculiarity is, they never 
put about." On July 2, 1812, one of them, the "Jer- 
sey," was finished and put in operation, but owing to 
some needed alteration was taken off again for a few 
days. On Friday, July 17, 1812, it began its regular 
trips. A writer on the following day says, "I crossed 
the North River yesterday in a steamboat with my 
family in my carriage, without alighting therefrom, 
in fourteen minutes, with an immense crowd of pas- 
sengers. I cannot express to you how much the public 
mind appeared to be gratified at finding so large and 
so safe a machine going so well. On both shores were 
thousands of people viewing this pleasing object." 

This was a new era. It practically made New York 
and New Jersey one community, by overcoming a 
barrier which never till now was felt to be a pleasure 
to cross. Henceforth the passage of the Hudson was 
to be one of the most pleasurable experiences in going 
to and returning from the metropolis, especially in 
pleasant weather, when passengers could see the great 
variety of boats and vessels crowding the broad ex- 
panse of the river and harbor, and survey the scenes 
of busy activity on every hand ; and in unpleasant 
i weather the warm and capacious cabins of the boats 
would furnish a comfortable and agreeable shelter. 
The change for the few minutes required to cross 
the river by the steamboats would henceforth be only 
an agreeable alternation in the mode of conveyance in 
which the traveler would go to or come from the city, 
whether it should be by stage or carriage, as in the 
early days, or by railroad, as in more modern times. 
The application of steam to the ferry-boats of the 
Hudson and the construction of railroads in all direc- 
tions from New York have enlarged the bounds of the 
city far beyond their possible limits in the absence of 
these inventions, extending her suburbs far out into 
the country, over the adjacent islands, and for many 
miles into New Jersey. Thousands of people from 
all these quarters, where they can live cheaper, and 
breathe the pure country air for at least twelve hours 
out of the twenty-four, now find pleasant and rapid 
transit to and from their places of business in the 
city. 



88 



HISTORY OF BERGKX AND PASSAIC COUNTIES. NEW JERSEY. 



The Hudson River front of old Bergen County was ' 

important territory in tlie early days, when the native 
tribes were wont to a.ssemble liere for tlie i)urpose of 
carrying their peltry over to Fort Amsterdam, and in 
modern times its situation has given it increasing 
commercial importance. 

It is the ea.stcrn terminus of all the railroads and 
lines of transportation which leave New York for the 
West, and jirobably there is no place in the world 
which within the same number of miles contains so 
many well-devised fccilities for landing the passen- 
gers and freights of so many miles of railway. Within 
the distance of a few niile-s, from Communipaw to 
Hobokcn, are the depots, docks, warehouses, etc., of 
the great Pennsylvania, Hound Brook, New Jersey 
Central, Midland, Morris and Essex, New York and 
New Jersey, New York, Lake Erie and Western, 
and other lesser railroads, besides the canals which 
terminate here also. And all these by an admirable 
system of engineering are brought into immediate 
communication with the steamboats which connect 
them with the city of New York. 

Railroads. — The first railroad in America was laid 
in old Bergen County. Mr. L. Q. C. Elmer, of Bridge- 
ton, N. J., says in the Springfield Reptthlican, — I 

" Roa.llni; tlio very intcrostiiig nccuunt of the Hoosac Tunnel in your 
p«pir of N'lvcmlier 28tli, I And u new Mlustration of the dimciilly of ob- 
taining correct historical data. The writer atatea that in 1S2C Dr. Phelpa 
presented tile tirst proposition ever niado for a ntilmad before any legia- 
laliTe body in the United Status. This 1« a mistake. AIjouI April, 1811, 
Col. John Stevens, of Hot>ol{eD, N. J., presented a memorial to the Legis- 
latiire to authorize u niilruad in Now Jersey, and in February, 1SI5, a 
law was passed incon>orating 'The New Jersey Railn^ad Company, au- 
thori/Jug a road from Trenton to New Brunswick.' Tills mad was not 
bulll. In 1S20 I saw at lluboken Col. Stevens' short railroad, laid as an 
experiment. Is>comolive steam-engines had not been perfected, mid the 
l»«st eUKincers did not supjKise there would be sufncb'nl traction in plain 
wheels to draw a lieavy weight. The railway put up by Stevens was 
pnivideii with a middle rail having teolli for a driving-track. This gen- 
tleman was father of the Messrs. Stevens who built the llrst railroad in 
New Jersey by virtue of the act of 1S42. He entered into competition 
with Fulton to run the (Irst steanilKiiit on the waters of the Hudson, and 
thus obuin the monopoly grnnttKl by Iho law of New York, but falling 
a little beliind in time, he sent liis boat round to the Delaware, and 1 
was canied hy her in 1812. The family maintained a line of lioals uu 
the Dclawaro individually or by the company ontll tlieir death." 

TiiK Pater.sox ANii Urnsox Bivkr Raii-koad 
CttMPA.VY was incorporated Jan. 121, IH.'U. The road 
went intfi operation between Paterson and .\(]uacka- 
nonk (now Passaic) June 22, 1832. The rolling- 
stock at that time consisted of " three splendid and 
commodious cars, each capable of accommodating 
thirty piuwcngers," which were drawn by " fleet ami 
gentle liDrses." It wa.H thought to be a " rapid and 
dcli^'htful mode of traveling." The trial-trip over 
that part of the road was June 7, 1832. It connected 
with the New Jersey Railroad at West End. The 
road was leased to the Union Railroad Company 
Sept. 9, 18.12. This leiLse was assigned to the Erie 
Railway Company, and the road is now part of the 
main line of the New York, Luke Erie and Western 
Railroad. The assignment and transfer of the road 
was confirmed by the Legislature March 14, 18.'i3. 



The New" Jersey Railroad and Transporta- 
tion Company was chartered March 7, 1832. The 
road was constructed from Jersey City to Newark, 
and the first excursion was run over it Sept. 1, 1834, 
in the passenger-car "Washington." Regular trips 
began Sept. 15, 1834, the cars being drawn by horses. 
Eight trips were made daily, the cars stopping at the 
hotels to receive passengers. Previous to Jan. 1, 
1838, when the Bergen Cut was completed, the cars 
were drawn over the hill. The first engine, the " New- 
ark," passed over the road Dec. 2, 1835. This road 
wa.s consolidated with the Camden and Ainboy Rail- 
road, under authority given by the Legislature, Feb. 
27, 1807, and the consolidation was leased to the 
Pennsylvania Railroad Company in 1870. 

The Morris and E^sex Railroad Co.mpany 
was incorporated Jan. 29, 18.35. At first this road 
was connected with the New Jersey Railroad at New- 
ark, but Wius extended to Hoboken by the completion 
of the Newark and Hoboken Railroad, Nov. Ill, 1862. 
It was leased to the Delaware, Lackawanna and 
Western Railroad Company Dec. 10, 1868. 

The Erie Railway Company was first recog- 
nized by the laws of New Jersey. March 14, 1S.")3. as 
the New York and Erie Railroad Company, then 
as the Erie Railway Company. After leasing the 
Paterson and Hudson River Railroad and the Pat- 
erson and Raniapo Railroad, which two roads formed 
a direct line from Jersey City to Sutferns, Pier- 
niont was abandoned as a terminus, and the cars 
were run to the depot of the New Jersey Railroad 
Company in Jersey City until May, 18l)l. "The 
Long Dock Company," incorporated Feb. 26, 1856, 
in the interest of the Erie Railway Company, com- 
pleted the Bergen Tunnel Jan. 28, 1861. The first 
passenger train jiasscd through it May 1, 1861, at 
which date the Erie traffic was transferred to its (ires- 
ent terniinus at Long Dock. In 1865 the Eric Com- 
pany constructed a telegraph line through the Bergeu 
Tunnel, so that managers of signals at either end 
could be duly warned of approaching trains, and col- 
lision thus nvoideil. The interior of the Bergen Tun- 
nel was arched over in 1867. 

MiKi-ANi" Railroad. — The New York and Os- 
wego Midland Railroail Company was incorporated 
Jan. 1, 181)6. Construction began June 29, 18t!8. The 
first train ran over the western end of the road Nov. 
5, 1860, and the first through train Aug. 18, 1873. 

( >ii Miinday, Dec. 19, 1871, the first locomotive was 
j)Ut on the New Jersey Midlaml at Hawthorne, a sta- 
tion on the Erie, one mile from Paterson. The loco- 
motive was built at the Rogers' LtKomotive Works in 
the city of Paterson, and was named the " Passaic." 
Another locomotive jml ii|ion the road the following 
.Tilly wa-s named " Bergen," this plan of iianiiiig the 
locomotivts after the counties traversed by the mad 
being adopted by the coinpHiiy. 

The New Jersey Midland Company was incorporated 
March 18, 1867. March 18, 1870, it was announced 



EARLY COURTS OF BERGEN. 



89 



that $75,000 had been subscribed by those interested 
in having the road go through Hackensacli. Addi- 
tional sums were subsequently raised, increasing the 
amount to 8100,000, the sum required to be raised by 
Hackensack and vicinity. Other liberal sums were 
contributed along the entire route. (_)n Monday, 
^Slarch 18, 1872, the first pa.ssenger train ran through 
between Hackensack and Paterson, at 8.30 a.m., car- 
rying about thirty passengers. After that trains ran 
regularly. 

The opening of the road was signalized by a grand 
excursion to EUenville, given to the citizens of Bergen 
by the president, Hon. C. A. Wortendyke. The day 
was not auspicious, but suitable provision had been 
made for a large number of excursionists at the hotels, 
so that, notwithstanding the rain which set in, the 
occasion passed off pleasantly. Many of the people 
of Bergen attended with their wives and daughters. 
Among the guests was the venerable centenarian, 
Richard Paulison, who had witnessed the changes of 
nearly a hundred years, and none of them probably 
had awakened in him stranger emotions than those in 
which he that day participated. He was truly the 
representative of a bygone generation. Among the 
other guests were A. Luther Smith, of Nyack, Sherift" 
Pell, of Bergen, and A. Brownson. Of the Midland, 
President Wortendyke, Vice-President Loomis, James 
N. Pronk, Cornelius Vreeland, and Hon. Isaac Dem- 
arest. Of Sussex County, Hon. Robert Hamilton and 
Hon. Thomas Kays. 

At the dinner Mr. H. 1). Winton, of the Bergen 
Democrat, being called upon for a toast, oflered the 
following : " Hon. C. A. Wortendyke, projector of the 
New Jersey Midland Railway." This brought out 
Mr. Wortendyke with a happy response. Ex-Gov- 
ernor Price followed with a speech of considerable 
length and animation, in which he paid a glowing 
tribute to the energy and enterprise of Mr. Worten- 
dyke in securing the completion of the road. He 
said President Wortendyke had spent his time and 
money to accomplish a result of which every one should 
feel proud. James N. Pronk was then called upon. 
He represented the New York and Oswego Midland, 
and clasped hands with the Hon. C. A. Wortendyke, 
of the New Jersey Midland. The energy of the two 
had accomplished great results, and the county of 
Bergen .should feel truly proud of the enterprise and 
genius of her son. 

The Hackexsack and New York Railroad 
Company was incorporated March 14, 1850. Work 
was begun on the road in the spring of 1809. It was 
opened northward to Hillsdale, twenty-one miles from 
New York, and the first excursion train ran over it on 
Saturday, the 4th of March, 1870. The officers of the 
road at that time were D. P. Patterson, president; G. 
S. Demarest, vice-president; H. G. Herring, secre- 
tary : and J. D. Demarest, treasurer. The extension 
of the road to Grassy Point, about two miles above 
Haverstraw, on the Hudson, was chartered bv the 



New York Legislature in the spring of 1870, and 
during the fall was put under contract to Messrs. 
Ward & Lary for construction. From a report made 
in January, 1872, we learn that through the untiring 
exertions of Mr. J. A. Bogert, of Nanuet, $90,000 had 
been subscribed, over $40,000 of which had been paid 
in. Subscriptions also to the amount of $230,000 had 
been secured by Mr. Patterson, the president of the 
company, and of this sum $130,000 had been paid in. 
At the northern terminus at Grassy Point the com- 
pany received a donation of two thou.sand five hun- 
dred feet of river frontage from Mr. David Munro. 
The eastern terminus of this road is in the Erie depot, 
at Long Dock, and it is under the same management 
as the Erie. 

The Northern Railroad Company of New 
Jersey was chartered Feb. 9, 1854, and the road was 
completed Oct. 1, 1859. In 1869 it was leased to the 
Erie Railway Company. This road passes through 
the eastern part of Bergen County, along the table- 
land of the Palisades, many portions of which it has 
been the means of redeeming from forests and con- 
verting into beautiful parks and villas. Englewood, 
on this road, one of the most delightful suburbs of 
New York, has been entirely built up since the road 
was opened. 

The Jersey City and Albany Railroad was 
opened to Tappan, July 30, 1873. This road passes 
through Bergen County from the Midland, at Ridge- 
field Park, in a direction nearly parallel with the 
Northern road. 

The Morris Canal. — The Morris Canal and Bank- 
ing Company was incorporated Dec. 31, 1824. It was 
authorized to construct a canal from the Delaware to 
the Passaic. The canal was completed in 1831. On 
Jan. 28, 1828, authority was given to extend the canal 
to the Hudson River, at or near Jersey City. This 
extension was completed in 1836. The canal and its 
appurtenances, with the chartered rights of the com- 
pany, were sold, under a decree of the Court of Chan- 
cery, Oct. 21, 1844. By an act of the Legislature, 
Feb. 9, 1849, banking privileges were taken from the 
company. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

EARLY COURTS OF BERGEN. 

Espatin. — In the vicinity of Union Hill, upon the 
Hudson County line, was an ancient place called 
"Espatin," where "courts of justice" were held as 
early as 1657, — the earliest courts of which we have 
any account in East Jersey. The Baron Van der 
Capellen, a wealthy and influential Hollander, whose 
interests appear to have been independent of those 
of the authorities at Manhattan, bad formed a colony 
on Staten Island, which was destroyed by the Indians 
in 1655. Van der Capellen, through his agents resid- 



90 



HISTORY OF BERGKN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



ingin the colony, had assumed the right to make trea- 
ties with the Indians and to purcliase lands of them, 
irrespective of tlie authority of the Dutch {.'overn- 
ment, which declared his action in this respect unau- 
thorized.' He was active La conciliating the Indians, 
and settling terms of peace with them at the close of 
the war of 1()55, and seems in that year to have co- 
operated with the director and council through his 
agent, Adrian Post, who, in October, It).').'), was "ap- 
pointed to treat with the Hackensaek Indians for the 
release of prisoners." ' Undoubtedly his powerful 
iufluence over the Indians caused his agency to be 
sought in this direction. Post was succeeded in the 
agency by Van Dincklagan, who died about 1658. 
While he wa.- agent he was a successful negotiatttr 
with the Indians, and purchased their entire interest 
in Staten Island, and probably "Espatin," in the 
vicinity of the settlements of the Tappan and Hack- 
ensaek Indians, where the establishment of a trading- 
post and a court for the adjudication of such causes 
as might arise with them and the white settlers, en- 
abled him more directly to oversee the movements 
of the Indians and keep them under control. 

The court at Espatin seems to have been a rival 
court to that at New Amsterdam, for to the former 
rather than to the latter the agent of Van der Ca- 
pellen required the subjection of the Indians. We 
find that " in 16.57, Van der Capellen, through his 
agent Van Dincklagen, concluded with the Indians 
a treaty, with submission to the courts of justice at 
Ilospating, near Hackensaek, on Wacrkimius Conne,' 
in New Netherlands." ' 

This record, brief as it is, reveals the fact that the 
IJaron Van der Capellen sought to establish an au- 
thority on the west side of the Hudson entirely inde- 
pendent of the director-general and Council at Man- 
hattan. Hence it ajipcars in the records of the latter 
that he received their severe censure. He was no 
doubt one of those wealthy Hollanders, who desired to 
establish a barony of their owti in the New World, an<l 
having selected Staten Island, and the country be- 
tween the Hudson and the Hackensaek, he proceeded 
to acquire a title from the native owners, and to 
establish a court to which they should be subject. 
This court be established at " Espatin," the hill, on 
a site overlooking the grand domain of which he 
conceived himself the prospective lord. 

It is evident that the director-general and Council 
at Manhattan were jealous of such rival authorities, 
ancl often specified in deeds that the grantees should 
submit to the courtw at New Amsterdam. Thus in 
the deed of I'aulus Hoeck to .Mirabain Isaacson 
Planck, M;iv 1. 1i'i:is. it is slatiil that "the purcba-ser 



3 llrtKllirnil.i. 041-42. 

' Thin li» Uip imDio »'f tiiio uf llic IndtniiB wliu itiKiitt'l tli*. ilrt-il in )„iv- 
enior SluyvMimt c(«iito>Iiik llii' Uii'Ib In IUtkimi, of wlilt-li S«caucllii 
Wliu ancrwnriln clulruwl liy tliMii on nol iiicluili'il In llio mIo. 

> O'Ciil. N. N., M. 42». nro<ll)ij«il, I. 041 . 



and landsman aforesaid pledge their persons and prop- 
erty, real and personal, present and future, without 
any exception, subyiiittinij to the Prorincia/ court of 
Holland, and to all other courts, judges, ami justices, 
and in acknowledgment of the truth, these presents 
are signed by the parties respectively," etc. 

The place where this ancient court was held is 
designated Ilosjinting, Eii/iittinrj/t, Espatin, and means 
"a hill." Our reason for locating it on Union Hill 
is ;is follows: It is mentioned as one of the points in 
the boundary line of the old township of Bergen, in 
the charter of that township by Governor Philip 
Carteret, in 1664, and lay in a " northwest course" 
from Mordavis' Meadow, which formed the north- 
ern boundary line of the townshiii on the Hudson. 
"Thence northwest, by a three-rail fence that is now 
standing, to Espatin, and from thence to a little creek 
surrounding north-northwest, until it comes into the 
Hackensaek." Espatin was, therefore, between Mor- 
davis' Meadow and the creek, in a northwest course 
from the former, upon a hill, as its name implies. 
This highland is upon the narrowest portion of the 
Neck northward between the Hudson and Hacken- 
saek Rivers, commanding a view of both valleys, 
and the best situation in the whole region, not only 
for pro.ximity to the Indian settlements, but to watch 
their movements southward by the Hackensaek 
River. 

" Espatin" is named in 1664 in the charter above 
cited. In the same instrument it appears that this 
section of the Neck was settled, for it is said that the 
tract therein laid out for a township " is bounded at 
the north end by a tract of land belonging to Ca])t. 
Nicholas Varlet and Mr. Samuel Edsall." This land, 
of course, lay over the line in Old Hackensaek (now 
Ridgefield) township. If the record could be traced 
back of these proprietors, it would no doubt show 
others of an earlier date, and perhaps reveal some- 
thing still more positive respecting the settlement and 
the court. Probably it was abandoned when the au- 
thorities at New Amsterdam obliged the settlers to 
concentrate in fortified towns, and was gradually su- 
perseded by the court established at Bergen in 1661, 
or at least was given up when the Dutch surrendered 
to tlie English in 16()4. 

On the south side of the line Nicholas Varlet and 
Nicholas Bayard owned a large tract of land, " granted 
by Petrus Stuyvcsant" Dec. 10, 1663, and confirmed 
by patent of Philip Carteret Oct. 30, 1667. A portion 
of this lanii, extending from the north end of what 
is now Hudson t'ounty to a certain "stake standing 
on Pinhorne's Creek," containing " about two thou- 
sand two hundred acres," is marked lot No. 283 on 
the field-book of the commissioners to divide the 
eoiiinion lands of the townshi|> of Bergen.'" 

Courts at Bergen.— The Co\irt of Burgomasters 
and Schepens, organized in New Amsterdam in 1652, 

« S«« lot Nil. 2«3, Wlnflold'a Lanil Tlllea, p. 19a. 



EARLY COURTS OF BERGEN. 



91 



undoubtedly exercised judicial authority over this 
part of New Jersey till about the 4th of August, 1661. 

In September following a local court was estab- 
lished at Bergen, subject to an appeal to the Director- 
General and Council at Manhattan. The ordinance 
making provision for this court, dated Sept. 5, 1661, 
very properly says, "In order that all things may be 
performed with proper order and respect, it is neces- 
sary to choose as judges honest, intelligent persons, 
owners of real estate, who are lovers of peace and 
well-affected subjects of their Lords and Patrons, 
and of their supreme government established here; 
promoters and professors of the Reformed religion 
as it is at present taught in the churches of the 
United Netherlands, in conformity to the word of 
God and the order of the Synod of Dordrecht." 
The court was to consist of one schout, or sheriff, 
and three schepens. Grotius informs us that schout, 
or schuld, or schuld-rechter, was a criminal judge. 
The schout was to be a local official, who was 
empowered to convoke the schepens, and to pre- 
side and act also as the clerk at their sessions. As 
magistrates they were to be men of probity and worth, 
who had commanded the respect of the people. Thus 
the schout and three schepens con.stituted the court. 
These officials were all appointed by the Director- 
General and Council. 

The first schepens were Michael Jansen, Harman 
Smeeman, and Casper Steinmets ; they were to hold 
office for one year from the 20th of September, 1661. 
Jansen, Smeeman, and Steinmets thus stand out 
prominently as the first associate judges of a local 
court for this section of country, which a few years 
after was to become the county of Bergen. Jansen 
was a farmer, and had been honored ten or twelve 
years before as a member of the Representative As- 
sembly, which had been convened to advise with the 
government, and he seems to have been active and 
influential in public affairs. Smeeman was a West- 
])halian from Iserlow, in the county of Mark, and at 
tlie time of his judicial promotion was thirty-seven 
years of age. He had been admitted to the rights of a 
small burgher, and had been a member of the Land- 
tag under Governor Stuyvesant, and had years before 
striven to establish himself as a proprietor of the soil 
in this section of the country, having already pur- 
chased a farm of his associate, Jansen, for nine hun- 
dred florins. Steinmets, like his associates, had prior 
to his appointment attempted a settlement also in this 
section, but had been driven out by the Indians. 
He had also been a resident of New Amsterdam, 
where he had been licensed to keep a tavern. He 
had also figured in military aftairs as a lieutenant and 
then captain of the Bergen militia, and in after-years 
became a deputy in the Council of New Orange and 
a representative from Bergen Village iu the First and 
Second General Assemblies of New Jersey, and died 
in 1702. Thus hi? record bespeaks the high character 
and standing of the man. 



The court thus constituted seems to have been com- 
posed of what is sometimes called "solid men," com- 
manding the respect and consideration of the whole 
community. This tribunal could render definitive 
judgment to the amount of fifty guilders and under, 
and for a larger sum, but with the right of the ag- 
grieved party to appeal to the Director-General and 
Council. The schout, as we have said, was the presi- 
dent of the court, and also its secretary or clerk. The 
judges were bound to respect the law of their father- 
land and the ordinances and edicts of the Director- 
General and Council. It was a court of civil and 
criminal jurisdiction, and very similar to our Court 
of Common Pleas of to-day. Subject to the Direc- 
tor-General and Council, it had some legislative pow- 
ers also to pass ordinances respecting surveys, high- 
ways, outlets, posts and fences, the laying out of 
gardens and orchards, the building of churches, 
schools, and similar public works, with power to pro- 
vide the means " how and by which the same are to 
be effected." 

Before these magistrates could enter upon their 
duties they were obliged to take the following very 
comprehensive oath of office : " We promise and 
swear, in the presence of Almighty God, that we will 
be faithful to the Sovereignty of the High and Mighty 
Lords, the States-General, the Lords directors of the 
privileged West India Company, Department of Am- 
sterdam, as our Lords and Patrons, the Director- 
General and Council now placed over us or hereafter 
to be appointed ; that we will respect and execute 
their commands ; that we will exercise good justice to 
our best knowledge ; repel all mutiny, troubles, and 
disorders ; to our best abilities maintain the Reformed 
Religion and no other ; and support the same and 
conduct ourselves punctually in conformity to the 
instruction which we have already received or may 
yet receive ; and further act as good and faithful 
magistrates are in duty bound to do. So help us, 
God Almighty." 

Bergen Village was predestined under its permanent 
and well-defined charter, with the protecting care of 
New Amsterdam, to lead the way to the county of 
Bergen and the State of New Jersey ; and thence to 
perform its part, at length, in the harmonious whole 
of a great nationality. It is well for us thus to go 
back to the beginning, in order to form a just compre- 
hension of the whole structure. We have now given 
an account of the first judicial organization in the 
future county of Bergen, and of all the members of 
the court except the schout, or presiding judge. We 
have purposely left his name to the last as most worthy 
of honorable mention. Tielman Van Vleck may 
justly be called the founder of Bergen Village, and 
probably is entitled to that honor as to the whole 
county itself. He came from Bremen, had studied at 
Amsterdam under a notary, and was admitted to prac- 
tice law in this country in 1658. Foreseeing the needs 
of civilization in a new country, he sought to found a 



92 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



village in the present State of New Jersey. He was 
probably tlie first lawyer, a* he was also the first 
judge to iireside over a judicial tribunal iu New 
Jersey. 

The bar of the State might well erect some suitable 
monument to this her first conscript father of a nu- 
merous and honored fraternity. 

Tliis pioneer court at Bergen Village, with its schout 
and schepens, its presidentand associate judges, partly 
to enact laws but more to administer them, over two 
centuries ago, in its historical relations to us must 
justly command our respect and admiration. Civili- 
zation had sought a foothold in New Jersey for a 
quarter of a century previously, but it had made no 
permanent headway before the establishment of this 
local village and tribunal. As the otficials in this 
court were appointed only for one year by the terms 
of its organization, Tielman Van Vleck continued 
Bchout by annual reappointment to March 17, 1664. 
He was then succeeded by 15althazar Bayard, a de- 
scendant of a jirofessor of theology in Paris, who, 
being a Huguenot, was driven to Holland by religious 
persecution. The Bayards, who for three generations 
in succession have honored the Senate of the United 
States from the State of Delaware, claim their descent, 
as we are told, from this honored ancestry. Balthazar 
Bayard was succeeded by Claes Arentse Toers, Aug. 
18, 1()7;5. The schepens following annually to Aug. 
31, 1674, were Caspar Steinmets, Eugelbert Steen- 
huysen, Gerrit Geretsen, Thomas Fredericks, Elias 
Michielse, Peter MarccUissen, Cornelis Abramse, 
Walinck Jacobse, Eugelbert Steenhuys, Enoch Mi- 
chielse, and Claes .Tanscn. In the course of time the 
Dutch supremacy in New Netherland passed over to 
the English. The court at Bergen was reorganized 
under British authority about the month of July, 
166.'). As will be seen elsewhere, it was not a total 
destruction but only a reorganization of the court, and 
of the local government itself Philip Carteret had 
just become < lovernor of the new province of Nova 
Ca-sarea, or New Jersey. Heappointe<l Capt. Nichohw 
Varlet to con.stitute a court of judicature for the in- 
habitants of the village of Bergen, and of the settle- 
ments of Gemolnepaen (Comniunipaw), and Hoo- 
boocken (Hoboken), and .Miasymes (part of i)resent 
Jersey City), to be kept in the village or town of 
Bergen. Varlet was to be the president; his com- 
mission is dated Aug. 30, 166"(. Under the English 
rule, with Varlet as president, from Aug. 30, 1665, to 
March 13, 1()7(!, the a.H»ociate judges were Harman 
Smollman, Ca.H|>ar.'^teinmet.s, Elias Michelse, Ide Van 
Vorst, Tynament i probably the same as Tielman) 
Van Vleck (who became clerk March 8, lliOit), and 
William Sanford as president; ami Samuel Ivlsall 
and Lourens Andriescn (alternately acting ilm presi- 
dent in 1(>74), March 13, lti76 ; and John Berry lus 
prcsidint, and Samuel Ivlsall, Lr)urens Andriescn, 
Elias Michiclsen, and Eugelbert Stcenhuysen as as- 
sociates, were reappointed, and all were commissioned 



Feb. 16, 1677. A special Court of Oyer and Terminer 
wa.s appointed .Tune 13th to be held June 24, 1673, 
over which William Sandford wa.s president, and John 
Pike, John Bisho|>, Samuel Edsall, and Gabriel Min- 
vielle were associates. We are unable to give any 
very full account of any of the proceedings in these 
courts. Nearly all their records are lost. Had they 
been preserved, however trivial they might have 
seemed at the time, they would have afforded us much 
knowledge of the laws, manners, and customs of those 
early settlers at a most interesting period in the his- 
tory of our country. In Liber 3 of Deeds {Trenton ) 
1 there is preserved an extract from the book of the 
minutes of the Bergen court, from which we make the 
following abstract, which informs us somewhat of the 
pleadings, modes of proceeding, and the law as then 
employed in that court. The title of the cause is 
"The schout, Claes Arentse Toers, plaintifl', contra 
Capt. John Berry, defendant." 

The schout was, by virtue of his office, the ))ublic 
prosecutor or attorney-general, and was thereby au- 
thorized in his own name to institute suits and public 
proceedings on behalf of and for the benefit of the 
people. This suit appears on the minutejs Nov. 11, 
1673. The Dutch at this time had retaken New York, 
naming it New Orange. The comjjlaint is made by 
Capt. Sandford to the Right Honorable the Gover- 
nor-General of New Netherland, for the removal and 
taking away from Maj. Kingsland of some hogs 
without the knowledge of any officer. The gist of the 
charge, of course, is the unlawful taking and carrying 
away. The schout, therefore, prosecutes or sues for 
value. The defendant answers acknowledging the 
taking of the hogs to bis own licmse, |ileailing there- 
for the statement of Sandford's negro, Tjick ; and 
the defendant further claims that the hogs were his. 
The schout then states the proposition of law that 
no one can be his own ju<lgeon the naked saying of a 
negro, and therefore prosecutes on a charge of thelh 
The magistrates then call on the defendant for his 

j further answer, if any, and the defendant makes no 

j further answer, except he still claims they were his 
own hogs. The schout then demands criminal con- 
demnation of the defendant with a fine of five hundred 
guilders, ami that the hogs be restored to Kingsland's 
possession. The magistrates then condemn the de- 
fendant, and impose a fine of two hundred and filly 
guilders, — one-half to the officer, presumably the 

i prosecutor, one-third of the remaining half to the 
church, one-third to the poor, and the remaining 
third to the court. Thus we have the officer first, 
ami with the lion's share; then the church, with only 
the third of a moiety ; and next the poor, and then 
the court last, with like shares. The court also orders 
that, unlc-ss further proof is furnished, the hogs be- 
long to the defendant, and he be required to deliver 
them to the olficer of the jurisdiction of Bergen, 
with costs of prosecution, with the following entry: 

■ "Agrees with the aforesaid Register, quod attestor." 



COURTS AFTER THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY. 



93 



The captain appealed. He neither liked the law 
nor the condemnation, and of course he appealed to 
the Higli Court at Fort Amsterdam. The court at 
Bergen was too local for him, and he concluded he 
would invoke some other justice from afar. His 
argument on the appeal is very lengthy in the record, 
and probably was much longer iu fact. The whole 
difficulty seems to have grown out of an absence of 
the captain for six months on a voyage to Barbadoes. 
Sandford's plantation and his were near each other. 
Both of these gentlemen were undoubtedly men of 
high honor, but they owned careless slaves or ser- 
vants, who had heedlessly allowed some of their 
masters' hogs to stray ; and, as the captain says, in- 
veighing somewhat against " Dutch law," as he 
styles it, " but not knowing that I knew no better than 
that I might carry these hogs home, as I presumed 
they justly belonged to me, finding them so near my 
land, and the place to which I had carried so many, 
communicating my intention therein to the person i 
(that is, CajJt. Sanford) who set up a claim to them." 
Then Capt. Berry proceeds to justify in his second 
point by saying, " Had I let them run about they 
would have perhaps fared no better than the other 
two, which I left loose, as well as my sow that has 
not turned up, but apparently has gone the same road 
as the rest of my hogs and their offspring have gone, 
there being some people in the world who consider 
all as fish that comes into their net." This last, of 
course, is intended as a home-thrust at Capt. Sand- 
ford. Then Berry stands upon his honor and man- 
hood, repelling the notion that " he carried them 
away silently without informing any one ;" that he 
promptly and fully informed the schout when inter- 
rogated on the subject ; and that he had no intention 
" to perpetrate dirty actions," and concludes thus : 
" The high-prized pledge of an honorable name, 
which I esteem far more than all riches, hath caused 
me to do so" (to make this appeal). " I conclude with 
my prayer that the Divine Wisdom may be pleased to 
endue your Honor with intelligence and understand- 
ing not to justify the guilty, and not to condemn the 
innocent, both which are an abomination in the eyes 
of a righteous God. 17 Proverbs v. 15." Then he 
says, according to the English law the ease would 
have been tried by a jury of twelve men ; that it 
would not have been tortured into a criminal offense, 
but would have been called an action of trover and 
conversion ; and that had he been aware that the 
Dutch law was otherwise, making it a theft, he 
would not have offended against any such law. Then 
he proceeds : " The word of God declares that where 
there is no law there is no transgression. At least 
a misconception ought not to be viewed through a 
magnifying glass, as the schout of Bergen tried to do 
in the avaricious craving for a fine." The court on 
appeal, it appears, reduced the fine " to one hundred 
guilders, on condition that the defendant return the 
hogs, or prove them to be his, within six months." 
7 



Capt. John Berry must have come out of all this 
litigation of 1673 quite triumphantly, as, three years 
afterwards, he was commissioned schout or president 
himself of this same Bergen court, where he claimed 
his rights had been so ruthlessly cloven down. The 
records of this court show that negroes were whipped 
for theft, and were punishable with death, in manner 
and form as the court should think fit, for setting on 
fire dwellings and barns ; and the punishment was to 
be made awful, as a terror and example to others. 
But at that very early day it seems the offender must 
have been found guilty by a jury to pass sentence of 
death. At a later day, as we shall see hereafter, this 
right of trial by jury was taken away from the negro. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

COURTS AFTER THE ORGANIZATION OF THE 

COUNTY. 

The province of East Jersey was not divided into 
counties till 1682, although the General Assembly 
of the whole colony in 1675 had laid out several 
counties with boundaries rather indefinite, for the 
purpose, among other things, of establishing County 
Courts therein. By an act passed on the 30th of No- 
vember, 1675, Bergen and the plantations dnd settle- 
ments in its vicinity were declared to be a county, and 
undoubtedly to be called Bergen County, though the 
act does not say so in so many words. This act made 
no change in the location or character of the courts, 
which were still held at the village of Bergen. 

Old traditions have located a County Court in the 
present village of Hackensack as far back as 1665, 
but the mistake must be apparent upon reference to 
the acts we have quoted. The act of 1682 further 
provided that the County Courts and Courts of Ses- 
sions shall be held in the public meeting-place in the 
county of Bergen, without further or more particu- 
larly designating where that public meeting-place 
was. The sessions of the court were on the first Tues- 
days in March, June, September, and December. This 
act also provides that there shall be in each town a 
court for the trial of small cases. Tax cau.ses were to 
be tried by three persons, without a jury, after the 
manner undoubtedly of the old Dutch court at Ber- 
gen Village. It had jurisdiction of all matters of 
forty shillings and under, with right of appeal to 
either party upon request and at his cost. This court 
does not appear to have had criminal jurisdiction, as 
that jurisdiction was confined to the County Court. In 
1709 Bergen County was enlarged, taking in all the 
territory on the west side of the Hackensack to the 
Passaic River, northward to the boundary of the prov- 
ince, and southward to Constable's Hook. The village 
' of Hackensack, in New Barbadoes, then became a part 
1 of Bergen County. With this large addition of ter- 



»4 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



ritory to old Bergen, and by addition of population 
in the northern part of the county, Hackensack be- 
came central, anil beitifr the most important place so 
situated, wjis maili- the county-seat. About 1709 the 
first court-house wits erected. This structure stood on 
the Green, near Main Street. 

Above the courts for the trial of small causes and 
the County Courts, the act of 1682 also provided for a 
Supreme Court, which was then desiy;nate<l as the 
" Court of Common Right," which could hear, try, 
and determine matters, causes, and cases, capital and 
criminal, or civil causes of equity, and causes triable 
at common law, to which court all causes could be re- 
moved of five pounds and upwards, and all criminal 
cases by warrant, writ of error and certiorari, and said 
court was to consist of twelve members, or six at least. 
This court sat at Eli/.abethtown, then the capital of 
the province. To the end that British sovereignty 
should be recognized and maintained, all warrants 
with process and attachments were issued in the name 
of the king of England. In 1688 the court for the 
trial of small causes wa.s to be held monthly at the 
house of Lawrence Andriss, of New Hackensack,' and 
also "at the house of Dr. Johannes, on the Hacken- 
sack River, then in the county of Es.sex, and for the 
inhabitants of New Rarbadoes and Aequickanick." 

Anv knowledge of the courts and of their proceed- 
ings at that time re<iuire-s us now to look into the code 
of laws which the General Assembly had enacted for 
the government of the province. The laws of Solon 
were not in some respects more wise, nor in others 
more .severe. They indicate the wisdom, while they 
betray the weaknes.ses, and sometimes the supersti- 
tions, of those infant times in our early history. The 
gallows-tree and the l)urninp stake were the awful in- 
struments in the [>unisliment of many crimes for which 
a more enlightened age has aflixed a lighter penalty. 
In I'hilip Carteret's time, in 1608, the General As- 
sembly consisted of the Governor with his Council of 
seven members, composing the Upper House, or 
Senate, ami ten burgesses, or the Lower House, cor- 
responding to the j)re8ent House of Assend)ly. In 
the General Assembly of 1668, Jlcssrs. Caspar Stein- 
mefa and Haltliazar Bayard, former judges in Bergen 
Village, were burgesses for the county of Rergen. 

In the code adopted by this Assembly no less than 
twelve distinct cla-sses of crime-s are punishable with 
death. These may be briefly enumerated as follows: 
Maliciously or wittingly setting on fire any dwelling- 
house, house or barn, fencing, corn, hay, wood, or 
Hax, or any other combustible matter, to the prejudice 
or damage of a neighbor or other person. The of- 
fender W1I.S to be committed to prison without bail or 
main prize, that is, liberty to the otfender only within 
the bars, and who must nuike full satisfaction ; anil if 
not able, then to stand to the mercy of the court, to 



' Th" (•reclxi lorollty cif tliln court li not known, but It w«i out of 
tb» IlKkenMcli Wifr, In Bcrgvn County. 



be tried for life or other punishment as the court 
might judge fit. Willful destruction of human life, 
by poisoning or in any other way, was punishable by 
death. Wittingly or willingly rising up to bear false 
witness, or purposing U> take a man's life, was pun- 
ishable with death ; so was also perversion of nature 
by man or woman with a brute. Of course human 
nature revolts more at the necessity for such a law 
than at the law itself The unnatural abuse of male 
with male w;ls punishable with death, unless the 
victim was under fourteen, and then i)unishment 
should be left to the discretion of the court. Steal- 
ing a human being was punishable with death. 

Burglary and robbery in those days were widened 
into the comprehensive crimes of breaking open any 
dwelling-house, store-house, warehouse, or house or 
barn, or any other house whatsoever, either by day 
or by night, — so we infer from the reading of the law, 
— and robbing in the field or highway, subjecting the 
offender the first time to branding in the hand with 
the letter T, with full satisfaction of the things stolen. 
If such branding did not stop the otfender, then for 
the second otleiise, besides full retribution, tlie fore- 
head was branded with the letter R. If olTending 
again, then death closed upon the incorrigible offender. 
Treble restitution was required for stealing any goods, 
money, or cattle, or other beast of any kind, for the 
first and second otienses, and such additional punish- 
ment as the court might adjudge, and if incorrigible 
to be ])unished with death. In case such offenders 
could not make restitution, they could be sold to 
secure satisfaction. 

One of the first acts of 1668 required every male 
between the ages of sixteen and si.xly to be armed 
and equipped, at his own cost, " with a good, service- 
able gun, well fixed, a pound of |)owder, and twenty- 
four bullets suited to the gun, a pair of bandeleers or 
a good horn, a sword, and a belt ;" and away went 
goods and chattels to pay a fine if any one offended 
against this law. The law then said, if any person 
be found to be a witch, either male or female, they 
shall be put to death. 

Conspiracy to surprise a town or fort within the 
province was punishable with death. The crime of 
rape was punishable with death, rndiitifid children 
over sixteen, of sullicicnt undcrstaiKling, who should 
uniirovokedly smite or curse their natural jparcnts, 
exce|)l to escape death or maiming, on complaint of 
the offended |>arent could be punished with death. 
Thus we fiml a code of laws which provides the pen- 
alty of death for the punishment of twelve distinct 
clas.ses of crimes. That penalty, in this State, has 
been abolishcil in nearly all ofthe.se classes; and per- 
haps the wisdom of the worhl may tiiiil a way of safety 
in dispensing with this penalty altogether. 

Such were some of the early laws enacted by the 
Legislature under the proprietors of New Jersey. 
Some of them were wise and beneficial, at least In 
intent and purpose. No man's life could be taken 



COURTS AFTER THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY, 



95 



away under any pretense whatever but by virtue of 
some law enacted in the province, and upon proof 
establislied by the mouth of two or three sutficient 
witnesses. 

Profane swearing and cursing in 1682 cost tlie 
offender one shilling, — one-half to the informant and 
one-half to the province. One of the early hiws en- 
acted as follows : 

'* Concerning that beastly vice, drunkenness, it is herel>y enacted tliat 
if any person lie found to be drunlt lie sIi.tII pay one sliillin^ tine for tlie 
first time, two shillings for the second, and for the third time, and for 
every time after, two shillings and sixpence; and such as have nothing 
to pay shall suffer corporeal punishment ; and for those that are unruly 
and disturbers of the peace, they shall be put in the stocks until they 
are sober, or during the pleasure of the officer in chief in the place where 
lie is druuk.'^ 

Sovereign power in the province in 1688 was guarded 
and upheld by the most solemn sanctions. Every 
judge and every lawyer ministering in the courts in 
those days, as well as every officer in the province, 
was obliged to take such oaths of office. 

Colonial Laws and Courts in Bergen.—During 
the century and a half preceding the Declaration 
of Independence, the Dutch, as the first settlers 
of New Netherland, were in the ascendency, under 
the supremacy of the States-General of Holland, 
less than forty years, but by their well-known na- 
tional characteristics of patience and perseverance 
they wrested a wilderness from barbarians and paved 
the way to a permanent civilization. They founded 
the great metropolis of America, and first sowed the 
seeds of empire in New Jersey, and the great city of 
New York and the State of New Jersey still remind 
us of many of the laws, customs, and institutions of 
the fatherland. The language of Holland is still 
spoken by many in Bergen County, in somewhat 
broken accents it is true, but every descendant from 
the fatherland may safely join in this petition : 

"Sint Nicholaay, myn goden vriend, 
Ik heb u altyd wel gediend ; 
Als gy my nu wat wilt geben, 
Fal ik u dienen als myn leven."' 

The concessions under the charter of the Duke of 
York were most liberal and republican in character. 
New Jersey was partitioned into East and West Jer- 
sey, and thus remained, under two co-ordinate govern- 
ments, till 1702. The laws of the two provinces were 
not printed till many years after their enactment. 
They were sent in manuscript to the several counties, 
eight in all, of East and West Jersey, and publicly 
read to the people. When Queen Anne ascended the 
throne in 1702, the two provinces were consoliihited 
under one government, and thus remained, under 
royal authority, till the Revolution of 1776. The 
Governor and Council were empowered to erect, con- 
stitute, and establish such courts as they should deem 



1 Saint Nicholas, my dear good friend, 
To serve you ever was my end ; 
If something you will now me give. 
Serve you I will long as I live. 



proper, and to appoint and commission judges and 
other officers, without limitation of time in these com- 
missions. 

A Court of Chancery was early recognized. By an 
ordinance of Lord Cornbury, the Governor or the 
Lieutenant-Governor, or any three of the Council, 
could constitute a court to hear and determine causes 
in equity, as in the lOnglish Court of Chancery. 

Governors Hunter and Franklin exercised chancery 
powers under the colonial system, and so that court 
was presided over long after the Revolution, and until 
a chancellor was provided for under the State consti- 
tution. Ecclesiastical jurisdiction was exercised over 
the province by the Bishop of London, excepting " the 
collating to benefices, granting licenses of marriage, 
and probate of wills," which were confined to the 
Governor. The Bishop of Loudon thus became the 
ordinary and metropolitan of the Prerogative Court. 
But surrogates were soon appointed, but vested only 
with the clerical powers they now have; and Orphans' 
Court were established in the several counties in 1784. 
The original jurisdiction of the ordinary remained 
unchanged till 1820. Surrogates were appointed in 
joint legislative meeting till 1822, and afterwards were 
elected by the people, as at i)resent. The Supreme 
Court always had plenary jurisdiction, civil and crim- 
inal. There were also special commissions for terms of 
the Oyer and Terminer, but to be held at tlie regular 
circuits. They were presided over, as now, by a jus- 
tice of the Supreme Court and the associate judges of 
the Common Pleas in each county. Before the county 
organizations were established special terms of the 
Oyer and Terminer were sometimes appointed to be 
held at Woodbridge, and frefjuently at the capital of 
the province. A judge of the Supreme Court and 
special judges were then appointed to hold that court. 

Benefit of clergy was prayed for and allowed, as in 
England. When the Circuit Courts were first estab- 
lished, the high sheriff, the justices of the peace, and 
certain municipal officers of tlie county town, and all 
the officers of the court in the county were required 
to attend on the chief justice and his associates in 
coming into and in leaving the county in going the 
circuit. As they may have ridden on horseback in 
coming and going to hold the circuit in Bergen 
County, a little more than a century ago, owing to 
the inferior roads of that day, a lung cavalcade would 
startle the lookers-on of so much judicial dignity pro- 
ceeding to hold court. The supreme judge on the 
bench wore a robe and sometimes a wig, and in 1765 
required the counselors, when appearing in court, 
and especially in the Supreme and Circuit Courts, to 
wear a bar-gown and bands like the English barris- 
ters, to advance the dignity, solemnity, and decorum 
of the court. This observance continued till 1791. 
Perhaps, where all true dignity and grace abound, 
they are only covered up by robes and gowns. The 
justices of the Supreme Court of the United States still 
wear robes, as in England ; but wlio ever thought a 



96 



HISTORY OF BKRGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JKKSEY. 



robe could add anything to the dignity of a Mansfield 
or a Marshall ? 

In common with the other colonies, slavery came 
to the province of New Jersey at a very early day. [ 
The existence of this institution called for peculiar 
laws and for jieculiar courts for their administration. 
No slave could be tried in a white man's court, or a 
court for the adjudication of wliite men's causes : they 
were amenable only to the board of justices and free- 
holders, which tried them without a jury and with- 
out counsel. These trials, and the executions which 
followed them, were often of a most summary char- 
acter. In the twelfth year of the reign of Queen 
Anne (1713) an act was passed entitled "An act for 
regulating slaves." This act forbade any traffic with 
any Indian, negro, or mulatto slave without the con- | 
sent of the master. A slave five miles away from 
home without a pass from his master could be sent 
back; and the like treatment could be imposed on a 
slave escaping from another province. If he should 
kill, or conspire, or attempt the death of any of Jler 
Majesty's liege people, not slaves, or should commit 
a rape, or burn or attempt to burn any house, or stack 
of hay or corn, or should maim any of Her Majesty's 
subjects, not slaves, or should murder any slave within 
the province, and should be convicted before three 
justices of the peace, in conjunction with five of the 
principal freeholders of the county, seven of whom 
shr)uld agree and should give judgment and sign a 
warrant for the execution, then the olfender should 
sulfer death in such manner as the justices and free- 
holders should adjudge, according to the aggravation 
or enormity of the crime. A justice could issue the i 
warrant of arrest, a prosecutor was provided to ])rose- 
cute, but there was no provision for the appointment 
of counsel to defend a slave. He was permitted to 
testify in his own defense, but tliere was no jury be- 
fore whom that testimony could have any weight. 
On the simple clnmplaint of a single magistrate this , 
anomalous court could be hastily convened, and a 
summary trial and conviction coulil close upon the 
victim within a few hours. If the owner, however, 
on another's cnmpbiint ilesired a jury ho <M)uld have 
it, showing that the law was n)aile wholly in the in- 
terest and for the benefit and protection of the master, 
not for the slave. When the slave was executed the 
owner could recover by sLssignmcnt, lus it was called, 
for every man slave thirty pounds, and for every 
woman slave twenty pounds, |)rovided the owner re- 
sided in the provin4'e. .Stealing to the value of six- 
pence ami under five shillings, according to this law, 
demanded forty .stripes on the bare back by a con- 
stable, wIki should be paid by the niitster or mistress 
of the slave five siiillings for laying on the stripis. 
Negroes could not become freeholders even when 
freed ; and inasmuch as they were declared to be an 
idle and slothful people, they could not be emanci- 
pated without security wius first given by the master 
in two huiiilri-d pounds to pay yearly to such negro 



twenty pounds during his life. In order that Her 

Majesty's subjects should not be burdened with ^uch 
freemen, manumission was void unless it was thus 
made burdensome upon the former master. To the 
thoughtful minds, even in that age, the burdens and 
the embarrassments of slavery more than equaled all 
of its advantages. The necessity which called for 
such laws also involved their enforcement. In the 
minutes of the justices and freeholders for the county 
of Bergen, in 1735, is found the following entry of a 
trial of a negro slave : 

" New Joreey, Bergen County, the l.'i of .\iigu8t. 1735. Upon Infor- 
niutionmade tu William provouet, I-^i'tliHt Ilie Negro man of peter Kipp 
called Jack, Imving Iwaten his b<) uia»ter and threatened Si-verul Tilijea 
to murder him, his said master and his Kon and Altio to Iturn down hia 
House Whereupon tlie Said Wm. provoost Es<i» Granted a Warrant Di- 
rected to the Constal'le tu take the Said Negro Jack Into Custoily and 
Was Committed hy the Said Wm. provuost Ksq' to Goal. 

"This Is In his M^estyes Name to Will and ]tt'i)nire you to Sum* 
monds Thre or more .Int^tices and five priiH-ipal freeholdera for Said 
County to ap|K>ar nt the Court House for the said County on friday Diurn- 
ing Ht Nine of the dock. Iteing the tifleenth l>iiy of this Instant August 
tu tiy the Negro of petre Kipp Named Jack, for having iteaten his Said 
Miister and Threatened several times t«i munler liiln and his son and 
Also to Hum Down his House on Wednesday the Thirteenth day of thil 
Instant and In this you Are Not to fail. 

" Given I'nder my Hand this fourteenth Day of August In the Ninth 
Year of our Iteign : ITIlo 

(ul) ** WlLLlAH Provoost. 
"To David Ackeman 

*' High Coil8tnl>le 

** This Is In his Majesties name to Will anil Retpiire you to Sumninnd 
these Under Named to Appear at the Court House on Friday the fj Day 
of this Instant to Give Evidence In the llehalf of Our Ix^rd the King 
Against the Negro of Peter Kipp called Jack A In this you are Not to 
fail. Given Umler my Hanil this 14 day of August, 17;t.^ ami In the 
Ninth year of our Reign. 

" Pi.rr.R Klpi- 
"ToDwin Ackeman "Kijsuk Kipi- 

" High Constalilo " Their Son 

" HKNnv Kirp 
" Di-.uri^chTkriii-nk 
"Jacobus lloraHAN 
" Isaac Kipp 

" New Jentey, Bergen Cly. Whereas William pruviiosl K»qf Being In- 
formed tliat the Negro of peter Kipp Called Jack liaving Beaten his S-t 
Master and often times threatentHl the Lifes of his S'' master and Ills 
Son and Likewise to Hum his S'' Masters House and then Destn.>y him- 
self on WoHlnesday the 1:1 day of ,\ugust 17;Ci fur which We liere I'nder 
Suhscrilted Was Sununond liy the Justices to appear at the Court House 
of the Said County the IS Day of the S' luslant to Try the Said Negro 
Jack According to the Direction of Act of (ieiienil Assemhiy Kiititnlt.d 
an Act for Uegnlaliug Slaves Whereu|H>tt having Dully Examined the 
Kvldence According to y* direction of tlie Aforesaid Act fituiid the Afore- 
said Negro Jack Guilty of the Said Crime Alledgeil Against him— 
(•*!) " Wm. Provoost 
" Isaac Van Gisin 
" Present "JoUN Stauq 

"Hknht V^nuri.knda 
" l'A('l.ir.ri Van DEUBRltK 
" AiiR \nAM Vack 

" AUUAHAH ACKKIUIAM 

" Prnaont " KoBf.RT Ackkhman 

" l.AWHENCr. AcKtRMAN 

" Garret Hoppe 



JuMticu. 



yr«4koUUr». 



I 

" New Jersey, Bergen County : Alt a Meeting of the Justices A freo- 
holden for the Trying of the Negro Man of Peter Kipp Called Jack at 
the Court House for the said County on friday the 16 Day of August \T.Vt, 
Prevent the alaive Nametl Justices and freehohlera, the freehidderi Being 
Sworn k pr,M'eeilpd to Tryal. 

" David ProviKNil fji.i' Being Apl«>inted liy the Justices to Pnaecuta 
the said Negio Man of Peter Kipp called Jack, tlentlemon I am ap- 



\ 



COURTS AFTER THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY. 



97 



pointed by the Justices to Prosecute the Negro Man of Peter Kipp 
Called Jack for having on tlie 13 Day of this Instant August struck his 
Said Master Severall {blows) and offered to kill him With an Ax and often 
times Siiid that he wouUl kill his Said Master, and Master Son, Burn his 
Master's House and then Destroy himself Which I am Ready to Make 
Appear by Good and Lawful Evidences that the abovesaid Negro Jack Is 
Guilty of Both Striking his Master Several Blows and Attempting to 
Kill liim With an Ax atid Likewise of Tlireatening Several times to 
Kill his Said Master and his Master's Son and 8ett tire to his Masters 
House and then Destroy himself For Which Reason I Desire Tour 
honoure that the Above Said Negro May Be tryed as the Law Directs 
that the King May have Justice Done, which was Granted by the Jus- 
tices and freeholders and Did proceed Accordingly. 
" The Eiridences — Declaration . 

" Peter Kipp Declared upon the Holy Evangelist that he was Going to 
cue of his fields With his Negro Slan Jack and on the Road he Gave 
the Said Negro a Blow which at tlio Said Negro Risisted & fought with 
his Master, Striking him Several Blows and Afterwards taking up an Ax 
threatened to kill him his Said Master and his Son and then Destroy 
himself. Upon Which his Said Master Ran away for assistance and 
sometime after he Was Tyed he Said that he would In the Night When 
his MasterSIept Sett his house on fire. 

" Henry Kipp Declared Upon the Holy Evangelist that he being one 
of the Assistance at the Taking and Tying of the Said Negro that when 
they came to the Said Negro they found two Axes by him and after hav- 
ing tyed him he said that when his Master Slept he would Sett his 
House a fire. 

" Then Isaac Kipp and Jacobus huysman declare likewise with Henry 
Kipp. Then Henry Kipp declares that his fatiier gave the negro a blow 
at which the negro resisted and fought his father: strickinghim Several 
blows and taking ui> an ax and threatening to kill him and then destroy 
himself: and then the record proceeds as follows; Then the prisoner 
With-Drew and the justices and the freeholders proceeded. The justices 
and freeholders having taking the matter into Consideration and Did 
Give Sentence of Death Upon him as followeth : 

"That is to say that y Said Negro Jack Shall be brought from hence 
to the place from Whence he came, and there to Continue untill the 16 
Day of This Instant August till Ten of The Clock of the Morning, and 
then to Be Burnt Untill he Is Dead, at some Convenient place on the 
Road between the Court House and Quacksack. 

•'This Is therefore to Will and Reqiiir you to take y^ Body of the 
Negro Jack Into your Custody & See him Executed According to the 
Sentence given, and for your so Doing this Shall be your Sufficient War- 
rant. Given Under our hands this 15 day of August, In the 9 Year of 
his Majesties Reign, Annoy Domini ITiJ.j. 

"To PROCLUS PARMERTON, High Sheriff of the County of Bergen, and 
signed by the Justices and Free holders, whose names are mentioned at 
the beginning of this proceeding." 

By Ji brief analysis of this proceeding (it can scarcely 
bedigiiified with the name of trial), itwill be seen that 
the negro Jack was going to the field with his master 
on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 1735; that the master gave 
Jack a blow. He was, therefore, the first assailant, 
though, as a master, he deemed himself empowered 
to chastise his slave ; that the negro struck back, and 
made, in his anger, sundry threats ; that all the formal 
proceedings were done and the matter disposed of 
Friday following, and sentence passed directing the 
sherifl* of the county to burn the negro on Saturday 
morning, Aug. 16, 1735, "till he is dead." 

On Wednesday the African offended, and on Satur- 
day morning he was burned to ashes, and all this was 
done lawfully and under the British Constitution in 
1735, less than a century and a half ago. No matter 
what the provocation, or how much our ancestors 
may have feared their slaves, the whole British Em- 
pire, Constitution and all, should have trembled to 
their very foundations at the perpetration of such a 
vrime in the name of justice. Have not the merciful 



angels from heaven wept over the spot, on the soil of 
America, " on the road between the court-house and 
Quacksack," where such a crime was perpetrated? 

A little less than four years earlier, on Dec. 13, 1731, 
"a negro man, the property of Garret hoppe," called 
Harry, was also tried, under the same act, for threat- 
ening the life of his m:xsler and for poisoning a negro 
called " Sepeo." The record says Harry took '* a lit- 
tle bottle of his pocket, with some licquer, which he 
called a dram, and maliciously persuaded Sepeo to 
drink it full out, which Sepeo did, and was poisoned, 
and died on Wednesday night." Harry was found 
guilty, and, according to a warrant, "on the other 
side of Sunday," was condemned to death, and was 
hung Dec. 14, 1731, and the justices and freeholders, 
according to the act of the General Assembly, 

£. 8. d. 

**Did Value the Negro of Garret hoppe that was executed the 

sum of. 30 

by niances Bergor 1 10 

by peter Stoutenberg as per Do 1 19 8 

by poiilus Van Der beck as per Do 5 14 

by Abrani Ackerman, Constable 16 

by the Justices & Freeholders fees & charges '. 5 16 4 

45 10 0" 

In pounds, shillings, and pence — no, there are no 
pence, eight pence and four pence make just one shil- 
ling — the master was paid for the negro, and the ofl&- 
cers for their services, in just forty-five pounds, ten 
shillings, and no pence. The constables in each pre- 
cinct then gave a warning to the people to have six 
shillings per head, and the money had to be paid to 
the collector before the 26th day of December, 1732. 

In 1741 two negroes, charged on suspicion of having 
set seven barns on fire, were convicted and burned to 
death at Yellow Point, on the east side of the Hack- 
ensack River, near the house of Dierech Van Horn. 
This act, as appears from the records, was frequently 
invoked, and continued even down to the Revolution. 
During this period the stocks, the whipping-post, and 
the pillory, "at convenient places" in different parts 
of Bergen County, performed their part also in pun- 
ishing petty crimes, and misdemeanors also of greater 
magnitude. At the October term of the General Quar- 
ter Sessions, sitting at Hackensack, in 1769, we have 
the following record, showing how the prisoner was 
punished. The case is entitled 



'The King 



agst 



Quack, a Negro Man belonging to 
Mary Terhune. 



The prisoner arraigned on his Ind- 
dictment pleaded guilty, and sub- 
mits himself to the mercy of the 
Court. On motion of Mr. Brown 
for the Lord for judgment, the 
Court ordered that as in the War- 
rant, 



" To the Sher^T of the Chxinlij of Bergen : 

"Thomas Quack, a Negro Man, belonging to Mary Terhune, was this 
day indicted before us, George Ryerson, Rynear Van Gieson, Lawrence 
L. Van Boskirk, Peter Zabriskie, John Fell, and RuliffWestervelt, Esqrs., 
His Majesty's Justices of the Peace in and for the County of Bergen, one 
whereof bin of the Quorum of the Court of General Quarter Sessions of 
the peace, holden this day in and for the Citunty of Bergen, for feloni- 
ously stealing, taking, and carrying away from the dwelling house of 
Isaac Kipp, Junior, certain goods, and has pleaded guilty to his said In. 
diet. Therefore, in His Majesty's name, you are hereby commanded 
forthwith to take the said Negro Quack from this Bar to the public 



98 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Wbipi>fng-I*ost, at the Court-Uuuse, aud tbere cause the saitl i^aack to 
recoire flflpeii lashod, well luid un his bare buck, and from ttiPDce you 
tin to take him tyed iit a Cart's tail to the corner uf the Lane opposite 
Benier Van Gieeoii, I'^(^, and tbeu cause the said <juack to receive fif- 
teeD lasbeu more aa aforesaid, and from tbence, at the Cart's tail, take 
him to tbe corner uf the Lane opposite to J. Isaac Kyereon, and there 
cause said Quack to receive nine lashes more, in niHnncr as nforesaid, 
and on Friday next, at 3 oV-lock in the afternoon, yo!i are again to take 
th« said Quack to tbe Whipping Post aforesaid, and cause him to receive 
flfteeo lashes more, In manner arDresiiid. and from tbence tu tbe Street 
facing Mr. William Provoost, and there cau^e said Qu;ick to receive flf- 
t«eD lashes more, in manner as nfore!«aid, and from tbonce to the lane 
opposite to Mr. Isaac Kip]>'s, and cause him to receive nine Inshes more, 
in manner afiiresai<l, and on Monilay next yuu are again to take tbe said 
Quack to tbe Wliipping Post aforesaid, and cause liim to receive fifli-eD 
lashwmore in manner aforesaid, and from thence over tbe Bridge, oppo- 
site to Blr. lieorge Campbell's House, and there cause him, suid Quack, 
to receive Afieen lashee more, in manner aforeaaid, and from opp'wite 
Mr. Jacob Zahriskoy's dwelling-Ilouite, and cans** the said Quack to re- 
ceive nine lashes more, in manner aforesaid, and tbi* several mnstableB 
of this County of Bergen are hereby commanded to attend and assist 
yon. Given under our bands and seals this Twenty-fifth Pay of Octol«r, 
Anno Domini 1769. (Signed) 

"Gkoboe Rtf.rsk. 

" Pkteb Zabbiskit. 

' LaWRENCK L. V. BOSKIKK. 

"John Fr.i.i,." 

Witliin a week the negro, in nine whippings on 
three several days, and at the whipping-post and 
other public places in and about the village of Hack- 
ensack, was scourged one hundred and seventeen 
lashes. It is said that two slaves, named Ned and 
Pero, in attempting to rob in the night, had broken a 
man's skull in an atrocious assault, whereby his life 
was endangered, and on conviction they were sen- 
tenced to receive five hundred lashes eacli, one hun- 
dred lashes to be inflicted on each succeeding Satur- 
day till the punishment was complete. These several 
whippings were to be imposed in different public 
places in the county. <lne of the slaves survived the 
five hundred lashes, but the other died on the fourth 
Saturday, after having received four hundred lashes. 
No record of this affair has been found. It is stated, 
however, on information which is deemed reliable. 



fS) 



3^ 




(PII,I,OKY.| 




^.-i-,---^ 



STOCKS.] 



The wliipping-poHt, Blocks, ami jiillory continued long 
afliT llip Revolution, but the awful scene!* of liurninf; 
at the «tiike, let us liope, were too abhorrent to have 
been of frequent occurrence long before 1776. 



Court-Houses, Clerk's and Surrogate's Offices. 
— We have seen alreaily that no court-house could 
have been built in Hackonsack for the county of 
Bergen earlier than about 17i)i) to 1710. Then the 
first court-house was built on the Green, fronting on 
Main Street. That structure comprised a jail and 
court-house built together. The history of the public 
buildings for county judicial purposes, from the earli- 
est times to the present, may be stated as follows: 

1. First court-house and jail, on the Public Green, 
built in 1709 to 1710, and destroyed by the British 

' in 1780. An account of this disaster is given else- 
where in this history. 

2. Tlie second court-house and jail were built at 
Yougli])ough, in tbe townshii)of Franklin, during the 
Revolution, and the courts were held there for a few 
years, as deliberative Justice during that stormy pe- 
riod found itself too near the British lines and Brit- 
ish invasion in attempting to sit statedly at Hacken- 
sack. Of course, Youglipough (|)ron<)unced in inod- 

I em times Yoppoi was only the county-seat '/'/ interim, 
and until Justice could resume her more ancient seat 
in peace and safety at Hackensack. There was a log 
jail built at Youghpougli, but the courts seem to 
have been held there either in the Pond Reformed 
Clnirch or even at private houses in tbe vicinity, to 
such juilicial extremities had the British driven us 
during the Revolution. It is related that Xoah Col- 
lington, or Kellinghani, a Tory, was hung near the 
log jail at Youglipough. He had been indicted for 
murder and robbery in this county. In attempting 

' to escape in disguise across the Hudson near Fort 
Lee, in order to get within tbe British lines, he 
was captured near that place and brought to the 
jail. Upon trial and conviction he was sentenced 
to be hung. Pending the inclement winter weather 
he was allowed a lire, whereui>on he attempted one 
night to burn down his prison-house and make his 
escape. Vanderhotf, the miller, while watching his 
dam during a freshet, discovered the threatened con- 
flagration, and giving the alarm the fire was soon 

I extinguished, while Cidlington in manucles was sub- 
jected to a much closer confinement. All this hap- 
pened during the temporary absence of Manning, 
the shcritl' of the county. Upon his return he was 
so infuriated as to exceed the bounds of official pa- 
tience and beat his prisoner most severely with a 
club. A physician came to alleviate his short-lived 
sulVerings, but CoUington, the robber, murderer, and 
Tory, was hung early the next morning. Tlie mound, 
the place of cxpiytion, is still pointed out to-ilay by 
the dwellers in the vicinity. 

3. The third court-house, and first after the Revolu- 
; tion, wa.s built at Hackensack, near Main Street, near 

the brick store-house of Richard Paul Terbuiu-. The 
land for that purpose was conveyed to the county by 
Peter /abriskie as grantor. His deed is dated Oct. 
27, 1784, and bounds tbe lot as follows: Beginning 
one hundred feet from the street or highway leading 



SI 



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© 



SI 






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■vi 

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H 




THE BENCH AND BAR OF BERGEN COUNTY. 



99 



through the town of New Barbadoes, and on the east 
side of the same, at a certain road intended to be 
laid out by the said Peter Zabriskie towards Hacken- 
sack River; thence running northerly, along the lines 
of Jacob Brown and Jacob Bennett, one hundred and 
fifty feet; thence easterly, at right angles to the last- 
mentioned line, forty-five feet; thence again south- 
erly, at right angles to the said road, fifty feet; thence 
along the said road so to be laid out forty-five feet to 
the place of beginning ; being in length one hundred 
and fifty feet, and breadth forty-five feet. 

( )n May 18, 178.5, Peter Zabriskie executed another 
deed to the county, in consideration of eighty-two 
pounds lawful currency of New Jersey, of a lot de- 
scribed as follows : Beginning at the public road lead- 
ing through the town of New Barbadoes, at the south- 
west corner of a lot of ground belonging to Adam 
Boyd, and on the east side of the said road ; thence 
running easterly, along the lot of the said Adam ' 
Boyd, one hundred feet ; thence northerly, along the 
line of the said Adam Boyd, fifty feet ; thence east- i 
erly, along the line of the said Peter Zabriskie, one 
hundred feet to the new road to be laid out by the i 
said Peter Zabriskie from the aforesaid public road 
easterly towards Hackensack River; thence along 
said new road one hundred and fifty feet westerly to 
the said old road leading through the town ; thence 
along said old road northerly fifty feet to the place of 
beginning. 

On May 9, 1793, Peter Zabriskie deeded to the 
county an additional piece of land, " adjoining the 
east side of the court-house lot in Hackensack, be- 
ginning at the southeast corner of said lot, and from 
thence extending along the line of said lot northerly 
in the breadth of four feet the whole length of the 
same." 

The first of these lots was given by Mr. Zabriskie 
to the county, and for the second he was paid eighty- 
two pounds. Two hundred pounds was ordered to be 
raised by county tax to build the court-house. That 
court-house was built and finished so as to afford a 
place of meeting of the board of freeholders there. 
July 3, 178(3, Nehemiah Wade, Esq., deeded the land 
on which the former clerk's oflice stood. The clerk's 
ofiice was built prior to 1819 (between 1812 and 1819), 
on land belonging to the county, conveyed as afore- 
said, a little north of the Midland Railroad, on the 
west side of the street, and where it remained till 1853. 
No efibrt was made to locate the court-house there 
also, but Robert Campbell, Esq., oftered the property 
in the lower village as an inducement to locate the 
court-house there {the court-house of 1819). That 
proposition was accepted by the board of freeholders, 
and the land deeded to the county free so long as it 
should be used for county purposes, about 1817 to 
1818. There was much strife between the up-town 
and the down-town people, but the latter, with Robert 
Campbell, prevailed, and thus was located 

4. The court-house of 1819, so familiar to the eyes 



of all the people in the county to-day, with its jail in 
the rear, and the present clerk's and surrogate's ofiices 
near it in going to the Hackensack River. This 
court-house begins to look ancient, but it will safely 
meet the wants of the next generation. The Green 
in front, and the clerk's and surrogate's offices near it, 
and the spacious Reformed Church, ancient and his- 
toric, with other substantial buildings in the vicinity, 
shaded beautifully with lofty trees and much verdure, 
with a copious fountain of pure water holding its 
prominent place in this scene, render the court-house 
and its surroundings an ornament to old Bergen 
County. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

THE BENCH AND BAR OF BERGEN COUNTY. 

The bar of Bergen County has always been at- 
tended by able lawyers. Tielman Van Vleck, already 
a lawyer in 1661, was the presiding judge of the first 
court probably ever held within the present territory 
of the State of New Jersey. There were then other 
lawyers at Fort Amsterdam, who were probably present 
at the early sessions of that court. As a class they were 
soon found indispensable in all the American colonies, 
though Penn tried to get along without them at first 
in his, but only to discover his folly and mistake after- 
wards. Grotius and Guffendorf had made the profes- 
sion honorable and illustrious in Holland, as had also 
Selden and other famous lawyers in England. At that 
early day very many well-educated lawyers from the 
European universities, and with a legal training in 
England or Scotland or on the continent, came to this 
country. When occasion required it able lawyers were 
always present at the bar of Bergen. The early records, 
however, do not indicate that they became residents 
and practicing lawyers here, with but few exceptions 
perhaps, till long after the county was organized. Our 
records are scanty and almost silent as to these pioneer 
fathers of the profession in this country. The minutes 
of the courts aftbrd us some information as to such 
lawyers as were apparently in actual practice, though 
many others more eminent as counsel may not have 
appeared in these minutes at all. The early list of 
lawyers in this county, and antedating its organization, 
with much chance for additions and corrections, is as 
follows, and down to 1776, with the date of their ad- 
missions as attorneys or counselors : 

1661, Tielman Vau Vleck, admitted as attorney in 1660. 

1664 to 1678, Claes Arentse Toere, Balthazar Bayard, and William 
Pinhorne, admitted (probably) attorneys about 1661. The latter was 
also a merchant. 

1707, John Pinhorne, admitted as attorney in 1707. 

1720 to 1750, David Ogden, Mr. Dnane, and Mr. Lodge, admission as 
attorneys unknown. 

1750 to 1756, Robert Morris and John De Hart, admission as attorneys 
unknown. 

1756 to 1761, Mr. Legromsie, Mr. Nicoll, and D. Isaac Brown, admission 
as attorneys unknown. 



100 



HISTOKV UK BKRGKN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JKKSEY. 



Klisbtt Itoiltlinot, appoiut«<l ftcr^'vant-Ht-liiW in 1792. 

Cortlaiitlt Skinner, appointed atturnuy-genunii July 10. 1754. 

George Kom^, Lewis Of^en, A. Mooro, and Isaac Ogden, adiuiflaion as 
attorneys uultiiowo. 

1776, Joiin ClietwooU and AbraliHOl Ogden, ailmissiuii hs attorneys un- 
it nown. 

After the Revolution the list continues as follows 
to the present : 

1787 to 1795. Sir. Boudinut and Mr. Williams, admission as attorneys 
unknown; Col. Neheniiah, niaile attorney in 1784. 
178S, William GriOitli, admitted as attorney in 17S8. 
1805, William A. De Peyater, admitted as attorney in 1805. 
1805, Philip Williams, ndmilteil as attorney in 1804. 
1805, Eliiis Van Ar^ditle, iidmitted as attorney in 1795. 
1805, William Hulsey, admitted as attorney in 1794. 
1805, James Kearney, admitted as attorney in ISOt. 

1805, Joseph C. Hornblower, admitted as attorney in 1803. 

1806. Kohert Campbell, admitted as attorney in 1790; John G. Slc- 
Whorter, admitted as iittorney in 17%; John A. Boyd, admitted as at- 
torney in 1799. 

1809, Josiah Hornblower, admission as attorney unknown. 

1810 to 1811, George Cassedy and Benjamin Wiiitaker, admitted as at- 
torneys in 18<i9; Theodore Frelinghuysen. admitted iis attorney in 1S()8. 

1812. Gabriel II. Ford, admitted as attorney in 1789. 

1818 to 1819, PliileniMii Dickenton, counselor in 1817; Samuel Cas- 
sedy, ailmitled as attorney in 1810; Benjamin Willanl, admitted as at- 
torney in 1815; Anize Dudd, admitted as attorney in 1817. 

1819, Archibald Campl>ell, admitted as attorney in 1819. 

1819, James W. Burnell, aiimission as attorney unknown. 

1821 to 1822, Abijnh Williams, admission as attorney unknown ; Syl- 
Teater D. Uussell, admittetl as attorney in 1797; William Pennington, 
adroUted as attorney in 1817. 

1822 to 182:i, Oeorite K. Drake, admitted as attorney in 1812 ; Bei^a- 
min W. Vandevovirl. admitted as attorney in 1822. 

1824 to 1825, William W. Miller, admitted as attorney in 1818; Aaron 
S. Pennington, ailmilted as altoroey In 1821 ; Elias B. D. Ogden, admit- 
ted as attorney in 1824. 

1820 to 1827, Archer GilTord and Aaron O. Dayton, admitted arattnr- 
neys in 1818; Matthias Ugden, admitted as attorney in 1814; Williuni P. 
Anderson, admitted as attorney in 18411. 

1827 to 1828, William Chetwood, admitted as attorney in 1796; Walter 
Kirkpatrick. admitted as attorney in 1820; Asa Whitehead, admitted as 
attorney In 1818. 

1828, John P. Jackson, adniitterl as attorney In 1827. 

1829, Smith .'<cuddor, admitti-d lu attcrrm.y In 1808. 

1830 to 18.11. J. Dickinson Miller, ailmitled as attorney in 1827 ; Robert 
L. ArmstronK, admitted as attorney In 1806; Abraham 0. Zabrlskie, ad- 
mitted as attorney in 1828. 

1831 to 1832, Ilichurd E. Darrah, James II. Perry, and Daniel Barka- 
low,a.lmlltcd as attorneys in 1820; Jesse D. Pitt, admitted as attorney 
In 1827. 

1832, John 8. DIaurelt, counselor in 1829. 

1832, James Spier, admitted as attorney in 18:10. 

18.12, James J. ,<:choneld, ailmitled as attorney in 1829. 

18.32, Aaron O. De Hart, admllli-daH attorney in 1828. 

183;i, Benson Mllledoler ami William S. Kaitoutr,a'lmitte<l as attorneys 
In 18.30; Thomas I). James, admitted as attorney In 1829. 

18;i4, Jcwcplius W. Sanders, admltte<l as attorney in 1K33 ; Peter Bent- 
ley, ailniltted as attorney In 18.34 ; Silas D. Canflold, admitteil as attorney 
in 1832. 

18.V), Andraw 8. Oarr, admitted as attorney In 1833; Daniel Hainea, 
admitted as attorney In 1823; Staala S. Morris, admitted as atlomry In 
1834. 

1836. I. Beam, admission as attorney unknown. 

1837 to 18.18, John llopiKT, admllli'd as attorney In 18.36; Lewis D. 
Hanlenlrergh. a<lmitte<l as nitomcy In 1825 ; John A. Taylor, admission 
as attorney unknown; Archsr liitlord, admitted as attorney In 1821; 
Banjamin K. Van Clere, admltlr<l ss attorney in 1K30. 

18.18, Darlil A. Hays, •dmllte<l as attorney In I8;t4. 

1K40 to 1841. Kdward P. Illllyer, (^iward J. Ilogers. and Martin Ryer- 
son, a<lmltted as attorneys In 1836; Kdwln H. V. WriBht and Thomas W. 
Jam™, admllird as attorneys In 1K19 ; Ulrhard It. I'aullson, admitted as 
attorney In lK.18 ; John M. Gould, ailmltted as attiirney In 1839; William 
8. Oaawly, admitted as attorney in 1840. 



1845, Grant S. Van Wagoner, admitted as attorney in 1844 ; Frederick 
T. Frelinghuysen, admitted as attorney in 1839. 

1847, Manrdiig M. Knapp, admitted as attorney in 1846; G(>orge W. 
Cassedy, admitted as attorney in 1845; David J. Beard, ailmitted as attor- 
ney in 1844. 

1847, Edward X. Dickerson, adntitted as attorney in 1846. 

1848, William S. Banta and Robert Gilchrist, admitted as attorneys 
In 1847; Benjamin W. Vandevoort, admitted as attorney in 1822; Altsa- 
lom B. Woodruff, admitted as attorney in 1844. 

1849, William Gledliill, admitted as attorney In 184G; Theodore Run- 
Son, admission as attorney unknown ; Adonijah S. Boyd, admitted as at- 
torney in 1847. 

1850, h^wanl W. Scudder, admitted as attorney In 1844 ; Socrates 
Tuttle, admitted as attorney in 1848. 

1851, R. D. McClelland, admitted as attorney in 1851. 

1852, Charles L. C. GilTord, admitted as attorney in 1847. 

1853, J. R. Wortendyke, admitted as attorney in 1853 ; John Dun Little, 
admitted as attorney in 1847. 

1854, Jacob Wenrt, admitted as attorney in 1852. 

18.V> to 1856, ILnry I. Mills and Edgar B. Wakeman. admilled as at- 
torneys in 1843; Henry A.Williams and Jonatbati Cory, admitted as 
attorneys in 1849; William H. JcellifT, admitteil lu* attorney in 185:1; 
Frederick U. Ogden, admitted as attorney in 1850; Walter Rutherford, 
admitted as attorney in 18:14 ; James Flemniing. admitted as attorney in 
1855. 

1850, Charles H. WInfleld, admitted as attorney In 1855. 

1857, (Tharles 11. Voorhis, admitti-d as attorney in 1856. 

1870, Cornelius Christie, mlmitted as attorney in 18<>0. 

1878. William E. Skinner, admitted as attorney in 1860. 
1863, Garret AckcrBon. admitted as attorney in 1863. 
1876, Daniel B. Harvey, admitted as attorney in 1863. 

1874, Augustus Hobart, admitted as attorney in 1806; Mauceillia C. 
Gilliam, ailmitted as attorney in 1873 ; James M. Van Valen, admitted as 
attorney In 1875 ; Samuel R. Deniarest. Jr., admitted as attorney in 1870; 
Cornelius W. Benlan. admitted as attorney in 1878; Isaac Wortendyke 
and Raymond P. Wortendyke. admitted as attorneys in 1869 ; tVorge R. 
Dutton. George H. Coflfey. .\bram D. Camiiell. Abram De Baum, and 
Milton Deniarest, admitted as attorneys in 1877; Walter Christie and 
William M. Johnson, tulmittcd as attorneys in 1879. 

1879, Nehemiah Millard, Peter W. Stagg, and James Romaine, ad- 
mitted as attorneys in 1879; Walter tiilliam, admitted as attorney in 
1880; Luther Shafer, admitted as attorney in 1873. 

Of this long list of lawyers many have become dis- 
tinguished, either in the annals of the State or the 
nation. 

William Pinhorne, who came to this country from 
England in 1678, was second .judge of the Supreme 
Court of New .Tersey in 1704, judge of the Ilergen 
County Coninion Plea.-* in 170.'), and of the IJergen 
Oyer and Terminer in 17(19, and of the Common Pleas 
in 1709. He had previously been judge of the Su- 
preme Court of New Jersey, and at one time president 
of it-s Council, and coniiuander-in-chicf or (iovernor. 
He died in 17Iil. His .son .lohii wius ch'rk of this 
county in 1705, and was admitted to the bar .luno 15, 
1707, and practiced in this county, and probably re- 
sided at Hackensack or Hoboken. His sister Martha 
married Roger Mompesson, who was chief justice of 
New York and Pennsylvania, and in 1704 was also 
chief justice of New .Jersey. The Ogdens, Isaac and 
Robert, probably residing at Newark or Klizalieth- 
town, practiced here very extensively in nT)") and 
prior to that time. Elisha Roudinot, born in 1742, 
and by descent a Huguenot, bad a large practice here 
upon his admission in about 17l>2. His brother I'.lijah 
was the ilistinguishcd niciiiber of Congress from this 
State, anil the first preHidcnt of the American liible 
Society. Elisha Boudinot rexided at Newark. He 



THE BENCH AND BAR OF BEKGEN COUNTY. 



101 



became a justiceof the Supreme Court Slarch 9, 1708. 
RobertTVIorris,alsoin extensive practice here in 1750, 
was the son of Robert Hunter Morris, chief justice of 
New Jersey till his death in 1764. Robert Morris 
became chief justice of the State of New Jersey in 
1777. He resided at New Brunswick. In 1790 he 
was appointed by President Washington judge of the 
District Court of the United States for the State of 
New Jersey. Cortlandt Skinner, an able lawyer, 
was prosecutor in this county in 1775, and was at that 
time attorney-general of the colony. He was an ac- 
tive royalist, and in 177(1 left, taking refuge on a man- 
of-war, and his name from that time disappears from 
the records of our courts. John Chetwood resided at 
Elizabethtown. He became a justice of the Supreme 
Court in 1788. Col. Nehemiah Wade resided at Hack- 
ensack, was admitted to the bar in 1784, was county 
clerk, and in an extensive practice here, and was 
known and beloved as a most patriotic and estimable 
citizen, and died July 29, 1805, at the early age of 
forty-five. While he was borne to his grave in the 
churchyard on the Green, his sword and chapeau rested 
upon his coffin, and he was followed to his grave by 
an immense concourse of citizens. He was one of 
those rare men who seem to be beloved by every- 
body. William Griffith practiced occasionally in this 
county, but resided at Bound Brook. He became one 
of the judges of the Circuit Court of the United States, 
having studied law in the office of Elisha Boudinot, 
with Gabriel H. Ford, Alexander McWhorter, and 
Richard Stockton, all eminent in their profession af- 
terwards. Mr. Griffith was a learned and eloquent 
lawyer and writer upon various legal subjects. 

Robert Campbell was born at Coleraine, County An- 
trim, Ireland, in 1766, and died July 5, 1846. He 
lived in Hackensack nearly his whole life. He was 
admitted to the bar in 1790, and was a prominent and 
thoroughly honest and reliable lawyer here till his 
death. He was gifted with the powers of eloquence. 
The persecutions of his native land and the war of the 
Revolution, in which his father, Archie, had taken a 
patriotic part, sometimes aroused his fervor, and when 
the citizens of the county were to be addressed on any 
important occasion Robert Campbell was expected to 
be present as the orator of the day. Archie Campbell 
and Robert Campbell are revered names, and still be- 
.loved in the history of this county. John A. Boyd 
was admitted to the bar and commenced practice here 
nine years after Mr. Campbell. For years they were 
in extensive practice here as the prominent lawyers 
in Bergen County. Joseph C. Hornblower, chief 
justice of the Supreme Court for fourteen years from 
1832, is well remembered as having quite an exten- 
sive practice here from almost the beginning of this 
century, though residing at Newark. He was an im- 
pulsive man, and was sometimes thrown oft' of his 
balance by some cooler antagonist when trying a 
cause before a jury, and thus an advantage was gained 
over him, as is almost always the case under such cir- 



cumstances. He was a most able advocate however. 
His judicial opinions are sometimes lacking in logi- 
cal precision, as if written in haste, and partaking 
somewhat of that same impulsiveness of the advocate, 
but they are clear and forcible, and entitle him to the 
rank of an able judge. George Cassedy resided at 
Hackensack, and commenced a very extensive prac- 
tice here in 1809. He studied in the office of Robert 
Campbell. He was an able and most logical speaker, 
but sometimes tedious in his argument, and any im- 
patience on the part of the court or jury only seemed 
to lengthen his summing up. But it was only his 
well-known fidelity to his client which sometimes led 
him to continue his argument for hours. He was a 
great Democratic politician and member of Congress 
for one term. He died lamented at fifty-eight, about 
the year 1842. Theodore Frelinghuysen, illustrious 
for his legal attainments, but more illustrious for his 
undoubted and genuine piety, though residing at 
Newark, also practiced law quite extensively in Ber- 
gen County from 1811. He spoke with so much so- 
lemnity and earnestness to the jury that his speech 
seemed almost a sermon in the calm persuasiveness of 
his eloquence. He won the minds if he did not con- 
vert the hearts of many a juror. Grandson of Rev. 
John Frelinghuysen, from Holland in 1720, and of 
Juftrouw Hardenbergh, his wife, daughterof a wealthy 
merchant of Amsterdam, and herself and her husband 
renowned alike for their intellect and their piety, son 
of Gen. Frederick Frelinghuysen, distinguished in 
the war of the Revolution, and an eminent lawyer 
and a member of the Senate of the United States from 
New Jersey, inheriting or at least possessing the same 
undoubted piety of liis ancestors, Theodore Freling- 
huysen could never willingly have been anything 
less as a man, a lawyer, and a Christian. No lawyer 
in America, except it could have been William 
Rawle, also standing in the very front rank in his 
profession in Philadelphia from 1793 to 1832, ever 
excelled Theodore Frelinghuysen in the beautiful 
sincerity of his Christian life. He rose to the Senate 
of the United States and a nomination for the Vice- 
Presidency with Henry Clay to give strength to the 
ticket, but his greatest encomium is that while he was 
a great lawyer and able statesman, he shed more lus- 
tre still on his life as the devout and faithful follower 
of his Master. Gabriel H. Ford, who had a limited 
practice in this county prior to 1818, then became 
judge of the circuit embracing Bergen, Essex, Morris, 
and Sussex, and presided on the circuits held in the.se 
counties for twenty-one years. Philemon Dickinson, 
brother of Mahlon, resided in Paterson, and prac- 
ticed law extensively in this county for many years 
from 1818; became Governor of the State in 1836, and 
in 1841 judge of the District Court of the United 
States, in which office he continued till his death in 
1862. 

Archibald Campbell, nephew of Robert Campbell, 
and brother of Robert Campbell, Esq., now residing 



102 



HISTORY OF BERGKN AND PASSAIC COUNTIKS, NEW JERSEY. 



in Hackensack, lived also in Hackensack, commenc- 
ing a practice tliere in 1819. He died at the early 
age of thirty-two, greatly lamented as a lawyer of 
promise and a most estimable citizen and a devout 
Christian. William Pennington's name is frequently 
found in the records of our courts from 1822. He was 
the son of Governor William S. Pennington. He was 
born in Newark in 1790, graduated at Princeton Col- 
lege in 1813, and became an attorney-at-law in 1817, 
and in 1837 was elected Governor of the State of New- 
Jersey, and for six years was chancellor of the State. 
His is the name which was connected with the " Broad 
Seal war," to which we can only refer thus briefly. 
No lawyer i)rohably ever succeeded better with that 
invaluable faculty of great, good common sense. To 
this he resorted constantly, more than to learning or 
labor, or even industry, as his unfailing resource 
wherewith to command success. He honored re- 
ligion, and was said to have been a faithful disciple of 
Christ. He died in 18l!2. 

William W. Miller died at the early age of twenty- 
eight. He was one of those very brilliant men who 
seem to die early, too early. His name appears oc- 
casionally on our records as having |)racticcd here in 
1S24. He was a native of Hunterdon County, and 
came to the bar in 1818. In 1825 he was opposed to 
Thomas Addis Emmett in the trial of a slander case 
in the city of New York, in which Miller was re- 
tained as counsel for the plaintiff. The case and the 
young orator attracted the attention of the whole city. 
He spoke for three hours, when he sank back ex- 
hausted in his chair, and was embraced by his an- 
tagonist. He gained his cause by his eloquence, and 
against that almost matchl&ss orator Thomas Addis 
Emmett, but it cost the young lawyer his life. He 
died in France a few months afterwards, and is buried 
in I'<'re-la-Chaise. 

His brother, Jacob W. .Miller, also an eminent 
lawyer in this State, was elected to the Senate of the 
United States in 1846. The name and face of Elia-s 
H. D. Ogden are quite familiar to many men in this 
generation as the immediate predecessor of Judge 
Bedle on this cin'uit. He wils born at Elizabethtown 
in 18(10, graduated at Princeton nineteen years after- 
wards, and was an attorney-at-law in 1824. He was 
the last lawyer raised to the dignity of a sergeant-at- 
law in this State, which occurred in 1837. He prac- 
ticccl law at Paterson, anil thus came fre<|Uently to 
Hackensack to attend the courts, and as early as 
182.">. He became a justice of the Supreme Court in 
1848, and continued on the bench till IStio, having 
received his appointment from Governors Haines, 
Price, and Olden. Abraham O. Zabriskie, long a 
resident of Hackensack, wius admitted to the bar in 
182X, and early entered upon an extensive practice in 
this county. He was a learned lawyer and a most 
logical rea-soner, relying more upon the substantial 
attainments of his learning, with a most thorough 
preparation of his ca-ses, and bringing to bear all the 



resources of sound reasoning, whereby to command 

success !us a great lawyer, rather than upon the more 
dazzling but le.ss certain resources of brilliant oratory. 
He had pre-eminently a judicial mind, capable of 
seeing and comprehending both sides of a case. In 
this respect he possessed one of the great i)rerequisites 
laid down by Cicero as essential to a great lawyer. 
He studied well not only his own side of a case but 
that of his antagonist also. Knowing and recog- 
nizing these qualities of his mind, as well as the great 
integrity of his character, parties on both sides of a 
controversy frequently resorted to him, and alter 
hearing them with entire impartiality, he frequently 
settled disputes in the preliminary forum of his own 
conscience, and in his own office, before they had a 
chance to reach the courts. In any one case such a 
course was more profitable to his clients, pecuniarily, 
than to himself, but it tolil in the long run, when he 
came to command the respect and esteem of the whole 
community. He was an able prosecutor of the pleas in 
this county for many years, and then surrogate, and 
upon his removal to Jersey City he became chancellor 
of the State in 186G. He dignifietl that great office 
with his learning and judicial impartiality till his 
death in 1S73. 

Daniel Haines practiced occasionally at the Bergen 
bar as early aa 1835. He was admitted in 1823, 
though his practice was chieHy confined to Sussex 
County. He became Governor of the State in 1843 
and in 1847, and justice of the Supreme Court in 
1H52, and held that office for fourteen years. From 
early life he was a most consistent and active mem- 
ber and afterwards an elder in the Presbyterian 
Church. He was most active in religious and be- 
nevolent enterprises, and died a few years since much 
honored and beloved. 

Richard K. I'aulison resided at Hackensack. He 
came to the bar in 1.S38, and after practicing his pro- 
fession ten years was elected surrogate, succeeding A. 
O. Zabriskie, and held that office for ten years from 
1848. In 18()8 he was appointed presiding judge of 
the Court of ("ommon Pleas, and died that year, only 
a short time after having entered his judgeship. He 
was much esteemed as a lawyer, and the whole county 
felt the loss of a good judge in tin' untimely death of 
Mr. Paulison. 

Jacob R. Worfendyke, a most thorough scholar, 
not only of the law, but in every branch of study 
which could tend to promote his usefulness and suc- 
cess in the |)rofession, was born' in this county, in 
1818, and died in 1S(;8. He graduated at llutg;ers 
College in 1838, giving great promise of success and 
usefulness. Besides his other accomplishments, while 
a student at law he ai-cpiireil a knowletlge of Hebrew, 
and could read the < )ld Testament scriptures in the 
language of inspiration. He sought no short road to 
success, but his promotion was ra|)id. He came to 
the bar in 1853, and three years afterwards he was a 
member of Congress from the State of New Jersey. 



\ 







THE BENCH AND BAK OF BERGEN COUNTY. 



103 



He was a solid, substantial lawyer and a most excel- 
lent Christian man, but died early in the very midst 
of success. 

We come now to the names of many who are still 
living and prominent actors at the Bergen County 
bar. It is to be regretted perhaps that the living 
may not receive their just round of praise with the 
dead. But the de.ad, with the dead, cannot rebuke 
us for that praise which time has made certain and 
secure and cannot reverse those awards which are 
final after the mortal shall have put on immortality. 
Here the story of our judicial institutions in this 
county for more than two centuries must find its 
close. It is one of the oldest bars on the American 
continent. As we have seen in the perusal of these 
pages, it was established to protect and to promote 
civilization in its very earliest struggles on these 
shores. Its lawyers and its ■advocates stood up ably 
and manfully for us in the great cause of the Revolu- 
tion, and their successors have .shed light and lustre 
upon the tribunal ever since. While we have thus 
sought to recall and to rescue from oblivion some of the 
lineaments of those illustrious men who have adorned 
the bar iu the past, let us not forget that it is not the 
armed soldier nor even the statesman in the senate- 
house who alone are to fight for the empire. When 
we seek to maintain the cause of justice in defending 
the poor and oppressed, when we seek to vindicate 
the lives, or the fortune, or the fame of our fellow- 
citizens, then all learning, and all eloquence, and all 
wisdom should be at the command of the advocate at 
the bar of justice, for he also is defending the cause 
of the empire. 

JlANNHTtt M. Knapp, the subject of this sketch, 
although a resident in Hackensack for many years, is 
not a native of Bergen County. He was born at New- 
ton, in the county of Sussex, in this State, on the 7th 
of June, 182.5. He studied law at Newton, in the 
office of the late Col. Robert Hamilton, and was ad- 
mitted as an attorney at the .luly term of the Supreme 
Court in the year 184G. In the winter of that year 
he removed to Hackensack, where he has since re- 
sided, practicing in his profession down to the time of 
his appointment on the Supreme Court bench. In 
January, 1850, he was licensed as a counselor. The 
late Chancellor Zabriskie having about this time re- 
moved from Hackensack to Jersey City, vacated the 
ofiice of prosecutor of the pleas of Bergen. Chief 
Justice Green, who then presided at the Bergen Cir- 
cuit, appointed Mr. Knapp to prosecute for the State 
until the office should be filled by executive action. 
Acting under this appointment until February, 1851, 
he was then given the office by Governor Fort, and 
held it under that and subsequent appointments until 
February, 1861. When appointed prosecutor he was 
acquiring and soon was engaged in an active practice 
in the civil courts. This he retained during all the 
time that he remained at the bar. 

Upon the election of Judge Bedle to the office of 



Governor of the State a vacancy was created on the 
Supreme Court bench, and Governor Bedle nominated 
Mr. Knapp to be his successor. Upon confirmation 
by the Senate Mr. Knapp entered upon the duties of 
the office, taking up the work which Judge Bedle had 
laid down. 

The judicial district presided over by Judge Bedle 
embraced the counties of Hudson, Bergen, and Pas- 
saic ; the work in it was extremely onerous for one 
judge. In consequence of this the Legislature, in 
1875, divided the district and set off Hudson County 
as an entire one. To this new district Judge Knapp 
was assigned by the Supreme Court, and has since 
presided at that circuit. The large population of 
Hudson County necessarily presents a heavy work in 
the courts, and renders the district, although compris- 
ing that county alone, not a light one in its judicial 
administration. 

Judge Knapp has always held to the political views 
of the Democratic party, but he has never held or 
manifested any desire to hold political office. His 
aspirations seem not to have gone beyond or outside 
of success in his professional career. 

In 1850 he was married to Anna Mattison, a daugh- 
ter of Capt. Joseph Mattison, of the navy. She was 
born in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., in this State. 
They have two children, a son and daughter, the issue 
of the marriage. The elder, Anna M., wife of Walter 
V. Clark, re.sides in Hackensack. The younger, Jo- 
seph M. Knapp, is temporarily in Colorado. He, it 
is understood, is preparing for admission to the bar of 
this State. 

Judge Ashbel Green, son of James S. Green, 
of Princeton, N. J., was born Dec. 17, 1825. He was 
graduated at Nassau Hall in 1846, studied law in 
the Law-School of Princeton under Chief Justice 
Hamclomer, Richard S. Field, and his father, and 
was admitted to the New Jersey bar in July, 1849. 
He at once removed to New York City, and entered 
into partnership with Henry M. Alexander, and the 
law-firm of Alexander & Green is .still in active prac- 
tice in that city. 

They are the legal advisers of many influential 
corporations and individuals, and have been employed 
in many of the most important litigations which have 
taken place in that city for the last quarter of a cen- 
tury. In 1863, Mr. Green became a resident of 
Bergen County, N. J., and retains his residence there 
at the present time. He has constantly refused ofiice, 
except to accept the appointment of the Legislature, 
on joint ballot, as presiding judge of the Court of 
Common Pleas of Bergen County, which, however, 
after discharging the duties of the office for two years, 
he resigned in 1872. 

Judge Green was, however, supported by a most 
respectable and influential number of the members 
of the Democratic party to succeed the Hon. Freder- 
ick T. Frelinghuysen as United States senator in 1877. 
He was one of the counsel delegated to take charge 



104 



IIISTOllY OF BKRGE.N AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



of the case of Messrs. Tilden and Hendricks before 
tlie Electoral Commission in 1877, and conducted the 
e.\amination oC witnesses, and made one of the closing 
arguments on the submission of tlie question of the 
vote of Florida before tiie commission. 

Judge Green edited the American edition of Brice's 
celebrated work on " Vlira Vire*, or the Powers of 
Corporations," which lias passed througli two editions, 
and is the standard authority on tliiit subject. 

His father, James S. (ireen, of Princeton, was well 
known as a lawyer and member of the Legislature 
from Somerset County for many years, and as one of 
the original projectors of the Delaware and Raritan 
Canal, and also as a manager of the United Railway 
of New .lersey until his death. 

Judge Green's grandfather was the Rev. Dr. Ash- 
bel Green, first chaplain of Congress, president of 
Princeton College, and a leading Presbyterian divine. 
Rev. Dr. Green's father was the Rev. Jacob Green, 
of Morris County, N. .J., who was the chairman of 
the committee of the Provincial Congress of New 
Jersey which framed the first constitution <if the 
State, adopted July 2, 1776, two days before the Dec- 
laration of Independence, and was famous in his day 
as a Wliig ])arson, and especially obnoxious to the 
Tories of his neighborhood. Jacob Green's ancestors 
came from Maiden, Mass. 

JfnoE William S. Baxta is the great-grandson 
of Yan Banta, grandson of Hendrick Banta, and son 
of Henry H. Banta and Jane Sickles. The family of 
Bantji was of Hungarian origin, and became early 
settlers of Bergen County, locating at English Neigh- 
borhood, now Fairview, from which place Yan Banta 
removed about 17.')0 and settled at Pascack, Wash- 
ington township, where he died, and was succeeded 
by his eldest .son, Hendrick, who was born May 27, 
174!i, and died Feb. 15, 1803, leaving some five hun- 
dred acre.s of land, which was divided among bis sons. 

Of his five sons and three daughters, Henry H. 
Banta, father of our subject, born at Pascack, Se|)t. 
30, 1784, was a shoemaker by trade, but spent his 
active business life as a farmer and merchant. Prior 
to 1833 he w;i8 for many years a business man in his 
native place, but in that year lie removed to Hacken- 
sack, and in partnership with his brotlier Theunis 
opened a general mercantile traile on the corner of 
Main and Pa.ssaic Streets, which he continued until 
his death in 1849. His residence in Hackcnsack was 
that known as the old Campbell homestead, adjoining 
the Dorenuis homestead, where his brother Theunis 
rtstided. Henry II. lianta led an active busiiieHs life; 
was a man of strong force of character, good business 
ability, marked energy, and strict integrity. He was 
successively a member of the Reformed Churches at 
Pascack and Hackcnsack, and officially connected 
with these eburches as elder. He was appointed 
postmiusler at Hackensark liytien. Francis (iranger, 
and held thai otlice for several years, and was con- 
nected with the old Stale militia, iin<l ranked as adju- 



I tant. Mr. Banta wielded a strong influence in local 
politics, and his counsel and judgment commanded 
the confidence of his fellow-men. 

I By a]>|>ointment he served as judge of the Court of 
Common Pleas for three terms, viz. : from 1829 to 

, 1884, from 1838 to 1843, and from 1843 to 1848. His 
wife died at the age of seventy-six, in 1870. Their 
children are Margaret, Judge William S., and Jane, 
wife of John Dc Peyster Stagg, of Hackcnsack. 

Judge William S. Banta was born at Pascack, 
Bergen Co., Dec. 12, 1824. He received his prepara- 
tory education in the public school at Hackcnsack, 
and in the private classical school of Rev. John S. 
Mabon, an eminent teacher of the same place, and 
entered Rutgers College in 1841, from which he was 
graduated with the usual honors in 1844. 

Immediately after his graduation he became the 
law student of Chancellor Abram O. Zabriskie, of 
Hackcnsack, with whom he remained until his ad- 
mission to the bar as attorney in 1847. He was ad- 
mitted as counselor-at-law in 18,51. In the spring of 
1848 Mr. Banta opened a law-office in the old bank- 

I ing-house in Hackcnsack, where he continued a suc- 

' cessful practice until his retirement from the more 
active duties of the profession in 1867. 

He Wius appointeil prosecutor of pleas in IStJO, and 
hel<l the office until 1867, when he resigned. In 1872 
he w:is appointed to fill the unexpired term caused 
by the resignation of Judge Green as law judge of 
the Court of Common Pleas for Bergen County, and 
by reappointment held the office for a full term of 
five years, beginning with 1873. In 1879 he wits ap- 
pointed a.ssociate judge of the same court, and is the 
incumbent of that office in 1881. 

' During his active business life Judge Banta has 
been interested in and lent his aid to all worthy local 
objects in the vicinity where he resides. Especially 
has he been interested in educational work ; was 
school superintendent of New Barbadoes under the 
old law, and he wius sul)sei|Uently appointed by the 
board of freeholders, with Rev. Albert Anierniau, 
one of the board of examiners, which place he effic- 
iently filled for several years. 

The judge is an active member of the Republican 
party, and has often been selected as candidate for 
official place. He was deputy internal revenue cid- 
lector of Bergen County from 1862-6.'i. 

In 1850. Judge Banta was united in marriage to 
Sarah, daughter of John ami Katy Ann (Hopper) 
Zabriskie, of Hohokiis, who died in 1853, leaving a 
son, who died in infancy. His second wife was 
Adelia, a sister of his first wife, who died in 1><69. 
His present wife is Jane Anne, daughter of Abrain H. 
and Maria (Anderson) Berry, of Hackensack, and a 
descendant of John Berry, one of the original pat- 
entees in Bergen County. 

Ci)l.. (iAiiKKT G. AcKKIlsos. — Far back of Revo- 
lutionary times the first Ackcrson known in this 
country. Garret, great-grandfather of Col. (iarret G. 





6C^^' 



y^lcu 



m 





w^^^^>^ 



^^. 




MIK 



D T; \1{ 0: 








.."■ !Iie ri':. 


, iNini^ifr iM iiiii-L. ( 




lo of tViai 


;u)t of the clerk's 



upon which he settled hie oldest son, John, at Pas- ; hnilion was stored in lat it became 

cack, leaving his two yr - '""omelius ■"■'! — ■'<';■'• to divide it i , .., . ._ea ap'i ^t.it' ir 

Abram.' at his death in i horaeste.. Obscure places iu the Imildinp i 

' '. .ii;i- ol our -ubject, luid ... ... 'y after ht dm '■! '.o 

. who bo'p him twoob'!- <Rn of the Demo- 

•Jreii, Garret and Hannah, who ' 
v;,-Ii,,bi; 7 .liriskie, John Aiv ' 

at Pascack i: .>n of the- ^ party. ^ 

yiMi- 
(rarri'i 



Morris being the only three counties in the northern 
partof the State at *'■■<• •■> . 'f- i-^' '-■— - ■•— 
— John, Cornelius 
erson was bof 
He w.M" edii 



charge, retaininsr t 



.18 own. . Qeoteduess ot liii. . 

. isiMri,, ;; 'w: i.r n.irtv caused u : .- -- hard woi' i! \vm.~ ._ _ ___ _ _ 

•), and it became in cod- time urr engaged in commereiai enter- 

j'.ii\Kaf . 1 n!M riarrington townships. It , prises. 

wa.M pn i that did not suit everybody, and lnlH72 Col. Ackeraon became active in -orL'anizin^ 
i troublous time socially 
>' lioth partie.^ to put for" 

the best men they couid command for political office sident. Me died, and w 

Mr. Garret G. Ackersoh v ■ .1. ...,i .1 . . , n, who retaiuel •' 

thus commenced hi.s politic;i' ■ ■ closed. Oh the i 

, .ma tlic .ijn .^;u: ^eut as a ju '_ 

:aal footsteps. »Vt I whinh be w 
iH wiis made captain of ;: 

. I _ .MU, whiflh 1> -■•■.,ri hr r I, • 

ten years. In 1845 he was > ^lerk over i turer, coiiinierci;i' 

John N. Berrv '■-:•-- •' ' i lUd-thenew ; waysbeen afavon.. .. 

constitution, and therefore ' who recogii'y.e him af 

left his home at 

•:ii'k, where lip f>! .,a whnlM-vesfnHi*'' 

d by till' iansot thi- 

"' " ■ ;r reijuireu 

' three terms in fied. )r 

Ll.l-^iMl * '.1> Tirnt' gnili-i " ' .- 'it his honesty.)! 1 \t-: n. i.';'; ..■t-L... 

way to if the party. -she any of'lhe r ind who, like the fi.' 



? 



THE BENCH AND BAR OF BERGEN COUNTY. 



105 



Ackerson, came from Holland and settled at Old Tap- 
pan, in Bergen County. He sometimes spelled his 
name Px'kerson, as do most of the older branches of 
the family to-day. He bought a large tract of land, 
upon which he settled his oldest son, John, at Pas- 
cack, leaving his two younger sons, Cornelius and 
Abram,'at his death in possession of the homestead at 
Tajipaii. John was grandfather of our subject, and 
married Garritje Hogencamp, who bore him two chil- ; 
dren. Garret and Hannah, who became the wife of 
Nicholas Zabriskie. John Ackerson was born in 
1743, and died at Pascack at the age of ninety-four 
years. 

Garret, his only son, was born in 1779, and died in 
1857. He married Hannah, daughter of .John Ho- 
gencamj), whose family were originally from Rockland 
County. Garret Ackerson was considerable of a poli- 
tician and a military man ; was twice elected as a 
member of the Legislature, and was major of the old 
State militia, stationed with his command at Sandy 
Hook during the war of 1812-14, and afterwards was 
a major-general of the northern militia of the State of 
Kew Jersey, — the counties of Bergen, Essex, and 
Morris being the only three counties in the northern 
part of the State at that time. He had four children, 
— John, Cornelius, Garret (t., and James. Garret G. 
Ackerson was born at Pascack on the 9th of April, 
1816. He was educated at a public school, of which 
George Achenbach was at one time the teacher, and 
Jacob R. Wortendyke a schoolmate. His father, who 
was then engaged in farming, had also a cotton-mill, a 
distillery, and store on his premises, and of these his 
son took charge, retaining the general superintend- 
ence until the year 1840, when he transferred his 
efforts to another farm and established a woolen-mill 
of his own. 

In 1839 the old Whig party caused a division to be 
made in Harrington township, and it became in con- 
sequence Washington and Harrington townships. It 
was an innovation that did not suit everybody, and 
the result was not only a troublous time socially, but 
a period that persuaded both parties to put forward 
the best men they could command for political office. 
Mr. Garret G. Ackerson was elected assessor, and 
thus commenced his political experience. His father 
was then major-general of militia, and the son was 
destined to follow in the paternal footsteps. At 
the age of fifteen he was made captain of a company 
of uniformed militia, which position he retained for 
ten years. In 1845 he was elected county clerk over 
•Tohn N. Berry, being the first elected under the new 
constitution, and by a large majority, and therefore 
left his home at Pascack and removed to Hacken- 
sack, where he entered on the duties of his office. He 
found himself surrounded by the old politicians of the 
county, and to make inroads against them required 
almost superhuman efforts. He filled three terms in 
this office, afld during this time gradually fought his 
way to the leadership of the party. Besides this he 



came to be the counselor and banker of most of the 
old people of that day, the vault of the clerk's office 
oftentimes containing thousands of dollars in gold and 
silver awaiting investment. At one time so much 
bullion was stored in the building that it became 
necessary to divide it in small packages and store it 
in all the obscure places in the building to prevent 
thieves carrying it all off". Shortly after he moved to 
Hackensack he was made chairman of the Demo- 
cratic E.xecutive Committee, in place of Judge Garret 
Hopper, who had occupied the position almost since 
the organization of the Democratic party. 

During his career as county clerk, between 1845 and 
1860, he raised a company of Continentals, of which he 
was captain, and was elected lieutenant-colonel of an 
independent battalion which had been organized by 
special act of the Legislature, and which remained in 
existence till 1861, when most of the men volunteered 
and made up the Twenty-second State Regiment for 
active service in the war. As the supervising mind 
of the committee on volunteers, he filled the whole 
quota of Bergen County. In 1858-59 Hackensack 
was without a railroad, and Mr. Ackerson with other 
citizens resolved this should be the case no longer. 
They subscribed sufficient to build a road from this 
point to intersect with the Erie, and it became known 
as the Hackensack Railroad. Mr. Anderson, the first 
president of the company, resigned before the com- 
pletion of the road, and Mr. Ackerson took his place 
by unanimous election. Although the road sunk 
$10,000 every year during the first three years of its 
existence, Mr. Ackerson contrived to make it a pay- 
ing institution before separating himself from control 
of its affairs. At one time he and Judge Zabriskie 
became personally responsible for about $60,000 in- 
debtedness of the road, and it may be imagined what 
hard work it was to clear off this load. From that 
time until 1872 he was engaged in commercial enter- 
prises. 

In 1872 Col. Ackerson became active in organizing 
the Bergen County Bank. The bank building was 
erected in 1874, with George Achenbach, Esq., for its. 
first president. He died, and was succeeded by Col. 
Ackerson, who retained the position until the bank 
was closed. On the 1st of April, 1877, he took his 
seat as a judge of the Court of Common Pleas, to 
which he was appointed in the winter of 1876-77 by 
Governor Bedle, and whether as judge or colonel, 
freeholder, bank president, county clerk, manufac- 
turer, commercial man, or private citizen, he has al- 
ways been a favorite with the people of Bergen County, 
who recognize him as one of the leading and influen- 
tial men. 

Persons who have studied character much in various 
parts of the United vStates would read Judge Acker- 
son upon meeting him as invariably courteous, digni- 
fied, friendly, and sociable, who recognizes no dis- 
honesty or trickery, or whatever it may be called, in 
any of the relations of life, and who, like the old cav- 



106 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



alters of the South, the latch-strings of whose doors 
were always down in the days gone by, who considered 
it a reproach u|iiin tlieir hospitality for any respect- 
able man to pass their doors without calling in, bring 
back to the thoughtful and exjicrienced some memo- 
ries of American life and manners that ought never 
to have been effaced from history. There is an ex- 
pression of content, self-respect, and cordiality which 
is unmistakable as emitted from his face, and in com- 
parison to which the details of his technical biogra- 
phy are of but little moment. 

The patriotism of the Ackersons never was ques- 
tioned. During the Revolution all the men of the 
family participated actively in the struggle for inde- 
pendence, and surtered in common with others. They 
lost property and friends by their devotion to the 
American cause, and were often stigmatized a.s 
" rebels" by an influential Tory element. They were 
sure they were right, and then they " went ahead." 
It is characteristic of the Ackersons that they believe 
in the maxim, " Whatever is worth doing is worth , 
doing well." 

Judge Ackerson married, in 18.37, Sophia, daughter , 
of James I. Blauvelt and Martha Wortendyke, of 
Washington township, who was born July 4, 1821, 
and has borne him one son. Col. Garret Ackerson, 
Jr., and one daughter, Mattie, wife of H. V. Randall, 
of Fall River, Mass. 

Col. Oakuet Ackkrson, .Ik., was born at Pas- 
cack, Sept. LO, 1840, and during his minority received 
a good education in the public and private schools at j 
Hackensack, and for some time he was a student in 
the ])opular and thorough private schools at Nyack 
and Claverack ; the latter being conducted by the 
eminent and well-knowti teacher, Prof. Alon/.o Flack. 

In June, 1850, he commenced the study of law in 
the office of Hon. Jacob R. Wortendyke, of Jersey \ 
City, where he remained until he had completed his 
law studies, and was admitted a.s attorney iit the .Mine 
term of the Supreme t'ourt, held at Trenton, in 186;?. 

On Julv !l, I8(i;j, Col. .Vckerson n)arricd.\nn ICIiza- 
beth, daughter of John A. /abriskie and Mary An- 
derson, by whom he has three sons, — John Zabriskie, 
James B., and Garret G. Ackerson, Jr. 

The same munlh of his nuirriage Col. .\ckerson 
opened a law-otlice in Hackensack, and about one year 
afterwards removed to the olKcc he now occupies in 
the same village, where he has continued tlic practice 
of his profession since, a period of eighteen years. 
He was admitted an counselor-at-law in 1878, and was 1 
appointed i>rosecutor of pleas for Hergen County in 
ltS»;i>, which position, on account of the pressure of 
other business, lie alt<'r some two years resigned. 

In early life .Mr. Ackerson began to take an active 
part in local politics, and for many years has been 
among the leailers and influential men of the Demo- 
cratic party in the county and .State, and he has also 
been identified with the militia, intcriuil Improve- 
ment.s, an<l various local enterprises in Hergen anil 



adjoining counties during most of his active business 
career. 

In 1867 he was appointed judge-advocate of a bat- 
talion of militia in the county; was elected captain of 
Company C of the .Second Battalion National (iuards 
upon its organization in 1872, which position he re- 
signed in 1875; and he was appointed judge-advocate- 
general of the State of New Jersey, with rank of col- 
onel, by Governor George B. McCh-Uan.in 1S79, which 
ottice lie holds in 1881. 

Col. Ackerson has been president of the Hacken- 
sack Railroad since 1879, is a director of the New 
Jersey and New York Railroad Company, has been 
one of the board of the Hackensack Improvement 
Commission, was secretary and treasurer from 1863 to 
1867 of the Bergen County Mutual .\ssurancc Asso- 
ciation, and a director of the same since 1863, and a 
stockholder and trustee of Hackensack Academy. 

Although active and earnest in his political affilia- 
tions, he has never been solicitous of place or the 
emoluments of ofiice. In 1876 he was a delegate from 
the Fourth Congre-ssional District to the St. Louis 
Democratic Convention that placed in nomination 
for the Presidency Hon. Samuel J. Tildeu, and in 
the fall of 1880 he received the unanimous nomina- 
tion by acclamation for State .senator, which, how- 
ever, he declined. Col. Ackerson is the present chair- 
man of the County Democratic Executive Committee. 

.\iiKAH.\M D. Cami'HELI,. — HIs paternal great- 
grandfather, John, who was of Scotch origin and a 
native of New Jersey, settled in Washington town- 
ship, at Pascack, just after the close of the Revolu- 
tiomiry war. There he established a wampum-factory 
and carried on a considerable liusiness, supplying all 
the Indian agents and traders of the day with this 
commodity. He had eight children, all of whom 
settled in the vicinity of the homestead. One son, 
.\braham A. Campbell, married Margaret Demarest, 
who bore him four sons who grew to manhood, viz.: 
John .\., James .\., David .\., and .Miraliam \. For 
a time the father ofthe.se sons resided at Pi'arl River, 
in Bergen County, where in a small way he manufac- 
tured wampum, but prior to 1812 returueil to Pascack, 
where he established the first and only foundry ever 
there, ami during the remainder of his life was en- 
gaged in farming and in tnanufacturing agricultural 
implements and W!im|ium. He owned some one hun- 
dred acres ol land at Pa.scack, which has been the 
homestead of the Campbell family since. 

He served in the war of 1812 at Sandy Hook, and 
his musket and kiuipsack are relics of that war now 
in possession of the family. Abraham .\. ("anipbell 
was one of the founders of the Reformed Dutch 
Church at I'a.scack, and e<|Ually with a Mr. Worten- 
dyke donated five acres of land for the church prop- 
erly. During the early days in the history of the 
church there his house was ever the welcome stop- 
ping-place and hospitable home for the pastor who 
on his circuit came there to preach, and his charity 




'^:%m\V\ 





, //Ayi^y-^^f^ 



THE BENCH AND BAR OF BERGEN COUNTY. 



107 



and hospitality were only bounded by his means to 
bestow. He was among the first elders and deacons 
who had a membership in that church, where the 
family still retain their cluirch relations. 

Of his sons, David A. Campbell is father of our sub- 
ject, and was born at Pascack, Jan. 10, 1812. He was 
apprenticed and learned the carpenter's trade during 
his minority, and for some time prior to and after his 
marriage followed that business in New York and at 
Pascack. About 1850 he, in connection with his 
brother James, invented a machine for drilling wam- 
pum hair-pipe, which is manufactured from conch- 
shells and clam-shells. This brought about such an 
activity in the business, which had been carried on by 
his ancestors, that his other brothers, James A., John 
A., and Abraham A., who were all mechanics, at once 
gave their attention to the business, and since that 
time the four brothers have made the manufacture 
and sale of wampum goods their main occupation, 
with their factory located on the homestead at Pas- 
cack. 

David A. Campbell's wife is Sally, daughter of 
Abraham Haring, of Scotland Mills, Rockland Co., 
N. Y., who has borne him the following surviving 
children: Maria, widow of the late William I. Cour- 
tier; Abraham D. ; Margaret, wife of Abraham Post, 
of Jersey City ; John D. and James D. (twins) ; Dan- 
iel H. ; and Elizabeth, wife of Benjamin X. Mackey, 
of Paterson, N. J. 

Abraham D., sou of David A. Campbell, was born 
Oct. 10, 1842. His early education until eighteen 
years of age was obtained in the common school of 
his native place, and for one year following he was 
a teacher at Washingtonville. He then attended the 
school at Hackensack for a few months, and during 
this time was elected school superintendent of his 
township, which position, however, he resigned after 
a short time, and in February, 1861, entered the State 
Normal School at Trenton, from which he was gradu- 
ated in the class of '63. After spending one year as 
teacher, he entered the law-office of Col. Garret Ack- 
erson, Jr., at Hackensack, as a student ; was admitted 
as attorney at the June term in 1869, and as coun- 
selor-at-law in 1872. 

A few months after his admission as attorney he 
opened a law-office in Hackensack, and Aug. 7, 1870, 
he was appointed prosecutor of pleas, to fill the va- 
cancy caused by the resignation of Col. Ackerson, Jr. 
On September 1st of the same year he was appointed 
by Governor Randolph to fill that office until the end 
of the next se.ssion of the Legislature. He was ap- 
pointed April 5, 1871, for a full term ; filled the office 
until Nov. 10, 1874, and resigned ; but on December 
7th following he was reappointed, and by reappoint- 
ments March 18, 1875, and March 18, 1880, he has 
remained since the incumbent of that office. 

Mr. Campbell became interested in the militia or- 
ganization soon after taking up his residence in Hack- 
ensack ; was mustered as a member of Company C, 



' Second Battalion, Oct. 8, 1872, and commissioned 
as quartermaster, and on March 15, 1876, he was com- 
missioned captain of the company, which office he 
holds in 1881. 
Capt. Campbell was united in marriage Sept. 22, 

j 1869, to Ann Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob H. Hop- 
per and Lydia Bogert, of Hackensack, and by this 
union has five children, — Luther, Eva, David, Harry, 
and Nicholas Demarest Campbell. 

Cornelius Christie was born Dec. 6, 1835, at 
Leonia, in the township of Ridgefield, at the time of 

I his birth known as English Neighborhood, in the 

I township of Hackensack. 

I On his father's side he was of Scotch descent. His 
great-great-grandfather, James Christie, a native of 
Scotland, died at Schraalenburgh, now in the town- 
ship of Palisades, April 16, 1768, aged ninety-six or 

j ninety-eight years. William, son of James, born 

i Aug. 9, 1720, married Catalynthe Demarest, Sept. 22, 
1743, and died Sept. 13, 1809. To William and Cata- 
lynthe Christie were born twelve children. James, 
their eldest child, was born Aug. 20, 1744, married 
Maria Banta in 1772, and died July 3, 1817. To 
James and Maria Christie were born eleven children, 
of whom David, the eighth child, was born Dec. 1, 

I 1789, married Anna Brinkerhoff March 12, 1814, and 
died April 8, 1848. To David and Anna Christie 
were born fifteen children, of whom Cornelius Chris- 
tie, subject of this sketch, was tlie twelfth. 

On his mother's side Cornelius Christie is a de- 

I scendant of Joris Derickson Brinckerhoff (the cin the 

1 name having been since then dropped by the family), 
a person of honorable Flemish extraction, who, with 
his wife, Susannah Dubbels, emigrated to this coun- 
try from the United Provinces in 1638 and settled in 
Brooklyn, N. Y., where he died Jan. 16, 1661. Hen- 
drick, one of the four children of Joris, married 
Clausie Boomgaert, and, June 17, 1685, bought a tract 
of land on the east banks of the Hackensack, at a 
place formerly known as Old Hackensack, now as 
Ridgefield Park, in the township of Ridgefield, where 
he removed with his family. Here he died shortly 
afterwards, leaving three sons, of whom Jacobus and 
Derrick took the paternal acres at Old Hackensack, 
and Cornelius removed to Bergen. Jacobus and his 
wife Agnetie had four, and Jacob, son of Jacobus, 
had seven, children. Albert, son of Jacob, was born 
March 21, 1763, married Kesia Voorhis in 1796, and 
died Dec. 8, 1844. Albert and Kesia Brinkerhoff had 
three children, of whom Anna, wife of David Chris- 
tie, above named, was the eldest, and was born May 12, 
1797. 

The above-named ancestors of Cornelius Christie 
on both sides were without exception characterized 
by the severest integrity, a Calvinistic orthodoxy, and 
a devoted patriotism. Their religious connection was 
with the Dutch Reformed Church. In the war of in- 
dependence they were ardent and fearless patriots, and 
some of them rendered valuable service and suffered 



108 



HISTORY OF BERGExX AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



serious hardship in the patriot cause. James Christie, 
father of David, bore a commission an captain of the 
militia in that war, and tasted some of its bitterness. 
In reward for the zeal of his family the homestead of 
William, the father of James, was burned to the ground 



on the same ticket. Having a ta-ste for journalism, in 
1871 he temporarily abandoned his profe.-ision and 
started T/ie Xeir Jersey Citizen, a weekly pa|)er, at 
Hackensack, as editor and proprietor, devoting it to 
the promotion of local interests and the improvement 



by ecjually zealous royalist.*, and John, a brother of of journalism in the county, in ])olitics making it iii- 



James, at the same time with Lucas, a brother of 
Albert Brinkcrhofl", above named, .suflered for a time 
the horrors of imprisonment in the famous Sugar- 
House. The feelings engendered by the war rankled 
long in the hearts of the survivors, and manifested 
themselves in striking ways. It is told of William, 
the father of .lames, that when he wa.s afterwards 
pressed by his neighbors to accept the office of justice 
of the peace he persistently declined, and being asked 
the reason finally answered that if he were made jus- 
tice he would feel bound to do justice to all alike, but 
he felt that he could not do justice to the Tories. 

They were all chieHy engaged in agricultural pur- 
suits, in connection, incidentally, in some cases with 
another trade or profession. John, a brother of David, 
was a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church, and 
settled at Warwick, Orange Co., N. Y., where he died 
after a long and faithful pastorate. Peter, another 
brother of David, wa.s for a long time a surgeon in 
the I'nited Ijtates navy, and died at Erie, Pa. 

Upon his marriage to Anna Brinkerhotl" David 
Christie, who with his ancestors above named had 
always continued to live at Schraalenburgh, removed 
to the city of New York and engaged in the business 
of stone-cutting, the trade to which he had devoted 
himself By skill and energy he prospered from the 
first, and by his high character commanded the es- 
teem of all who knew him. In IS.*}.') he purchased 
the homestead farm of Garret Meyer, at English 
Neighborhood (now Leonia), retired from business, 
and removed there with his family to spend his re- 
maining days. At his death he left his widow and 
ten children, of whom his widow and si.\ children, 
including Cornelius Christie, subject of this sketch, 
still survive. The widow, now in her eiglity-sixth 
year, is still living on the old place at Leonia, well 
preserved in health and faculties for one of her years. 
Of the children, James Christie, present collector of 
the township of Ilidgefield, l)y a singular coincidence 
won a commission as captain in the late war, as his 
grandfather of the same name did in the Revolution. 

Cornelius Christie, after a preparatory course with 
the Rev. Dr. Malion, lately elected to the pr(>fes,>ional 
chair in the theological seminary at New Brunswick, 
entered Yale College, and taking the full curriculum 
graduated in IS.'j.'J. He chose the profession of the 
law, and in 1860, having spent a year at Harvard Law- 
Hchoiil and finished his studies with the late Chan- 
celli)r /abriskic, was ailniittrd to the New Jersey bar, 
and shortly afterwards opened a law-office in Jersey 
City. In lH()ti, while engaged in practice there, he 
was elected to the Lower House of the New Jersey 
LegiHiature as a Democrat, and in 1807 was re-elected 



dependently Democratic. He continued to publish 
the Citizen for six years, three as a weekly and three 
as a semi-weekly, and then in 1877, other interests 
and duties imperatively demanding his attention, 
ceased the publication. 

In 1879 he resumed the practice of the law at Jersey 
City, where he is still located. His residence has 
always been at Leonia. He has never married. 

Judge Nehe.mi.\h Millarp is the son of Wil- 
liam, the son of Jonathan, the son of Robert, the son 
of Nehemiah Millanl. first ancestor of the family in 





.Vmerica, who settled in Rehoboth, R. I., in ItJGO. The 
family came originally from Normandy, in France, 
where the name exists to-day ; thence to England, 
and then to this country. Robert, the second in the 
line of descent, was a Baptist clergyman, living to 
the age of ninety years, and an ardent and active 
patriot in the Revolution. .Tonathan was a tanner in 
Dutchess County, N. Y., and William, the father of 
thejudge, was also a tanner in Delaware County, N. Y., 
having settled there early in an almost |»rimeval wil- 
derness. He accumulated properly, was prominent 





The Van Vulfciis are found in Bergen County as early as 
17(H, as deeds now in possession of the subject of this sketch 
bearing date that year show the purchase of some two thousnnd 
six hundred acres of land by the Van Valens from Lancaster 
Syms, being all the Palisade lands from the Jay line extending 
from the lluilson on the east to Overpeek Creek on the west. 
The names of the purchasers are Johannes, Bernardus, Gideon, 
and Rynier Van Valen. 

Upon examination of the records of the Reformed Dutch 
Church at Old Tajipan, Rockland Co., N. Y., where M:ijor Andri- 
was tried, the name of Johannes ^'^an Valcn appears among its 
founders in 1686; hence it is reasonable to suppose the family 
were among the first settlers from Holland in this county. 

Bernardus Van A'alen, great-grandfather of Jauies M. \'an 
Valen, resided at Closter, was a minute-man, and belonged to 
the militia. During the Revolutionary war he was taken 
]irisoner and confined in the " Old Pugar-llouse" in New York 
City. 

He built a stone house on his farm, still standing near the 
present railroad depot at Closter. He died in 1S20, aged eighty 
years, leaving five children,— James, Andrew, Cornelius, Isaac, 
and Jane. 

His grandfather, James Van Valen, was a farmer at Closter, 
but removed to Clark^town, where he died in August, 1786, at 
the age of twenty-six years, leaving three children, — liarney, 
Sarah, wife of Henry Westervelt. and Cornelius. Of these 
children, Cornelius, who was father of our sketch, was born 
May 21. 17S6, at Clarkstown, Rockland Co., N. Y. In ISflS he 
was united in marriage to Elizabeth Biaekledge, and shortly 
after removed to New York City, where he was engaged as a 
contractor and builder for a number of years. In 1832 he 
bought a farm in Englewood. then Hackensack township, 
Bergen Co., where he resided for some seven years, and tben 
sold his property and purchased another farm at Teaneck, 
where his wife died soon after. 

The children of this union who grew up are Caroline, wife 
of David Anderson, and Cornelius. 

His second wife was Jane, daughter of Abram Zabriskie, of 
Paramus, who bore him three children, — Eliza, wife of Edward 
Bower, who died in 1867, James M., and Sarah A., wife of 
Cornelius D. Schor, of Leonia, Bergen Co. 

James M. Van Valen, son of Cornelius and Jane (Zabriskie) 
Van Valen, was born at Teaneck, July 21, 1842. His boyhood 
was passed at home, where he received a common-school edu- 
cation. 



At the age of twenty he enlisted in Company I, Twenty- 
second Regiment New Jersey Volunteers, commanded by 
Lieut. -Col. Douglass, and subsequently by Col. A. G. Demarest, 
of Closter, Bergen Co. This regiment was composed of men 
who enlisted for nine months, and after being in AVashiugton 
and stationed at Georgetown for some time it became a part of 
the Army of the Potomac, and was in service at Aquia Creek 
until January, 1863, when the regiment was ordered to Belle 
Plain. A part of it was in the battle of Fredericksburg and 
on the celebrated '* Mud March" of Gen. Burnside. It composed 
a part of Gen. Wadsworth's division. First Army Corps, that 
made a feint on the left in the battle of Chancellorsville. Re- 
turning to the neighborhood of Fredericksburg, the regiment 
remained on picket duty for most of the summer, and then re- 
sumed the march to Centreville, Md., and was mustered out of 
service. 

After his discharge Mr. Van Valen returned to New York, 
where he was engaged in business until 1866, and for five years 
afterwards was a teacher, devoting all his spare time to study. 

In November, 1S71, he entered the law-office of Col. Garret 
Ackerson, Jr., at Hackensack. was admitted as attorney in 1875, 
and as counselor in 1878. Upon his admission as attorney be 
formed a law partnership with Col. Ackerson, which has con- 
tinued since. 

In 1872. Mr. Van Valen was a member of the New Jersey 
National Guard, Company A, then in command of Maj. Moore; 
but soon after settling in Hackensack he raised the New Jersey 
National (Juard, Company C. .Second Battalion, and took the 
rank of first lieutenant, with Col. Garret Ackerson as captain. 
The companj- is now under the command of Capt. A. D. Camp- 
bell. In 1876 he resigned his position of first lieutenant and 
was commissioned (juartermaster of the battalion, which posi- 
tion he resigned the same year. He was a member of the 
Masonic lodge in Hoboken in 1866, was made a member in 
Hackensack in 1875, and has been Master of the lodge since 
December, 1S80. 

Mr. Van Valen is a student of his profession, and has a nat- 
ural taste for reading and study. Self-reliant and persevering, 
he has made his way unassisted to bis present position as a 
lawyer, to which profession be has given almost his entire at- 
tention since he began the practice of the law. 

He was united in marriage to Anna A., daughter of Theo. 
Smith and Catharine Van Nostrand, of Nyack, N. Y., now of 
Jersey City Heights. Their only surviving child is James A. 
Van Valen. 



THE BENCH AND BAR OF BERGEN COUNTY. 



109 



in public affairs, was supervisor in the county sixteen 
years in succession, but declined more offices than he 
would accept. He died, much honored and beloved, 
in 1853. Millard Fillmore, late President of the 
United States, and William Millard were cousins. 

Nehemiah, the subject of this sketch, was born in 
Delhi, Delaware Co., July 18, 1828, in a family of 
eleven children. He attended the schools from the 
age of three years, graduating at Union College, 
Schenectady, N. Y., in 1848, and on the " merit-roll," 
iis it was called, in a class of over one hundred stu- 
dents, he stood at the head in general scholarship and 
scholastic attainments. Gen. Arthur, President of the 
United States, Judge Charles C. Nott, of the United 
States Court of Claims, and several others who have 
since become prominent were members of this class. 
Mr. Millard's father and grandfather had been teach- 
ers, and his mother, Anna Loomis, also, and he be- 
came the principal of an academy after graduation. 
He studied law in Delhi, in the office of Col. Parker; 
in Albany with Hon. Azor Taber, a leading lawyer 
in his day ; at the Ballston Spring Law-School, and 
was co-student with ex-Governor Bedle, of this State; 
and then in the office of his brother, A. B. Millard, 
in New York City, and was admitted to the bar 
there in 1850. He commenced practice in Marquette 
County, Wis., in 1851, and was special public prose- 
cutor in some important criminal cases there; thence 
he returned to the city of New York, opened an office 
with his brother, and continued in active practice 
there for twenty-five years. He became prominent 
as counsel in the Tibbets cases, in which Luther C. 
Tibbets, while a member of the Corn Exchange, 
owned or controlled in speculation nearly one million 
bushels of corn. Tibbets was indicted for assaulting 
and attempting to kill the janitor of the Corn Ex- 
change, and was for a long time involved in many 
civil litigations growing out of this unfortunate con- 
test. 

His skill as an advocate extended the practice of 
Mr. Millard through all tlie courts, and as counsel 
to the highest Court of Appeals. In 1868 he moved 
to New Jersey, still continuing his practice in New 
York ; but in 1874, by the unanimous vote of both 
jiarties in the New Jersey Legislature, on joint bal- 
lot, he was elected a judge of the Court of Common 
Pleas in Bergen County, and serving faithfully in that 
office through a term of five years, he was greatly 
drawn away from the active and responsiljle duties of 
his profession in New York City. It was certainly 
a great pecuniary sacrifice, whatever judicial honors 
the office may have conferred. Since the judge left 
the bench he has been practicing law in Bergen 
County and in New York, having been admitted to 
the bar of New Jersey several years since. He is an 
able lawyer, a ready speaker, and an eloquent and 
persuasive advocate before a jury, and especially in 
criminal cases. He is a close student, fond of the study 
of the languages (being familiar with the Greek and 
8 



Hebrew and some seven or eight other languages). 
He is a forcible writer, and has contributed much to 
the newspapers and ])ublications of the day. His 
wife, Lydia M. Millard, is also a frecjuent contributor 
to the current literature of the present, and her 
poetic translations from Scandinavian languages, 
mainly the Swedish, have attracted the favorable 
notice and commendation of some of the leading 
poets and scholars in this country and Europe. Their 
family consists of one son (a graduate of Princeton 
College) and three daughters. 

Isaac Wortendyke was born at Newtown (now 
Wortendyke), Bergen Co., N. J., on Oct. 2, 1823, 
His father, Abraham Wortendyke, and his mother, 
Catharine Demarest, were of Holland ancestors. His 
employment in his younger years in his father's cot- 
ton-factory or upon his father's farm was not relished, 
as he was more inclined to books and study. At the 
age of sixteen he taught a village or country school, 
and continued teaching until it was determined by 
his father to give him a collegiate education. He pur- 
sued his preparatory studies with the late Hon. Jacob 
R. Wortendyke until he entered the sophomore class 
at Rutgers College, at which institution he graduated 
in 1846, being awarded the first honor of his class. 

He then resumed the occupation of teacher, and 
was principal of Claverack Academy, New York, from 
1846 to 1849. 

He began the study of law at Hudson, N. Y., with 
Claudius L. Monell, Esq. ; and when Mr. Monell re- 
moved to New York City, Mr. Wortendyke followed, 
and continued his legal studies at the office of Messrs. 
Sutherland & Monell, in New York City, and was 
admitted to practice in New York as attorney and 
counselor-at-law in 1851. 

From January, 1868, to January, 1878, a period nl 
ten years, Mr. Wortendyke, having made his resi- 
dence in New Jersey, filled the office of surrogate ol 
his native county of Bergen. After the expiration of 
his term as surrogate he was admitted by the New 
Jersey Supreme Court as an attorney-at-law in New 
Jersey. He is now engaged in the practice of law, 
having his office at Hackensack, and residing at Mid- 
land Park, N. J. He also holds by appointment the 
positions of master and examiner in chancery, notary 
public, and New York commissioner. 

In 1880 he was elected to the New Jersey Senate 
by a majority of 626. 

In the Legislature of 1881, Mr. Wortendyke served 
on the following committees: Militia, Corporations, 
and Elections, and on the joint committees on Treas- 
urer's Accounts, State Prison, and Public Grounds 
and Buildings. 

In the Legislature of 1882 he served on the follow- 
ing committees: Revision of the Laws and Militia, 
and on joint committees on Public Grounds and 
Buildings and Sinking Fund, and on a special com- 
mittee in relation to the finances of the State. 

His term as senator will expire in 1884. 



110 



HISTORY OF BKRGEX AND PASSAIC COUiNTIKS, NKW JKRSEY. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

THE MEDICAL PKOFESSION IN BERGEN COUNTY. 

There were few physicians in tlic immediate ter- 
ritory of this fouiity at an early time. Holland 
seems to have sent forth none regularly bred to the 
profession, although her university at Leyden wa.s 
among the most renowned for chemistry and kindred 
sciences in Europe. Her learning, however, at the 
period of the colonization of New Netherland was 
chiefly scholastic, and pertained more to the intel- 
lectual and religious wants of the community than to 
the laws of physical liealth and well-being. Indeed, 
the science of medicine was in its infancy all over 
the civilized worlii; what is now understood by that 
term has been the growth chiefly of the last hundred 
years. There was no such thing as a school of medi- 
cine, not even a course of lectures on this subject in 
America till the middle of the eighteenth century. 
Dr. Williain Hunter, of Newport, K. I., a Scotch 
physician, was the first to introduce lectures to stu- 
dents, in 17')4, and the first attempt at instruction by 
dissection was made in New York by Drs. Hard and 
Middleton in 1750. The first medical school was 
founded in Philadelphia, in connection with the col- 
lege, in 171)5, Drs. Shippen and Morgan being ap- 
pointed |)rofe.ssors. In New York the first medical 
school was foundeil, in connection with King's Col- 
lege, in 17(i7, but only eleven degrees were conferred 
previous to the breaking out of the Revolution, which 
8us|)ended all operations in that direction till after 
the war, in 1784. In connection with t^ueen's Col- 
lege, New Hrunswick,' there was a Medical Depart- 
ment from 1702 to 1810, but this department was 
located in the city of New York. It wa.s founded by 
the eminent pliysician. Dr. Nicholas Itomaine, and 
others, who, being unsuccessful in their effort to con- 
nect it with Columbia College, ajiplicd to the trustees 
of (iuecn's, anil obtained under llicir charter author- 
ity to complete their organization. During this time, 
from 1792 to 1816, only thirty-si.x medical degrees 
were conferred. Princeton College had no Medical 
Department till 1825, and it wa.s soon after arrested 
by the death of Dr. .lohn Van Cleve, in whose abil- 
ity as a distinguished physician the college relied to 
carry their plan into execution. In 1818, and for 
some time later, there was no means or method in 
New Jersey by which the degree of Doctor of Medi- 
cine could be conferred upon anybody.' 

1 (ni»rten'«l imnia cliniifte*! lu Kiitffen in IBI^'i. 

3 TliA Mwllcal Society nt New JerMy in Mny, 181s, iiiiiNiliitiMl u com. 
niilloo " t" 'li-viM «inie hioIIkmI l.y wlilch tlio tlegrpe of Mmlirinu- IKntor 
ni«y li* ronfKrrwl" in Now Jel»ry. The iiiliject wu |)rcM>nt«Ml to thi* 
tm«le«« of tlio rollogn (at i'rliicelun) liy l>r. Vnn Clovp, « tmntco, %^ lio 
wu m\vt one of tlio ruinmlttro of tlio ■ocloty, Willi tlin in()tilry " wlu-thor 
any nrrangpniviit l-oii1i1 !■« niado with tlip iKiant with r«ganl tii conforrltiK 
tloK'*"**-'* ^ folnnilttiMi to wlioni (hoiiilijocl w«« rrforretl rrportwl April 
i:i, IHIO, "That in lliolr tipinlon 11 woiiM !»■ iiii>x|>nl|piil to ontor Into 
■urh an arrnnf[enialit jirorloiiH to the eatal<litihmt>tit in tin* Itialltnllon uf 
a ronnM* of Inalrinrllon In liiofllitml iclencc. "—3fac/c.m'* i/Uf. l^unft"» 



Students of medicine in New Jersey generally 
sought their instruction in Philadelphia; this was 
especially the ca.se with those in the western part of 
the State, and to a considerable extent in the eastern, 
and remains so still, excepting those more immedi- 
ately contiguous to the Hudson River. 

In the early years of its history New .lersey had 
among its medical men a very limited tew who had 
received their training in the schools of Europe. The 
profession was at the first largely composed of those 
who, without liberal education, spent a few years or 
months with some practitioner, and read a few books 
on medicine which came within their reach. One of 
the most noted books relied upon by early [iractilion- 
ers was "Salmon's Herbal," a folio of thirteen hun- 
dred pages, published in 1G06, describing the medici- 
nal i)roperties of plants and herbs. Allibone says of 
the author, " He was a noted empiric." Dr. Stephen 
Wickes says that this was the text-book of a New 
Jersey physician of large practice, and, in his day, of 
much reputation, who, being a man of property, sent 
a messenger to England to obtain it. The cost of the 
volume was £50. 

Dr. John Blanc, in his " Medical History of Hun- 
terdon County," referring to the practice of the early 
days, says, — 

" Every neigiilKirhooti noi'mn lu liavi> Imtl aunie one who i-oniil iileed 
and I'Xtmct leetii ; si>ine (Koneraily Gorriiniiii) i-oniii cu|>. Occajiionaliy 
a * liatidy man' cuilld Hlruightoii a cnnikoil lioiio if it wan hrokoli, get 
great credit for doing no, unit was called a iluctur. Kcmilv ac<-<m<Jifun 
wero liluntiful, particnlxrty among the (jerman and Ruglixh part of the 
popnlHllon. In neiiriy ail caaee the rellieiliea were the gruwtli of the 
Boil, but %'cry little ■ ajKitlieCMry inediclne* l«iiig need, and tliat of the 
must vinilde kind. Lingering ca^ee among the wealthy receive<l alten- 
tiuli fnini a great distance, — Biirlingtun, lliicks ruunty, and riuladel- 
phla." 

What was true of Hunterdon L'ouuty in those days 
was also true of Rergen. Indeed, a similar state of 
things existed in the new settleiiieiits throughout all 
the colonies. Those most subject to local malarial 
diseases hail greatest cause for remedies, and in such 
localities the homely healing art of the times would 
make most rapid progress.* Such places would natu- 



* As showing liie lieultlifiilneMluf IWrgen Cuuiily, even tu this day, llie 
fullowin.- atatiHllcs of longerlly. taken frtim Ihe lltrgtn County l^tmocrM 
uf April zri, ls7'.i. are appended: 

Illchanl I'anllKon. Uldgefleld IXI JMin. 

John Kd>.all, llidgelleld 83 ** 

Daniel Westervell, Tonally W " 

Sarah I anipbell. Tonally W " 

Peloi Hel ler. ric»tor 90 " 

Mrs. .Haniuei It lieiiiiirent, Oloeter S4 *• 

J..hn f\KH~T, Neiv .Milfonl I«V " 

Roliert Annott, Korl l.eo , 69 " 

Kllen Van Waggimor, New Mllfurd 8S " 

I'eler llogeil, llackoiiiiuik 8» " 

Mm. .Saiiliini, Iladii-nnack 87 ** 

Mr. Wanl, llnekensaik «7 " 

Aaron itigorl, llai keiiaack 84 ** 

Mrs. I'.'ter Ileiiitire-I, llackeiinck S.*! ** 

John llerrinir, llai-keniiaek 82 ** 

I'elor IV.gert, llneknnsack 80 ** 

ilainalioi Hose, II,ukoii-«rk 80 " 

l<al|ili ChriMie, .S. hrualonhurxh 88 " 

Jiiroli f'lirislie. Si-hnialonlinrKll 8'^ *' 

■ lohn Jentey, I'luieiirk 8A " 

>lni lliiiilol Oenmirftt, Pasenrk 8'^ " 

I'elor Iloiterl, Vmi\ Mai^konrack 84 " 



THK MKDICAL PROFESSION IN BERGEN COUNTY. 



Ill 



rally have the largest number of "doctors." Among 
the Hollanders of Bergen County there was little need 
for physicians for many years after the first settle- 
ments began ; the climate was healthy, and they 
were of a hardy and enduring constitution. Malarial 
and other local diseases [irevailed quite extensively 
among the early settlers of West Jersey, while those 
in the eastern portion were comparatively free from 
them. All the early writers and correspondents who 
describe the condition of the country, either in books 
or letters to their friends abroad, unite in pronouncing 
East Jersey a very healthy country. The absence of 
early physicians in the immediate locality of Bergen 
County, or resident physicians within its limits, is 
also accounted for by the fact that the more wealthy 
of the citizens obtained their medical assistance from 
places around them, such as New York, Elizabeth- 
town, and Newark. In these places there were at an 
early time some of the most distinguished physicians 
in the country, and their proximity to the interior 
settlements rendered their services available in cases 
of emergency. At a period somewhat later Bergen, 
Belleville, and Hackensack were supplied with phy- 
sicians of their own. 

Medicine as a profession in New Jersey may be 
said to have received a new tone and impulse from 
the founding of the Medical Association of the prov- 
ince in 176t). This was the first provincial medical 
society in any of the colonies, and it speaks well for 
New Jersey that there were within her limits a suffi- 
cient number of intelligent and able physicians to 
bring about the organization of such an institution. 
The initiative of the organization appears, from the 
following notice published in the New Yort Mer- 
curij, to have been taken by the physicians of East 
Jersey : 

" A oout^iJerable number of the practitiuuers of physic and surgery iu 
East New Jersey, having agreed to form a society for their mutual im- 
provement, the advaucement of tiie profession, and promotion of the 
public good, and desirous of extending as much as possible the useful- 
Ufss of their scheme, and of cultivating the utmost harmony and friend- 
ship with their brethren, hereby reciuest and invite every gentleman of 
the profession iu the province that nuiy approve of their design to attend 
their first meeting, which will be held at Mr. DufTs. in the city of New- 
Brunswick, on Wednesday, the -I'M of Jvily, at which time and place the 
constitution and regulations of the society are to be settled and sub- 
scril>ed. 

'• East Nkw Jersey. June 27, 1766." 

Sixteen physicians responded to the call, and on 
the day appointed the Medical Society ot New Jersey 
was organized. The constitution that day adopted is 
signed by the following physicians : 
RoBT. McKean, Thos. Wiggin,s, 

Chris. Maxlove, William Adams, 

John Coohrax, Berx. Budd, 

Moses Bloo.mfield, Lawrence V. Derveer, 
James Gillilaxd, Johx Griffith, 
Wm. Burxet, Isaac Harris, 

JoNA. Daytox, Joseph Sackett, Jr. 

The society continued to hold its semi-annual meet- 
ings till 1775, when they were interrupted by the 



Revolution, and remained suspended till May, 1782. 
They were regularly held from the latter date till 
1795, when they were again suspended till 1807, at 
which date an act of the Legislature was passed to 
ratify and confirm its proceedings. The society has 
continued in operation till the present time, notwith- 
standing the organization of a formidable rival by 
Dr. Micheau, of Elizabethtown, called "The East 
Jersey Medical Society," in 1790. For a time this 
latter society drew heavily from the interests of the 
old organization, on account of the majority of the 
physicians being located in East Jersey; but the 
latter, after a few years' suspension and a few more 
j of struggle, gained its rightful supremacy over the 
profession in the State, which it has continued to 
hold from that day to the present. 

This society, while it closed the avenues of practice 
to many quacks and pretenders to medical knowledge, 
opened the door to many honest and conscientious 
student-s who had not the opportunity of obtaining 
diplomas from medical colleges. It adopted a stand- 
ard of medical qualification and ethics which ele- 
vated the profession and gave it dignity and charac- 
ter throughout the State. From the first it gave 
licenses to students to practice, but only to such as 
fulfilled the high conditions which it required. The 
honor of membership in such a body and the passport 
which it furnished to public favor and acceptance 
were a constant stimulus to young men of honorable 
ambition to do their best in the way of attainments 
and character in the profession. 

In this organization, from its beginning to 179G, we 
do not find the names of any members from Bergen 
County, excejit that of Joseph Sackett, Jr., who prac- 
ticed at Paramus during the Revolution. 

Little information exists respecting the very early 
physicians of this county. Dr. Van Emliuro- is the 
first one mentioued in the records. He is alluded to 
as a " Doctor of Physicke" in a deed to his widow, 
Katheriue Van Embugli, dated the 7th of December 
1709. The deed was given by Sarah Sandford, widow 
of a wealthy land-owner of New Barbadoes, who in 
his will had devised his property to her. Mrs. Sand- 
ford had a very high regard for the widow of the 
doctor, who was her equal in education and social 
standing, though notendowed with so large au amount 
of " this world's goods." She generously concluded 
to divide with her friend. There can be no doubt but 
that the deed was a free gift, although, in compliance 
with the conditions of the law, a " consideration" is 
mentioned in it. The deed recites : 

"In consideration of a valuable sum of good lawful money, I there- 
fore, by hese presents, give to my dear friend, Katheriue Van Emhurg, 
a certain tract of land and meadows, situated in New Barbadoes, con- 
taining 450 acres of English measure; 3U0 of upland, beginning' at a 
dogwood tree that stands over against the Second River, it being the 
boundary between the said Sarah Sandford and Capt. Edward Kingsland 
and others, according to a line which runs by John Harman upon a 
southeast course from the ahovesaid Dogwood Tree, across said neck of 
New Barbadoes into the meadows on the southeast side of sai.l neck, and 
thence southwesterly along the neck 30 and 6 chains and 7 yards 2 links. 



114 



HISTORY OF BERGKN AND 1^\SSAIC C0UNTII}8, NEW JERSEY. 



" Sec. 4, DlBcipUn* of members ihall be of three gmdes or degree*. 
Til. : Admonition, for which h majority vole shall be eiifficiciit ; Suppen- 
fion, for wliich H two-lhirile vote shall U* necessary* ; anj ErpuUion, for 
which a three-fourths vote shall be required. 

**Skc. 5. If an appeal lie taken from the action of the society to tbe 
Medical Society of New Jersey by any ili.Hciplitkeil member, or by any 
rejecti'd applicant for memliervhip, a wrillen notice of such npp«'al shall 
l>e served on the 8<-cretary by the aggrieveil party at least sixty days bo- 
fore the next annual meetiog of the Medical Society of New Jersey. 

" Chaptcb VII. — Meetingt of Otf SM;t«tif. 

**8ko. 1. The society shall meet annually, in the village of Hackeu> 
sack, OD the second Tues^lay of April. 

"Sec. 2. The semi-annual meetiiif; of the society shall be held iu the 
same place, on the second Tuesday of Octolier of each year. 

'* Sec- :1- Quitrterly meetings of the society may also be held on the 
second Tuesdays of July and January, prodded the society shall so 
order at the next preceding regular meeting. These quarterly meetings, 
if held, may be held iti any part of the county the society may elect. 

"Sec. 4- Five members shall constitute a quorum for the traosaction 
of business at any meeting of the society. 

"CUAPTF.K VIII. — Oriler of ^utin^u. 

"1- The m-ciety sIimM I* called to order by the president; or in liis 
absence, by the vice-proident ; or in the absence of l>oth these officers, 
by a president to be chosen pro tempore. 

" 2. The roll shall be called by the secretary ; or in his absence, by a 
secretary to be chosen pro tempore. 

" 3. A quorum lieing present, the minutes of the last meeting shall be 
read and appnived. 

"4. The reiiort of the treasurer shall be receive«l and acted u|k)u. 

" 5, Applications or projiosals for membership shall be received and 
referred. 

" C. Report of {>ernninent commiltee ou applications for membership 
and election of members shall be iu order. 

" 7. Reports of regular commlttoea, in their order, shall be r\-ccived 
and discussed. 

"8. Ueptirts of special committees, in the order of their apiKiintment. 

"9. Rep^irts of cases, communications, etc, by Individual memlien). 

"10. KsBjiy or atldn-ss by the president or vice-president. 

"11. Anicndmenis to the by-laws shall be proposed, and amendments 
previously proposed shall be acteil upon. 

" 12. Mis«-ellaneous business not embraced under the foregoing heads 
shall l>e in order. 

" IU. Officers, delegates to the Medical Society of New Jersey, etc., etc., 
shall be elected. 

" 14. The president shall appoint the committees. 

" 16. Motion to a^ljourn. 

"CllArTElt l\.—.imnilmenl U) By-laia. 
"These by. laws may lie amen<Ied at any regular meetlnR of the society 
by a v<ite i»f the majority of the members present. pro>i,ted such amend- 
ment sliall have been pni|>osed at a previous regular meeting." 



lloLi. or MKiinKRS Admittzd vr to 1876. 



Name*. 



Admitted. 



A. Ib.plier >> IHM 

W. 11. Hay >' 18,'>4 

C. Ilasbronck > lH.->4 

H. A- Ilop|ier> l»i« 

0. B. Ilru»n" 1H64 

D. Hasbrouck ) > \*.'A 

A..S. Burdett \KA 

B. (tblenis' 18.V, 

J- J- llaring \KM 

1. J Weils* IWJS 

w. II. Hall • _ mr* 

J. T. DeMund •. IKlUi 

H. C, Seer IWJS 



Names. Admitted. 

F. M. WriKim IMS 

J. M.SImiiaoli 1861> 

R. Stewart 18(i9 

S. J. /.abriskie 1870 

A. P. Williams 1870 

II. A Crary 1871 

W, Fnincis'' 1871 

I). A. Currie 1872 

M. S. Avers 1872 

1). C, Tarr 1874 

O. f. Simpwn* 1874 

F. A. Davis 1874 

A. Cleudinen 1878 



Pkeskkt MEMnKRS, ANP Scnool.s AT WHICH TiiEY REcrivr-n Tur.in 

Pt:onKl:. 

Henry A. Hopper, Ctdh-ge I'hyilcians anti HnrgminB, New Yi>rk, 1H47; 

A. 8. Bunlrlt, (Villeue rhyslclans and Surgeons, New York, )K,'>2 ; II. 

C. Neer, Berkshire Medical <'ollege, IM); P. Augustus Currle, 

Unlvenlly of BulTslo, lsi'>4, Inlvenlty of hUllnburgh, I8C7; M.S. 

1 Charter Members. * Deceaae<l. 

' Withdrawn an<I ilroppeil from the roll. 

* R«uiove<l from the county and dnipped trum the rx>ll. 



Ayers, Long Island College, 1871 ; G. C. Terhnne, New Tork Siedi- 
cal College, 1853; Charles H. Hasbroeck, College Physiclanti and 
Surgeons, Fairfield. N- Y , 1A.19; D. St. John. Bellevue, 1879: Alex- 
ander Clendinen, University of Maryland, 1859; Milton Terhnne, 
Kentucky School of Medicine. lK7t',; J. M. Sini|Mon, Bellevne, I8«e; 
S. J. Zabrlskie, Inlversity Medical College, New York. 18.')6; J. J. 
llaring, Jefferson Medical College, 18V>; A. P. Williiims, College 
Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 180O; E. M. fiarton, t'uiversily 
Medical College, 1878; G. G.Brown, Odlege Physicians and Sur- 
geons, New York, 1875; C. L. Uemarest, Bellevne, 1876; Thomas 
Reld, University Medical College, New York, 1876. 

We give below a list of the presidents and secreta- 
ries since the organization : 

Presidents. 
1864, William H. Day; Is.'s^-iG, Abraham Hopper; 18.'.;. William H. 
Day; 18.M1, I. J.Wells; 1808. Charles Hasbrouck; 18r.9-70, A. S. 
Bunlett: 1K71-72, John J. Haring; 1871, F- Mar.o Wright; 1874, 
H. C. Neer; 1876, A. S. Burdott ; 187C, D. Augustus Currle; 1877, 
Henry A. Hopper; 1878, A- S. llurdett ; 1879, S. J. /.abriskie; 1880, 
Milton Tunnure; 1881, Henr^' .\. Hopper. 

Secbetaries. 
1854-68, aiarles Hasbrouck; 1808, I. J. Wells; 1869. J. T. Deninnd; 
1870-76, Charles Hasbrouck; 1877-78, A. S. Burdett ; 1879, Henry A. 
Hopper; 1880, Alexander Clendinen ; 1881, D. A. Cnrrie. 

Officers for 1881. 
H. A. Hopper, HRckensacfc, president; D. St. John, Hackensack, vice- 
presfdent and treasurer; D A- Currle, Englewoo<I, secretarj" and 
diFitrict reporter. 

Henry A. Hopper, M.D. — Dr. Abram Hopper, 
father of Dr. Henry A. Hopper, was born at Hoho- 
kus, Bergen Co., N. J., April 26, 1797, where his boy- 
hood was spent on the farm of his parents. His 
academic education wa.s received in the city of New 
York, after which he' returned to his native place and 
began the study of medicine with Dr. .Inhn Koscn- 
crantz, with whom he remained one year. 

He further pursued his medical studies in the office 
of Dr. Valentine Mott, of New York, and attended 
lectures at the College of Physicians and .Surgeons, in 
that city, from which he was graduated upon reaching 
his majority in the spring of l.^^lJi. 

In the following year Dr. Abram Hopper settled 
and commenced the practice of his profession at 
Hackensack, Bergen Co., where he remained with 
very little interruption until the time of his death, 
Dec. 14, IH72, thus giving to tiie people of his native 
county the whole energy aiul ccperience of an active 
and laborious professional life. I'pon his first settle- 
ment at Hackensack the village was small and the 
surrounding country .sparsely inhabited. He had a 
particular fondness for surgery, was the only operating 
surgeon in the county for many years, and enjoyed a 
wide reputation as skillful in that branch of his pro- 
fession. 

He wiLs H man of industrious habits, well read in 
the current medical and scientific literature of his 
day, and highly esteemed for his intelligence, integ- 
rity, and honesty" of purpose in all the rehitions of 
life. 

His son. Dr. Henry .\. Hopper, was gradu;ited from 
the time-honored institution, the College of Physi- 
cians and Surgeons in the city of New York, in the 




--^^^..'^^^^^a.;^^^^^.^ /^'^. 



The family of Hn-bronck in Ulster County, N. Y., trace the 
line of descent from the uM lliii^nenot ancestry who fled their 
country foUowin.::^ tlir* in ii^sacre on St. Bartholnmew's Day in 
France, and sought ictiii^e in the wilds of America. 

Charles Hasbrouck was born at Marbletown, Ulster Co., 
N. Y., April 11, ISIS, and is a lineal descendant from Abraham 
Hasbrouek, who settled in Esopus in 1675, and shortly after 
removeil to New Paltz. 

Abraham, gr.iridson of Abraham before mentioned, and son 
of Joseph, born in 1707, removed from New Paltz to Kingston, 
where lie carried nn mercantile business until 1776. when liis 
good^ and store were destroyed by fire. He was Heutenant- 
eolonel of a regiment of militia in Ulster County, and served 
for twenty years as a member of the Provincial As?embly, and 
also as a member of the State Legislature from Ulster County 
in 1781-82. He died in 1791. 

Lewis r. Hasbrouek, father of Dr. Charles Hasbrouek, was a 
farmer in Marbletown, and there reared a family of eight chil- 
dren, of whom Charles was fourth. One son, Dr. Moses C. was 
a prominent physician of Nyack, N. Y., for many years, and 
died there in 1870. In early life Dr. Charles Hasbrouek gave 
evidence of a superior mind, and even in boyhood was possessed 
of so retentive a menn)ry that a former tutor of his says of 
him. "I w»uild frequently, in his recitations, send him to his 
seat for want of time to hear lessons, page after page of which 
he was prepared to render ]>erfeetly." 

At the age of eighteen years he commenced the study of 
medicine with his uncle, Dr. Matthew De Witt, completed his 
studies with his brother, Dr. Moses C. Hasbrouek, then in practice 
at Middletown. ami was graduated in 18.39 from the College of 
Physicians and Surgeons, of Fairfield, N". Y. He was urged to 
take the practice of his brother, who contemplated removing to 
Nyack. but declined ; and, with :in outtit consisting of a horse 
given him by his father, he located at Schraalenburgh, N. J., 
as the active partner of Dr. Kipp, an aged practitioner there. 
After the death of Dr. Kipp. his practice becoming too laborious, 
Dr. Hasbrouek associated with him Dr. J. J. Haring, who con- 
tracted a regard and admiration for his partner which time has 
only served to deepen and strengthen. 

In 185.5, Dr. Hasbrouek, feeling the wear of the long rides in- 
cident to an extensive country practice, removed to Hacken- 
sack, where he remained engaged in a lucrative practice until 
bi.^ last illness, which resulted in his death Nov. 25, 1877. 

Dr. Hasbrouek ranked high amonir his professional brethren, 
and his counsel was sought far and near, and during the lat- 
ter years of his practice much of his time was taken up in consul- 



tations. His marked specialty in practice was obstetrics, and 
in this he displayed very superior skill. He was an active 
member of the Bergen County Medical Society, and frequently 
contributed valuable papers of medical interest to its members. 

He was also a member of the State Medical Society, elected 
its president in 1S71, and in 1876 he was chosen a member of 
the International Medical Congress which convened at Phila- 
delphia. 

Not alone in his profession was he progressive; the welfare 
of the people he cherished as his own, and every worthy enter- 
prise received from him prompt and generous encouragement. 
He was a hard student until nearly the close of his busy life, 
and took a deep interest in educational work, and was influen- 
tially and intimately identified with the Hackensaek Academy 
from its commencement, and served on the board of trustees 
with great acceptability to his fellow associates and the people, 
always being judicious in his counsel and learned and honorable 
in his advice. 

The commanding personal appearance of Dr. Hasbrouek was 
in perfect keeping with his noble manhood. Upright, truthful, 
and generous to a fault, he was the soul of honor; retiring and 
unassuming as a child, he sought neither popular applause nor 
favor. He aimed simply to do his best for the profession he 
honored, and for those to whom he ministered. He worked by 
the sick bed of the poor without hope of reward; indeed, 
like his Master, he went about doing good, and the conscious- 
ness of well-doing was to him abundant reward. Dr. Hasbrouek, 
though dead, still lives in many homes, both of affluence and 
poverty, where his ministering has brought hope and contidence 
and life; lives in the esteem of his professional brethren, who 
deeply deplore his loss, and will ever live in the memory of his 
family, whose bereavement cannot be estimated. 

The doctor's first wife was Ellen Christie, who died in 1S54, 
and by whom he had fnur children, viz.: Sarah, wife of Dr. I. 
J. Wells, of Nanuet, N. Y. ; C. De Witt, of New York; Mary 
Ellen ; and Margaret Van VIeck, wife of Archibald ('. Niven, of 
Hackens.ack. His second wife is Catherine W., daughter of 
Adolphus W. and Eve (Myer) Campbell, of Hackensaek, grand- 
daughter of the late Dr. John Campbell, once an eminent 
physician in Hackensaek, and great-granddaughter of Archi- 
bald Campbell, a native of the Isle of Man. who came to Hack- 
ensaek about 1765, and kept an inn where the Bergen County 
Bank now stands, in which Gen. Washington made his head- 
quarters for some time during the Revolutionary war. By 
this second marriage they hod one daughter, — Eva Myer 
Hasbrouek. 



THE MEDICAL PROFESSION IN BEEGEN COUNTY. 



115 



spring of 1847, and has been since a practicing phy- 
sician and surgeon in Hackensack, a period of thirty- 
five years, and for many years covering nearly the 
same field of Libor enjoyed by his father. The growth 
of the vilhige has been so rapid during tliis time that 
for some time Dr. Ho|i]ier's jiractice has been confined 
mainly to tlie vilhigc po]iulation. 





'Xl^ 



His specialty as a surgeon, as well as his success as 
a practitioner of medicine, and his ready diagnosis of 
disease luive given him rank with the first in the pro- 
fession, and a high standing among his fellow-citi- 
zens. Dr. Hopper is known professionally throughout 
the State, and lias been and is in 1882 officially con- 
nected with imjiortant and honorable positions. He 
is a member of the American Medical Association, a 
member of the New Jersey State ]\Iedical Society, 
president of the New Jersey State Sanitary Associa- 
tion, president of the Bergen County District Medical 
Society, and president of the Board of Health of 
Hackensack, N. J. As a citizen, Dr. Hopper has 
ever been in hearty support of every enterprise tend- 
ing to the prosperity of Hackensack and vicinity and 
the welfare of the peojile. His own stately residence 
on North Main Street, with its beautifully laid out 
grounds, is an index of his enterprising spirit, his 
thrift and cultivated taste. 

His son, Dr. John \V. Hopper, was graduated also 
at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, in New 
York City, in the spring of 1879, and did full service 



in the Surgical Department of Roosevelt Hospital of 
that city. He is the third in regular line of descent 
in a family of physicians who have graduated at the 
same medical college, and he is further prosecuting 
his medical studies by observations in the hospitals 
on the continent of Europe. 

William H. Day, M.D.— Among those wlio have 
practiced medicine in Bergen County none deserve 
more favorable mention in the medical history of this 
volume than Dr. Day, whose clear mind, excellent 
judgment in the diagnosis of complicated cases of 
disease, and devotion to those whose lives were in- 
trusted to his care made him esteemed by all who 
knew him, not only in the discharge of his professional 
duties but as a citizen of the community. He was 
never known to refuse to respond to a professional 
call, whether coming from the poor or those in opu- 
lence, and his services were given with the same anx- 
iety and care to those from whom he could not possi- 
bly expect remuneration as to those whose abundance 
would be no sacrifice to meet his regular fee. 

Dr. Day was the only son of Henry Day, who, al- 
though a wheelwright by trade, spent most of his 
active business life as an inn-keeper at Fairview, where 
he was the " hospitable landlord" on the old stage- 
route from Albany to New York. Henry Day died 
in 1852, aged seventy-seven, and was born at Leonia, 
in Old Hackensack township, where his father had 
kept a hotel during Revolutionary times. Henry 
Day's wife was Catharine Banta, who died in 1840, 
and whose family were residents of Closter, and by 
whom he had one .son, subject of this sketch, and 
several daughters,— Polly, Katy, Betsey, Rachel, Sally, 
Jane, and Margaret,— all being dead in 1881 but Mar- 
garet. 

Dr. Day was born at Fairview (English Neighbor- 
hood), .July 1(5, 1810, received his pi-eliminary educa- 
tion in the scliool at his native place, and early in 
life began to study for the profession which he in 
after-life honored as one of the most skilled physi- 
cians of his time. He practiced medicine for many 
years at his native place before the law regulating its 
practice in New Jersey required him to take out a 
license. His diploma was granted by the State Medi- 
cal Society, and dated May 28, 1852. He continued 
his practice at Fairview until 1867, when, to avoid 
the long rides and incessant labor night and day in- 
cident to his growing practice which was wearing his 
life away, he removed to Fort Lee, where he remained 
attending to his professional duties until his death, 
which occurred June 23, 1876. Dr. Day was one of 
the founders of the District Medical Society of the 
county of Bergen, and from time to time contributed 
valuable papers upon important subjects to its inter- 
ests. He was often called in consultation by his pro- 
fessional brethren, and held in high esteem by them 
for his candor, integrity, and skill in all branches of 
his profession. 

Dr. Day was a member of the Reformed (Dutch) 



116 



HISTOKY OF BKRGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Church at Fairview, and u liberal contributor to that 
and kindred interests. He was a student of his pro- 
fession, and outside of this he acquired no mean place 
among literary men a.s a poet, us many of his choice 
poems extant bear witness to his literary ability in 
that direction. 

Dr. Day wits united in marriage, Dec. 31, 1839, to 
Eliza, daughter of Peter Wake and Elizabeth llat- 
field, of Fort Lee. Her father was a native of Eng- 
land, and carried on business in New York most of 
his life, dying in 181G. Her mother was born at Eliz- 
abeth, N. J., and survived licr husband only six years. 
Mi's. Day was born Nov. 7, 1810; survives her husband, 
and resides at Fairview. Their only child is Anna 
Blanchard Day, wife of Benjamin R. Burdett, of 
Fairview. 

Dr. D. a. CfHKiK is a grandson of Dr. James 
Currie, F.R.S., wiio was born at Dumfriesshire, Scot- 
land, May 31, 175G, and who died Aug. 31, 1805. Dr. 
Currie was one of the most prominent physicians of 
his day, and is said by Dr. Austin Flint, of Now 
York, to have been seventy-five years alicad of his 
time. He studied medicine at Edinburgh I'niversity, 
and located at Liverpool in 1781, where lie enjoyed 
an extensive practice. Besides contributing excellent 
papers to the various medical journals, lie was the 
author of a learned and valuable work, published in 
1808, entitled "Medical Reports of the Effects of 
Water, Cold and Warm, as a Remedy in Fever and 
other Diseases." Dr. Currie also became widely 
known in connection with the revisal aii<l |)ubtication 
of Burns' poems in 1800. This he did for the bene- 
fit of the widow and chifdrfin of the poet, and real- 
ized thereby fourteen hundred pounds. 

The parents of Dr. D. A. Currie were Thomas and 
Nancy (Lemon) Currie, both of whom were natives 
of Scotland. In the earlier portion of his life Mr. 
Currie engaged in tlie manufacture of .sails auil sail- 
cloth in his native country, but he subsequently re- 
moved to America, and pursued the same line of 
business at Patcrson, N. J. He has resided for a 
number of years past at Scarsville, Orange Co., N. Y., 
where he engages in agricultural operations and stock- 
raising. 

Dr. D. A. Currie is the youngest of a family of 
ten children, of whom seven are living, and was born 
Oct. 10, 1842, at Scarsville, N. Y. He grew up ujion 
the paternal farm, and bis earliest education was ob- 
taine<l at the district school of his locality. He 
subscfiuently attended the academy at Montgom- 
ery, N. Y., and was fimiUy prepared for college 
by a private tutor at Paterson, N. J. Abandoning 
the idea of entering college. Dr. Currie, in 18."><), 
entered himself as a student in the office of Dr. Sand- 
ford IJistmaii, of Buffal'i, N. Y., ami Professor of 
Anatomy in the Tniversily of lUill'alo. He also at- 
tended lectures at that institution, and was graduated 
with the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 18G3. On 
October 1st of that year he commenced the practice 



of his profession at Bloo<ningburgh, Sullivan Co., 
N. Y., where he remained until the fall of 1865. He 
then went to Edinburgh, Scotland, and, with a view 
of still further perfecting himself in his profession, 
studied at Edinburgh University for two and a half 
years, becoming a pupil of Sir James Y. Simjison, Pro- 
fessor of the Diseases of Women and Children, and of 
Dr. James Syme, Professor of Clinical Surgery in the 
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Dr. Currie became 
a licentiate, in due course, of the College of Physi- 
cians and Surgeons of Edinburgh, and a member of 
the Royal Medical Society of Edinburgh, and of the 
Royal Obstetrical Society. For six months of that 
time he wiis resident physician at the Royal Hospital 
for Sick Children. At the close of the year 1867 he 
returned to the United States, and on Jan. 1, 1868, 
entered upon the practice of his profe-ssiou at Mid- 
dletown, N. Y., where he did a large and successful 
business until his settlement in Englewood, Bergen 
Co., March 1, 1872, where he has since held front 
rank as the leading allopathic jdiysician of his local- 
ity. His specialties in practice are surgery and the 
diseases of women and children. The late Dr. Has- 
brouck, of Hackensack, empli>yed Dr. ("urrie to per- 
form all of his surgical operations in the later years 
of his practice. He enjoys wide [lopularity in Engle- 
wood, and has been township treasurer for two years, 
and a member of the town committee several terras. 
For two years past he has also been the physician of 
the Hoard of Health. He was president of the IJergen 
County Medical Society in 1876, and has been secre- 
tary of that body for the |)ast two years. He has 
been a member of the American Medical Association 
since 1876, and is a member of the Sydenham Siciety 
of Ix)ndon. 

Dr. Currie was married in 1867 to Fannie Wills, 
daughter of the late .\ndrew \\'ills, of Blooming- 
burgh, N. Y. 

Joiix J. IIaiu.n<;, M.D., was born on JIarch 15, 
1834, in Rockland County, N. Y. He came from an 
ancestry whose sterling i|ualities won general esteem, 
and whose habits of industry and economy secured 
them a com|ietence. 

Availingbimself of the best educational advantages, 
he had at the age of eighteen secured a thorough aca- 
demic education. Choosing medicine as a profession, 
he entered the office of Dr. M. C. Hasbrouek, at that 
time the leading physician and surgetui in Rockland 
County. 

After the usual period of stuily, taking meanwhile 
two courses of lectures in the New York medical 
colleges, he graduated by preference, at the close of 
a third course, from the Jefferson Medical College of 
Philadelphia. He then formed a i)artnership with 
Dr. Oharles Hitsbrouck, practicing inSchraaleuburgli, 
Uergen Co., N. J., which continued successfully for 
two years. At the end of this time he succeeded to 
the joint practice by the removal of the senior part- 
ner to Hackensack, N. J. This left him a very ex- 




^^^.^^ 





Abraham S. Burdett, M.D., was born iit English 
Neigliborhood, now Leonia, in Bergen County, Nov. 
6, 1830. His grandfather, Abraham Burdett, resided 
at Englisli Neighborhood, and there died in 1803, and 
his wile, Nancy, daughter of John Smith, also died 
about the same time, leaving an only child, John S. 
Burdett, who was reared by Abel Smith, a brother of 
his maternal grandfather. John S. Burdett inherited 
the property of his maternal grandfather, and was a 
farmer during his life in the vicinity of his birth. He 
was a deacon and influential member of the Reformed 
Church there, and after living a quiet life, engaged 
in business pursuits, freed from a desire for oflScial posi- 
tion, he died in 1847, aged forty-eight. His wife was 
Sarah, daughter of John P. Bogert, of New York City, 
who died in 1871, aged seventy-three years. Their 
children are two sons, — Abraham S., subject of this 
sketch, and Dr. John B. Burdett, who was graduated at 
the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, 
and has since been a practicing physician in Jersey City. 

Dr. Abraham S. Burdett obtained his preliminary 
education in the private classical school of Kev. John S. 
Mabon, Hackensack, and at a high school in New York ; 
studied medicine with Prof. Lewis A. Sayre, a prominent 
physician and surgeon of New York, and was graduated 
at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in that city 
in 1862. For one year previous to and one year follow- 
ing his graduation he was assistant physician in the 
Kings County Hospital, on Long Island. In 1853 he 
settled at Fort Lee, in his native county, where he re- 
mained in the practice of his profession until 1857, when 
he associated himself with the late Dr. William H. Day, 
of Fairview, and continued his professional relations with 
him until 1860. For three years following he practiced 



medicine on Staten Island, and in 1863 was appointed 
deputy health ofiicer of the port of New York, which 
position he creditably filled until 1867, and then settled 
in Hackensack, where he has since remained in the con- 
tinuous discharge of his professional duties. 

Dr. Burdett is a devoted, judicious, and skillful i>hysi- 
cian, and has the confidence of a large community in the 
surrounding townships to which his ride extends. As a 
citizen he is interested in all that pertains to the welfare 
of the people and to the prosperity of the place where he 
resides. During his thirty years of professional labor 
he has not been an idle student, but kept well read in 
the most successful treatment of disease extant, and be- 
sides has given time and study during leisure hours from 
professional duty to the subject of theology. In 1856, 
Dr. Burdett was licensed to preach in the Methodist 
Episcopal Church ; in 1860 he was ordained deacon, and 
in 1872 he was ordained elder. He is one of the founders 
of the District Medical Society of the County of Bergen, 
has served it as secretary for two years, was its presiding 
otBcer, and has represented the district society in the 
State Medical Society of New Jersey. Dr. Burdett has 
been a member of Pioneer Lodge, No. 70, Hackensack, 
since 1867, and is a member of Crescent Chapter, No. 
220, R. A. M., of New York City. 

His first wife, whom he married in 1854, was Rachel, 
youngest daugh'.er of Henry Burdett and Rachel Scott, 
of Fort Lee, who died in 1870, leaving children, — Sarah 
Louisa, wife of William B. Lomas, of New York, and 
Estelle. His present wife, to whom he was united in 
marriage in 1871, is Mary J., daughter of James and 
Mary L. Curran, of New York, who has borne him the 
following children : Edward Ames, Cora Mary, Charles 
Hasbrouck, Florence Mabel, and Emily. 




^■^BKja^\jj^\j^)AXAnA^ J^ . 



THE MEDICAL PROFESSION IN BERGEN COUNTY. 



117 



tensive practice, to which he devoted himself with 
great assiduity. For ten years he was tlie recognized 
medical attendant in one tliousand families, occupy- 




^(^>^A 



^^' 



U^i 



^^^^. 



ing a medical field ot twenty-five square miles in 
extent. 

Always answering to the call of duty, an immense 
amount of professional labor and responsibility de- 
volved upon him during these years. Finding it de- 
sirable to curtail his professional work, he purchased 
a plot of ground at Tenafly, on the Northern New 
Jersey Railroad, built a fine residence upon it, to 
which he removed, and where he has since resided, 
continuing to the present time actively engaged in 
professional work. 

J. M. S1MP.SON, M.D. — George Simpson, the great- 
grandfather of the subject of this biographical sketch, 
was born in Yorkshire, England, and during the year 
1831 emigrated to Canada, having settled in James- 
town, in the province of Quebec. He married before 
his emigration Miss Mary Foster, of Yorkshire, Eng- 
land, and had children, — George F., Jane, Nancy 
(Mrs. William Steele), Mary (Mrs. David Town), 
Georgianna (Mrs. Robert Smith). Mary, now Mrs. 
David Town, married in early life Mr. Julius Man- 
ning, who died leaving one son, Julius Manning. 
This lad, who is the subject of this biography, on the 
death of his father was adopted by his grandfather, 
George Simjison, of Jamestown, whose name he as- 
sumed. 

Julius was born in Jamestown, Feb. 22, 1839, and 
spent his life until the age of twelve in the province 



of Quebec, Canada. During the year 1851 circum- 
stances occasioned his removal to Fort Edward, Wash- 
ington Co., N. Y., where the residence of his uncle, 
George F. Simpson, became his home. Here he en- 
gaged for a while in agricultural pursuits, and later 
in the occupation of a teacher. After a preparatory 
course of study at the Fort Edward Institute, he de- 
cided upon medicine as a profession most congenial to 
his tastes, and began the study of this science with 
the late James D. Norton, M.D., of Fort Edward. 
Having removed to Saddle River, N. J., in 1863, he 
continued his studies with Dr. S. J. Zabriskie, of that 
place, and graduated at the Bellevue Hospital Medi- 
cal College in March, ISiiti. The same year he came 





-^, 



to Schraalenburgh, and became associated with Dr. 
J. J. Haring in practice, which association continued 
for a period of two years. 

Dr. Simpson was. May 24, 1874, united in marriage 
to Miss Kate A., eldest daughter of Mr. James H. 
Grovesteen, of New York City, to whom three chil- 
dren were born, — Mamie A., who died in childhood ; 
Hattie, aged eight years ; and Willie, who is three 
years of age. 

Tlie doctor is a member of the Bergen County Med- 
ical Society, and has been honored with the oflices of 
both vice-president and president of the association. 
His political views are in harmony with the platform 
of the Republican party, though the demands of a 
growing and successful practice preclude official as- 
pirations, even were they in consonance with his 



118 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



tastes. Dr. Simpson is a consistent member of the 
Reformed (Dutch) Church of Schraalenburgh, and 
one of its most earnest supporters. 

Dr. Hardy M. Baxks. — The ancestors of Dr. 
Banks were of i)ure English descent. His paternal 
grandfatlier, Bciijaniin Banks, was a colonist from 
England, and took up a settlement in North Carolina 
at an early day. Tlic wife of Benjamin Banks was 
Martha Murfree, a si-ster of Col. Hardy Murfree, of 
Revolutionary fame. Col. Murfree held the rank of 
major in the patriot army at the storming of Stony 
Point. He had command of two companies of North 
Carolina troops, and was the second member of the 
assaulting party to enter the fortifications of the 
enemy. 

Hardy M. Banks, son of Benjamin and Martha 
(Murfree ) Banks, was born in North Carolina on Dec. 
18, 1789. He married on Sept. Ifi, ISIU, Martha 
Sketchley, a representative of an English family that 
settled in North Carolina at the opening of the present 
century. She was born on Jan. 11, 1795. Hardy M. 
Banks resided during his life at Murfreesboro', N. C, 
where he was a planter. He belonged to the old type 
of Southern agriculturists, was of an ea.sy and happy 
frame of mind, and enjoyed with a relish the sports 
of the field and brook. He was jjarticularly fond of 
a good horse, and owned many fine specimens of 
horse-flesh in his day. In the community in which 
he lived he occupied a prominent and iiilhiential 
place. He died in 1841. 

Dr. Banks was the youngest of the five children of 
Hardy M. and Martha (Sketchley) Banks, and was 
born on Aug. 9, 1830, at Murfreesboro', N. C. The 
earlier years of his life were ])assed at home, and he 
obtained a thorough English eriucation at the Mur- 
freesboro' .Vcadcmy, and at Buckhorn Academy, a 
famous .school seven miles distant. In 184li he com- 
menced the study of medicine with Dr. James B. 
Gilbert, of Savannah, Ga., with whom he remained 
a year and a half He then entered the office of Dr. 
John F. (iray, a leading homo'opathic physician of 
New York City, and also iittcndcd lectures at tlie 
Me<lical l)ei>artment id' the University of the City of 
New York, from which institution he was grailuated 
in 1849. Not l)eing of age at the time of his gradu- 
ation. Dr. Banks went to Paris in December, 1849, and 
for nearly two years attended the lectures of the 
" Faculty r)f Mc<licine," 8U|iplemcnting his studies 
under private instructors in the liospilal wards and 
at the " Hotel DIeu." While in Paris Dr. Banks was 
particularly fortunate in being able to attend the lec- 
tures of that famous writer on medical therapeutics, 
Dr. Trous-sean ; and although the latter was a pro- 
feswed believer in the palliative treatment of allopathy. 
Dr. HaTiks rlcrivcMl from his lecture's, and from his at- 
tacks on what he called the treatment of disease on 
the "substituted plan," a very decided impression 
that the learned authority was practically a believer 
in that plati, and really a homu-opathist at heart. 



This seemed particularly clear to his mind upon a 
study of the "cases" that Dr. Trousseau used as in- 
stances of cures in his lectures, in which it appeared 
to him that the great majority of the latter had been 
etl'ectcd by substituting a well-defined medicinal dis- 
ea.se for a morbid condition of the system. 

Returning to Now York in 18.'>2, Dr. Banks received 
his dii)loma from the University of the City of New 
York, and at once entered upon the practice of his 
profession in that city. He soon as.sociated him.self 
with Dr. A. D. AVilson, a leading honueopath of New- 
York, with whom he remained until l.^iilO. In the 
summer of that year he located at Englewood, Ber- 
gen Co., N. J., where he hjis continued in uninter- 
rupted and succe.ssful practice since. While engaged 
in practice in New York Dr. Banks paid particular 
attention to surgery, for which, being a skillful anat' 
mist, he had a special taste, and as the head o) 
private clinic of homceopathic physicians perforr 
most of the capital operations for years. His ski' 
the general practice of his profession is best att 
by the large practice that he has enjoyed for a -■ ^ 
of years among the best fatnilies of Englewood un' 
vicinity. He is recognized jis one of the pioneers ii. 
the settlement of the village, and has always been 
identified with the progressive and elevating move- 
ments that have been undertaken in that community. 
Personally he is very popular, and has exerted a wide 
influence in local politics for many years. As presi- 
dent of the Protection Society of the village for five 
years, he held the oflice of justice of the peace. 

Dr. Banks wiu* married .lune 1, ISlil, to Harriet B., 
daughter of Joshua and Cornelia (Wilson) (tilberl, 
of Jersey City. The children are Virginia, Hardy 
Murfree, and Harriet Sketchley. 



riTArTER XXVI. 

Tin: i'Ki:s.< ok nKiuiE.\ coi ntv. 

The Bergen County Democrat.— Previous to isr.o 
several alliMipl> had hiiii made to establish a news- 
paper in Hackensack, but all of them proved abor- 
tive from various causes, chief of which, it seems to 
the writer, may be attributed to the lack of persistent 
cfl^irt, coupled with that umlivided attention to the 
details of a country newspaper which is absolutely 
nece-ssary to success. There was not lacking a field 
in Bergen County for succe.ssful journalism at the 

1 period of which we write. Prominent business men 
evinced their readiness to support a non-partisan 
newspajier, and their |)atronage was freely bestoweil 
on the liiri/in ('oiinti/ Jnuniul. Nevertheless, after 
futile attempts to keep it alive, it went down in IStJl. 
The./'<»r;i'i/was a stock concern, owned by Democrats 
and Republicans in about etpial proportion, .\fter 

1 the closing up of the establishment, C. C. Burr was 





'Lnrctoj t/l/^(/^^iA^ 




^A 





The !Neer familv arc of German extraction, and were | 
first represented in America by Carl Xeer, a former 
resident of Baden, on the Ithine. Soon after his arrival 
he enlisted in the iiriny of the Revolution, and received i 
the commission as orderly sergeant in the famous Black 
Plumed HiUcuuii, where he served with credit, and , 
attained distinction as an expert marksman. 

At the close of the conflict he settled in the town- 
ship of Summit, Schoharie Co., N. Y., and having j 
married a Miss Hydlie, had children, — John, Charles, ! 
Samuel, George, Philip, Elizabeth, Catherine, Lana, i 
and Hannah. Mr. Neer engaged iu agricultural pur- I 
suits on his retirement to civil life, and spent the re- i 
mainder of his days in Schoharie County. His son 
Samuel was born on the homestead June G, 1V90, where 
his life was spent. He was united in marriage to Miss 
Lucinda, daughter of John Morrison, of Livingston 
Manor, on the Hudson, to whom were born twelve chil- 
dren, — David, Charles F., Josephus, Cyrus, John, Henry 
C , Catherine, Sarah, Mary B., Delana, Jane Ann, and i 
Louisa, of whom ten survive. 

Henry C, the youngest of this number and the sub- 
ject of this biographical sketch, was born at Summit, 
the paternal home, Nov. 10, 1838, where the years of 
his boyhood were spent. The public school atforded 
him early though limited advantages of education, and 
his later studies were pursued at the New York Con- 
ference Seminary, at Charlotteville, N. Y. 

At the early age of fifteen he began a career of inde- 



pendence which may be regarded as the precursor of 
future success. Some time was spent in teaching, and 
the profession of medicine having been decided upon, 
he, in 1856, entered the office of his brother David, 
where four years were devoted to study. He then re- 
paired to the medical college at Castleton, Vt., and 
on the 20th of November, 1860, received his diploma 
from the Berkshire Medical Institute, of Pittsfield, 
Mass. 

Dr. Neer soon after chose his native village as a favor- 
able point for the practice of his profession, where he 
remained for five years. 

In 1865 he removed to Pascaok, his present residence, 
where fidelity to the interests of his patients, together 
with a profound knowledge of his profession, readily 
secured for him an extended practice, which is steadilj' 
increasing. Dr. Neer is a member of the Bergen 
County Medical Society, and an honorary member of 
the liockland County Medical Society. He has filled 
the office of president of the former organization. In 
politics the doctor is a Democrat, though not an aspirant 
for official distinction. In religion he espouses the 
creed of the Reformed (Dutch) Church, both himself and 
wife being members of the Pascack Church. Dr. Neer 
was, June 16, 1861, united in marriage to Miss Louisa, 
daughter of Cornelius Terpenning, of Summit, N. Y. 
They have had nine children, — Avis, Sarah E., Corne- 
lius (deceased), Parepa Rosa, Charles S., Josephine 
(deceased), Mary L., Henry Otis, and Axena. 





ydT^/^t^^^^"^ 



THE PKESS OF BERGEN COUNTY. 



119 



invited by prominent Democrats of the county to 
publish a Democratic newspaper at Hackensack upon 
its ruins. Accordingly Mr. Burr assumed the t.isk and 
projected tlie Bi:rgeii Cniiiitij Democrat mid Rochhind 
Cuuiifij Journal in the latter part of the summer of 
1861, the paper being entirely printed in New York. 
Knowing nothing of the important details in the 
publication of a newspaper, however, in a few weeks 
Mr. Burr became involved in difliculties which threat- 
ened the continued existence of the paper. At this 
juncture Mr. Eben Winton, who had but recently 
severed bis connection with a newspaper in Warren 
County, was induced to visit Hackensack upon the 
representation of the late Mr. Jacob Vanatta, that the 
county of Bergen was a good missionary fielil for a 
Democratic organ. Neither were aware at that time 
that Mr. Burr had entered upon the field. The result 
was that Mr. Winton purchased the material of the old 
Journal, made a business connection with Mr. Burr, 
under the name of Burr & Winton, and in October 
of that year the title of Mr. Burr's venture was 
changed, and the first number of the Bergen County 
Democrat and Neu' Jersei/ State liegister was issued 
from the old office of the Juurnal, having been entirely 
printed at home. The concern, however, was finan- 
cially top-heavy, and the result was the partnership 
terminated in March, 1862, and Mr. Winton assumed 
the entire control of the Democrat. Its success was 
almost immediately assured. Its circulation and gen- 
eral business increased from year to year, when, from 
ill health and other causes, Mr. Winton transferred 
his entire interest in the establishment to his son, 
Henry D. Winton, in 1870. Since then the Democrat 
has been doubled from its original size of six columns, 
and with a rapidly-growing constituency it has con- 
tinued to keep pace with the advancing interests of 
the county of Bergen. From the time of its start to 
the present the people of Rockland County, which 
adjoins Bergen County, have given it a liberal sup- 
port, and at present it leads all papers published in 
Bergen or Rockland Counties in point of circulation. 

Henry D. Winton, the subject of this sketch, 
the editor and proprietor of The Bergen County Dem- 
ocrat, published at Hackensack, is descended from a 
family of journalists, representing in himself the 
third generation of his family who have engaged 
actively in journalistic labor and duties. 

He was born Feb. 14, 1848, and in 1863, at the 
early age of fifteen years, he entered the office of the 
Democrat, where by assiduous attention to his duties 
he became a practical, thorough printer. In 1870, a 
young man of twenty-two, he became jiroprietor, and 
assumed control of the journal, which under his judi- 
cious management has steadily grown in influence, 
and as steadily has its circulation been increased and 
extended, ranking it among the most readable, pop- 
ular, and influential weekly journals of the State. 
An independent writer, interested in every work cal- 
culated to promote and enhance the real interests of 



his section, he is, though yet young in years, one of 
Old Bergen's most influential citizens. His ambition 
has ever been to increase the usefulness of his journal, 
over which he presides so ably, and not to secure 
political place or preferment, ever refusing, though 
often urged, to accept office in the county or State ; 
the only exception being in 1880, when he repre- 
sented his congressional district as a delegate in the 
Democratic National Convention at Cincinnati. 

By perseverance and close application to his pro- 
fession ho has made for himself an honorable name 
in the community, and his prominence and popular- 
ity justly entitle him to a place in our biographical 
sketches. 

He was married in 1870 to Miss Annie Lozier, 
daughter of George Lozier, Esq., of Schraalenburgh, 
Bergen Co., and to them have been born four chil- 
dren. 

The Hackensack Republican.— In 1872 an asso- 
ciation was formed for the jiurpose of establishing a 
Republican newspaper in Bergen County. The plan 
of the association contemplated the purchase of an 
existing pa]ier at Hackensack, called Tlie Watclitnan, 
which had been founded by Mr. L. D. Hay, and which 
for several years had maintained a rather feeble and 
precarious existence. Still, it was deemed advisable, 
in order to found such a paper as the Republicans 
desired to represent and advance the interests of 
their party in this section of the State, that the good 
will and i)roperty of T/ie Wnlc/inian should be secured 
and thus a fair field opened for the new enterprise. I'lie 
Watchman was accordingly purchased. The new pa- 
per was issued in September, 1870, under the name of 
The Xeir Jerxei/ Republican. Arnold B. Johnson, chief 
clerk of the Light-house Board, was secured as its 
editor. Mr. Johnson continued to edit the paper till 
the spring of 1874, when he retired from its manage- 
ment and resumed the duties of his former office. 
The association then employed Mr. Hugh M. Her- 
rick, now of the Paterson Guardian, with the' under- 
standing that he should edit the paper until an 
opportunity occurred to transfer it to other parties, 
when he was authorized to dispose of it for the asso- 
ciation. This was effected in the spring of 1875, 
when Messrs. W. H. Bleecker and T. H. Rhodes 
became the ostensible heads of the establishment, 
and Mr. Herrick returned to the Paterson Guardian, 
of which he has since remained one of the editors. 
Mr. Rhodes soon retired from the Republican, and 
Mr. Bleecker conducted it alone until March 14, 1878. 
At the last-menlioned date Mr. Thomas B. Chrystal 
purchased the interest of the establishment, and has 
since continued to be its editor and proprietor. On 
Aug. 12, 1878, he changed the name of the paper to 
TJte Hdckenmck Republican, the name which it still 
bears. The Republican is a good local newspaper ; 
thirty-two columns, twenty-six by forty ; Republican 
in politics, as its name implies, and is issued weekly 
on every Thursday. 



120 



HISTORY' OF BERGKN AND I'ASSAIC COUNTIKS, NKW JERSKY. 



Thomas B. Chrystal. — His grandfather, Bernard 
Chrystal, was a native of New York City, and was 
prominently identified tiiere as an officer of the State 
militia, and died about 1838, leaving four children, — 
John, Jane, Thomas, and Rohert. The mother of 
these childreir died soon after her liusband. 

John, son of Bernard Chrystal, was born in New 
York City in 1819. At the age of twelve, soon after 
the death of his father, being thrown upon his own 
resources for his support, he went to sea, and by his 
earnings not only supported himself, but contributed 
largely to the support of the other children. By his 
integrity and ai)tness for the duties on board a vessel 
he rapidly won his way to the highest official place, 
until for several years before he left the sea lie was 
captain of a vessel and a popular mariner, whose many 
successful voyages to the East Indies and China made 
his name a proverb among shipping merchants. 

At the age of twenty-nine he married Catherine 
Bogardus, whose mother was Martha Cromwell, a lin- 
eal descendant of ( )liver Cromwell, the Protector, who 
bore him children; — Martha J., Thoma.-; B., John O., 
and Margaret. After the death of his wife he mar- 
ried her sister, Elizabeth F. Bogardus, by whom he 
had the following children : Joseph H.. Catherine, 
William H., and Annie E. 

After his first marriage Mr. Chrystal settled in 
Brooklyn, N. Y., and began the manufacture of sails 
for ships in New York City. This business of sail - 
making he continued there successfully as long iis he 
lived. In 1857 he removed to New Rochelle, N. Y., 
and in 1807 to Maywood, Bergen Co., N. J., where he 
resided until his death in May, 1877. 

Thomas B., son of John Chrystal, was horn in 
Brooklyn, Sept. 18, 1852, and from nine to fifteen 
years of age was a student at Belts' Military .\i-ademy, 
at Stamford, Conn. For five years following he was 
a clerk in the store of Colgate & Co., New York City, 
and from 1872 to 1877 he was the traveling salesman 
for Ernest Thoraa, a jeweler in the same city. 

The sudden demise of his father necessitated the 
withdrawal of Mr. Chrystal from active commercial 
vocations, his time being occujiied with business mat- 
ters connected with the estate; and the following 
year, March 14, 1878, he purchased The New Jertey 
RcjiuhlUan, a weekly newspaper, published at Hack- 
ensack, then having a quite limiteil circulation, and 
the following fall rhaMgcd its name to The llnrkensuck 
Hi/iii/i/irtin. This paper he h:Ls since conducted, 
has largely increased its I'ircuhilion, and through it 
wielded a salutary influence throughout the Repub- 
lican party of the county, at all times giving due def- 
erence to the opinions of his opponents representing 
other political factiims. 

Mr. Chrystal is ayoung man of great perseverance, 
and although he hiLs only been connected with the 
newspaper business for a few years, he has rapidly 
risen in favor with tlio editorial fraternity and the 
reading public a.s the sole proprietor of The Hark- 



ensaci Republican, one of the best-known journals 
published in the State. 

Mr. Chrystal was married Oct. 22, 1870, to Kate 
M., daughter of Capt. S. Lozier, of Hackensack, by 
whom he has one sun. 

The Berg's!! l!idex was established at Hackensack, 
as a weekly pai>er, Feb. 27, 1875. by William N. Clapp, 
who conducted it till May 23, 1877. His brother, Mr. 
S. E. Clapp, then assumed the publication and editor- 
ship, and continued it as a weekly paper till Nov. 12, 
1878, when he changed it to a semi-weekly. The 
size of the paper is twenty-two by thirty, twenty-four 
columns; it is independent, and devoted to local 
interests. 

The Englewood Ti!nes was started by its present 
proprietor, Mr. Eben Winton, in March, 1874. It 
was the intention of its founder to make it a strictly 
first-cla.ss local newspaper, without partisan bias or 
affiliation. This idea liiLs been system.-ilically carried 
out. Although the field of its operations was very 
limited, and consequently not very promising, the 
Timeg soon became a general favorite among all 
classes in the community. In view of the fact that 
Mr. Winton is an old and experienced journalist, it 
has been no difficult matter to suceessfuily maintain 
that position. Indeed, the measure of its future ])ros- 
perity is oidy limited by the growth of the population 
of Englewood and its vicinity. 

The Berget! Coui!ty Herald' was first issued in 
1871, iiijilcr the :iii-.|iic('> :iiiil management of Mr. 
Henry (ierecke, of Carlstadt, and mainly devote<l to 
the interests of the various " land societies," vereins, 
and organizations of a similar character in the town- 
ship and vicinity. The publication remained under 
his control until 1873, when it jiassed into the hands 
of a company consisting of Hon. Charles H. Voohris, 
Henry Kip, .lohn Bartholph. and .lacob P. Wester- 
velt. With this change its columns were devoted 
principally to the interests of the Republican party. 
In .\pril, 1875, it was purcha.sed by Messrs. Haywood 
and liookstaver. The latter gentleman wiis also asso- 
ciated with the Xcw York Trihunr, and his laborious 
duties in connection with the latter publication com- 
pelled his withdrawal from the firm in 187(i, since 
which time Mr. Haywood has been sole owner. The 
HeriiM is conducted upon the ba.sisof an independent 
journal with a decided Democratic bias. Under the 
present numagemeiit it has met with lair success, and 
as a family paper is deservedly popular. 



CIl A I'TKK X X \' i I. 

TIIK SURPLUS REVENUK— SCHOOL FUND. 

In 1837 the Legislature of New Jersey passetl an 
act appropriating the surplus revenue of the general 
government for school purposes in the several coun- 

< t'liion liiwiiMtilp. 



THE SURPLUS REVENUE— SCHOOL FUND. 



121 



ties of the State, placing the several amounts appor- 
tioned to the counties under the management of the 
respective boards of chosen freeholders. Upon the 
passage of the law the collector of Bergen County re- 
ceived from the State treasurer the followijig notifi- 
cation : 

"New Jersey Treasury Office, 
"Trenton, March 20, 1837. 
" Andrew P. Hopper, Esy., Collector of the County of Bergeo : 

*'SiR, — By Hn act of the Logishiture of the State of New Jersey, enti- 
tled 'An Act making provision for the ileposit and distribution of so 
much of the surplus revenue of the United States as now is or may here- 
after be apportioned and received by this State,' it is made my duty aa 
treasurer of the State to notify the collectors of the several counties of 
thie State of the sums apportioned to each county respectively. In com- 
pliance with f>aid act, I hereby notify you that the sum apportioned to 
the county uf Bergen is $16,566.88. I alsff send herewith a form of the 
pledge of the county, to be signed by the director of the Board of Chosen 
Freeholders, provided they elect to receive the same. 

''Jacob Kline, Treasnrcr." 

Andrew P. Hopper was appointed by the board to 
" fill out the pledge and transmit the same to the Gov- 
ernor, treasurer, and Speaker of tii£ House of Assem- 
bly Avithout delay." At the adjourned meeting on 
the 19th of May, 1837, a committee appointed to 
draft resolutions concerning the surplus revenue 
fund, consisting of Messrs. Gregory, Sip, and Kipp, 
reported the following : 

" Resolved, That tlie surplus money now received be loaned out by the 
whole board. 

" Ee^olved^ Thai the offer of loaning the same be made first to the in- 
)iabitauts of the several townships in proportion to their quota of State 
tax, provided that application be made for the same according to the 
terms and time required by tlie board. 

*' Resflveil. Tliat no incorporated company shall receive any loan in 
their corporate capacity without security upon real estate to tlie amount 
specified below. 

" Hesolved, That all loaning be made on bond and mortgage, and the 
real estate proposed to be mortgaged be worth at least double the amount 
to be loaned. 

'•That certificates from at least three respectable freeholders residing 
in the neighborhood of the property offered for security, having no in- 
terest therein, giving their opinion of the value thereof, and also a certi- 
ficate from the county clerk certifying that there are no prior judg- 
ments or mortgages, to be delivered by the applicant. 

"That the expense of recording the mortgages for the money loaned 
by the board, and fur every necessary search, be paid by the person to 
whom tlie loan is to be made. 

" That the amount to be loaned be in sums of not less than $500, nor 
above S iOOO. 

"That the loans shall be made at lawful interest, payable on the let 
of May in each year, and for no lunger jieriod than one year." 

Due notice was given throughout the county by the 
posting of hand-bills that on Friday, the 26th day of 
May, the board would be ready to meet applicants 
who should come properly prepared to make loans. 

A rejiort made to the board on the 2d day of May, 
1S38, showed that the sum of $41,182.14, surplus rev- 
enue, had been received from the State treasurer, 
and that the same had been loaned out in various 
sums through the county. The interest on this money 
has been collected annually on the 1st of May and 
devoted to the support of public schools. 

Upon the division of the county the following 
adjustment was made of the surplus revenue : 



"Statement made in pursuance of the 24tli section of the act to create 
the county of Hudson, passed Feb. 22, 1840. Division of surplus revenue 
between the counties of Bergen and Hudson. The quota of said revenue 
to the county of Bergen was made on the State tax of 183G. The aniouat 
of said quota is $41,147.82. It is presumed that the division is to be 
niadf oil till' amount of State and county tax for 1836. 

" The following exhibits the tax for 1836 in Bergen County for State 
and county purposes: 

TOWNSHIPS. STATE TAX. COUNTY TAX. TOTAU 

Bergen, inchiding Jersey City 8G64.75 S1047.44 ?1712.16 

Lodi 2.V2.40 658.65 911.05 

Saddle River 324.34 875.57 1199.91 

Hackensack 267.90 830.65 1098.55 

Harrington 346.12 1127.44 1473.56 

Franklin 292.57 874.18 1166.75 

New Barbndoes 201.82 457.80 659.62 

Pompton 142.84 381.54 524.68 

West Mitford 147.35 376.43 523.78 



82640.06 S6630.0O 



;7( .06 



"Before the division of the sni-plus revenue took place a part of the 
county of Bt-rgen was annexed to the county of Passaic, and the follow- 
ing sums are to be deducted therefor: 

TOWNSHIPS, STATE TAX. COUNTY TAX. TOTAL. 

West Milford $147.35 $:J76.4:i S525.78 

Pompton 142.84 381.84 524.68 

Saddle River (part) 200.00 540.00 740.00 



S490.19 $1298-27 $1788.46 



Leaving Bergen County, 1836 $2149.87 $5331.73 S74S1.60 

"On the sum of S2149.87 of State tax the county of Bergen received 
of surplus revenue the sum of ^1,147.82, and this sum is to be divided 
on $7481.60 of State and county tax for 1836 between Bergen and Hud- 
sou Counties. 

"The county of Hudson is ereqted entirely from Bergen County, 
taking therefrom the whole of the townships of Bergen and Jersey City, 
and a part of Lodi under the name of Harrison. Jereey City was made 
a separate township in 1838, and taken entirely from the township of 
Bergen. To ascertain the tax of 1836 paid in Harrison for 1836 it has 
been assumed that the ratio ought to be 35^^^ for Harrison is to 25 for 
Lodi, making the division 60f^'^B. 

"The tax of 1836 (State and county) paid by the township 

of Bergen was $1712.16 

"Same by the township of Lodi 911.05 



Total $2623.21 

" Deduct for that portion of Lodi remaining in the county 

uf Bergen (25 in 60.75) 375.00 

"Which leaves as the proportion of State and county tax 
for 1830 paid in the new county of Hudson 2248.21 

"Then as Bergen County divided on $7482 of surplus revenue 
$41,148, what is the proportion to the county of Hudson 
on $2248? Answer 12,303.00 

" From which is to be deducted the amount of said revenue 
paid over by the county of Bergen to Jersey City in pur- 
suance of the 13th section of the act to incorporate Jereey 
City, passed Feb. 22, 1838, divided on the basis of State 
and county tax of 1838, being of principal ;3556.47 

" Leaves an amount of principal to be set over by the chosen 
freeholders of Bergen County to the treasurer of the 
State for the county of Hudson 8806.53 

"The mt creating the county of Hudson contemplates the payment 
also of the quota of interest due thereon, after deducting all expense 
accruing against it. As the money has been loaned out on interest pay- 
able on the Ifit of May, yearly, it has been deemed proper to make com- 
putation to the 1st of May, 1840. 

" It appears that there is a balance of interest in arrears 
due May 1, 1839, of. $886.01 

" Add one year's interest on $37,591.33, on loan by the county 
of Bergen {having deducted the Jersey City quota of 
S:i556.47 from the amount originally accrued of $41,147.82).. 2255.50 

" Total interest due 1st May, 1840 3041.51 

"The expenses to be charged against the interest is found 

to be 298.44 

A fraction less thau one per cent. 

"Leaving off interest to be divided, $2843.07; the propor- 
tion thereof to be paid over to the county of Hudson be- 
ing then $37,591, producing $2843 (the proportion on 
$8806), is $066.00. 



122 



HISTORY OF BKRGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES. NEW JERSEY. 



■Raralt: 

■Principal due Hndaon Oonntjr iUj 1, 1840 8806.63 

■iDterett " " '■ " " «C«00 



' From wliich is to be deducted llie expense attending the 
transfer thereof to treiuurer, which is 



$9472.53 
SI2.26 



$9460.38 
" It is proixT to note in this place that Jereey City, hiivinK receivwi its 
- ^uota of princii>ai, and collected tlio interest for itself, the income of the 
amount of principal to l»e in hands of the clioeen freeholders of Hudson 
County is to be divided to the townshipt of Bergen and Harrison ex- 
clusively. 
" Approved by the Board of Chosen Freeholders, May 6, 1840. 

".\LIIKIIT G. DoRKMfS, i>ir<fWor. 

■' D. D. DEMARr.ST, Clerk." 

Tlie first apportionment of the school fund of the 
State was made to Bergen County by the trustees in 
IS.Sl.'and consisted of $1299.02. Renjaniin Ziibris- 
kie and Cornelius Van Winkle were ai)pointed a 
committee of tlie board of cho.sen freeholders to ap- 
portion the amount among the several townships. 
They apportioned it as follows : 



Bergen $214.50 

Lodi 10(1.38 

Saddle River 1B«.19 

NewBarbadoes 9410 



Hackcnsack 8142.04 

Hjirrington 226.^.1 

Franklin l«l.i.'> 

Poniplon 163.6.5 



The same amount was apportioned in 1832, in the 
same manner, by Garret Ackerson and Abel I. Smith, 
committee, and continued the same each until 1837. 

In 1837 the school fund for the county was $1615.50, 
apportioned among the townships as follows: 

Bergen .J124 12 Harrington *)38.10 

Jersey City 250.13 Franklin 261.74 

Hackensack 25n.l8 New Barbadoee 142,28 

Lodi - 178.24 Saddle River 73.51 

After the division of the county in 1840 the amount 
apportioned from the .school fund wa.s .*1000..")0, di- 
vided among the townships as follows, and so remained 
until the new school api>ropriation was made: 



New Ilarliadoca 8138.09 

Lodi 60.45 

Saddle River „ 52.41 

Hackensack 234.09 



Kmnklin 8216.02 

Wiiahiligton 174.09 

Harrington 118.75 



Lodi _ 8164.40 

Hackensack 174.50 

Franklin 190..')n 

Saddle River wi.OB 



The interest on the surplus revenue began to be 
available for school purposes May I, 1838. The sum 
of .^14110 had then accrued, an<l was divided among 
the townshiim as follows : 



Harrington..... 8225.36 

.New Barbadoee .' 131.40 

llergen 298.70 

Jersey City 131.12 



At this date a balance of interest waa due on the 
fund loaned out of $728.45. 

In 1839 the interest on the fund amounted to 
$2655.38. In 1840 the interest was $;ill2.(i5. 



CM .\ I'TKK X X V I II. 

80CIETIRS .\NI> I.NCOIU'OllATKI) COMPANIES OF 

IIKIIIIKN f'lil'NTV. 

The Bergen County Bible Society.— At a meeting 
held in the Reformed Dutch Church of Hackensack, 

< t'nder art |>aM«d Feb. 16, 18.31. 



June 16, 1847, for the purpose of considering the 

practicability of forming a Bible Society for the county 
of Bergen, Rev. H. II. Warren was called to tlie chair, 
and Cornelius Blauvclt wili chosen secretary. The 
meeting adjourned to the first day of July, at which 
date an organization was ettected and the following 
officers chosen : Rev. W. Kiting, D.D., president ; 
Revs. Barnabas V. Collins and John Mauley, vice- 
presidents; Christian De Baun, secretary ; and A. O. 
Zabriskie, treasurer. Executive Committee, Rev. A. 
H. Warner, Henry H. Banta, Peter Westervelt, Jr., 
Jacob Van Buskirk, Andrew H. Ilojiper, Edward B. 
Force, Robert Rennie. 

The society has been from its organization an 
effective au.xiliary of the .\merican Bible Society, and 
has worked in co-operation with the parent in.stitution. 
The custom has prevailed of having occasional ser- 
mons preached at the annual meetings, frequent 
meetings of the executive committee to devise and 
carry out plans of work, and agents or colporteurs to 
thoroughly canvass every portion of the territory. 
These, with encouraging reports rendered from time 
to time, and often published in the newspapers of the 
county, have kept alive an active interest in the cause 
and dirtused it widely among all Christian deuomina- 
tions. It has been an anti-sectarian organization, and 
one devoted i)urely to the disseminatifin of the sacred 
scriptures. 

The first anniversary of the society was held at tlie 
North Dutch Church in Schraalenburgh, March 14, 
1848. Dr. Elting was re-elected president, and Chris- 
tian -De Baun, secretary. .Vgents were ap|>ointed to 
canvass the different townships, and Bibles were 
obtained from the parent society. The colporteurs 
reported the first year 1859 famili&s visited, $;^ti(i.75 
worth of books sold, $20.00 worth gratuitously ilis- 
tributed, $102,36 collected from contributions, 73 
destitute families supplied, and $392,75 |)aid for 
Bibles and Testaments, 

At the secoinl anniversary, held in Hackensack, 
Feb, H, 1849, Rev, John M, Me.Vuley |>reached the 
occasional sermon. Rev. S. Irn-nus Prime, one of 
the secretaries of the American Bible Society, ivius 
present and delivered an able address. Rev. Dr, 
Elting was re-elected (iresident, and Cliristian I)e 
Baun, secretary. The meeting was largely attended, 
and the exercises unusually interesting. We cannot 
follow through all the minutes of proceedings in de- 
tail, and shall only attempt to give such items as 
will illustrate the workings of the society at several 
interesting periods of its history, and a few extracts 
from its reports. 

The sixteenth anniversary of the society was held 
in the Reformed Dutch Church at Raniapo, on Tues- 
day, Oct, 21, 1861, The president. Rev, William 
Demarcst, occupied the chair, and the opening prayer 
wim offered by Rev, J, T. Deinarest, 1),D, Reports 
were presentcii and read from the executive com- 
mittee, the treasurer, and the depositary. 



SOCIETIES AND INCORPORATED COMPANIES OF BERGEN COUNTY. 



123 



Rev. Dr. W. J. R. Taylor, one of the secretaries of 
the American Bible Society, was present, and made 
an interwting address, embodying the general facts 
respecting the working of the parent society, going 
to show tlie prodigious amount of work done by that 
institution and the large and pressing claims upon it. 
The thanks of the society were voted to Dr. Taylor 
for "his presence and his very interesting and ac- 
ceptable address." 

Rev. Dr. George Sheldon, State agent for the Ameri- 
can Bible Society, spoke of the work in the State, and 
particularly of tlie Bibles prepared especially for dis- 
tribution among the New Jersey soldiers in the field. 

This Bible, a copy of which was shown by Dr. 
Sheldon, is of a style and binding superior to that 
of the Bibles with which the soldiers of other States 
are supplied. At the conclusion of Dr. Sheldon's 
remarks the following resolution was adopted : 

*' Remlvetl, That this society has heard with mucli interest t lie state- 
meuts of Eev. Dr. Sheldou with regard to the supply of New Jersey 
troops with copies of tiie New Testament, especially with regard to the 
supply of the troops from this couuty, and that the society pledges its 
support to the parent society in all the expenses incurred in behalf of 
the Bergen County volunteers." 

The following were chosen as the executive com- 
mittee for the ensuing year : Rev. W. R. Gordon, D.D., 
Rev. A. H. Warner, Rev. S. M. Stiles, Rev. A. B. 
Taylor, Paul R. Paulison, Peter R. Terhune, Wil- 
liam Williams. The treasurer and secretary are ex 
officio members of the committee. 

Officers of the society were chosen as follows : Pres- 
ident, Rev. Ephraim Deyoe ; Vice-Presidents, Rev. 
John T. Demarest, D.D., and Rev. William Dema- 
rest; Treasurer, Rev. John A. Parsons; Secretary, 
Rev. James Demarest, Jr. 

The treasurer reported $222.,38 in the treasury. 

In June, 1S6.3, the society was reported a-s well sus- 
tained, clergymen and a large number of leading citi- 
zens bearing a part in its affairs. The receipts during 
the fiscal year were §577.71. 

By a report made in June, 1865, it appears that 
7595 soldiers' New Testaments had been distributed 
to the volunteers from New Jersey during the war. 
Twenty-one county Bible Societies existed at that 
time in the State. These societies, during the year 
ending .\pril 1, 1865, contributed to the funds of the 
American Bible Society the sum of S23,010.41. The 
Bergen County Bible Society is reported this year "in 
a vigorous condition," and its receipts were S513.51. 

During the year 1867 the executive committee 
had the couuty canvassed, in order to ascertain the 
families, if any, destitute of the Scriptures. Nearly 
five hundred families were found without the Bible 
in their houses, and measures were taken accordingly 
to supply them. 

The twenty-first anniversary of the society was held 
at tlie Reformed Dutch Church in Paramus on the 
8th of October, 1867. 

The annual meetiug in 1868 was held at the Re- 



formed Church in Ramapo on the second Tuesday in 
October. 

The annual meeting for 1870 was held at the Pres- 
byterian Church in Englewood, beginning on Tues- 
day, October 11th. During the year the hotels in the 
county and the sailing-vessels on the Hackensack 
River were supplied with Bibles, at a cost of $217.91. 

In 1872 the annual meeting was held at the Re- 
formed Church in Ridgefield, beginning on the 8th of 
October, at half-past two o'clock. The house was well 
filled. On application, a grant was made of fifty 
Bibles for the use of the chajilain of the State prison 
at Trenton. The treasurer reported having received 
for the year $850.55. It was resolved to meet the 
next year at the Presbyterian Church in Rutherford 
Park. The officers chosen for the ensuing year were: 
President, Rev. Dr. Gordon ; Vice-Presidents, Rev. 
Mr. Craig and Rev. Mr. Johnson ; Secretary, Rev. 
T. B. Romeyn ; Treasurer, Mr. William Williams; 
Executive Committee, Rev. John Coyle, Dr. Burdett, 
David Brower, Paul Paulison, R. W. Farr, James 
Vanderbeck, David Bogert. 

The donations made to the society annually since 
1876 have been as follows ; 1877, 1464.57 ; 1878, S576.77 ; 
1879, .1*2575 ; 1880, $610.92. In 1879 the late Mrs. C. 
Fredericks, of Hackensack, made in her will a be- 
quest to the society of S2000. 

The society was incorporated under the general law 
of the State, Oct. 8, 1877. 

The following statement respecting the county dis- 
tribution and the proportion of each township is taken 
from the treasurer's report for 1880: 

ToTAi. .Amount of Cou.vty Distribution. 

Townships. Bibles. Tests. Vols. Value. 

New Barbadoes 80 66 l;i6 S17.90 

Union lot 4.50 

Midland 711 IS 97 26.90 

Lodi 7 II 18 9.10 

Englewood 70 19 89 33.88 

Harrington 4 17 'il 4.10 

Washington 6 6 12 1,80 

Franklin 20 (J 20 11-.50 

RidgeBeld 16 u 10 10.0.5 

Saddle River 51 52 26.20 

Hohokus 24 24 10.60 

Total 358 127 485 $186.63 

The present officers are : President, Rev. E. A. Bulk- 
ley, D.D., Rutherford ; Vice-Presidents, Rev. J. C. 
Van Deventer, Paramus ; Rev. J. G. Johnson, En- 
glewood ; Secretary, Rev. E. M. Garten ; Treasurer, 
Prof. William Williams, Hackensack ; Executive 
Committee, Rev. T. B. Romeyn, Hackensack; Judge 
H. H. Voorhis, Spring Valley ; Hon. J. A. Demarest, 
River Edge ; James Van Derbeck, Esq., Englewood ; 
Judge William E. Skinner, Hackensack; Hon. Isaac 
Wortendyke, Midland Park. 

Bergen County Sunday-School Association. — 
This organization was formed in 1867, and has been 
largely participated in by clergymen and Sunday- 
school workers throughout the county. To show the 
manner of conducting the meetings of the association, 
as well as its general object and spirit, we will take one 



124 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEy. 



of the reports, say thatof tbe annual meeting for 1872, j 
held in tiie Presbyterian Ciiurch at Englewood. 

Tlie inorniiigs&ssion wasopened at9.4o with a prayer 
service by the president, followed by Revs. H. M. 
Booth, J. Coyle, and Mr. Peters. The opening hymn 
of praise was then sung, and at its conclusion the 
county secretary, Mr. Williams, submitted his report. 

He alluded at length to the aims and objects of the 
association: "To engender more activity in pastors, 
superintendents, parents, and teachers in the Sunday- 
school work ; to arouse teachers to the absolute neces- 
sity of more earnest study of the great truths of the 
Bible, convincing them that our schools never can 
accomplish the great end for which they were designed 
until the teachers themselves are better qualified to 
impart the information that the children require. 
Therefore, we contend that to make the Sabbath- 
schools of our county successful we must have co-op- 
erative action ; we must come together in conference 
and instruct each other, trying to do good, and willing 
to communicate." He had visited thirty schoolsduring 
the past year, and was happy to announce that the de- 
sire for the information needed in Sunday-schools was 
earnestly sought for. He alluded to the want of uni- 
formity, and urged, with the greatest emphasis, the 
adoption of a Cougnian's series of lessons for the whole 
county. After pointing out other easily remedied 
errors and omissions, and giving profitable advice re- i 
specting them, Mr. Williams said he had received ; 
reports from seven of the township secretaries. These ! 
reports gave the statistics of 34 schools, leaving 2fl 
to be heard from, the whole number in the county 
beingC3. Thenumberof school officers, 115; teachers, 
408, of whom 323 were church-members ; number of 
scholars, 3019 (112of these church-members) ; number 
of hopeful conversions, .')2; volumes in the library, 
9380 ; copies of |)apers distributed, 27S7 ; amcmnt ex- 
pended for sustaining .schools, l?31."i.'i.lil> ; for benevo- 
lent purposes, $.3(i89.25, one school alone jiaying $l.")Oil 
of this amount. Teachers' meetings had been held in 
14 schools, and 27 had kept open during the whole 
year. 

Mr. Williams concluded his interesting report by 
exhorting the a.ss(icialion "to continue the noble work 
with greater energy, more al>iding faith, and a firmer 
resolve than ever." Special addresses were made on 
such subjects as the following : " Our Sunday-school 
Work, its Successes, its Probabilities, and its De- 
mands," by Rev. H. M. Booth; "The Earnest 
Teacher," by Amirew A. Smith, Tvs(|. ; "Co-operative 
Work in the Sunday-.school," by W. II. Sutton, V,si\. ; 
" The iMiniily and the Sunday-school," by l")r. C. S. 
Kobinson ; " Christian Work by Laymen," by Rev. 
Dr. Wi.se, etc. One hour in the morning was devoted 
to " Illustrative Teaching," and an interesting feature 
in the afternoon was the opening of the "(Question 
Drawer." 

Tile presidents of the ajwociation have been as fol- 
lows: William Williams, Esq., was elected first presi- 



dent. He remained in office two years. Judge Thomas 
Gumming Wius elected Sept. 13, 1870; Benson Van 
Vliet, Sept. 12, 1871, re-elected Nov. 7, 1872; Rev. J. 
A. Lippincott, Nov. 6, 1873; Rev. Henry Mattice, 
Nov. 5, 1874 ; William G. Vermilye, Oct! 15, 1875 ; 
Rev. Goyn Talmage, Oct. 3, 1876; Rev. J. W. Mar- 
shall, Nov. 1, 1877; Rev. D. Thomas MacClyraont, 
Nov. 7, 1878 ; Rev. H. M. Booth, D.D., Nov. (5, 1S79; 
Rev. Peter V. Van Huskirk, Nov. 4, 1880. 

Prof William Williams has been secretary of the 
association since its organization in 1867, and has 
been one of the most active workers in the cause. 

The county is divided into three districts, the first 
being that portion lying between the Hudson River 
and the Hackensack, comprising the townships of 
Ridgefield, Englewood, Palisade, and Harrington ; the 
second being that portion lying between Hackensack 
and Saddle Rivers, comprising the townships of I'nion, 
Lodi, New Barbadoes, Midland, and Washington; the 
third being the territory between Saddle River and 
the Pa.ssaic, comprising Saddle River, Ridgewood, 
Franklin, and Ilohokus townships. The vice-presi- 
dents of the association are ex officio presidents of their 
respective districts, one being elected for each an- 
nually, and they preside over their several district 
nieetiugs, one or more of which is held in each ilis- 
trict each year. In addition to this it is the purpose 
of the association to organize the townships into au.\- 
iliary and co-operative bodies. The vice-presidents 
or ex officio presidents of the districts for the year 
1881 are S. M. Riker, Esq., Eastern Division ; John 
A. Demarest, Central ; Hon. Isaac Wortendyke, 
Western. 

Each township has a secretary, elected by the as- 
sociation at each annual meeting; whose duty it is t<> 
furnish statistics in a report each year to the county 
secretary, who makes his report annually to the sec- 
retary of the State association. Thus a volume of 
valuable .statistics on Sunday-schools throughout the 
State is c<mstantly accumulating. 

Since the suggestion made by Secretary Williams 
in his report for 1S72 favoring uniform lessons for the 
whole county, that practice has gradually been gain- 
ing acceptance, an<l the time is not far distant when 
all the children in the Sunday-schools of the county 
will be studying and reciting the same lessons. The 
secretary says in his report for 1880, "The Inter- 
national Series of Sunday-school Lessons may be 
found now in almost every school in the county, and 
I am glad to notice the beneficial n-sults enuinating 
from this method of study." 

We learn from the last report of the secretary that 
this a.ssociation since its organization kept steadily 
on its way, without the intermission of a single meet- 
ing. It has been constantly increasing in usefulness, 
so that Sunday-school work in the county will now 
compare tiivorably with that in any other county of 
the State. It ajqiears from the report of 1880 that 
the number of schools in the county is 89, of which 



SOCIETIES AND INCORPORATED COMPANIES OF BERGEN COUNTY. 



125 



58 made a report ; number of officers, 254 ; teachers, 
624; average attendance of officers and teachers, 640; 
number of teachers church-members, 559 ; number of 
scholars, including primary classes, 5121 ; average 
attendance of scholars, 3319 ; number of scholars 
church-members, 472 ; number of primary schools, 
1176 ; number of conversions or confirmations, 76 ; 
amount contributed for State and county associations, 
$73; o2 schools keep open all the year, and 27 have 
regular teachers' meetings. 

The Bergen County Farmers' Mutual Fire In- 
surance Company. — This institution is located at 
Spring Valley, Bergen Co., N. J. It was incorpo- 
rated May 1, 1849, by the following-named persons, 
viz. : Jacob Van Buskirk, Nicholas C. Durie, Charles 
Hasbrouck, Benjamin Z. Van Emburgh, David A. G. 
Demarest, John G. Demarest, Isaac D. Demarest, 
Garret S. Demarest, Henry N. Voorhis, George T. 
Brickell, Garrett A. Eckerson, Henry H. Voorhis, Jr., 
John Ackerman, Jr. 

The company was organized with Garrett S. Dema- 
rest as president, and Henry H. Voorhis as secretary. 
These gentlemen have occupied these positions re- 
spectively ever since, a period of thirty-two years. 

The plan of insurance adopted by this company is 
set forth in Section 5 of the charter, as follows : 

"5. And be it etmcted^ That every persun who shall become a member 
of sail! company by effecting insurance therein shall, before he receives 
his policy, deposit his promissory note for such a sum of money as shall 
be cietermineil by the directors to be the premium for said insurance, and 
an amount not exceeding thirty per ceutum on the amount of such pre- 
mium shall be immediately paid ; and the said dei>osit note shall be pay- 
able, in part or the whole, at any time when the directors shall deem the 
same requisite for the payment of loss or damage by fire, and such ex- 
penses as shall be necessary for transacting the business fur said com- 
pany ; but no member shall be held liable beyond the amount of his, her, 
or their promissory note; and at the exjiiration of the term of insurance 
the said note, or such part of the same as shall remain unpaid, after de- 
ducting a just and fair proportion of all losses and expenses occurring 
during said term, shall be relinquished and given up to the maker thereof; 
and it shall be lawful for said corporation to loan such portion of their 
money in hand as may not be immediately wanted for the purposes of 
said corporation." 

This portion of the charter was amended Feb. 11, 
1864, so that cash payments can be substituted for the 
premium notes. By this amendment the time of the 
charter — limited at first to twenty years — was ex- 
tended for thirty years from May 1, 1869. 

We give the following statistics from the report of 
the proceedings of the company from May 1, 1849, to 
May 1, 1881, thirty-two years: 



The whole amount of cash premium received since the for- 
mation of the company is 8133,030.49 

The interest received on the same ia 13,798.26 

Cash, premium and interest, accruing from same is 8146,828.75 

Of which there has been paid for current expenses $33,421.67 

Loss and damage done by fire 88,660.40 

122,082.07 

Surplus in hand S24,746.68 

The current expenses have been as follows, viz. : 
9 



For printers' bills, reports, and advertisements $3,008.59 

" books 329.29 

" postage, stationery, and other expenses G73.19 

" counsel fees 20.00 

" counterfeit bills * 26.30 

" policies canceled not collected 5,543.15 

" paid for re-insurance 946.88 

" taxes 3,008.64 

'* costs in cases of arbitration 78.81 

" safe for oflice 965.00 

" oflice furniture 99.78 

" compensation of oflicers 18,617.04 

" Secretary of State, fees on annual report 105.00 



Total $33,421.67 

Aiuouuts of LoSK$ Paid in the diff'erent Townships in the Counties of Bergen^ 
Passtiii; Essex, Somerset, Morris, Sussex, and Hudson, in tfie Stale of New 
Jersey, and in the County of Rockland, in tlie SOtte of New York. 

Bergen Countt. 
Townships. 

New Barbadoes 12 fires 55,277.40 

Hackensack 7 " 2,798.17 

HarringtO[i 14 " 7,746.05 

Washington 21 " 7,752.19 

Hohokus 9 " 4,770.00 

Franklin 20 " 8,577.99 

Saddle River 9 " 6,840.00 

Lodi 10 •' 7,573.89 

Union 1 fire 34.38 

Midland 8 fires 4,804.91 

Palisades 1 fire 135.72 

Englewood 1 " 1,800.00 

Kidgewood 3 fires 2,408.50 



Passaic County. 
Townships. 

Wayne 10 fires 

Manchester 5 " 

Pompton 7 " 

West Milford 4 " 

Acquackanonk 5 " 

Paterson 7 " 

Little Falls 1 fire 

Passaic 



, $3,858.64 
1,742.50 
1,404.00 
2,509.49 
1,230.54 
3,834.77 
500.00 



$60,518.20 



Toivnship. 
South Orange 1 fire.. 



3 fires 1,500.00 

Essex County. 



Somerset County. 
Toivnship. 
Union Village 1 fire 



$200.00 



. $2,100.00 



Morris County. 
Townships. 

Chatham 3 firea 

Montville 3 " 



SusSE.x County. 
Toionship. 
Vernon 4 fires 



$1,203.82 



Hudson County. 
Township. 
North Bergen 1 fire 



Rockland County, N. T. 
Townships. 

Ramapo 2 fires 

Orangetown 7 ** 

Clarkstown 1 fire 



$72.00 



$1,800 00 

5,302.50 

.50 00 



$16,588.94 



$200.0 



$2,100.00 



$824.94 



$1,202.82 



$72.00 



87,152.50 

$88,660.40 

Statement of the .imount of Capital in Premium Notes and Cash in hand, 
and the Amount at risk at the end of each year. 



Prem. Notes. 

1850— May 1 $5,128.26 

1851 " 6,776.38 

1S52 •' 8,569.69 

1853 " 9,810.81 

1854 " 17,071.47 

1855 " 21,904.80 

1856 " 23,793.86 

1857 " 25,421.16 

1868 " 27,776.95 

1869 " 32,768.42 

1860 " 34,954.72 

1861 " 37,415.07 



Cash. Risks. 

$1,413.16 $409,666.00 

l,73i.OS 527,704.00 

2,696.88 661,030.00 

2,323.77 753,227.00 

3,627.40 1,213,920.10 

6,917.06 1,411,764.00 

6,916.72 1,497,722.00 

5,581.92 1,569,957.00 

5,011.29 1,659,677.00 

4,389.74 1,758,928.00 

7,195.83 1,732,357.00 

8,096.03 1,800,858.00 



126 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Prem. Notn. Gush. Rislu. 

1862— May 1 _ $39,100.00 88,186.87 Sl,842,.V2O.0O 

18«3 " 39,858.47 7,632.44 1,871,500.00 

1864 " 39,924.70 10^69.03 1,874,240.00 

18»5 •' 39,218.96 12,547.98 1,844,720.00 

188« " 41,764.29 13,444.01 1,957,516.00 

1867 " 45,356.88 14,257.W 2,077,193.00 

1868 " 51,629.00 16,015.37 2,264,641.00 

1869 '■ 58,870.52 19,319.31 2,466,462.00 

1870 " 70,359.11 23,893.75 2,842,522.00 

1871 " 79,951.42 23,810.70 3,116,950.00 

1872 " 93,098.16 24,066.17 3,466,658.00 

187S " „ 101,991.00 25,366.78 3,682,267.00 

1874 " 108,247.90 3O.422.70 3,597,454.00 

1875 - 112,559.19 25,025.38 .3,478.128.00 

1878 " 113,816.37 26,304..'i4 3,366,173.00 

1877 " 114,286.47 29,2.52.02 3,296,048.00 

1878 " 112,1160.60 29,0O7..VJ 3,187,410.011 

1879 " 107,l:t5.33 33,llM.0S 3,002,121.00 

1880 " 99,485.15 31,820.02 2,794,228.09 

1881 " 95,105.86 24,746.08 2,653,2r3.0O 

Tlie company w.is organized bj' farmers upon the 
mutual principle, in order to furnish to the farmers of 
IJergen and the adjoining counties a cheap and safe 
insurance, — the cheapest insurance consistent with 
security. 

Its business has been done by farmers, and with the 
greatest prudence and strictest economy. 

The current expenses, including the fees paid to its 
officers and costs of books, stationery, printing, and 
all other expenses, have not averaged over $1044.43 
per year. An examination of the foregoing state- 
ment will show that it has furnished a safe and at the 
same time a cheap insurance. 

No assessment hiis ever been made by this com- 
pany. 

The names of ])erson8 who have served as directors 
since the organization of the company, viz. : 

Garrol S. I)«niar«t From 1849 to 1881—32 yean. 

OeorRe T. Ilrlckcll " ' 32 " 

Henry H. V.x.rhlD " " •' " 32 " 

l*an'- D. l>i)nmri'9t '* " *' " 32 " 

Jacoli Van niiitkirk ** " *' 18.'»0 — 1 year. 

nenJHiniii /.. Vtm Kmburgh " " " " 1 " 

(iiirrft A. l-^rkernon " " "1861 — 2 years. 

Daviil A. (;. Drniumt " 2 " 

John Ackorniftii IS-ie — 7 " 

Jolin .1. Deriinri'St " " "1864 — 15 " 

CliarlM llaHhr..iick, M.D ' '.857— 8 " 

llentv N. V.mrliln " " " 18.'k')— 6 " 

Nlclioloo C. Dnrie " " " 18.'*— » " 

Jacoli J. Fenlon " 1860 " 1871— 21 " 

I'etor lloanl '1852—2 •■ 

Blrliaril T. c-o.,|«.r " 1851 " " 1 year. 

Ciiii|ifr P. Wfyilervelt " " " " 1 " 

William Bliilr " 1852 " IS-lfl— 7 yean. 

John .T. Vi.li Itinklrk " " "1871—19 " 

Andrew f./jilTiBkle I8.V3— 1 viar. 

«Virnellii» r. /jil.rlakle - " 1853 " 18.'i9— yuare. 

Jai-nli Van llunklrk " 185.1 " 1881— 26 " 

John T. Ilnrini! " 1860 " 1881-25 " 

III. hanl Ackerman " 1867 " 1862— 5 " 

John 1). Biinialno _ " 18.58 " 186,'>— 7 " 

Cornellui A. Wnrtondyke " 1860 " 1881—22 " 

I'elerl'eack " 18.'.9 " 1870-11 " 

llenrv <'. Herring " 1802 " 1881—19 " 

John II.Zal.rl«kle " 1»04 " 1881— 17 " 

Aaron O CiirrlKm " 1805 " 1881—16 " 

Alirm. S. ZalTlnkle " 187(1 " 1881— 11 " 

Ralph S. Il..|n«re«t " 1K71 " 1881—10 " 

Abrni. Van Dolien " 1171 •' 18X1— 10 " 

The officers have been : 

Garret .« Ih.niarnet, prealilent From 1849 to 1881— .12 yean. 

John AckiTnmn, Tice-preiideiit. " 1849 " 18.'.6— 7 " 

WlUUni llhilr. vl.e-pre.lilenl " lK,'.fl " I,\',9— 3 " 

Rlrhnril A. kernian, rlr^-prenldent " 18.'i9 " 1862— 3 " 

Henry C. Herring, rlre-preel.lent " 1802 " 1881— 19 " 

Henry II V.K.rliU,»ecreUry " 1840 " 1881— 32 " 

laaac I). Heninrrnl, treaaurer " 1849 " 1881 — 32 " 

Bergen Connty Assnrance ABSOciation, Hack- 
ensack, N. J. -This a.i.sociati<>n wu.h iiuorponitod 
March U), l''^41, and commenced buslnc.>i.s upon that 



date, William De Wolfe, president ; Simeon Zabris- 
kie, secretary and trea.surer. Mr. De Wolfe was suc- 
ceeded in the presidency by Judge Doremus. who 
held the office two years, when Mr. De Wolfe was re- 
elected, and remained president until Jan. 1, 1878, 
since which time William S. Banta has held the 

! office. The secretaries have been Simeon Zabriskie, 
Myers Anderson, Garret Ackerson, Jr., William S. 
Banta, C. L. Blauvelt, and G. W. Wheeler since 
May, 1874. 

The company has been in active existence forty-one 

I years, and its risks have been confined chiefly to 
Bergen and Passaic Counties. It has been operated 
upon the purely mutual plan, each policy-holder be- 
coming a member giving his note for his policy, and 
being iissessed thereon in case of losses by fire. 
During these forty years a large amount of business 
has been done by the a.s30ciation, and it is still active 
and vigorous. 



rll.Vl'TER XXIX. 

BERGEN AND P.\SSAIC COUNTIES IX THE WAR OF 
THE REBELLION. 

Situation in 1861. — When the civil war l>roke out 
in 181)1 no one dreamed of the magnitude to which 
it would extend. The President of the I'liited States, 
on the loth of .Vpril, issued a proclamation calling 
for seventy-five thousand militia out of the existing 
organization of the States, to serve for three months 
unless sooner discharged. The quota of this call for 
New Jersey was three thousand one hundred and 
twenty men, or four regiments of seven hundred and 
eiglity men each, to be detached from the four gen- 
enil military divisions of the State. The War Depart- 
ment also retpiired that, in addition to the reginientfi 
called for, the reserve militia in the several States 
should be organized ius rapidly as possible. 

Governor Olden received the requisition oflhi War 
Department on the 17th of .\pril. and iiiinu'(lialely 
issued a proclamation directing all individuals or 
organizations willing to respond to the call to report 
themselves within twenty days. On the same day he 
notified the War Department that the call for troops 
would be attended to ii.s rapiilly as possible, and is- 
sued orders to the nnijor-generals of the several 
military divisions of the State to detitil each one 
regiment of ten companies, and also to organize im- 
mediately the reserve militia in the respective bri- 
gade.s. The nuijor-generals, in detailing the regi- 
ment.s required, were directed to accept the services 
of volunteers; but if the requisite number did not 
offer, they were re<iuired to dral^ from the reserve 
militia to make up the deficiency. No such neces- 
sity, however, was anticipated, ami the re.sulf fully 
justified the confidence of the autliiirities. The [)eople 
everywhere responded with enthusia-stic alacrity to 



BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. 



127 



the call for troops. The exLsting military organiza- 
tions at once opened recruiting -stations; public 
meetings were held in every town and city ; churches 
and ministers engaged with enthusiasm in the work ; 
committees were appointed to encourage and super- 
intend enlistments. While everywhere the popular 
heart beat responsive to the sj)irit in which the call of 
the nation's head had been made, in New Jersey the 
feeling was active and intense. Within a few days 
over one hundred companies of volunteers, equal to 
ten thousand men, had offered their services under 
the Governor's proclamation, and the military depart- 
ments were so swarming with men and companies 
offering and pressing their services that many who 
could not be taken were obliged to wait till a second 
call was made by the government or go into regi- 
ments of other States to have their ambition to enter 
the public service gratified. During April, 1861, 
quite a large number from Bergen and Passaic Coun- 
ties, under these circumstances, entered the Excelsior 
Brigade and other organizations in New York and 
Pennsylvania, and were never accredited to the State 
of New Jersey. 

New Jersey's quota under the first call was filled in 
a few days. The first regimental offer was made by 
the First Regiment of the Hunterdon Brigade on the 
day following the Governor's proclamation ; on the 
same day Capt. J. R. Cunningham tendered the ser- 
vices of the Camden Zouaves, and these were rapidly 
followed by similar offers from all part.s of the State. 
The four regiments accepted were formed into a bri- 
gade known as the New Jersey Brigade, and placed 
under the command of Brig.-Gen. Theodore Runyon, 
of Newark. The First Regiment of this brigade was 
raised in Newark and vicinity, and the Second in 
Jersey City. It contained no organized company 
from Bergen or Passaic County, but quite a number 
of individuals from these counties entered tiie ranks, 
among whom were Mr. Baldwin, formerly editor of the 
Bergen Journal, and Bayard Goldsmith, connected 
with the Paterson Guardian. The brigade was mus- 
tered into the United States service at Trenton, May 
1, 1861, and arrived at Washington on the 6th, being 
tile first organized brigade to report to the President 
for the defenseof the natidual capital. Fort Runyon, 
one of the first forts in the line of fortifications at 
Washington, was constructed by the brigade. In the 
battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861, the brigade was 
held as a reserve, but not engaged. 

In Bergen and Passaic Counties the feeling was as 
intense at the outbreak of the war as in any other 
section of the country. The first great war-meeting ' 
in Paterson convened in front of the City Hall, in j 
Main Street, on Tuesday afternoon, April 23, 1861, at 
three o'clock p.m. The principal buildings in the 
vicinity, the buildings along Main Street, and the 
public buildings were festooned with the red, white, 
and blue, and the national flag floated in the breeze. 
Mayor Prull presided ; Andrew J. Sandford and 



Horace O. Hedge were chosen secretaries. Prayer 
was ottered by Rev. Mr. Arndt. Vice-presidents were 
I appointed as follows : North Ward, N. Lane, Pere- 
grine Sandford; East Ward. Daniel Barkalow, Charles 
Danforth ; West Ward, Patrick Agnew, Thomas 
Seager ; South Ward, James Peacock, C. L. Wester- 
velt ; Fifth Ward, C. S. Van Wagoner, Samuel Pope. 

Messrs. Daniel Barkalow, John N. Taylor, Thomas 
] D. Hoxsey, William Douglas, and John J. Brown 
were appointed a committee to draft resolutions. 

The baud played " Hail Columbia," and a stirring 
and patriotic address was delivered by Rev. W. H. 
Hornblower, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church. 
Speeches were also made by Messrs. Buckley, C. 
Inglis, Jr., Daniel Barkalow, D. G. Scott, Henry A. 
Williams, T. D. Hoxsey, Rev. Mr. Graves, and A. B. 
Woodruff. At this meeting a war committee of 
twenty-five citizens wiis appointed, consisting of the 
following-named gentlemen: 

Charles Danforth, Samuel Pope, Henry M. Low, 
Albert A. Hopper, Benjamin Buckley, Joseph N. 
Taylor, John J. Brown, Philip Rafl'erty, David G. 
Scott, Andrew J. Sandford, Jacob S. Rogers, John 
Hopper, Henry B. Crosby, Robert Carrick, Morgan 
Colt, Edwin T. Prall, Cornelius Van Winkle, Daniel 
Barkalow, Samuel Smith, Andrew Derrom, John 
Quinn, Stephen Allen, Charles H. O'Neill, Jetur R. 
Riggs, and John C. Westervelt. 

Bergen County was aroused. In Haekensack flags 
were flying from almost every public and i>rivate 
building. A large meeting of citizens was held on 
Monday evening, April 22, 1861, presided over by 
Hon. J. A. Zabriskie. A committee was appointed 
to draft resolutions, and after remarks by William S. 
Banta, Esq., presented the following, which were 
unanimously adopted, to wit: 

" W'herkas, The union of the States is in danger, and the Constitution, 
framed at so great a cost by our fathers, which contains within itself all 
needful provisions for the necessities of the government, has been set at 
defiance: and whereas our national flag has been insulted and govern- 
ment property invaded and seized by armed traitors, therefore 

*^ Resolved, That the Union shall be preserved at all hazards, the Con- 
stitution upheld, the right of the government vindicated, and the Decla- 
ration of Independence maintained in its full spirit and power. 

" Besolrnl, That for the defense and maintenance of our countrv and 
its institutions we are prepared, if need be, to sacrifice our wealth, shed 
our blood, and lay down our lives. 

" Resolved, That our country is the best country in the world, and that 
we are not prepared to witness its destructioti without first exerting all 
the means at our command for its perpetuation. 

'* Resolved, That Bergen County will stand by our nalional banner in 
the eventful crisis, and those who go luit from among us to the tented 
field to uphold that sacred banner nu-iit and will receive our warmest 
sympathy and aid. 

"Reached, That a committee of six be altpointed by this meeting to 
provide means for the suppoit of those left destitute by the absence of 
their husbands or fathers who may volunteer in the defense of their 
country'." 

The following gentlemen were appointed such com- 
mittee: D. A. Berry, Garret G. Aekerson, W. S. 
Banta, John L. Earle, John H. Banta, and John J. 
Anderson. A book being then opened for volunteers, 
a large number of names were enrolled. 



128 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



The Passaic Brigade at this time was in a partially 
disorganized state. Thomas D. Hoxsey was briga- 
dier-general ; M. V. Spencer,- aide-de-camp ; John J. 
Brown, brigade paymaster ; Philemon Dickerson, 
deputy adjutant-general ; and Kev. William H. 
Hornblower, chaplain. The offices of brigade in- 
spector, quarterrasister, and judge-advocate were va- 
cant. The First Regiment, belonging to this brigade, 
and located in Pater.son, had the following officers: 
Colonel, Absalom B. WoodrulV; Lieutenant-Colonel, 
Philip Rafterty; Major, James Kershaw; Quarter- 
master, Abraham H. Goodwin ; Surgeon, Frederick 
S. Weller. The other staff-officers, as well as those of 
the comi)anies, were vacant. 

Steps were immediately taken to enlist and organ- 
ize a regiment of National Guards to be in readiness 
for service either at lionie or at the seat of war. The 
first meeting with this object iu view was held at 
Derrom's Hall, in Paterson, on Tuesday evening, 
April 23, 1861, when it was resolved that the regi- 
ment should be composed of one troop of cavalry, one 
company of engineers, one company of artillery, and 
eight comi)anies of infantry. Committees were ap- 
pointed to assist in raising the regiment, as follows : 
Cavalry, Samuel Smith, F. C. Heckwith, Thomas 
Thorpe; engineers, Andrew Derrom, John Berdan, 
John Halliday ; artillery, Thomas O. Smith, Richard 
B. Chiswell, David llennion; infantry, Company A 
(Old tiuard), Stephen Allen, Gritiith King, John Ed- 
wards; Company B, Enoch J. Ayres, William Rutan, 
John Slingerland ; Company C, James Inglis, Jr., 
William Fortune, James Lane ; Company D, John R. 
Daggers, Alfred Stoutenborough, John O'Neill ; Com- 
pany E, Francis Scott, Hugh lleid, Abraham Hurd ; 
Company F, John N. Taylor, John Bustard, C. E. 
Johnson ; Company G, George Gould, R. McLough- 
lin, Samuel Lair ; Company H, James G. Scott, Sam- 
uel Brooks, John Vandervoort. 

The committee above named immediately opened 
as many recruiting-stations in the city, and lively 
work ii) enlisting went on. Five of the com|ianies 
were immediately filled. On April 24th some changes 
were made in the committees : J(din Ramage was put 
in the place of John Berdan on the committee on engi- 
neers ; (I. Kane, J. Agncw, P. Lawrence, I), tjuack- 
enbush, .V. McGill, A. Tliomi)son, J. 1. King, and J. 
Morrison were added to the committee of Company 
D; P. .Vtherton to the committee of Company O; 
and J. IL Wright and George Vercclius to that of 
Coiii|i:iiiy IL 

First Brigade.— The First Brigade of New Jersey 
Volunteent I three years' men) was mustered into ser- 
vice under the second call of the President for troops, 
issued May 3, 1861. The call was for thirty-nine 
repiniente of infantry and one of cavalry to serve for 
three years or during the war. At the special re<|Uest 
of (iovertior Olden, who had from time totimeimpor- 
tuned the War D<-|iartinent to receive more soldiers 
from this Stale, three regiments were assigned to New 



Jersey, with the command that the number should in 
no case be exceeded.' This number of over three 
thousand men was easily furnished, a sufficient num- 
ber of companies to com|)lete the regiments being 
already organized, waiting to be mustered into the 
service, and others (such as Capt. Johnson's company 
of Paterson), impatient with the inexplicable delay, 
had gone into the service in other States. Three of the 
regiments composing the brigade were at once mus- 
tered in, and left Trenton June 28, 1861, arriving in 
Washington and reporting to Gen. Scott on the fol- 
lowing day. One month later another call for five 
additional regiments from the State was received, and 
these were also promptly furnished, the regiments 
being numbered respectively Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, 
Seventh, and Eighth Regiments of New Jersey Vol- 
unteers, and all but the Fourth organized with the 
Second Brigade. The Fourth Regiment reached 
Washington August 21st, accompanied by a battery 
I of six pieces, furnished by the State, and commahded 
by Capt. William Hexamer, who had been waiting 
for six months for an opportunity to enter the ser- 
I vice. This regiment was iissigned to the brigade 
I of Brig.-Gen. Kearney, and with the First, Second, 
j and Third Regiments com|)osed the First Brigade of 
New Jersey Volunteers. 

In this brigade— Company F, Second Regiment, 
Capt. .\aron Young, succeedcii by Capt. Henry Vree- 
; land ; Company G, Second Regiment, Capt. James H. 
Close; and Company K, Third Regiment, Capt. John 
H. Whelan — were a number of men from Pater.-on and 
vicinity. The Second Regiment included in its ranks 
a large proportion of the members of the City Bat- 
talion of Newark, an organization which had a wide 
reputation for superiority of drill and general sol- 
dierly proficiency. All the regiments were well offi- 
cered, and all furnished during their service instances 
of the rarest gallantry in the field. 

The Second Regiment maintained its organization 
till the close of the war. It was first attached to Gen. 
Runyon's division of reserves i militia) at the battle 
of Bull Run; then to the First Brigade (Kearney's), 
Franklin's division ; afterwards to the First Brigade, 
First Division, First .Vrmy Corps; then to the First 
Brigade, First Division, Sixth Army Corps ; and at 
the close of the war was assigneil to what was known 
as the l'riivi!.ion»l Corps, Army of the Potomac. 

Second Brigade.— In the Second Brigade, or the 
New Jersey troops mustered under the call of the 
President issued July 24, 1861, there were nearly two 
full companies from Passaic County, viz. : Company 
G of the Fifth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers, 
and Company <i of the Seventh Regiment, com- 
manded respectively by Capt. Edward C. Hopper and 
Ca)(t. James McKlernan. In this brigade was also 
Company A of the Eighth Regiment, raised and com- 
numded by Capt. Peter M. Ryersou, afterwards major 



> A<UulaDt-0«iiorml'ii Rupurt, 1861. 



BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. 129 



of the same regiment, who was killed at Williamsburg, 
Va., while gallantly leading his command in a charge 
against the enemy. Under the head of the Eighth 
Regiment will be found a sketch of the life of Maj. 
Ryerson, who was a native of Pompton, and a very 
wealthy and influential man in that section before 
the war. The rosters of the officers and men from 
this county who served in the Fifth, Seventh, and 
Eighth Regiments of the Second Brigade, together 
with the final record of each man, so far as it has 
been po-ssible to obtain the necessary information, 
will be found under their appropriate heads in a suc- 
ceeding chapter, to which the reader is referred. 

These companies, and the regiments to which they 
belonged, made a grand record during their period 
of active service. At Williamsburg, where the enemy 
made his grand stand after the evacuation of York- 
town, on the 3d of May, 1862, the Fifth Regiment was 
sent by Gen. Hooker to .support the batteries thrown 
forward on the right of the road in front of Fort 
Magruder ami the strong line of rebel works which 
Hooker had decided to attack. The Sixth, Seventh, 
and Eighth Regiments were simultaneouslysent to the 
left of the road, occupying a wood in front of a line of 
field-works. The rain was falling in torrents, and the 
men stood half-leg deep in mire and water. Steadily 
advancing through the underbrush the gallant regi- 
ments soon came upon the enemy's forces and at once 
opened a vigorous fire. Here for three hours the 
conflict raged with desperate fury. Commanding 
the ground at every point, the fire of the enemy was 
pitilessly destructive and did not slacken for a mo- 
ment. But the brave fellows into whose faces it was 
poured stood firmly and unflinchingly, sometimes, 
indeed, pushed back a little space, but as surely 
hurling the rebels, bleeding and shattered, back to 
their works. From the nature of the ground there 
was no opportunity for the bayonet, but the rapid 
volleys of our heroic troops were scarcely less ef- 
fective. And thus the battle raged, the enemy, re- 
inforced again and again, directing .^gainst these 
three regiments all the fury of their attack. At last, 
their ammunition exhausted, their muskets rusted 
by the drenching rain, their ranks terribly thinned, 
these heroes of the day fell slowly back ; but they had 
held the enemy in check and saved the division from 
being driven in disaster from the field. 

"Meanwhile the Fifth Regiment, supporting the 
batteries on the right of the road, had bravely main- 
tained the reputation of the brigade. For six hours 
it had been exposed to the fire of the fort in front 
and that of an earthwork on the flank, and later in 
the day, our engineers being driven from their guns! 
charged forward and at once engaged the enemy, con- 
tinuing its fire without cessation for four hours longer. 
During the whole of this time officers and men alike 1 
fought with the utmost courage, and achieved the 
very highest place in the confidence of all who wit- 
nessed their gallantry." I 



The sequel of this engagement is well known to the 
reader of history. Hooker's division, pitted against 
the whole rebel force, was not adequate to victory ; but 
it held the position spendidly until Kearney, pushing 
impetuously forward, threw the full weight of his 
division into the scale and triumphantly carried the 
day. Hooker alone lost nearly sixteen hundred men, 
and of these over five hundred were in the New 
Jersey Brigade. Here Maj. Ryerson fell mortally 
wounded, having just a few moments before received 
the command of the Eighth Regiment from his fallen 
colonel, the gallant Col. Johnson, of the Eighth, who 
had been pierced by a rebel bullet about one o'clock 
on the day of the battle. 

The historian, speaking of this engagement, says, 
" There was no question in any mind after that bloody 
day as to whether New Jersey troops would fight. 
The whole country rang with their prai.ses.'' 

The. following sketch of Maj. Ryerson was prepared 
by A. Q. Keasbey and published in the Xewai-/: Mer- 
cury : 

" New Jersey lias lost one of lier worthieet citizens and bravest soldiers 
in Mftj. Peter M. Kyersou, of the Eiglitii Repiment, killed iu the b.ittle 
at Williamsburg. 

" Tlie training of his whole life had fitted him for the gallant part he 
was to act in the service of his country. The qualities which marked 
him as a citizen were such as always make the soldier faithful and brave. 
He was born at Pompton, on the 20th of June, 179S. He inherited from 
his father a large property, and early came into possession of the iron- 
works of that place. He built the rolling-mills and works at Pompton 
and at Winockie, and conducted the business on an extensive scale. He 
was a large stockholder and director in the Morris Canal Company, and 
for several years was superintendent of the works of the company in that 
region. Soon after be had completed the iron-works and was prepared 
to reap the reward of his vast outlay and exertions, the reduction of the 
tariff embarrassed his operations, financial difficulties ensued, beneath 
which he struggled with tlie most untiring energy for many years, until 
at last, in the fall of 1859, he was forced to abandon the unequal contest, 
and giving up to his creditors the home of his ancestors, where he had 
passed so many years of toil and anxiety, he removed to Newark with 
his family. But his was not a spirit that could brook a life of idleness, 
even at sixty-three, if any field of honorable labor opened to him; and 
such a field was opened iu the war for the Union, and he entered upon 
it with all the zeal and vigor of his early manhood. He had always been 
a romm'tmler. With thousands of acres as his domain, and Jiundreds of 
men under his control, he had always sliown those qualities that are sure 
tu distinguish the soldier. And now his old energy awoke at the call of 
his country. He went up to the beautiful hills of his old home, and 
called upon his former retainers to join him, or to send their sons to act 
again under his command. He formed Company A of the Eightli Regi- 
ment, chiefly from these sturdy forgemen and axemen of his native 
place. He was the senior captain of the regiment, and was afterwards 
promoted to be major, which position he held at his death. 

"He delighted in his military duties. He seemed as oi-ect and vigor- 
ous as at any period of liis life. Tall and athletic, of a fine soldierly ap- 
pearance and bearing, prompt in word and act, attentive to all the re- 
quirements of his position, he had gained the reputation of a thorough 
and faithful soldier before he went upon hia first battle-field, from which 
he was never to return. 

"Upon that field he met his death -as he would have chosen to meet it. 
His reginioTit wais sorely pressed by superior numbers on the left of the 
bloody field of Monday. At one o'clock Col. Johnson was severely 
wounded, and the command of the regiment devolved upon Maj. Ryer- 
son. Their ammuintion was exhausted, and they were slowly falling 
back before the greater force of the enemy seeking to turn their flank. 
The fate of the day, and perhaps of the army, depended on their firm- 
ness. Maj. Ryerson, with his old habit of command, rallied them to the 
charge. Again they wavered, having nothing to fight with, and again 
and again he rallied them, standing in advance, a too conspicuous mark 



130 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



for the fo*. At two o'clock h* »u itrnck by t ballet Id the dde u be | 

wu cheering on his men. Lieut. Sinee came to him and led liim to a 
tree. Ho felt that the wound was fatal, he saw that the eueuiy were 
approaching in overwhelming force, and calmly begged Lieut. Siuee to 
leave him and not UBeleesly sacrifice his own life. 

" Brief inter^-al remained for the dying thoughts of the soldier, but 
enough for the Christian patriot. The hoet of the enemy came rushing 
orer him, — 

" ' So underneath the belly of their steeds. 

That stained their fetlocks in his smoking blood. 
The nol>Ie gentleman gave up the ghost.' 
" Now Jetaey will honor his familiar name as that of the firat of her 
flald-olBcers who fell in the war for the Union." j 

Excelsior Brigade. Gi:x. Daxiki, E. Sickles. — 
Several coiii|i:iiues of New Jersey soldiers early in the 
war, being rejected at home, applied to Maj.-Gen. 
Daniel E. Sickles, of New York, and were placed in 
the brigade which he was engaged in raising, known 
as the Excelsior Brigade. This brigade, though ac- 
credited to the State of New York, was made up from 
several i^tatcs, and was in every respect a cosmopolitan 
organization. In its first regiment alone (Seventieth 
New York) were to be found three companies re- 
cruited entirely in New Jersey, while two others were 
recruited in great part from the same State. One 
company was from We.stern Pennsylvania, one from 
Michigan, and one from Ma-<.sachu8ctts. In the three 
remaining companies there were a number of men 
from New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The same mi.xed 
organization prevailed to a greater or less extent 
throughout the brigade, with the exception of the 
Fourth Hegiment, which was recruited e.vclusively 
from the city of New York. It was computed at the 
headquarters of the brigade in December, IStJl, that 
over twelve hundred citizens of New Jersey were then 
serving in it. The following companies were exclu- 
sively from this State and entered the brigade as 
completed organizations : First Regiment — Company 
A, Capt. ,T. M. .lohnson, afterwards Capt. H. W. IIox- 
sey, recruited at Paterson ; Company F, commanded 
for a time by Capt. J. M. McCawly, of Newark ; 
Company I, Capt. E. J. Ayers, afterwards Capt. A. 
Belcher, recruited at Paterson ; Company K, Capt. 
Frederick (iruett, recruited at Newark; Companies 
G, B, an<l I), commanded respectively by Capts. 
O'Reilly, Mahaii, and Price, were at least one-half 
recruited in New Jersey. Second Regiment (Seventy- 
first New York) — Company D, Capt. William H. 
Greene, recruited in Newark ; Company E, Capt. 
Toler, raised in Newark ; Company F, Capt. Murphy, 
raised in Orange. Third Regiment (Seventy-second 
New York) — Company F, ('apt. Leonard, recruited 
in Newark, and one other company composed of 
Jcrseymen. 

Of Company D of the First Regiment, rai.sed in 
Paterson, Capt. Johnson resignetl in the winter of 
1861-62, and was succeeded by Capt. Oakley, who in 
turn resigned in October, 1862, and was succeeded 
by Capt. n. W. Hoxsey, who held command a.s cap- 
tain of this company till the muster-out in July, 
1864. Capt. Ayers, of Company I (the other Pater- • 



son company), resigned at the same date as Capt. 
Johnson, and was succeeded by Capt. Mitchell, who 
was killed at Williamsburg, Va., May 5, 1862. 

The brigade, at the time it was joined by the two 
Paterson companies, was crowded into the City 
Assembly Rooms, No. 444 Broadway, New York, 
and was afterwards, during the month of May, re- 
moved, first to the Red House at Harlem, and thence 
to Staten Island, before its muster into service. The 
suft'erings of the men from insufficient clothing, badly 
cooked food.and close confinement to uncomfortable 
and ill-ventilated quarters from May 1 to June 1, 
1861, were not exceeded by those of any one month 
of their active service afterwards. From the first 
Gen. Sickles had encountered nothing but opposition 
from Governor Morgan, of New Y'ork. The clothing . 
and rations so liberally supplied to all other regiments 
then forming were refused to his brigade, and it was 
only on the pledge of the personal credit of Gen. 
Sickles that their supplies were obtained. 

The two companies raised in this county were in 
the First Regiment of the brigade, and were placed in 
Gen. Hooker's division, aided in erecting Fort Stan- 
ton and several other works in the defenses about 
Washington in the fall of 1861, made some exi>edition9 
into Virginia, and after the evacuation of Yorktown 
was the first to come up with the enemy at Williams- 
burg and drive in their skirmishers in front of their 
works. The history of that contest is well known : 
the enemy finding himself pressed by inferior num- 
bers turned and gave battle, moving out from his 
works and attacking the First and Third Brigades 
with .such force as to drive them hack from their posi- 
tion, and passing the left of their line, inflicted very 
heavy loss, cjtpturing a battery, which, on account of 
the death of its horses, could not be removed. It was 
at this moment, when the Third Brigade (Fifth, Sixth, 
Seventh, and Eighth New Jersey Regiments) were 
being forced from their line, that the Excelsior Bri- 
gade, or rather its First Regiment, was brought into 
the heavy "slashing" on the left of tlie road, and was 
formed parallel to it to check the advance of the 
enemy towanls the road. The regiment wius at once 
onlered to commence firing, but never received another 
order in the fight. Forever two hours it stood in the 
darkness of its own smoke, and when its ammunition 
was exhausted the .surviving supplied themselves from 
the cartridge-boxes of the dead. It held its line until 
the enemy actually advanced over it. (toing into the 
fight with six hundred and fifty men, it lost three 
hundred and fifty-one in killed, wounded, and miss- 
ing. Nine oflicers and ninety-six men of this regiment 
were buried the next morning. The other regiments 
of the brigade were moved up in succession, and only 
suflere<l less because the enemy's elVorts were much 
weakeneil by the prolonged resistance of the First 
Regiment. The loss of the four regiments of the 
brigade in this action amounted to upwards of eight 
hundred men. The New Jersey troops in the brigade 



BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. 131 



suffered particularly ; the lo3S in Company A of the | 
First Regriment, commanded by Capt. (then Lieut.) 
Hoxsey, was the largest of any company in the bri- 
gade, amounting to forty-one out of sixty. Lieut. ; 
Hoxsey was wounded, Lieut. Kilburn killed, two out 
of three sergeants killed and one wounded, and all six ' 
of the corporals killed. Both of the other Xew Jer- 
sey companies suffered severely. 

At Fair Oaks the New Jersey companies came in I 
again for a heavy share of the loss. Throughout the 
whole campaign of the Peninsula and the unfortu- j 
uate campaign of Pope, terminating with the second 
Bull Run, these troops bore a conspicuous part. At 
Bristow Station, Aug. 27, 1862, the loss was again 
heavy. Lieut. Hoxsey, coming to the command of 
the regiment during the action, was severely wounded 
through the hip while ordering its advance. Through- 
out the campaigns of Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, 
Mine Run. and the grand final campaign of Gen. Grant 
from the Rapidan to Petersburg, this brigade, side 
by side with the Second New Jersey Brigade, emu- 
lated its gallantry, and is entitled to equal praise. 

Of the two companies, numbering two hundred and 
ten men, recruited at Paterson, about fifty returned at 
the expiration of their term of service ; four-fifths of 
the remainder died on the field of battle or lingered in 
hospitals till death ended their sufferings. Many of 
the New Jersey men in the brigade re-enlisted at the 
expiration of their term of service, members of the 
First Regiment being attached to the Eighty-second 
New York, and remaining in the service till Lee's 
surrender. 

Compnny G, Sevenlh Re</iment — {Capt. James McKiernan). 

Ackennan, Edward, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861; Corp. June 8, 1863; 
must, out Oct. 7, 1864. 

Ackermau, T)iomas, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1S61 ; trans, to Co. D ; re-enl. 
Jan. 4, 1S64 : Corp. July 8, 1864. 

AUcn, George Huft, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861; final record unknown. 

Agnew, Thomas, 1st lieut., enl. Sept. 19, 1861 ; res'd Feb. 6, 1802. 

Balist, John, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1S61 ; final record unknown. 

Bailey, William, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; trans, to Co. D ; re^enl. Jan. 
4,1864. 

Baelow, Michael, no record. 

Beck, Thomas R., Ist sergt , enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; 2d lieut., vice Evans, pro- 
moted, Feb. 13, 1862 ; res'd J<lne 17, 1862. 

Berdan, George A., corporal, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; sergt. July 1, 1862 ; Ist 
sergt. Oct. 2, 1S62 : 2d lieut., vice Douglass res'd ; killed in action at 
Cliancellorsville, Va., May .3, 1862. 

Briggs, Moses, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; trans, to Co. D; re-enl. Jan. 
4, 1864. 

Burke, Henry, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; must, out Oct. 7, 1864, with 
regiment. 

Burke, Mich.iel, corporal, enl. Sept. 17, 1861; private Sept. 15,1862; 
must, out Oct. 7, 1864. 

Burgoine, W'iUiam, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861. 

Brady, John, private, enl. Sept. 17,1861 ; missing in action at Bull Run. 
Va., .\ug. 29, 1862 ; supposed dead. 

Banker, Robert, private, enl. Sept. 26, 1861 ; discb. at Convalescent Camp, 
Alexandria, Va., Dec. 21, 1862, for disability. 

Clark, John E., corp., enl. Sept. 17, 1861 : disch. at U. S. Hosp., Washing- 
ton, D. C, Jan. 8, 1863, for disability. 

Clark, .Tames, private, enl, Sept. 17, 1861 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps Aug. 
l.l, 1863 ; died at Camp Fry, Washington, D. C, March S. 1864. 

Cocker, Thomas, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; Corp. June 9, 1863 ; pa- 
roled prisoner; disch. at Trenton, N. J., Feb. 3, 1885. 

Cooney, James, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; killed in action at Chancel- 
lorsville, Va., May 3, 1863. 



Carenaugh, James, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; killed on picket near 

Petersburg, Va., Sept. 1, 1864. 
Douglass, John, sergt., enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; 1st sergt. March 1, 1862 ; 2d 

lient., rice Beck, res'd, Jan. 13, 1863; res'd Dec. 5, 1863. 
Diamond, James, Corp., enl. Sept. 17,1861 ; disch. at camp near Falmouth, 

Va., Feb. 16, 1863, for disability. 
Dunkerley, Robert, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; trans, to Co. D ; re^eul. 

Jan. 4, 1864. 
Doughty, William, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; must, out with regiment 

Oct. 7, 1864. 
Dougherty, James H., private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 : must, out Oct. 7, 1864. 
Devoir, John, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; disch. at U. S. A. Hosp., Phil- 
adelphia, Pa., Sept. 25, 1862. for disability. 
Diamond, Peter, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 : trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, 

Sept. 1, 18fti; disch. therefrom Sept. 16, 1864. 
Doremus, Peter J., private, enl. Sept. 26, 1861; cor]>. Dec. 6, 1862; 

died at D. S. A. Gen. Hosp., Philadelphia, Pa., July 6, 1864, of wounds 

received in action before Petersburg, Va., June 19, 1864; buried at 

Philadelphia, Pa. 
Donahue, .\rthur, private, enl. Sept. 26, 1861 : disch. at Camp Hooker, 

Sept. 27, 1862, for disability. 
Evans, William J , 2d lient., com. Sept. 18, 1861 ; 1st lieut., rice Agnew, 

res'd, Jan. 13, 1863 ; pro. to capt. Co. B, Feb. 23, 1863, rice Sloat, res'd ; 

killed in action at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, 1864. 
Fanning, Edward, Corp., enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; sergt. March 1, 1862 ; 2d 

lieut. Jlay 26, 1863; 1st lieut., rice Ramage pro., Sept. 10, 1863 ; res'd 

on account of disability, July 26, 1864. 
Fanning, James, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; trans, to Co. D. 
Feeney, Benjamin, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; must, out Oct. 7, 1864. 
Flannigan, Martin, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; trans, to Co. D ; corp. 

Dec. 15, 1863 ; re-enl. Jan. 4, 18M. 
Flannigan, Thomas, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; killed in action at Get- 
tysburg, Pa., July 2, 1863 ; buried there. 
Fanning, Henry, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861; disch. at Camp Hooker, Va., 

Sept. 27, 1862, for disability. 
Fletcher, James, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; died at Gettysburg, Pa., of 

wounds received in action, July 8, 1863; buried there at National 

Cemetery. 
Franey, James, private, enl. Sept. 21, 1861 : must, out Oct. 7, 1864. 
Fallen, Patrick, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; most, out Oct. 7, 1864. 
Graul, Kindle, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; corp. Feb. 17, 1863 ; must, out 

Oct. 7, 1864. 
Gilmore, Michael, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; disch. at Washington, 

D. C, Sept. 29, 1864. 
Gibbons, Stephen, private, enl. Sept. 20, 1861. 
Howard. William, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, 

Sept. 1, 1863 : disch. therefrom Sept. 17, 1864. 
Hartgrove, John, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; no record. 
Heald, Thomas, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; trans, to Co. D; Corp. Sept. 

15, 1862 ; sergt. June 9, 1863 ; re-enl. as private Jan. 4, 1864. 
James, John, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 : trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Sept. 

30, 1863 ; disch. therefrom Sept. 17, 1864. 
Jacobus, Peter, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; disch. at Budd's Ferry, Md., 

June 13, 1862, for disability. 
Kidd, John, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; trans, to Co. D. 
Lawler, Michael, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; must. out. Oct. 7, 1864. 
Logue, Owen, sergt., enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; 1st sergt. Dec. 5, 1862 ; killed in 

action at Chancellorsville, Va., May 3, 1863. 
Mack, John, private, enl. Sept. 26, 1861 ; died of chronic diarrhuia near 

Falmouth, Va., Jan. 19, 1863. 
Marshall, David, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; disch. at camp in the field, 

March 15, 1862, for disability. 
McKiernan, James, com. capt. Sept. 18, 1861; com. raaj. Sept. 4, 1863; 

not mustered. 
McCrossin, Thomas, musician, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; disch. at camp near 

Harrison's Landing, Va., July 23, 1862, for disability. 
McKewen, David, wagoner, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; must, out Oct. 7, 1864. 
McCormick, Edward, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; disch. at convalescent 

camp, Ale.\andria, Va,, May 4, 1863, for disability. 
McEenna, Andrew, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; disch. at U. S. A. Gen. 

Hosp., Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 14, 1862, for disability. 
McMann, Thomas, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861; disch. for disability at 

Fort McHenry, Md.. Oct. 31, 1862, 
Mawhinney, Edward, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; killed in action at Get- 
tysburg, Pa., July 2,18&i. 
McCousker, James, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps 

Sept. 1, 1863; disch. therefrom Sept. 17,1864. 



132 



HISTORY OK BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



UcLaughliu, George B., private, enl. Sept. 26, 1861 ; diach. ot Wnshliig- 

tun, D. C, fur illlalillity, Nov. 30, 1861. 
McN'alib, Juscpti, [irivate, eiil. Sept. 17, 1861; Iruns. to Co. 1>; re-cni. 

Jan. 4, 18C4. 
McDonald, Tbonma, privair, enl. Srpl. It, I8C1 ; traus to Ci. 1); iiergt. 

June 13, 18CJ; must, out July 17, 1K65. 
Montgomery, Joaepli, private, enl. Sept. 17,1861 ; trans, to Co. D. 
Martin, John, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; discli. at camp in tbe Held, 

March 15. 1862, fordieability. 
M^lr^^by, William, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; corp. June 1,1863; re-enl. 

Jan. 4, 1864; sorgl. Sept. 19,1864; pro. to 2d lieut. Co. D, Nov. 13, 

1864; Ist lieut., rice Poutoz, pro. March 14, leG."!; must, out July 17, 

ISia. 
S'ettleton. Chandler G., private, enl. Sept. 21, ISOl; must, out Oct. 7,1864. 
Nolan, James, private, enl. Sept. 21, 18C1 ; must, out Oct. 7, 1864. 
O'Tool.Jamee, Corp., enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; scrgt. Jan. 1, 1863; 1st aergt. 

June 1, 1863; disch. at Trenton, N. J.; paroled prisoner Feb. 3, 1865. 
Ostrander, Daniel H., private, enl. Sept. 26, 1861 ; killed in action at 

Williamsburg, Va., May 5, 1862. 
I'outoz, Louis, sergt.; enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; private Jan. 24, 186:i ; re*enl. 

Jan. 4, 1864; pro. to 1st lieut. vicf Fanning, promoted; trans, to 

Co. D; pro. to cnpt. Co. I, March 2, 1865; must, out July 17, 1865. 
Pope, William, private, eul. Sept. 26, 1861 ; pro. to second lieut. Co. D, 

Nov. 1861 ; resd Jan. 5, 1862. 
Phalon, Michael, private, eid. Sept. 21, 1861 ; must, out Oct. 7, 1864. 
Quackenbusb, George, private, eul. Sept. 26, 1861 ; trans, to Co. I); ro*eul. 

Jan. 4, 1864; Corp. .\pril 17, 1865; must, out July 17, 1865. 
Quiulan, Patrick, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; trans, to Co. D; re^enl. 

Jan. 4, 1864 ; disch. at ward of U. S. A. IIosp., Kewark, S. J., May 

12, 1865, by order of War Dept. 
Roberts, Samuel, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; disch. at camp in the field 

for disability, March 15, 1862. 
Robinson, John, private, enl. Sept. 26, 1861 ; must, out Oct. 7, 1864. 
Roth. John, substitute, eul. Aug. 29, 1864; died Dec. 26, 1864, of wounds 

received before Peten*burg, Va. 
Ryerson, Gilean, private, enl. Sept. 26, 1861 ; trans, to Co. D ; Corp. Fob. 

18, 1862; sergt. Feb. 17, 1863; re-enl. March 10, 1864; disch. at Tren- 
ton, N. J., May 12, 1865, by onler of War Dept. ; paroled prisoner. 
Ramage, William, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; corji. March 1,1862; sergt.; 

1st sergt. May 18, 1863; Ist lieut. May 26, 1863; pro. to capl., rice 

McKieman, must, out; trans, to Co. D ; must, out July 12, 1865. 
Senb.r, George 11., private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; must, out Oct. 7, 1S64. 
Schoonmaker, Ilonry, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; must, out Oct. 7, 1864. 
Schaus, John, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; no record. 
Sweeny, William, private, enl. Sept. 21, 1861 ; trans, to Co. D. 
Swift, John, private, enl. Sept. 26, 1861 ; died of chronic diarrbuea at 3d 

DIv. U. S. A. lluep., Alexandria, Va., Nov. 2.3, 1862. 
Tiffany, Jamea, private, enl. Sept. 26, 1861 ; corp. Feb 18, 1862; sergt. 

June 9, 1863; must, out Oct. 7, 1864. 
Tlasell, William, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corpe, 

Aug. 15, 1863; returned to co. June 14, 1864; must, out Oct. 7, 18S4. 
Townsond, John, Corp., enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; private Nov. 14, 1862 ; must. 

out (let. 7, 1864. 
Van Winkle, Fre<lerlck, private, eul. Sept. 17, 1861 ; must, out Oct. 7, 1864. 
Van Hlfer, Henry, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; trans, to Vet. Rc«. Corpe; 

disch. Sept. 21, 1864. 
Vreeland, ItichanI, private, eul. Sept. 21, 18SI ; must, out Oct. 7, 1864. 
Vreelanil, I'eter, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; must, out Oct. 7, 1864. 
Wataun, James, Corp., enl. Sept. 17,1861; kille<l In action at Wllllams- 

l.urg, Va., May 6, 1862. 
Walthall, Tlionios, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; must, out Oct. 7, 1864. 
Worden.IVtur J, private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; discli. for disabllily at COD- 

valeecrnt camp, Alexandria, Va., Feb. 28, 186.1. 
Weet, George W., private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; must, out Oct. 7, 1864. 
Walden, George II., private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; must, out Oct. 7, 1864. 
Willis, William K., private, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; must, out Oct. 7, 1864. 
Whitly, John, prlvote, enl. Sept. 17, 1K61 ; must, out Oct. 7, 18(14. 
WikkI, Wllllom II., pHvate, enl. Sept. 17, 1861 ; disch. for disability at 

Fort Mcllenry, Md., Slept. 22, 1862. 



I CHAPTER XXX. 

BERGEN AND PA.SSAIC COINTIES IN THE WAR 
OF THE REBELLION— (Continuc.1 1. 

The Ninth Regiment. — The Ninth Regiment of 
New Jersey Volunteers was recruited as a rifle regi- 

I ment, under a requisition from the War De|)artment, 
in the fall of 1861. It wiis made up from ditl'erent 
parts of the State. About fifty men enlisted in it 

I from Passaic County, who contributed their full share 
to the honor which it achieved in the field. It was 
one of the best regiments sent out by the State, num- 
bering on- its muster-rolls at the time of its departure 
from Camp Olden for Washington, Dec. 4, 18(il, one 
thousand one hundred and forty-two men. The regi- 
ment remained in camp at Meridian Hill until the 
3d of January, 18(i2, when it was brigaded under 
Gen. Jesse L. Reno (First Hrigadei, and assigned to 
Burnside's expedition in North Carolina. On arriving 
at Hatteras Inlet, January loth, a disaster occurred 
which cast a gloom not only over tlie regiment and 
army in that quarter, but over many anxious friends 
at home. Having cast anchor off the Inlet, the field 

I and statl-oflicers went on shore to rejiort to tien. Hurn- 

, side; returning the boat was capsi/ed and swamped 
in a heavy surf, and all on board left to struggle with 
the merciless waves. Col. Joseph Warner Allvn, com- 

' mander of the regiment, and Surgeon Frederick S. 
Weller were drowned. Lieut. -Col. Heckman, Adjt. 
Abram Zabriskie, and Qiiartcrma.ster Keycs narrowly 
escaped. The secunU unite, sent from the ship in 
charge of the boat, was also drowned. Lieut. -Col. 
Heckman and Adjt. Zabriskie, being expert swimmers, 
made several heroic attempts to rescue the colonel and 
Surgeon Weller, but were unsuccessful. These two 
brave men, battling with the waves till their strength 
was nearly exhausted, succeedeil in making a signal 
of a sailor's shirt lifted upon an oar, which was seen, 
and the steamer " Patuxeiit" at once hastcne<l to their 
relief. So overcome were the survivors by their ex- 
ertions that upon reaching the deck of the steamer 
some of them sank into insensibility. Lieut.-Col. 
Heckman remained in a state of prostration for sev- 
eral days. The Imdies ot Col. Allen, Dr. Weller, and 
the second mate were recovered during the day, and 
every effort made to resuscitate them, but in vain. 
Adjt. Zabriskie, who struggled so heroically to save 
his drowning comrades, was a native of Hackeiisack, 
Bergen Co., ami Dr. Frederick S. Weller, surgeon of 
the Ninth Hegiment, was born in I'atersoii, where he 
was for many years a higlily-esteemed citizen and a 
successful ])ractitioner of his profession. We shall 
revert to Adjt. Zabriskie farther on in the history of 
this regiment. Meanwhile we place on record the 
following brief sketch of Dr. Weller: 

Frederick S. Weller was licirn in I'atersun on .March 
6, 181'.i, and was drowned at Hatteras Inlet, N. (.'., 
Jan. 10, 1862. He was of German descent on bis 



BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. 133 



father's side, his ancestors haviug settled in KentiKky 
about the beginning of the present century; his 
mother's parents were of Irish extraction, and were 
among the earliest residents of Paterson. 

Dr. Weller lost his father when he was five years 
of age, and was brought up by liis mother, a very 
worthy and respectable lady. At the age of eighteen 
he entered upon the study of medicine in the office 
of the late Dr. Marsh. He graduated at the Old 
School College, Crosby Street, New York City, in 
1837, practiced medicine two years at Gaines, N. Y., 
when he returned to Paterson, and soon after, owing to 
ill health, took up his residence at St. Augustine, Fla., 
where he married Mrs. E. A. Loring. In 1845 he re- 
turned to Paterson, and devoted himself to the prac- 
tice of his |)rofession with constantly increasing suc- 
cess up to the time of his appointment as surgeon of 
the Ninth Regiment. In the service he was self- 
sacrificing and devoted to his duties, esteeming it his 
highest reward to serve his country. His services 
were highly appreciated, and he was made acting 
brigade surgeon by order of Gen. Casey. His body 
was sent home for interment, and the esteem in which 
he was held by his fellow-citizens was attested by one 
of the largest funerals ever held in Paterson. 

Upon the death of Col. Allen, Lieut.-Col. Heckman 
assumed command of the regiment. Considerable 
time was spent in getting the vessels through the 
Inlet, but at length, the fleet having all arrived in 
Pamlico Sound, on the (ith of February the signal 
was given, and the dozen gunboats under command 
of Commodore Goldsborough led the advance towards 
Roanoke Island, the stronghold of the rebels, which 
they held in force and had fortified with batteries and 
rams. This island, which commanded the strait be- 
tween the two Sounds, Pamlico and Albermarle, 
was the direct object of Burnside's attack. It was a 
grand and imposing spectacle, the sight of that fleet 
of boats as it passed up the Sound, each gayly decked 
in its trimmest bunting, the flag-ship bearing at its 
mast-head the significant motto, "To-day the country 
expects every man to do his duty." At nine o'clock 
the gunboats opened on the picket-boats of the rebels, 
and the first action was inaugurated in which the 
Ninth Regiment took a part. The history of the 
action records that " from first to last the conduct of 
the Ninth was in the highest degree courageous. 
They occupied a swamp over which the enemy had 
constructed a causeway for their own convenience, 
and up to their hips in mud and water advanced to 
the edge of the timber commanding the road, about 
one hundred yards from the fort, which up to this 
time still defied the assaults of our forces. Here the 
regiment opened a vigorous fire on the enemy, which 
was returned for a time with great vehemence. Pres- 
ently, however, owing to the heavy fire of the Ninth, 
the musketry fire from the fort visibly slackened, but 
the batteries still poured a storm of shot and shell 
into our ranks. Under these circumstances Col. Heck- 



man directed that particular attention should be given 
to picking off the cannoneers, and the result was soon 
apparent. So accurate was the fire of the men that 
the rebel guns were now but seldom discharged, and 
then altogether regardless of their aim. . . . On being 
driven from the fort the enemy retreated to the imme- 
diate fortifications along the shores, but, finding that 
further resistance would be useless, they surrendered, 
giving into our hands five forts, thirty-three pieces of 
artillery, and two thousand eight hundred prisoners." 
By the capture of the island the key was gained to 
all the inland waters of North Carolina. This first 
victory was truly an important one, and may well 
have inspired the victors with great confidence and 
enthusiasm. "The enemy, after the battle, admitted 
that they had never supposed a body of troops could 
operate in the swamp, and it was undoubtedly the 
occupation of this swamp, by which operations upon 
the rebel flank became possible, which secured the 
great success of the day." 

It was probably in recognition of this fact that 
Gen. Burnside promulgated an order on the evening 
of tlie 10th of February that the Ninth Regiment 
should have the words " Roanoke Island, Feb. 8, 1862," 
emblazoned on their banners.' 

The island became the drill-ground of the brigade 
until the advance was made on Newberne on the 11th 
of March. Here the rebel fort, mounting sixty-nine 
cannon, was taken by our army. In this action the 
Ninth Regiment soon silenced the rebel guns by 
picking oft' the gunners with deadly accuracy of aim. 
When their ammunition had been reduced to ten 
rounds Gen. Reno ordered up the Fifty-first Penn- 
sylvania to take their place, but Col. Hickman beg- 
ging that he might be permitted to charge, the order 
was finally given. " That charge settled the contest. 
Dashing eagerly forward, leaping from ditch to ditch, 
now wading knee-deep in mire, now rushing over 
pitfalls, through an almost impenetrable abatis, the 
irresistible assailants swept up to the earthworks, 
climbed their blood-stained, slippery sides, and a 
moment after had captured the whole line of fortifi- 
cations in their front, with six guns, one stand of colors, 
many prisoners, and field, staff", and artillery horses. 
Almost simultaneously the flags of the Ninth waved 
from two of the enemy's redans, while the right 
guidon floated from a third, which but a moment 
before had been occupied by the enemy. The Ninth 
was followed by the Fifty-first New York, Col. Ferrero, 
on the right, and soon after by the entire division, 
which took complete possession of the rebel works, 
mounting some sixty-nine cannon." ' 

The New York Tribune, reporting this battle, said, — 

'* In the capture of Newberne the Ninth New Jersey Regiment sus- 
tained the honor of their State with characteristic gaUantry. Though 
their position in that brilliant engagement was one of great exposure, 
they bore themselves through the conflict like veterans, suffering more 

1 Netvark Daily Advertifer, quoted by Foster, p. 2U. 
- Foster's "New Jersey in the Rebellion," p. 213. 



134 



HISTORY OF BP:RGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NKW JKRSKY. 



severely than any other regiment in the field. Out of a tutal Io« of 
three hundred and sixty-four killed and wounded, tlipy lost sixty-two, 
or oue-eixth of tlie wliole, ollhougli twelve reginiouts were in tlie battle. 
Bravo for the Jomey Bluos !'* 

Two days after this battle Lieut. -Col. Heckman re- 
ceived his commission as colonel of the regiment, 
while Maj. Wilson was notified of his promotion to 
the lieutenant-colonelcy. At the same time Adjt. 
Zabriskie was promoted to the majority, and Lieut. 
Abel, of Company E, was made adjutant. 

We do not propose to follow the regiment through 
all the details of its campaigns and engagements. Its 
brilliant beginning was well sustained to the close of 
its period of service. The achievements of Koanoke 
Island and Newberne shed a lustre upon the arms of 
New Jjersey, and inspired the poetical genius of Corp. 
Gould, of the Ninth Regiment, to compose the fol- 
lowing regimental song, which is well worthy of a 
place in this record : 

"SONG OF THE N'lNTIl NEW JERSEY REGIMENT. 
"Ais—'ScoU Wha Hut; etc. 
"Sous of Jereey, swell the song. 
Let yutir notes be loud and long. 
Make the Tuion army strong, — 

On tt> victoi'y ! 
Roanoke has felt our power, 
Newberne, too, can tell the hour 
When the rebels had to cower 
'Neath our Infantry. 

" Jersey's sous stood front in Hght, 
Jersey's sons have shown their might, 
Jersey's sires rtyoico to-night 

Fur our chivalry. 
With our colonel at our head. 
There we rained our showers of lead, 
Strewed the field with rebel dead 

From our niii!4kelry. 

" Let our friends at homo rejoice, 
With a loud and cheerful voice 
f*ing the iiraiso of Jersey boys 

With all Jollity. 
Tell the tale to old and young, 
How llio Niiitli, so proud and strong, 
Have their glorious laurels won, 

All ftir victory. 

"Sing the praise of those who bled. 
Mourn with us the gallant dead, 
Who their richest bloofl have shed 

For our IilK>rty. 
Long they stemmed the battle's tide, 
Bravely fought ami bravely died; 
Spread their praises far and wide, 

Dear their memory." 

Gkorox C. Qovld, Company C, Ninth New Jeraey Regiment, July, 
18112. 

Corp. Gould entered the service from Paterson ; he 
was made a corporal in Company C, Sept. 10, 18(!1, 
and re-cnli-itcd at the expiration of his term of service, 
Nov. 25, 186;{. 

The close of the year 1802 wa.s marked by several 
important cliaiiges in the ollicial roster of the regi- 
ment. Col. lli'ckman, on the 2"2<1 of December, re- 
ceived hi.s commission as brigadier-general, dated ( )ct. 
29, 1862, announcing his promotion for " signal ability 



I and meritorious services." He was at once asisigned 
to the command of the First Brigade, ,Second Divis- 
ion, Eighteenth Army Corps, consisting of the Ninth 
New Jersey and Third, Eighth, and Twenty-third 
; Massachusetts. On the same day Dr. A. W. Wood- 
hull, who h.id succeeded Dr. Weller as surgeon of the 
Ninth Regiment, was made brigade surgeon. On the 
I 24th a beautiful stand of colors was presented to the 
i Ninth, accom])anied by a series of resolutions from 
I the State Legislature. The first of these resolutions 
reads as follows: 

" Rt^ohed, That the Nintli Regiment of New Jersey Volunteers, by 
their patient endurance under privalinn and futigne, and by their cour- 
age at the ever-to-be-remeniliered battles of K,>anokc and Newberne (a 
1 courage evinced by the havoc nmde in their own unwavering columns 
1 better than by the reports of partial journalsi, have suslaiiieil the high 
reputation which since the days of the Revolntiitn has belonged to the 
soldiers of New Jersey, and as evidence of our appreciation of that acme 
of every manly virtue, * patriotic devotion to country,' the Governor of 
' the Stjite is requested to have prepared and forwardeil to said regiment 
! a standard on which shall be inscribed these words : ' Presented by New 
] Jersey to her Ninth Regiment, in remembrance of Roanoke and New- 
berne.' " 

The year 186.3 opened with the Nintli in cainp and 
Lieut.-Col. Abram Zabriskie promoted to the col- 
onelcy. .After an uneventful expedition to Port 
Royal, S. C, with a view of joining in a general 
movement upon Charleston, Heckman's brigade was 
ordered to return to North Carolina to aid (Jen. 
Foster at Little Washington. On their approach 
the rebels under Hill evacuated the i)lace. Three 
companies of the Ninth Regiment had been left 
behind in the hasty embarkation at Helena Island, 
and had marched to join their comrades, making the 
distance from Newberne to Little Washiiigt<in, some 
forty miles, in a day and a night. This march has 
been set down as one of the most extraordinary of the 
war. The Ninth returned to Newberne by steamer, 
and on the ISth of May Col. Zabriskie assumed com- 
mand of the District of Reaufort, during the tempo- 
rary absence of Gen. Heckman. I'p to the :i<ith of 
July the brigade operated in destroying the Weldoii 
and other important railroad communications. < >n 
the 13th of August Maj. -Gen. Peck took command of 
the District of North Carolina, relieving Gen. Heck- 
man, and on the 2()tli, many meiiiliers of the Ninth 
being sick with cliills and fever, the regiment was 
sent to Carolina City, where it remained unemployed 
for a month and a half At this time nearly tliri'e 
hundred men were reported sick and unfit for duty. 
On the 18th of October the regiment again broke 
camp, and with the remainder of Heckman's com- 
mand proceeded to Newport News, Va., where the 
regiment went into camj) near the James River and 
remained during the rest of the year. 

On the 16th of January, 1864, Gen. Heckman bade 
' farewell to his brigade, having been luwigned to tin- 
command of the District of Sutlblk. The term for 
which the Ninth had enlisted having nearly expired, 
on the 21st of .laiiuary I'ol. Zabriskie addressed his 
conimanil on the subject of n-eiilis|ineiit. Two-tlii(ds 



BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. 135 



of the entire number at once enlisted for "three years 
or the war," and upon " veteran furlough" embarked 
on the 31st of January for a short visit to New Jersey. 
They arrived in Jersey City on the 4tli of February, 
where they were received by the city authorities, and 
after suitable entertainment proceeded to Trenton, 
and thence to their homes, where fond ones awaited 
their coming. 

" On the 15th of March the gallant Ninth, strength- 
ened by a number of recruits, once more set its face 
towards the field." On the 17th it arrived at Ports- 
mouth, Va., and proceeding to Getty's Station, again 
united with Heckman's command. The regiment 
from this time till September 17th was engaged in 
the principal campaigns in Virginia, being in the 
actions in front of Petersburg from June 20th to Aug. 
24, 1864. Subsequently it served in North Carolina 
till the close of the war. 

The five days' battle at Drury's Bluff, from May 12 
to 16, 1864, wa.s the most disastrous to the Ninth 
Regiment of any in which it was engaged during the 
war. At twelve o'clock at night on the 15th the 
rebels began a flank movement on the extreme right 
of Heckman's brigade, held by the Ninth Regiment, 
an open space being between it and the James River. 
Gen. Heckman, who had expected such a movement 
all day, had asked for reinforcements, first of Gen. 
Smith and then of Gen. Butler, but these commanders 
either could not withdraw their troops from other 
points or did not share Gen. Heckman's apprehen- 
sions of his exposed situation. At all events no re- 
inforcements were obtained. Early on the morning 
of the 16th Heckman's brigade was attacked by five 
brigades of picked troops. The general, having ex- 
pected the assault, was ready for it, and received 
them with a galling fire at short range, forcing them 
back. In three subsequent attacks they were re- 
pulsed with great slaughter. The enemy being more 
than five times the number of the Union force, and 
the right of the latter being open, Gen. Heckman 
ordered the brigade to retire to a new position. In 
executing this movement, after having placed the 
Ninth in position, the general passed through a 
breach in the lines and was taken prisoner. The 
morning was very foggy ; it was impossible to see the' 
length of a company. Before the general was cap- 
tured he said truly, and with bitterness, " I am 
outdone this time, when, with only two sections of 
artillery and with one regiment and a half of in- 
fantry as reinforcements, I would have been able to 
prevent the sad catastrophe." According to subse- 
quent reports made by rebel ofiicers, the loss of the 
rebels in front of Heckman's brigade doubled in 
number the whole of that brigade. The loss of the 
Ninth was ten killed, seventy-seven wounded, and 
seventy-five missing, making with losses for the pre- 
vious days a total of twelve killed, one hundred 
wounded, and seventy-five missing. 

In this engagement fell the gallant Col. Zabriskie. 



While engaged in encouraging his men, a ball struck 
him on the front part of the throat, and passing 
through the windpipe, lodged in the vicinity of the 
spinal column in the neck. The wound, upon ex- 
amination, was pronounced fatal. He survived eight 
days, and died in Chesapeake Hospital, on the 24th 
of May, 1864. 

Col. Abram Zabriskie was the third son of Hon. 
A. 0. Zabriskie, late chancellor of New Jersey, and 
was born in Hackensack, Bergen County, on Feb. 18, 
1841. He entered the College of New Jersey in 1856, 
and graduated with honor in 1859, immediately com- 
mencing the study of the law, which he prosecuted 
until he entered the army. From his earliest child- 
hood he had been distinguished by vigor and clear- 
ness of intellect, no less than by his great intrepidity 
of character, and these characteristics made him a 
man of mark from the moment he enlisted in the 
nation's service. At the time when the Rebellion 
ripened into open hostilities, Zabriskie had just com- 
pleted his preparations for a tour in Europe ; his 
state-room had been engaged, and he confidently ex- 
pected to sail with Hon. William L. Dayton, our 
minister to France. But he was not one to consult 
his own pleasure when the country was in peril, and 
instantly, upon hearing of the fell of Sumter, he de- 
cided to abandon the trip, to which he had looked for- 
ward with so much satisfaction. Soon after, having 
deliberately determined upon his course, he entered 
the service as adjutant of the Ninth Regiment, with 
which he was identified until he fell upon the field. 
Although only nineteen years of age, he commanded 
from the first the profoundest esteem of his comrades, 
among whom his influence was unbounded. Ability, 
courage, the most sterling patriotism were all his, 
and wherever placed these high qualities found con- 
spicuous manifestations. As colonel of the Ninth 
Regiment his record was not merely .spotless, it was 
lustrous. Even in his last hours, when the shadow of 
death lay upon his face, and life's beauty and joy 
faded like a ))leasant picture from his darkened 
vision , his thoughts were of his country and of the 
comrades who were still, with heroic endurance, brav- 
ing the perils of a doubtful field. 

" The high estimate placed by the public upon Col. 
Zabriskie's services was clearly exhibited in the ex- 
pressions of the press, as well as the action of public 
bodies, immediately upon his death. The Common 
Council of Jersey City, at a special meeting called for 
the purpose, adopted a series of resolutions warmly 
applauding his patriotic course, and lamenting his 
decea.se as a loss to the country at large. The mem- 
bers of the bar of Hudson County issued a memorial 
commemorative of his virtues, while all the leading 
journals pronounced glowing eulogies upon his char- 
acter. His remains were interred in Greenwood 
Cemetery, on May 28, 1864, four days after his death, 
and twelve after receiving his fatal wound. He fell 
near Drury's Bluff, on the 16th of May, being struck 



13ti 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



by a ball in the front part of the throat, which passed 
through and lodged in the spine, while encfiuraging 
his men. Capt. Lawrence, who was near at the time, 
was directed to inform Lieut.-Col. Stewart, with di- 
rections to him to assume command. But Lawrence 
also fell soon after, shot through the leg, which being 
amputated, he died two weeks later. Seeing that 
most of liis officers were disable<l. Col. Zabriskie, al- 
though weak from loss of blood, went himself in 
search of the lieutenant-colonel, to whom he trans- 
ferred the command, and then staggered to the rear. 
On the 17th he was sent to Chesapeake Hospital, 
where he lingered till the 24th, when, witii friends 
and relatives around him, he breathed his last. One 
who served under him in all his cami>aigns says of 
him, ' He was not only highly esteemed by his 
officers, but they looked upon him with a reverence 
founded on an impulse more noble, more sublime 
than that of rank, — a reverence springing from a 
superiority of principle, of knowledge, and of virtue 
rarely found in one so young.' " 

The principal battles in which the Ninth Regiment 
was engaged were the following: Roanoke Island, 
N. C, Feb. 8, 1862 ; Newberne, N. C, March 14, 1862 ; 
Fort Macon, N. C, April 25, 1862 ; Young's Cross- 
roads, N. C, July 27, 1862; Rowell's Mill, N. C, 
Nov. 2, 1862; Deep Creek, N. C, Dec. 12, 1862; 
Southwest Creek, N. C, Dec. 13, 18(!2; Kinston, 
N. C, Dec. 13 and 14, 1862; Whitehall, N. C, Dec. 
16, 1862; Goldsborough, N. C, Dec. 17, 1862; Com- 
fort, N. C, July 6, 1863 ; near Winton, N. C, July 26, 
1863 ; Deep Creek, N. C, Feb. 7. 1864 ; Cherry Grove, 
N. C, .\i)ril 14, 1864; Port Walthall, Va., May 6 and 
7, 1864; Swift Creek, Va., May i> and 10, 1864; 
Drury's BluM', Va., May 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, 1864; 
Cold Harbor, Va., June 3-12, 1864, ten days in suc- 
cession ; Petersburg, Va., June 20 to Aug. 24, 1864; 
Gardner's Bridge, N. C, Dec. 9, 1864; Foster's 
Bridge, N. C, Dec. 10, 18(54; Butler's Bridge, N. C, 
Dec. 11, 1864; near Southwest Creek, N. C, March 
7, 186r. ; Wise's Fork, N. C, March 8, 9, and 10, 1865 ; 
Cioldsborough, N. C, March 21, 1865. 

Tenth Regiment. — "This regiment was raised by 
iiicli\ iiluaU, iini aiilliorized by the State, and accepted 
by the War Department a-s an indei>endent organi- 
zation, some time in the fall of 1861, ami was not 
known by the State authorities until it was j)laced 
under their care, Jan. 29, 1862." 

Such is the statement indorsed on the original ros- 
ter. The organi/ation was at first known as the 
"Olden Legiiin.'' It was reeruitecl at Beverly, where 
it had it« liea(h|Uarters, by William Hryan, who be- 
came its colonel, and proceeded to Washington in 
December, 1861. Company F of this regiment was 
raised chiefly in Passaic County, and was under Wil- 
liam Keiinywon as captain, Isaac T. Thackray as first 
lieutenant, and Stephen W. ,\llen iis second lieuten- 
ant. Capt. Hennyson entered the company ils first 
lieutenant, Dec. 31, 1861, and was promoted to the 



captaincy to fill an original vacancy, March 28, 1862. 
He resigned .Tan. 26, 1864, and First Lieut. Thackray 
Wiis promoted to fill his place. The latter died of 
wounds received in action at the battle of the Wil- 
derness, May 6, 1864, and Second Lieut. William 
Todd, of Company K, was made captain of the regi- 
ment. Second Lieut. Stephen W. Allen was pro- 
moted to first lieutenant upon the promotion of Ren- 
nyson to the captaincy. Allen resigned June 12, 
1863, and his place was filled by Joseph R. Horner, 
afterwards captain of Company E, Thirty-fourth 
Regiment. 

When the regiment was accepted by the State it 
was in a measure reorganized, and placed under com- 
mand of Col. William R. Murphy. It was detailed 
for provost duty at Washington in February. 1862, 
and so remained until the spring of 1863. much to 
the dissatisfaction of Col. Murphy, who resigned in 
consequence of the regiment not being ordered in 
active service. His place was filled by Col. Henry 
Ogden Ryerson, who fell in the battle of the Wilder- 
ness, May 6, 1864. 

From the time the Tenth Regiment engaged in the 
more a(itive and perilous duties of the war it made 
for itself a most brilliant record. " It shared in all 
the battles of the Wilderness, and fought with its 
corps all the way to Petersburg, on every field dis- 
playing conspicuous gallantry," and when transferred 
with the First Brigade to the Shenandoah \'alley, it 
made in the several campaigns of that region an 
eijually honor.iblc record till the close of the war. 

Thirteenth Regiment.— This regiment had two 
companies — C and K — raised in Passaic County, and 
commanded resjiectively by Capts. David A. Ryerson 
and Hugh C. Irish. The regiment was raised under 
the call of the President for three hundred thousand 
volunteers to serve for three years or during the war, 
dated July 7, 1862, and although not mustered into 
the United Sti\tes service until the 2r)th of .Vugust, 
the (|UOta required of the county of Passaic w.ls 
raised by the prompt and energetic action of her 
war committee in fourteen days. The two companies 
shared the fortunes of the regiment and contributed 
to its honorable achievements till the close of the 
great struggle for the preservation of the Union. 

The Thirteenth Regiment was mustered in at Camp 
Frelinghuysen, Newark, and left the State en mule 
for Washington Aug. 31, 1862, arriving in that city 
on the 2d of September, and going into camp near 
Fort Richardson, on .Vrlington Heights. Here it was 
assigned to the Third Brigade, First Division, Twellth 
Corps, .\rniy ofthe Potomac, ami immediately moved 
fi>rward with the army, assisting in preventing the in- 
vasion of Pennsylvania and Maryland by the enemy. 
The regiment was attached to the .Vrmy of the Poto- 
mac until Sept. 24, 1863, at which time, by order of 
the War Department, it was detached, with the en- 
tire Twelfth Corps, for service in the West. They 
' were then assigned to the .\rmy of the Tennessee, and 



BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. 



137 



remained therewith until November, 1864, when the)' 
joined the array of Gen. Sherman on his march 
tlirough Georgia and the Carolinas. At difterent 
. times during the years 1863, 1864, and 1865 the 
strength of the regiment was increased by the joining 
from draft reservations, Trenton, N. J., of large num- 
bers of recruits. The regiment continued its organi- 
zation and remained in active service until the close 
of the war, and those coming under the provisions of 
General Order No. 77, War Department, April 28, 
1865, were mustered out near Washington, June 8, 
1865 ; the remainder were transferred to the Thirty- 
third Regiment, in accordance with General Order 
No. 12, Headquarters Twentieth Army Corps, near 
Washington, and were mustered out with that regi- 
ment. 

The regiment was first attached to the Third Bri- 
gade, Firet Division, Twelfth Corps ; then to the 
Second Brigade, First Division, Twelfth Corps. The 
following list of engagements in which the regiment 
participated will give some idea of the extent of its 
services. It was engaged in the battles of South 
Mountain, Md., Sept. 14, 1862; Antietam, Md., Sept. 
17, 1862 ; Chancellorsville, Va., May 1-3, 1863 ; Get- 
tysburg, Pa., July 2 and 3, 1863 ; Rocky Fac*e Ridge, 
Ga., May 8-11, 1864; Resaca, Ga., May 15, 1864; 
Cassville, Ga., May 16, 1864; Dallas, Ga., May 25, 
1864; Pine Knob, Ga., June 16, 1864; Gulp's Farm, 
Ga., June 22, 1864; Kenesaw Mountain, Ga., June 
27, 1864; Nancy's Creek, Ga., July 18, 1864; Peach- 
Tree Creek, Ga., July 20, 1864 ; siege of Atlanta, Ga., 
July 22 to Sept. 1, 1864; Sandersville, Ga., Nov. 26, 
1864 : near Savannah, Ga., Dec. 6, 1864 ; capture of 
Savannah, Ga., Dec. 15-21, 1864; Averysboro', N. C, 
March 16, 1865; Bentonville, N. C, March 18-20, 
1865. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

BERGE.N AND PASSAIC COUNTIKS IN THE WAR 
OF THE KEBELLIOX— (Continued). 

Twenty-second Regiment (Bergex County 
Rei;imkn-t|. — The Twenty-second Regiment was or- 
ganized under the provision of an act of Congress, 
approved July 22, 1861, and was mustered into the 
United States service for nine months on Sept. 22, 
1862. A draft had been ordered for this date to fill 
a requisition made upon the Governor for ten thou- 
sand four hundred and seventy-eight men, to serve 
for nine months unless sooner discharged. Such was 
the enthusiasm throughout the State to raise the re- 
quired quota by voluntary enlistments and thus pre- 
vent the draft that by the time for the latter the 
quota for the State was entirely filled. To this credit- 
able result Bergen County contributed one regiment, 
the Twenty-second Infantry, which was made up 



chiefly from the bone and sinew of her agricultural 
population, and composed of as respectable and 
worthy a class of young men as entered the service 
during the war. The total number of officers and 
men was 939. The regiment left the State for Wash- 
ington, D. C, on Sept. 29, 1862, and upon arriving at 
its destination was ordered into camp ten miles north 
of Georgetown, D. C, having been assigned to a pro- 
visional brigade, Casey's division, defenses of Wash- 
ington. It remained in this position until about the 
1st of December, when it proceeded to Aquia Creek, 
Va., and was assigned to provost duty, guarding the 
railroad, transferring wounded, prisoners, etc. In 
January, 1863, the regiment was assigned to the First 
Army Corps, and joined the Army of the Potomac. 
It continued its organization and remained in active 
service until the expiration of its term, when it was 
ordered to return to New Jersey for its discharge, 
and was mustered out of service at Trenton, June 25, 
1863. 

The regiment was first attached to Casey's division, 
defenses of Washington, then to Patrick's brigade, 
provost-guard Army of the Potomac, then to the 
Third Brigade, First Division, First Army Corps. It 
took part in no important engagement except the 
movement on Chancelloi'sville, Va., May 2 and 3, 
1863. 

The original field, staff, and line-officers of the 
regiment were as follows : 

Field and Staff. — Cornelius Fornett, colonel ; Alex- 
ander Douglas, lieutenant-colonel ; Abraham G. Dem- 
arest, major; John F. Satterthwaite, adjutant; Ural 
B. Titus, quartermaster; Jacob B. Quick, surgeon; 
Samuel A. Jones, assistant surgeon ; John E. Gary, 
second assistant surgeon; Abraham G. Ryerson, chap- 
lain. 

Non-commissinned Staff. — John Fredon, sergeant- 
major; James T. Grinnelly, quartermaster-sergeant ; 
Frederick P. Van Riper, commissary-sergeant ; Ben- 
jamin S. Meunier, hospital steward. 

Lhie- Officers. — Company A, Robert W. Berrj-, cap- 
tain ; Jacob Post, first lieutenant ; Jacob S. Lozier, 
second lieutenant. 

Company B, Abraham Van Emburg, captain ; Ja- 
cob Z. Van Blarcom, first lieutenant ; Benjamin Z. 
Van Emburg, second lieutenant. 

Company C, Samuel D. Demarest, captain ; Wil- 
liam J. Demarest, first lieutenant ; Joseph P. Vree- 
land, second lieutenant. 

Company D, John C. Westervelt, captain ; Walter 
H. Rumsey, first lieutenant; Nicholas Collingnon, 
second lieutenant. 

Company E, William Chippendale, cajitain ; Wil- 
liam Drew, first lieutenant ; John Gilham, second 
lieutenant. 

Company F, James M. Ayers, captain ; Jacob 
Titus, first lieutenant ; George W. Cubberley, sec- 
ond lieutenant. 

Company G, John H. Margerum, captain ; Richard 



138 



HISTOKV OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



H. Ivory, first lieutenaut ; William C. Vanderwater, 
second lieutenant. 

Comimny H, Daniel D. Blauvelt, captain; Thomas 
G. T. Paterson, first lieutenant; George Kingsland, 
second lieutenant. 

Company 1, Thomas II. Swcnarton, captain ; Jo- 
seph A. HlauvL'lt, first lieutenant; David C. Bhiu- 
velt, second lieutenant. 

Company K, Richard C. Dey, captain ; Gerret J, 
Christie, first lieutenant ; James Christie, second 
lieutenant. 

The following incidents in the history of the regi- 
ment during its period of service are taken chiefly 
from correspondence of the Bergen County Democrat, 
and^will be read with interest by many survivors of 
the regiment and their friends. 

The regiuuMit left Trenton for Washington rather 
hurriedly, iirevcnting the presentation of tlie regi- 
mental flag which had been provided for the Twenty- 
second by the State. It was, however, forwarded to 
them at their camp near Georgetown, and in due time 
fornially presented to the regiment. 

The first letter from "Camp Bergen, Washington, 
D. C," was written on the 2d of October. This letter 
says,— 

" We arc in the aiiny. Vic are amung^t the number manj of whuni 
are liattliiig for the Uiiiun rh il is, not im it vm». But we )iiteu<l to do 
our duty juatly, fairly, und uprightly. We truit we shall be an honor 
to the name of Bergen County and the glorious HCtle State of New Jer- 
iey. ... 

"TheTwenty-secotid nuoiber^ about 9i>0 men, and its fine a net of men 
aa ever left the Stale, they being mostly farmers' t»ons. . . . Wceroi|uar< 
tered on F^t Cui>itol lUll, in Gen. r^isey'd division. It begins lo look 
like fight with us. Thirty thousand men have left Washington fur the 
rpi>er PutAtnac witldri the last two days. 

"October '>. The Twenty -second Id-ginient Is od the more. Our plny- 
ing days have gone by. anrl it begins to look as If w© were going to be 
pushed forward to tlio scene of a great conflict. . . . There was .luit*- ii 
sad accident in ('oni|iany K, Capt. Dey's, ou Siimlay morning last. The 
6th Sergeant of the company broke )iis leg just lielow the knee, caused 
by runidng round thn.>ugh the tents. On the Hth of Octol>er (be regi- 
ment occupied Camp Fornett, one hundred men being loft behind to 
guard the tents and baggage. They bmught up the reiir the next day." , 

Writing from Camp Fornett, a correspondentsays, — 

" We marchei! to Tenallytown, six miles distint from (be Cnpibil and 
Moven from Camp Bergen. A post-olllce, teb'graph-tjfllce, and a small 
store and blacksmith-shop constitutes the town. We re^Ktrted ourselves 
at ' Fort Pennsylvania,' near the town, after which we were oidered to 
bivouac in a small grove neiir by for the night; ue to<.ik the heavens 
for our covering, and our kuap«i( ks for our pillows. It was tin- r()ol«st 
night that has Iwen ex|N)riencod by us (bus far, many of thi- b<»ys being 
so tired they could He down and sleep In almost any place." 

(")n the !»lii of ()ctol)er, the ro^inient having joined 
the Army of tl»e Potomac, a corn-Mpondent writes, — 

"The Twenty-eecond Hegiment were on the 9tli Instant aruiml with 
•hovels and pickaxoa, to help ronstmrl a road l>etween Fort Alexandrln 
and Fort IVnnsylvnido, a distance of »onie thref miles. ... A private be- 
longing to Capi. W«*«lervelt'*rom|>any, having tmen at work on the road, 
Injomptng ai:i<Mm a ditch with an axe in his hand, cut the forellnger 
and thumb of his right hand, nearly severing them iKJth at the ftrst Joint. 
He will pndtably be diivharged. This Is the second accident Ihnt has 
fK-rurrwd In the n-glmmt witliln a short time." 

Flag Presentation.— f>n the luh of October, 18(i2, 
:i iM-aiiliriil rt>;iminlal Hng wum presented to the 



Twenty-second hy a committee consi.sting of several 
gentlemen, accompanied by the following address: 

"OrnCBlS AND SOLDIEES OP THE TWKNTY*eRCOND REGIMENT Nf.W 
JCBfiET VOLUNTEEKS: 

" In behalf of the citizens of Bergen County, we have the honor to 
present to you these flags. The one Is to remind you that you are citi- 
zens of the imtriotic State of New Jersey, and the other that you are part 
of the brave and invincible defenders of the Union. Be assured that they 
are the oflferings of loving hearts, following you in the aspirations of love 
from the fireside uf home to the field of war, and appreciating your loy- 
alty and patriotism in daring to live or die for your country. Centred in 
them are the contributions of a kind father, a noble brother, and many a 
strong and steadfast friend ; and while they are carried aloft In defense of 
your country and the right, do not forget the loved ones at home. What 
more beautiful emblem of their devotion to their country could be pre- 
sented? They see their country assailed by the most formidable and 
wicked rebellion that ever desolated the peace of nations or of the 
World. They see this unholy war waged iigainst the very life of the re- 
public, and threatening to overthrow tht- foundations of the noblest 
structure of national greatness and prosperity the world ever saw. They 
see tlio bloody hands of Itase conspirators violently desftoiling the holy 
altar of liberty. And in tlie presentation of tliese emblems they say to 
you, crush the rebellion, our republic and country shall never be de- 
stroyed, consjiiracy must be punished, and llial punlchuient must be as 
terrible as the crime is fiendish. They say to you, thei»e flags are the 
emblems of our nationality, not of a broken and dissevered nation, but of 
the * Union, now and forever, one an<l insepantble.' When the Union 
shall be dissolved let the flags be laid aside and KH>ked upon as the relics 
of our former greatness, and let them be a reproval to us that we had 
become too weak, too mean, and too disloyal to pndect and defend 
them. 

"They have no fear that you will prove recreant to your high calling 
and noble trust. They know they have placed these flags in true and 
patriotic bands, and that they shall never be surrendered while a veatige 
of rebellion shall Ua leit unpunlshe<l. In protecting and defending these 
flags you also protect and defend the land of Washington, of yourfathers, 
and of yourselves. In this hour of your country's iR'ril noble hearts and 
strong hands must stand by her, and when she comes out of this fiery 
struggle with unholy rebellion, as she must and will, you may rely ui>on 
the blessing of your own and many future generations; you will then be 
happy, and have the assunince that you have aided your beloved but 
struggling cttuntry in her noble endeavore to strike down the traIton>iu 
arm of the Idoody assassin who would destroy her national pn>sperity 
and greatness and take away her natural life ; you will al»> have rooMin 
to thank your Cod that in your short tlay and generation ' the Star- 
S|Hingled Banner' in reality * doth M'ave o'er the land of the free and the 
home of the brave.' To each oneofj'ou let us say, in the Wautifnl woida 
of Longfellow, — 

"'Take Ihy Banner! may it wave 
Pntudly o'er the gvK>il and bruve ! 
When the battle's disUnt wall 
Brejiks the Sabbath of the vale, 
When the rlariou music Ibrills 
To the heart" of tlio«« lone bills, 
When the spear in ronfli<'t shak'-w. 
And the strong tancr shivering breaks, 

"'Take tb\ banner! and iM-neatli 
The battb-cloud's eniin^ling wreath 
Onarfl it till our homes an« free ! 
liuard it ! <(od will prosjier thee! 
In the ilark and trying hour, 
In the breaking forth of |»ower. 
In the rush of steeds and men, 
His ri^bt hand will shield thee then.* 

"lUlilEHT RRNMIK, 

"John ]. Bbrtholf, 

" I)*vn> TKHIirNE, 
"FKKI>KHtrK JaCOBSON, 

" CommiUtf. 
" II.vckekrjick, Oct. 9, Irtfi'J." 

In answer to tlie ahnve the folKiwing reply came: 



BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. 



139 



"Headquarters Twenty-sbcond Reoiuent, 
" Camp Fobnett, Oct. 13, 18G2. 

"To Committee of Presentation: 

•'Gentlemen, — Your letter, togetlier with your beautiful presentation, 
was received jeatenlay afternoon. Everything arrived safely. The nohle 
banners were unfurled and presented in due form at the evening ptirade. 
Dpon the reading of the accompanying speecli the cheers of the officers 
and men of tho regiment re-eclioed far and near along the banks of the 
old Potomac. The enthusiasm of the men at the sight of our glorious 
ensign was very great. Cheer after cheer were given for old Bergen, for 
her loyal men, for her devoted women, for the Stars and Stripes, and for 
the good old Union. 

" In answer to your appropriate and patriotic address my pleasant duty 
is to make a reply, in doing which, if I may be able to express our grat- 
itude to you as donors and the ennobling spirit of respect and love 
you have inspired in our every breast, I shall feel doubly happy. In 
behalf of the officers and men of the Twenty-second Volunteers, I return 
you our must sincere thanks for these dearly-loved banners, fit tokens of 
your luyalty and devotion to our country's cause and of your evinced 
interest iu our welfare as a regiment. Forcibly does the one remind us 
of our citizenship in patriotic Jereey, and of the ties of afiection which 
there bind us. With pride and devotion do we look upon the otlier, the 
starry flag of our noble republic, under which our glorious land has so 
long and prosperously existed. Full well do we know that your loving 
hearts with their most earnest prayers will follow us, and we are happy 
in this knowledge. Never, for your sake, for uur country's sake, shall 
we prove recreant to our importaut trust. E-trnestly will we strive to 
imitate the worthy example of our patriotic sires, and show to the world 
that the blood of our sacrificing forefathers still courses in our veins. 
Influenced by no sinister motive, we go forth to endure the fatigues and 
privations of a soldier's life, ready, if necessary, to sacrifice all, even life 
itself, in the protection of our national honor and glory. It shall be ; 
our highest pride to be worthy of your trust and affection, and to add j 
lustre to our already shining name among the constellation of States. I 
Our hearts shall constantly burn with affection for you all, and when 
the din of battle shall have ceased and the dreadful rebellion, with all ' 
its concomitant horrors, shall have been overwhelmed and eternally de- 
stroyed, then the proud consciousness of having faithfully discharged 
our duty as soldiers and of liaving manfully assisted in the restoration i 
of onr land to its former greatness and glory sliall be our most happy 
reward. Sedition and conspiracy must bite the dust. The Union shall 
live and triumph. With many thanks and kind wishes, I am yours, , 

" Lt.-Col. Alex. Dottglas, 
" Commmuliug Twenty-second Regiment N. J. V. 
"To Messrs. Rennie, Bertholf.Teruune, and Jacobson." I 

i 

Oct. 20, 1862, a member of the regiment writes, — 

*' still at Camp Fornett. Each inati of the rpgiment was furnished 
with thirty rounds of ammunition on Tuesday niglit last iu expectation 
of a raid near us. It made the hoys open their eyes and hrighten up 
their ideas. But nohody came. We were ordered to sleep on our arms 
fluring the night, with accoutrements on. Pickets are sent out some 
three miles every night. . . . Every man was presented with an overcoat , 
and knit jacket on Wednesday la.st. This completes our outfit. ... 
The men of Company C are talking of getting up a general debating so- 
ciety and Bible class. . . . The Bergen Democrat is much sought after by 
tlie boys in camp from Bergen County." ' 

November 16th. "The 'long roll' was beaten in 
camp on Saturday night, and after the smoke, flurry, 
and bustle had subsided proved to be a false alarm. 
The regiment was ready for battle in live minutes after 
the call had been sounded. It is about the quickest 
time we have ever heard of for a raw regiment." 

On the 24th of November quite a number were re- ! 
ported sick in camp, owing to the damp and chilly 
weather. On the 22d, Private Blauvelt De Mott, of 
Company I, died of typhoid fever. He belonged to 
North Englewood, and left a wife and one child to 
mourn his loss. 

Thanksgiving (Nov. 27, 1862) was spent by the 
regiment in camp. After the services by the chap- 



lain were over the whole regiment joined in singing 
the patriotic and soul-stirring song, " My country 
'tis of thee." A correspondent, speaking of the day, 
says, "It is now numbered with the annals of the 
past, which will ever be remembered by many of us. 
. . . We have as yet no colonel in command of the 
regiment. It is about time we should know whether 
we are to have such an officer or not." Col. Abraham 
G. Demarest was not commissioned colonel of the 
regiment till Jan. 26, 1863. 

The regiment left Camp Fornett on Saturday night, 
November 3(>tli, and at about six o'clock p.m. reported 
at Fort Carroll. They crossed Long Bridge about 
three o'clock on Sunday morning, having marched 
fifteen miles. After resting for the night in a small 
woods by the wayside, at eight o'clock on Monday 
morning they resumed their long journey through 
Maryland to Liverpool Point, on the Potomac, oppo- 
site Aquia Creek Landing. They had marched four 
days, making a distance of seventy-five miles, and 
had lived upon "twenty crackers and about one 
pound and a half of salt pork." ' From Liverpool 
Point they were ferried across in a steamboat to Aquia 
Creek, A correspondent writes, " It is winter with 
us, and the snow lies upon the ground. Friday night 
it rained and snowed nearly the whole time. The 
last few days have taught the boys what a soldier's 
life is. . . . We are quartered in small tents, called 
'shelter-tents,' which look like chicken-coops, being 
open at both ends. ... We are now living upon nine 
hard crackers, some raw pork, and two cups of coflee 
per day." 

The regiment lay at Aquia Creek till after the battle 
of Fredericksburg, December 11th to 13th. They did 
not participate in that sanguinary and memorable 
slaughter of Union soldiers. The Fourth, Seventh, 
Fifteenth, Twenty -third. Twenty -fourth, Twenty- 
fifth, Twenty-seventh, and Twenty-ninth New Jersey 
Regiments were engaged in the fight, every one 
sufl'ering more or less in killed and wounded. The 
correspondent of the Twenty-second Regiment wrote 
after the battle, " The past week has been a very stir- 
ring time with us. There is no end to the wounded 
that have been arriving here from the last battle-field. 
But very few prisoners were among the number. We 
have been badly defeated. The whole army ha.s re- 
crossed the Rappahannock with a loss of some thirty 
thousand killed and wounded, and not an inch of 
ground gained. The wounded that arrived here pre- 
sent a most heartrending scene. Their groans were 
terrible as they lay in the cars." 

At this time Dr. Jones, of Englewood, the surgeon 
of the Twenty-second, was appointed brigade sur- 
geon ; Corp. Van Brunt, of Company I, was ap- 
pointed brigade commis.sary's clerk. The regiment 
received Sibley tents, and rejoiced in the comfort 
they afforded. The correspondent says. "They feel 



' CoireBpondent Bergen Democrat. 



14U 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



like home again on cold nights. Our chicken-coops 
will come in play when we go out on picket duty. . . . 
Tiie wounded from the last fight (Fredericksburg) 
have been coming in every night during the past 
week. We have been busily engaged in unloading 
the cars and loading them again on steamboats as 
fast as they arrived here, some nights till twelve 
o'clock." 

The following is an extract from a letter dated at 
the camp of the Twenty-second Regiment at Aquia 
Creek, Dec. 28, 18tj2 : 

" A and I umcle onr meal to-night of baked i>oti»toe8, bard brwui, cof* 
foc% boiled rice, and raw oninns. Our joint cooking utenuils cunslst of 
the top of the stove, one quiirt cup, two iiint cups, one tin platf, and one 
knife and fork. Each makes bis cofioe and drinks it out of tbe suniu 
cup. It iii well rellsbed, howt-v.-r, and I enjoy my little nieentclinum 
pipe after Hupper as much as if I had eaten boiled turkey with oyster 
Bauce. Each article of consumption is kept in a paprr by itself and de- 
posited in the .7o#ei, which is the lluor at ttie end of the bunk, and a 
small shelf nailed to the foot of haid bunk. The things get a little diaty 
sometimes, but that don't make much difference, ^ly chair is an empty 
cracker box; my aimtlestick ii little scjnare block with a hole in it. Our 
stove was purchased on board of acanal-Umt lyirin here. Our stove-pipe 
I ' won' from ' I'ncle Sam* directly under tli** nostcs of five guards (col- 
ored) who were watching it. Our /wZ/iM-bed is made of hay. procured 
In the same way as the stove-pipe." 

Earlv in January,' 1863, the Twenty-second Re<ri- 
ment was removed" to Belle riainsTiiid attaelied to 
the left wing of Gen. Franklin's division, bri^de of 
Gen. Paul. On the 1st of February, 1803, Lieut.-Col. 
Alexander Douglas resigned liis commission. He 
had coninian<U'd the regiment from the first, but was 
an uniHtpular otHcer. A corre.six.ndent writing of his 
resignation says, " His five nionths' career with us as 
lieutenant-colonel of the Twenty-seeoml Regiment 
hjus been very remarkable. He never attained the 
position he held fairly, . . . He promised much but 
fulfille<l little. A majority of the line-officers who 
voted for him in 'Camp Bergen' turned their backs 
upon him in *Cam|) Fornett' when a petition was 
drawn up to have him colonel." 

( )n Tuesday, February 3d, the regiment received two 
months' pay, and raised a contribution of $100 for 
the widow of comrade Jolin Stamp, A brigade re- 
view t<iok place by Brig.-Oen. Paul. Cnirrei Camp- 
bell, orderly sergeant, wjls promoted to fill the office 
of second lieutenant on the 4th of February. A few 
days later the Twenty-second Regiment removed 
from tlieir old camp (Dcmarest) to a more convenient 
place for fuel. In a letter dated Potomac Creek, Va,, 
Feb. 22, 1863, a correspondent of the Bergen Demo- 
crai says, — 

*' QhU« a change has taken place In the regiment since my lost letter. 
M^. Domarrst rerelve<l his commlMion on Friday Inst as c<)h>nel of the 
TwentVHMMttnd Upgiment, Capt. Van Emburg ns Ilentcnant-colonel. and 
Capl. S. n. Peniiinst as mnjor. The change M>em» to give giwl satlsfoc- 
lion to the men. ... It has been nothing hut storm after storm during 
the month of Febniary. The liwt unowsb.rm. on the 22d Infant, was 
a drwMlful cold one on the stddlora. We will pmbiibly remain here for 
oome time yol. . - . Throe private* dle«l in lb* Twenty-socond on Sun- 
dMy,— one fhiro Company I, namatl Abraham Do Uaiin ; Bei^amln Evor- 



I January 12th. 



son, of Company D; Henry BriiikerholT, better known as ' Bully Hank.' 
of ConiiMiny H. The first one died with intormiUcut fi*ver. There are 
some more dangerous cases in the h<.>«plia1.*' 

In a letter to the Democrat in March, 1863, a mem- 
ber of the Twenty-second thus reviews the army-life 
of the regiment: 

" It seennt like the lapse of years [time we were at Trenton ; the jour- 
ney to our rump on East Capitol Hill fs like something read of rather 
than experiencei] ; the two mouthr* on the ' Defenses of Washington* are 
well remembered — like sunshine In rain — iH'cause of the comforiable 
quarteis at Camp Fornett. Then comes the pbantasiuaguria of a l»ng 
march through Maryland, whore knajisacks were so heavy and chickens 
St) plt-ntiful. That was a week of wild life : up with the sun, knupNiiks 
slung, and ufl ; brief Iniltiugs fur rest, a short noon fur dinner ; then ihe 
halt Ht night, tbe roads ringing with voires and gleaming with a thun- 
sand tire!«, ut which were cookeil the chickens, ducks, geese, and oir* 
keys, upon whom a' Yankee' had ' tried hisritle.' How sweet sleep pieemeil 
in those tpiiet old woods, though wo had no tents and saw GlhI's stars In 
the ceiling. And while we sat around our camp-fires, smoking our 
pil>es, how timidly the 'contrabands' of neighboring fnrmers would 
steal up to our gi-oup and listen to onr talk, ami tell u<t of other soldiers 
who had passed through there. Some of thene ' niggers' did desire lo l>e 
free, and were welt inlormed upon the topics of the day ; others seemed 
lo know nothing of freedom, and cared Ivsa. 

'• We do remember our landing at .\iiuiii Creek, for there we spent one 
night in a violent snow-storm without a tent in the whole regiment. . . . 
We remember Aquia Creek bacouse it grew under our eyes fi-om a wil- 
derness into u village, and such a busy one! It was thoie we were 
taught to gni>ss how much the war is costing ; there, too, we h^ard the 
thunders booming at Fredericksburg, and there we helped the thousands 
of wounded on their way to the Washington bospitais. Then came our 
'move* to Belle I'laiu; tiur * move' upon Frpdorick^burg. frustrated by 
the elements; our three days in the wuods, mud, and sloiin-stityed ; our 
march back ; our slay in one place until the wood is gone, an<) then onr 
* changing camp,' for we are chasing forests that seem to melt before us. 
We are called an * army of occupation;' our work seems to l>e tlearing 
Virginia. . . . From where I sit I look out upon a gently-rising mound, 
and on its summit 1 see a dark-lu-own heap, marked at each end tty a 
strip of board. One morning he who sleejts there was well, lie awoke 
at the reveille and did a soldier's duty for tlie day. Tloit night he whs 
' sick,* and with the next day's setting sun he lay down never again to 
hear a rtveilte." 

In the spring of 1803 a number of deaths occurred 
in the regiment. Among tliem were Corp. John 
Christie, of Company K ; Privates John Ducher, 
Company I; Charles Beckwitii, Company K (April 
l')th) ; and Corp. David Bogert, Company I. 

April 2Uth a correspondent writes, — 

" The health of Ihe regiment in fast Improving. Some twelve privates 
belonging to the dlflTerent cumpanles were laken to the general hospital 
ul Washington on Saturday, (he 18th hisl. . . . We have been und«r 
mmchitig orders for the last five days. On Monday, April 2oth, the 
regiment broke camp and removed atK>ut two miles. The whole of the 
brigade shifted quarters and engaged In pre|Mirutlifii for summer cum- 
|>aignhig. On tlie 2^th Governor Parker, of New Jersey, (laid us a visit, 
and WHS onthuslrtstli'dly rect?lved by th<< regiment drawn up In line widi 
oprn ranks. Three musing cliecrs wiTe given him as he departeil on 
a similar visit to other Now Jersey troopa." 

On the 28th of April the regiment and brigade 
^ joined in the general advance towards tbe Rappahan- 
] nock. " At daylight on the 29th,'* says a correspond- 
I ent, "the ball was opened by the rebels. They fired 
1 a brisk volley from their ritle-pit** upon the engineers 
; while they were stringing llic |n)ntoon-bridges. Gur 
I skirmishers (the F»mrth Brooklyn) returned the fire 
I very lively. After the skirmishing had been going on 
some time our batteries got in position and jioured 
I the shot and shell into the pits thick and fast. Finallv 



BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. 



141 



the Fourth New Jersey crossed the river a little lower 
down, unbeknown to them, and outflanked them in 
their pits, and captured them all, some one liundred. 
In the afternoon the Third Brigade (Gen. Paul's) 
crossed over the bridge, and we located ourselves be- 
hind a high bank out of range of the rebel guns." 
In this position they remained during the next day, 
watching the rebels. The firing ceased about seven 
o'clock P.M., and that night the Twenty -second lay on 
their arms. On the next day (Saturday) the whole 
army recrossed the Rappahannock, and the rebels 
again occupied the Heights of Fredericksburg. The 
Federal loss in this movement was about twenty-five 
thousand in killed, wounded, and prisoners. 

"Almost immediately after the hard-fought battle 
of Chancellorsville a court-martial, composed of offi- 
cers from three-years' regiments, found Lieut. D. C. 
Blauvelt, of Company I, guilty of cowardice before 
the enemy, and sentenced him to be dismissed from 
the service," etc. His character was ably vindicated 
by a member of his regiment, who. In a letter dated 
May 24, 1863,- stated for publication in the Bergen 
Democrat the simple facts of his military career, 
showing him to have been a brave and efficient officer. 
The editor of the Democrat adds the following remark 
to the letter : 

" The above letter of our correspondent ig in keeping with man}- others 
which have been received in town on the same subject, rII indicating 
that Lieut. Blauvelt has been the victim o^ political freachery. But a few 
days will elapse when all the authors in this nefaiious transaction will 
(we trust) be again at home, when the matter in question will receive a 
rigid and searching investigation. Until tlmt time Lieut. Blauvelt is 
willing to rest his case, leaving that great corrective, public opinion, 
to decide aa to whether he is a coward or a victim sacrifiCBd to the hatred 
of his political enemy, who happened to be his superior in rank." 

The time of service of the regiment having expired 
on the 18th of June, 1863, they returned home. Pre- 
vious to being mustered out at Trenton they were 
given a magnificent reception by the ladies and citi- 
zens, Maj. Frank Mills, of that city, delivering an 
appropriate address on the occasion. The companies 
returning to Hackensack were also received with warm 
congratulations, and a collation was served at the 
Mansion House. 

The following is a roster of the non-commissioned 
officers and privates in the Twenty-second Regiment 
from Bergen County : 

Company A. 

Sergeants, — 1st, Garret M. Campbell ; 2d, Kicbolas R. Royce ; 3d, Stephen 
G. Harper; <th, Milton Birley; Sth, John R. Fulton. 

Corporals. — 1st, Richard A.Terhuue; 2d, Heury II. Batita, 3d, CVjmelius 
Van Horn; 4tli, George A. Brinkirhoff; 6tli, \Vm. W. Harper; gth, 
Wm. H. Van Buskirk ; 7th, \Vm. Burt ; Sth, Jacob Terhune. 



Privates. 



Ackerman, Wm. H 
Boyd, James. 
Bell, Jacob J. 
Boyd, John A. 
Bross, Nicholas. 
Began, Timothy. 
Earle, Barney V. 
Eaglin, Benjamin. 
Everson, Jacob. 
10 



Falter, Alexander. 
Ferdoii, Jamea S. 
Guildersleve, Thomaa. 
Guildersleve, Dtivid. 
Guildersleve, Henry. 
GriniBiiaw, William H. 
Garris')!!, Jacob J. 
Hunton, Heory. 
Hill, Cornelius. 



Jervis, James. 
Kennedy. Tln-niaa. 
Lozier, Daniel C. 
Leibizh, Joseph. 
Myers, Wm. 
McCiie, John. 
McCano, Frank. 
McGuire, Wm. 
Mangfl, Bernard. 
Opdyke, Edwin S. 
O'Conner, Jamea. 
Quackenbush, John. 
Remsen, James. 
Ryan, Daniel. 
Scott, Wm. C. 
Stevens, Charles. 
Simms, George. 
Smith, Albert G. 
Smith, Michael. 
Terhune, John J. 



Terhune, Martin J. 
Terhuup, James. 
Tervis, Albert D. 
Van Houten, John H. 
Van Huuteii, James. 
Van Horn, Albert 
Van Dcrbt'ck, David. 
VaudpnilUeon, E. 
Van Nt'83, Rubert. 
Van Buren, Theo. F. 
Van Buren, Peter. 
VoorhiB, Nicholas H. 
Vreeland, Henry G. 
Vreelaud, Nichohis D. 
Wygant, John H. 
Wood, George W. 
Wygant, Wm. W. 
Westervelt, Peter. 
Zflbriskie, John J. 
Zabriskie, Jacob B. 



Company B. 



Sergeants. — 1st, Andrew Van Emburg; 2d, Charles Van Riper; 3d, Tbos. 
Eckerson; 4th, James A. Osborne ; 5th, Theodore V. Terhune. 

CorporaU.~let, Aaron Van Derbeck; 2d, Abraham 11. Hopper; 3d, Cor- 
nelius D. Ackerman; 4th, Daniel Van Blarcom; 5tb, Stephen D. 
Bartholf ; 6th, Theodore Bamper ; 7th, John Acker ; 8tb, Walter S. 
Terhune. 

Privates. 



Abrame, Henry.^ 
Abrams, Elias.i 
Ackerman, Peter. 
AUer, Heury T. 
Banta, Thomas T. 
Brower, Robert D. 
Berthulf, Peter. 
Cooley, Edward. 
Conklin, John E. 
Cap, George. 
Durling, John. 
De Bauu, Isaac V, B. 
DoremuB, Wm. 
Doty, Thomas E. 
English, Wm. 
Edwards, James W. 
Fincli, Isaac P. 
Finch, John. 
Finch, Joseph. 
Howard, Cornelius. 
Hopper, Henry L. 
Hopper, John A. 
Hopper, Albert G. 
Hopper, Garret U. 
Hopper, Joseph B. 
Hopper, David. 
Hennion, Garret G. 
Hennion, Andrew. 
Harrop, John. 
Jenke, John G. 
Kent, Cornelius C. 
Lutkins, John H. 
Lutkins, Richard. 
Lake, John. 
Lenox, George. 
Marsh, George W. 
Masker, Lewis. 
Magrofl, Martin. 
Miller, Wm. H. G. 
Myers, John J. 
Myers, Martin J. 
Marinus, Christian. 



Messenger, Philip. 
May, John J. 
Meeker, Wm. D. 
Mabey, Frederick B. 
Osborne. Wm. A. 
Peterson, Barney. 
PuUm, Jacob. 
Perry, James. 
Ryan, Patrick, 
RyersiMi, Albert B. 
Schmide, Simon. 
Stun. Daniel. 
Stun, IsiHC. 
Thi'mpaou, John H. 
Thompson, James, Jr. 
Trumper, Harmau. 
Tbonipaou, Wm. H. 
Terhune, Ji'Spjih F. 
Terhune, Janios E. 
Terwilliger, James H. 
Tbursloi), Anthony. 
Terhune, Henry H. 
Thompson, AckerxoD. 
Tinker, James. 
Turse, Jacob Y. 
Thompson, J"hn J. 
Terhune, Ab-xander. 
Terhune, Andrew A. 
Van Vorat, Heury. 
Van Riper, Peter. 
Van Horn, Wm. 
West, Cba-Ies. 
Wyknff, Samuel B. 
Waldron, John L. 
Wanamaker. Josiah. 
Whitmore, James. 
Whitmore, William H. 
Winters, William. 
Waid. Pfter. 
Teonians, Mynch-rt. 
Teomans, Josiab. 
Yeonians, Samuel J. 



Company C. 
Serj^ean/*.— let., Peter L. Conklin ; 2d, David W. DewHreat; 3d, David C. 

Blauvelt; 4tb. Asaph T. Campbell ; Sth, Cornelius Huyler. 
a>rporoifl.— let, David J. Blackledge ; 2d, James S. Bogert ; 3d, James W. 

1 From Weit Milford, Passaic Co. 



142 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Wtlej; 4th, John D. Chiiitl*; 5tfa, Conieltus Vreeland; 6th, John 
Ack«rnian; 7th, Samuel Dawson; 8th, WllliaDi H. Mnnroe. 



Privait*. 



Ackerman, Peter I. 
Brown, Carl. 
Bloom, CliarlM. 
Bogert, Samuel B. 
Blackledge, Isaac X. 
Butler, Jame« J. 
Urinkerliuff, Abram C. 
Byftnl, John. 
Itroeti, Barney. 
Burr, Charlee A. 
Beam, ErneBt. 
BrinkerholT. Ilalph L. 
Blauvi'lt, Diivid D. 
Bross, Abraham. 
Babcock, George W. 
Campl'ell. Theodore. 
Christie, IV-tor J. 
Clusc, Pliilii> P. 
Conklin, Aaron. 
Christie, Emsnnis. 
Couliffc, William U. 
Cluss, John 1>. 
Conklln, James. 
De Graw, Robert. 
Doremns, John K. 
DemarcHt, Gilbert. 
Daweoii, John H. 
Domarest, Duvld J. 
Ely, John Bunt'*. 
Feeder, Morris. 
Freelnnd.Jobn. 
Gott. William 0. 
HarinK. Henry J. 
Hawkey, Oeormi W. 
IlickerHon, Tnliimn. 
JurgnD, Chrldtopher. 
LowBiithal. Lewis. 
Miller. Peter. 
Murray, Bernard. 
Mornett, Andrew. 
Moran, Martin. 
Moore, AlbiTt. 



UHglton, WilUani. 
Matonia, Charles. 
O'Oonuell, Stephen. 
Pickle, George. 
Perry, John. 
Quay, Tfiomas. 
Rosf), Joseph. 
Rii-r, Michael U. 
Sears, John H. 
Seam, Peter. 
Sear*, Jacob. 
Schmidt, Charles. 
Seber, Joseph. 
Schmidt, Henry. 
Sinpor, Alhert. 
StroBS, William. 
Snook, Martin. 
Smith, John V. D. 
Stamp, John. 
Slieir, Christopher. 
Sears, Allison. 
Searv, FranciH. 
Solvers, Martin. 
Sears, Anilrew. 
Steel, Jacub. 
Terhnne. David W. 
TalK, Juhn. 
Tillman, William A. 
Terhnne, Albert W. 
Van GieAon, Isaac. 
Van Saun, Levi. 
Van Saun, Isaac H. 

Van I>erbeck, Kbenezer. 

Van Iterbeck, Isaac I. 

Vreeland, David D. 

Voorhis, John W. 

Van Wetering, F. P. 

Van Wotering, Seanion. 

Wygant. Michael M. 

Westorvelt, John S. 

Wcelorvelt, Simeon. 

Young, George. 



Utll, Thomas E. 
Jones, Joseph E. 
Jertey, John J. 
Kent, Cornelius J. 
Klngsland, Theodore. 
Kitchel, Isaac M. 
Lock wood, David. 
Howerson, John Jacob. 
Monroe, Stephen. 
Monroe, David. 
Nangb', Jolin D. 
Ottienon, John C. 
Pulis, Peter D. 
Post, RubLTt J. 
Perry, Jolin H. 
Post, Julm J. 
RuniBey, Owen I. 
Kaulet, C. Louis. 
Uiker, Abraham A. 
Smith, Daniel W. 



suiter, Samuel. 
Storms, AbrBhaoi C. 
Schilte, Marinus. 
Straus, Itichard. 
Terhnne, Albert J., Jr. 
Towiihend, John. 
Ulnier, Fre^lerick. 
Van Saun. Isaac. 
Van Kiper, Frederick A. 
Van Orden. William. 
Van Busklrk, Benjamin. 
Van Derlinder, Jitcob. 
Van Buitkirk, Charles E. 
Van Dien, Juhn. 
Westervelt, Henry P. 
Wood, Abraham. 
Waring, Peter P. 
Wortendyk<<, Abraham. 
William, Juhn. 
WannaniaktT, John H. 



OiHI'ANY £. 

8€rg«anU.—Ut, Edwin Bebbington ; 2d, John W. Doremus; 3d, Frank y. 
Bowen; 4tli, Adrian Hughes; 5th, Juhn Fraz.er. 

Corporals. — Ist, Abraham Kreeland; 2d, Fredi-rick Frowh ; ;id, Aarun 
Buach ; 4lh, Willium H. Ciidmus ; 5th, Abmbani Whartnn; 6lh, Henry 
U. Van Idemtlne; 7th, Simeon V. R. Alyea; Uth, John P. Jones. 



Prirate*. 



Com PANT D. 
S«-f,Mnt*.~Ul. Altrabam C. Herring; 2d, Thomas DemareM ; :jd. John 

A. Marinus; 4lh, Nicholas Colllngnon ; 6th, Jasper J. WostervnU. 
OirpoTnU.-Ui,\Ku\c D. B.>gert; 2d, Gonest M. Oltignon ; 3d, James B. 
• We*tervelt ; 4th. Charles M. Westervelt ; f.th, J.iine8 A. Ottlgnun ; 6th, 
John F. Herring ; 7th, Henry Swin ; 8th, Homy Clay Humphrey. 



Private*. 



Acki-rson, John C. 
Ackennau, George W, 
Arkorman, James P. 
A.kcrman, Garret. 
Ackt'rntan, Abraham B. 
Ackerman, Jamea W. 
Blanvelt, Abraham D. 
B<.gort, Abraham B. 
B<igert, Jnmm M. 
Ilaiitn, Aarcin V. 
BlaiiT'-ll, John J. 
niauvcU, Lucaa C. 
Bl'tuvolt, Abraham J. 
Btauvilt, William. 

Bakir. Geurge. 

Bartuw, Jamofl. 

Bradley, Joacph A. 

noiir>rt, r<>rn»llus J. 

BiMiU. Abraham P. 

nRunor. -lamfs. 

Itlanvrlt, Al<rnhani 

Cniuler, Jiuii** 



Cnmler, Cornelius P, 
(Visker, Felix A. M. 
CulUngnon, AuguHtua M. 

Colo, iMUiC. 

C^^ok, FmncU. 
DemaK'st, Peter J. 
DfUiareDt, John. 
DemnreHt, Coriiidlus E. 
Demarcst, John J. 
Dow, John. 
Eiirl, Daniel. 
Eckerson, John G, 
EckoriHin, D.ivtd D., Jr. 
Eckorwon, Edward T. 
l-kkuriMin. Jacob B. 
Everson, B^-nJamln. 
FliKxl, JamcN. 
(lurn«'e, David. 
HopptT, Abraham A. 
Herring, John P. 
Hnrrlng. Daniel J, 
Herring, Abraham P. 



Alyea, SIdiod V. R. 
Bu§h, Abraham P. 
Butlui , Josiah. 
Broughton, Joseph. 
Conklin, Albert B. 
Conner, David. 
('armichHel, Robert. 
Crot>k, Henry. 
Curley, James. 
Clark, Peter. 
Coon, Charles. 
Donn* can, William 
Derr, Kiiglevman C. 
Dykemiin, William H. 
De Kelsor, John. 
Deiuareet, Jacob P. 
Doring, Henry. 

ElllH, Joseph. 

Erdto, Christian. 

EdiMill, John. 

Finher, John. 

Fraser, Juhn. 

Fn*eJand, John. 

Foekenbronch, Rudolph. 

Go«ger, Jacob. 

Garrceaon, George H. 

llindle, George. 

Harnor, Allmrt. 

liopiier, Peter G. 

Hiipimr, laaar A. 

Hop|K>r, John A. 

HudiM>ii, James. 

Ilendr>', William. 

Kofit, Cornelius. 

I.ain>eiitu«>s, Jacob. 

Morrison, James, 

Morrison, Andrew. 



Miller, JHDiee R. 
Mercer, William. 
MeuEi4>, Daniel. 
Mills, Juhn. 
McCabe, Patrick. 
MariuUH, Christian. 
Muhuti, Henry F. 
Nikonburgh, Jacob. 
Naugte. Bernard. 
Plialon, Thomas. 
Phitlou, Nicholas. 
Biker, Samuel. 
Stapg, John J. 
Singer, John. 
SIgler, Alfred. 
Schell, (*oorge. 
Tattorsall, Christopher. 
Tan 1 8, Jacob. 
Tattersall. Daniel. 

Terhnne, Stephen. 

Terhnne. John A. 

Tfrwllligir, James H. 

Thurston, Aiithniiy. 

Van Dermasl, Krleii. 

Van Derhook, Henry. 

Van Dervleet, Marine. 

Vnu Iderallnr, Henry J. 

Vreelanil, Benjamin P. 

Van Deliiidii, Samuel. 

Van Idomline, Henry H. 

Wlllium. Fn^torirk. 

WhUmi,. John. 

Wharton, John. 

Termnce. Andrew. 

T«rance, ChrlHtopher. 

T«mnc«, Garret. 



Company H. 
SfTgtamtt.—\%K, Gilbert D. Bogert; 24l, George J.Greer. 
iViro/ei. 

Alliiioii, John W. Brown. Gettrge Bl. 



Adams, Henry K. 
BogTt, William. 
Urowcr, Jtdin. 
Booth. Thomas. 



BrlnkerhufT, Henry K. 
Bush, John, Jr. 
Bonham, George. 
Bogert, John II. 



BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. 



143 



Clifford, Williani. 
DiitL-htT, Jacob. 
Doyle, Richard A. 
Farmer, Frank. 
Gardioer, Nelson. 
Heudersoii, Robert. 
Hudson, John. 
Hickley, Edward. 
Higgiris, Thooiaa. 
Haltmen, Albert. 
Hunt, George "W, 
Idell, Francis A. 
Jordan, Thomaa. 
Jordan, Jiihn J. 
Kirk, Thomas. 
Kearney, John G. 
Luther, Allen. 



Liddone, Andrew. 
McKann, James. 
Meaner, August. 
Older, John. 
Pierson, David. 
Peterson, Anson R. 
Parks, James. 
Stalherg, Lewis. 
Shuters, Barney. 
Singlar, Theodore. 
Selfuyler, Richard. 
Sanderson, James. 
Smith, Timothy. 
Scott, John (missing). 
Van Wagoner, JoeL 
Wagoner, Peter. 



Company I. 

Sergeants.— UU John A. Van Buskirk ; 2d, William C. Herring; 3d, Garret 
I. Demarest; 4th, John B. Kip ; 5th, John J. De Mott. 

Corporals.— I bt, Adriance Van Brunt; 2d, David Bogert ; 3d, Alexander 
L. Orser; 4th, Garret Fordon ; 5th, Peter M. Johnson; 6th, Wil- 
liam Galfield ; 7th, Alonzo Baker; 8th, David N. Dune. 

Drummer. — James A. Ferdon. 

Teamster. — James H. Demarest. 



Private, 



Ackerson, Edward. 
Ackernan, Peter. 
Anthony, Peter. 
Atkin, T. W. C. 
Blauvelt, Abraham. 
Blauvelt, Samuel D. 
Blauvelt, John D. 
Beers, Darius M. 
Baker, John A. 
Brinkerhoff, John D. 
Blanch, William. 
Bai r, Charles. 
Bauta, John H. 
Cole, Abraiiam A. 
Conklin, Abuer. 
CoQsilyea. John D. 
Cooper, Curneliua C. 
Cuzine, Walter. 
Dougherty, George. 
Demarest, David. 
Demarest, Vreeland. 
Demarest, Henry G. 
Demarest, Abraham. 
Demarest, Frederick J. 
De Bann, .\hraham. 
De Mott.J. B. 
Davis, William C. 
Dutcher, John. 
Dobbs, Henry. 
Dobbs, Warren. 
Fredon. William. 
Fredon, Abraham. 
Fetheringhitm, S. 
Galloway. Gilbert I. 
Green, David. 
Herring, Jacob. 
Herring, Henry. 
Herring, Juhn N. 
Herring, Tunis A. 
Herring, David E. 
Jones, John E. 



Jones, Samuel A. 
Kip, Joliu H. 
Kip, Isaac. 
Lewis, John C. 
Lawrence, George H. 
Lozier, Daniel W. 
Meyers, Thomaa. 
Meyers, Cornelius. 
McLean, Adam. 
Martin, Hampton. 
Powela, David. 
Piftt'els, Matthew. 
Powela, Jacob. 
Parker, Henry G. . 
Post, Henry. | 

Quarry, John. 
Ryder, Peter B. 
Shea, Andrew J. 
Sanderson, Levi. 
Sanderson, Eugene. 
Smith, Robert N. 
Smith, Richard C. 
Smith, Freeman P. 
Smith, Gilbert S. 
Swennerton, John A. 
Springer, William. 
Truax, Isaiah. 
Taylor, Moses. 
Van Derbeck, C. H. 
Van Valen, James N. 
Voorhis, John H. 
Voorhis, Jacob I. 
Van Skiver, John J. 
Wilson, Samuel W. 
Westervelt, James P. 
Westervelt, Jasper. 
Willey, Andrew J. 
Wyvill, Samuel W, 
White, David. 
Zabriskie, James A. 



Company K. 

Sergeants.— \^X, Albert Forbnsh ; 2d, George A. Wood ; 3d, Abyah Smith ; 
4th, Peter Burdett; oth, Henry F. Edsall. 

Corpora/s.— Ist, John S. Townsenfl, Jr. ; 2d, Williani Cowperthwaite; 3d, 
Alfred Debevios; 4th, Abel S. Edsall ; 5th, Emanuel G.Gismond; 6th, 
Josiah M. Tompson ; 7th, Court L. Vauderbeck ; 8th, George P. Jen- 
kins. 



Armstrong, James. 

Anderson, Robert. 
Anderson, John W. 
Benson, Robert W. 
Beckwith, Frederick A. 
Burditt, Francis. 
Biechelar, Leopold. 
Biechelar, Leonard. 
Biechler, Albert. 
Brower, M. J. 
Burditt, John F.,Jr. 
Bagley, Josiah. 
Bagert, Edwin J. 
Bailey, J. S. 
Buckley, J. H. 
Christie, John H. 
Cozine, Tiiaddeus S. 
Campbell, Arthur. 
Collum, W. C. 
Creamer, Frederick. 
Connolly, John. 
Dods, Henry, Jr. 
Dean, James. 
Demarest, B. S. 
Ebbs, Charles T. 
Eari, Pliilip. 
Earl, Matthias. 
Felton, Eli H. 
Green, John H. 
Gouches, George. 
Glaeear, Matthew. 
Hartnian, Wni. 
Idell, Jatnes 0. 
Johnson, John E. 
Johnson, W. J. 
Keenan, James. 
Kelly, Wni. 
Kelly, Pittrick. 
Kelly, James. 



Kline, Cliarlea. 
Klink, Nicholas. 
Kyle, Samuel. 
Key. Wm. 
Lynch, Patrick. 
Lyons, James. 
Mabey, John J. 
McDonald, G. W. 
Mabey, Abel S. 
Machaer, Alois, 
Moore, Thomaa. 
Maguire, A. 
Maceley, David, 
Niser, Martin. 
Post, Theodore. 
Prosser, Wm. 
ProBser, John. 
Raymond, James. 
Rapp, David. 
Springer. Charles W. 
Scudder, George W. 
Sullivan, Nicholaa. 
Smith, Robert R. 
Souoaar, Wm. 
Sefferein, Lewis. 
Stable, Ralph. 
Sipp, Richard. 
Scott, Walter. 
Sedore, A. 
Taylor, C. W. 
Touaey, J. W. 
Van Derbeck, John. 
Van Zee, Wm. 
Westervelt, H. 
Wood, John. 
Wood, A. J. 
Williamson, H. 
Walling, A. 
Wharer, George S. 



Promotion.*. 



Maj. Abraham G. Demarest, promoted to colonel Jan. 26, 1863, 
Capt. Abraham Van Emburg, promoted to lieutenant-colonel, vice Alex- 
ander Douglass, resigned, Feb. 20, 1863. 
Capt. Samuel D. Demarest, promoted to major Feb. 20, 1863. 
First Lieut. Jacoi) Post, promoted to adjutant Jan, 1, 1863. 
Assist.-Surg. William S. Janney, promoted to surgeon March 27, 1863 ; 

died of typhoid fever in camp near White Oak Church, Va., June 1, 

1863. 
Second Lieut. Jacob S. Lozier, promoted to captain Jan. 16, 1863. 
First. Lieut. Joseph A. Blauvelt, promoted to captain May 18,1863. 
Second Lieut. George Kingsland, promoted to fiist lieutenant Nov. 20, 

1862. 
Second Lieut. James Christie, promoted to captain May 18, 1863. 
Second Lieut. Benjamin Z. Van Emburg, promoted to captain Feb. 21, 

1863. 
Second Lieut. Joseph Vreeland, promoted to captain Feb. 22, 1863. 
Sergt. Stephen G. Hopper, promoted to fii-st lieutenant March 11, 1863. 
First Sergt. Garret M. Campbell, promoted to second lieutenant Jan. 16, 

1863. 
Corp. Richard A. Terhune, promoted to second lieutenant March 11, 1863. 
Sergt. Milton Birley, promoted to first sergeant Sept. 1, 1862. 
First Sergt. John A. Van Buskiik. promoted to first lieutenant Sept. 2, 

1862. 
First Sergt. Albert Forbush. promoted to first lieutenant May 18, 1863. 
First Sergt. Gilbert T. Bogert, promoted to second lieutenant Nov. 20, 

1862, and to first lieutenant May 18, 1863. 

Sergt. George A. Ward, promoted to first sergeant Jan. 1, 1863, 

First Sergt. Andrew Van Emburg, promoted to first lieutenant Feb. 21, 

1863, and to capfciin May 18, 1863. 

Sergt. Charles Van Riper, promoted to first lieutenant May 18, 1863. 
Sergt. Thomas Eckerson, promoted to first sergeant March 8, 1863. 
Corp. John S. Townaend, promoted to sergeant June 1, 1863. 
Corp. William Cowperthwaite, promoted to sergeant Jan. 1, 1863. 
Corp. Nicholaa P. Royce, promoted to sergeant Feb. 4, 1863. 



144 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Corp. Coroelius Vkd Horn, promotod to sergeant March 11, 1863. 
Corp. George \. Brinkerhuff, promoted to sergeant March 11, 1863. 
Corp. Aarun Vaiiderbeck, promoted to sergeant March 18, 1863. 
Corp. Abraham II. Hopper, promoted to sergeant March 16, 1863. 
Corp. DaTtd J. Dlackledge, promoted to sergeant .\pnl 7, 1863. 
Private Peter L. ('onklin, promoted to second lieutenant Feb. 22, 1863. 
Corp. Isaac D. Bogert, promoted to sergeant March 1, 1863. 
Private Cornelius Koert, promoted to corporal March 1, 1863. 

Died. 
Bogert, David, of typhoid fever, at Belle Plain, Va., April 6, 1863. 
Beers, Darius, typhoid fever. Belle Plain, Va., .^pril 6, 1863. 
Brinkerhotr, Henry K , in camp at Belle Plain, Vo., Feb. 22, 1863. 
Campbell, Theodore, found dead on the road May 1, 1863; buried Id Na- 
tional Cemetery, Fredericksburg, Va. 
Conklin, John E., remittent fever, camp Dear Belle Plain, Va., March 6, 

1863. 
Conklin, .\aron. disease of the brain, in camp, Feb. 5, 1863. 
Dikeman, William II., inflammation of the brain, at Belle Plain, Va., 

March 2, 1863. 
De Baun, Abraham, typhoid fever. Belle Plain, Va., Feb. 22, 1863. 
De Mott, Jehn B., tjplii|Jd fever, camp'near Georgetown, D. C, Nov. 22, 

1862. 
Dntcher, John H., typhoid fever. Belle Plain, Va., March 30, 1863. 
Evemon, Beiyamiu, typhoid fever. Belle Plain, Va., Feb. 23, 1863. 
Farmer, Francis, typhoid fever. Belle Plain, Vo., March 26, 1863. 
Gardiner, Nelson, typhoid fever. Belle Plain, Va., March 15, 1863. 
Barring, Johff P., "typhoid fever, C. S. A. Hosp., Washington, D. C, 

March 26, 18631 
Hopper. John A.- typhoid fever, U. S. A. Hosp., Washington, D. (^, May 

24, 1863. 
Hugheir, Abraham, typhoid fever, U. S. A. Hosp., Waahington.D. C, Feb. 

27, 1863. 
Kent, Cornelius J., typhoid fever, U. S. A. Hosp., Washington, D. C, 

April 30, 1863; buried in National Cemetery, Fre<terickHblirg, Va. 
Osborn, William A., died at Div. Hosp., Aquia Creek, Va., April 23,1863 
Sump, John D , at lien. Hosp., Washington, D. C, Dec. 25, 1862. 
Terwjlliger, James II., typhoid fever, Kogt. Hoep., Belle Plain, Va., March 

24,1863. , .. 

Thompson, James R., typhoid fever, Regt. Hoep., Belle Plain, Va , Feb. 

25.1863.' "* 

Tonrney, John, Th-owned in the Delaware at Philadelphia, June 19,1863. 
Weelervelt, jKiiilii, dieil ul Wiiidiuill Polnl, Ta., April 29, 1863.- 
Wood, Abraham, tjrpjioid fever. Belle Plain, Vo., March 10, 1803. 



CHAPTER XXXII. 

BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE WAR OP 
THE REBELMOX— (Continuod). 

*> Twenty-fifth Regpiment.— <)[i the 4th of August, 

\^ " 18<)1, tlip I'rcsidfiil I.I the IJnitccl .States ninde a lirafl 
upon the Governor of New .Jersey for ten thousand 
four hundred and seventy-eight men to serve for nine 
months unless sooner discharged. The draft was not 
to interfere with the regular recruiting, but nil enlist- 
menti up to Sept, 1, lSti2, were to lie credited to the 
State. It wius thought (h-.siralile to rai.se the <|Ucitji hy 
voluntary enlistment and so avoid the draft ; accord- 
ingly a number of earnest men addre-ssed themselves 
to the work, and by the 3d of September, 18t?2, the 
time appointed for the commencement of the draft, 
the State's quota wa.s filled ami accepted. 

Among tlic regiincntH raised under tliis impulse was 
the Twenty-fifth New .Jersey. Five companies of this 
regiment were raised in the .southern part of the State, 
and the remaining five in Passaic County. The latter 



were chiefly enlisted through the energetic labors of 
Col. Andrew Derrom, who had been appointed chair- 
man of the war committee of Patersou, intrusted 
with the raising of troops under the calls of 1862, 
and through whose exertions, supported by those of 
the committee, the first quota of Passaic County was 
filled in fourteen days. In the call for tlie nine 
months' men he and his committee raised the ijuota 
of the county — five hundred men — in two days, and 
were obliged to refuse many .who offered in excess of 
the required number. Desiring to see the five com- 
panies properly placed, Col. Derrom proceeiled with 
them to Trenton, and succeeded in having them con- 
solidated with five companies from the southern part 
of the State, then in camp at Beverly, N. J. The 
officers of the regiment thereupon unanimously 
elected him colonel, and although his busines.s — that 
of an architect and builder — needed his personal 
superintendence, he promptly accepted, joined the 
command on two days' notice, addressed himself at 
once with vigor and enthusiasm to the work of pro- 
moting the discipline of the regiment, and remained 
with it during its entire period of service, discharging 
with marked promptness and efficiency every duty 
laid upon him. 

The field and stafl" of the Twenty-fiftli Regiment 
New Jersey Volunteers were as follows: 

Colonel, Andrew Derrom, architect and builder, 
Paterson, N. J. ; commissioned September. 1862 ; 
mustered in Sept.^29, 1862; mustered out June 20, 
1863. 

Lieutenant-Colonel, K. J. Ayres, grocer, Paterson, 
N. J.; commissioned Sept. 1, 1862; mustered in Sept. 
29, 1862; mustered out June 20, 1863. 

Major, J. Kelly Brown, mirserynian, Camden, N. J. ; 
commissioned September, 1862; mustered in Sept. 29, 
1862; must, out June 20, 186.'?, 

Adjutant, Daniel B, Murphy, mechanic, Camden, 
N. J. ; commissioned September. 1862 ; mustered in 
Sept. 29, 1862 ; dismissed. Columbus Force, Oct. 15, 
1862 ; Dec. 2.'), 1862. Charles J. Field, tobacconist, 
Camden; commissioned Sept., 1862; mustered out 
June 20, 1863. 

(iuartermiuster, James Inglis, Jr., stationer, Pater- 
son, N. J. ; commissioned September, 1862 ; mustered 
in Sept. 29, 1862; mustered out June 20, 1863. 

Surgeon, James Reiley, .M,D,, Morristown, N. J,; 
commissioned Sept.. 1862; mustered in Sept. 29, 
1862; mustered out June 20, 1863. 

First Assistant Surgeon, Robert McBateman. M.D., 
Bridgeton, N. J.; commissioned Sept., 1862; mus- 
tered in Sept. 29, 1862; mustered out June 20. 1863. 

Second As-sistant Surgeon, Seflriiie Daily, M.D., 
Newark, N, J,; commissioned Sept,, 1862; mustered 
in Sept. 20, 1862; mu.sU'red out June 2ii, 1863. 

Chaplain, Francis K. Butler, Presbyterian, Pater- 
son, N. J.; commissioned Sept., 1862; mustered in 
Sept. 29, 1862; mortally wounded at Sulfolk; died 
May, 1863. John H. Robinson, Methodist, Paterson, 



COL. ANDREW DERROM. 



c^^^^yf' 



^ 



Col. Andrkw Perrom was boru on 
Nov. 30, 1S17, wliile his father was in 
the military service of the British 
pnveriiment. His parents were Rich- 
art! and Mary (Winders) Derrom, the 
former of wliom was Ixirn near Man- 
chester, Enpland, and the latler at 
Leeiis. Kichard Derrom passed his 
life in the service of hit* country, 
6pendiiig a portion of the time in tlie 
army and at other times in the civil 
brancli of the service. 

Col. Derrom was the second of the 
six children who grew to years of 
maturity. His earliest recollections 
extend back to the year 1820 or 1821, 
when his father was stationed on the 
island of Malta, where important 
fortifications were lieing constructed. 
He remembers also having resided on 
the isle of Corfu, and on that of Zaut. 
famous for tin* beauty and splendor of 
its gardens. When fix years of age 
lie resided on tlie island of Cepha- 
loniii.at Argostoli^ where he received 
his earlitst instiuction at a in-ivate 
school, and also special lessons in 
writing at the military clerk'a office 
of the department. Here also he 
received moral and religions instruc- 
tion from Rev. Dr. Kennedy and wife, 
missionaries of the English Church, 
at whose house he was often accus- 
tomed tit meet Lord Byron, who was 
on the island training Ins army of 
silver-bespangled Suliols foi- bi< de- 
scent on Greece. In 1S24 he was 
taken to England, and attended a pri- 
vate school at Plymouth for some 
months, and subsequently received 
instruction at the grammar-school of 
the same place. He next attended 
the grammar-school attached to St. 
John's Church, Glasgow, Scotland, 
and after that resided at diffoient 
points in Ireland, and finally at Lon- 
donderry, where his father was stationed in the civil service, and where 
he attended Creigliton's Grammar-School, situated on the wall above 
Governor Walker's testimonial. For three years thereafter he was 
instructed by a private tutor in connection with his brothers, James 
and John, the former of whom is an architect and nuyor of the Victoria 
Rifles, ill New Zealand, where the family finally located, and where both 
Richard Derrom and his wife died. 

After leaving Londonderry, in 1S34, Col. Derrom went to Deal, Kiig- 
land, where he studied higher mathematics with a friend, — a branch of 
science in which he took great delight, — it being his intentitni to tit 
himself for the profession of a civil and military engineer. In IH'M he 
left Deal for the United States, mainly for travel and to bett'-r prepare 
himself for his profession, and upon arriving in this country entered 
a lithognipher's office, having commenced at as early an age as eight 
years to study drawing, and being an adept at both that and coloring. 
In November, \8'iG, he came to Patersun, where he found employment 
under C. S. Van Wagoner to survey, lay out, and map the city, etc. He 
made the first map of Passaic city also, for John Lloyd, an old resident 
of that place. In March, lS'i7, for the purpose of obtaining a |)raclical 
knowledge of architecture, he apprenticed himself to a carpenter and 
builder in Paterson, and after three years was placed in charge of the 
business. Prior to this, however, he had been in charge of the books 
and of the drawing department. In 1844 he began busiiie.sa on bis own 
acciMuit in Pa'erson,and carried on one of the largest building enter- 
prises in the State until the breaking out of the war in 1861, when, 
owing to his early military education and his admitted executive ability, 
he was chosen chairman of the war committee to raise troops, and suc- 
ceeded in filling the several quotas of soldiere without the necessity of 
a draft, in one instance within three weeks. In 1802, when President 
Lincoln called for "300,0(»0 men, and ;JOn,fiUO more,'" making COO,(iiiU in 
all, a draft was ordered if the quota was not filled by volunteers. Col. 
Derrom, by energetic appeals to the patriotism of the people, seconded 
by his active personal exeitions, succeeded in mising the quota for Pat- 
erson within three days. Failing in his efforts to have Passaic County 
soldiei-8 commanded by Passaic men, it was arranged to have a regiment 
formed composed of five companies from Paterson and five from the 
southern section of New Jersey, of which he was unanimously elected 
colonel. He received his commission from the Governor, and was mus- 
tered into the service of tlie United States on Sept. 29, 1S62. In a few- 
days he had the regiment— the Twenty-fifth New Jersey Infantry— in 
perfect order ami discipline, and proceeded to the seat of war in October 
following. On arriving at Wiisbington he wsis appointed to conmiand 
a brigade of Vermont, Massachusetts, and New Jersey titiops; hut ex- 
pressing a desire to do duty with his own regiment, many of wluun had 
been induced to enlist by him, lie resumed his duties as colonel. The 
regiment performed valuable service in the field, and participated in a 
number of important engagements. At the battle of Fredericksburg, 
after the day was really lost, the regiment, with Col. Derrom at its head, 
was the only one to advance to the enemy's works at the time, and the 
night being dark was controlled by the whistle-calls of it-* leader alone. 
Throughout his entire service in the field Col. Derrom earned the warm 
approval and indoi-sement of his superior officers, ami performed his 
duties in a soldierly and successful manner. His engineering talents 
came into active play upon the occiision of the attack of Longstreet 
upon Sufl'olk, Va., in 1862, when, within eight hours, roadi were built 
and bridges constructed over Broer's Creek under his supenision and 
direction, prevontingadetour of five miles and bringing the troop>i on the 
Nansemoud River into close and rapid commuuicatiou with each other 




anil with Suffolk, contiibuting essen- 
tially to the successful termination of 
the siege. 

After the expiration of the regular 
term of service, Od. Derrom returned 
to Paterson, expecting to rejoin the 
army with his regiment reorganized 
as veterans ; but he found his private 
business afTairs in such a disastrous 
condition that it was necessary for him 
to remain at home and look after the 
interests of his family. Within three 
yearshe restored his business, paid all 
indebtedness, ami employed from four 
hundred to i'lVQ hundred men. For 
years he had vi\e of the largest build- 
ing enterprises in the country, and 
many of the nuuiufaeturing, public, 
and private building:^ in Paterson 
were designed and built by him, in- 
eluding such structures as the Dale, 
AiU\\ 1 ight, Kmpire, Waverly. aiul 
l''rauUIiii Mills. In many of the fac- 
toii«'Sid" the city, after the adoption 
of the tariff provisions of 1842, he de- 
signed and built the machinery with 
the assistinco of expert mechanics. 
He was the first in the United States 
lo make ct^mplete sectional buildings 
that could bo built iu one place and 
transported to another and put up, 
and received a bronze medal from the 
American Institute Fair in 1862 for 
his mechanical genius, and in 1872 
both a silver and special gold medal 
from the New Jersey State Fair at 
Waverly. In 1870, having acquired 
a handsome competency, he retired 
from active business, and established 
the Derrom Buil^liug Company, put- 
/ ting in seventy-five thousand dollare 

//) . of liis caiiital, and adding more from 

y (/ ^ )/ y /' W\xi<i to time. The corporate enter- 

^\,jC0^i\,yK.y'^^\^'^'^^^ prise was at finst very successful, but 

owing to the approaching business 
dei)ression, signs of which had al- 
ready begun to appear, it met with subsequent disasters, and finally col- 
lapsed. Even at this critical time Col. Derrom did not hesitate to take 
of his private means to liquidate the indebtedness of the concerji. Ho 
was subsequently invited to go to Caracas, Venezuela, where he estab- 
lished large construction shops on the American system, and filled the 
position of supervisor and architect for nearly four years. He returned 
in 1879, and is now with his sons, Andrew and James A. Derrom, in 
their business as sttpervising architects, in Pntefson. 

Besides his success ius a mechanical engineer and as a commanding 
officer of brave soldiers in the field. Col. Derropi h.as been since his first 
residence in Paterson one of its most active and useful public men, and 
has been closely identified with many of the improvements and institu- 
tions of the city. From 186S to 1872 he purchased and developed the 
whole of -the east side of the city, laying out lots and streets, building 
houses, and rendering that section attractive and desiiable as a plare of 
residence. 

He was also instrumental iu establishing the People's Park on Matl- 
ison Avenue, and in developing other sections of the city. In poli- 
Iic.-< he wa.s originally an Old-Line Whig, but since the organization of 
the Republican party ha- acted almost entirely with that party. Upon 
the first organization of the municipal government of Paiei>on he was 
electeil alderman from the West Ward, and took a prominent part in per- 
fi?cting the city government. He drew most of the ordinances passeil 
by the board (in the rough), and his services were especially vabiable in 
the arranging and correcting of street grades and lines. He was elected 
to.serve asecond term in the board from the same ward. In 1853 he was 
chosen president of the City Council of Patereori ns an independent can- 
did tie, a position that was equivalent to mayor, and in which only two 
olliers had preceded him, viz.. Judge Philemon Dickerson and Charles 
Danforth. During his administration of municipal aftairs taxes were 
light, expenses small, and the debt of the city not only reduced, but a 
balance left In the treasury. In 1854, under a law suggested by liim, a 
bill was passed by the Legislature of New Jerijey to correct the sellingof 
llic schoid children to the person who would teach the greatest number 
lor the lesist money. In the spring, under this law, Col. Derrom, as its 
father, was appointed the fii-st president of the board of education and 
superintendent of public schools, and it was he mainly who had the organ- 
izing and perfecting of the public school system of Paterson. He re- 
nniined witli the board for five years, and so thoi'ongli were the public 
schools that private schools could not be sustained against them. Col. Der- 
nun has also been actively connected with other loc;il institutions of Pat- 
ers'Hi; was the fii-st vice-president of the savings-hank and of the Passaic 
Water Company, and in church matters has been for a number of years 
an elder in the Fit st Presbyterian Church. He was formerly a very active 
supporter of the Sabbath-school cause, wiis for a number of years a lead- 
ing superintendent of tlie Sal>bath-school of that church, and during the 
seventeen years of his connection with the Fii-st Dutch Reformed Church 
was an active worker in the Sabbath-school and choir. He was married in 
1842 to Elizabeth Vreeland,a representative of some of the fii"st settlera of 
Paterson. The childi'en have been four in number, viz., Andrew, James 
A., Mary L., wifeof Casiano San tana, a banker of Caracas, Venezuela, and 
Elizabeth M. N. Derrom. Miss Jennie L. Derrom is an adopted daughter, 
anil occupies a chei'ishnd jdace in the household of which she forms a part. 
Andrew and James A. Derrom are carrying on the business of architects 
and superintendents at No. 209 Main Street, the firm-name being A. Der- 
rom, Jr., & Co. Col. Derrom is a prominent member of the orders of Free- 
masonrv and Odd-Fellowship, and has held a number of high oflSces in the 
latter. 



BEKGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. 145 



N. J. ; mustered in Sept. 29, 1862 ; mustered out June 
20, 1863. 

Sergeant-Major, Charles J. Field, tobacconist, Cam- 
den, N. J. ; mustered in Sept. 29, 1862 ; promoted to 
adjutant; mustered out June 20, 1863. Granville 
Leach, Cape May, N. J. ; mustered in Sept. 29, 1862 ; 
promoted lieutenant ; mustered out June 20, 1863. 
Charles Thiskett, Passaic, N. J. 

Quartermaster-Sergeant, John Murchamp, clerk, 
Camden, N. J. ; mustered in Sept. 29, 1862 ; mustered 
out June 20, 1863. 

Commissary-Sergeant, J. R. Putnam, lawyer, Pat- 
erson, N. J. ; mustered in Sept. 29, 1862; mustered 
out June 20, 1863. 

Hospital Steward, James Van Blarcom,» lawyer, 
Paterson, N. J. ; mustered in Sept. 29, 1862 ; mustered 
out June 20, 1863. 

Assistant Hospital Steward, George Gravelius, 
barber, Paterson, N. J. ; mustered in Sept. 29, 1862 ; 
mustered out June 20, 1863. 

Drum-Major, A. J. Williams, cigar-maker, West 
Milford, N. J. ; mustered in Sept. 29, 1862 ; mustered 
out June 20, 1863. 

Fi'w officers in the service were better qualified than 
Col. Derrom both as an organizer and disciplinarian. 
For a short time he was placed in command of the 
brigade with which his regiment was organized, the 
First Brigade of Casey's division, consisting of the 
Twenty-fifth and Twenty-seventh New Jersey, the 
Twelfth and Thirteenth Vermont, and the Twelfth 
Massachusetts Battery. 

The regiment left camp at Beverly on the 10th of 
October, 1862, and arrived in Washington on the fol- 
lowing day, going into camp on Capitol Hill. Here 
the brigading took place, and the assignment of Col. 
Derrom temporarily to the command of the brigade. 
For a short time in November the regiment was as- 
signed to detached picket duty at Fairfax Seminary, 
Virginia, then, on the 30th, commenced their eighty- 
mile march to Liverpool Point, opposite Aquia Creek, 
whence they were transported across the Potomac 
and proceeded to Falmouth. Here, though wearied 
by a long march, the regiment was no sooner brigaded 
anew with the First Brigade, Third Division, Ninth 
Army Corps, than the tocsin sounded for active ser- 
vice, and they were with Burnside in the famous 
Fredericksburg engagement. "The Ninth Corps," 
says an account of this action, " lying immediately 
opposite Fredericksburg, was particularly exposed to 
the enemy's fire, but crossed with great gallantry, the 
First Brigade of the Third Division being the second 
to occupy the place, one of its regiments crossing 
some time before the bridges were laid. The Twenty- 
fifth, immediately upon reaching the south bank, 
threw out pickets along the streets, and so remained 
until the morning of the 13th, when the Ninth Corps 
went into action. The duty before this corps was 
arduous and dangerous, being to attack the enemy 
advantageously posted in the woods and hills lying 



back of Fredericksburg, and where he had con- 
structed formidable earthworks which were defended 
by numerous batteries. The odds were fearful, but 
the brave troops of the Ninth pushed steadily forward, 
clearing their way to a plain at the foot of the first 
ridge. There the order was given to storm the 
enemy's works, and two divisions advanced to the 
perilous task, marching dauntless across the plain 
until within a dozen or twenty rods of the ridge. 
Then the rebel infantry, stationed behind a stone 
wall, opened a murderous fire. For a moment the 
head of the column was thrown into confusion, but 
rallying, it was reinforced, and again moved forward. 
But the attempt to dislodge the enemy was vain. 
From the moment the brave columns left the shelter 
of the ravine where they had formed for the assault 
until they reached the foot of the hill the rebel ar- 
tillery and infantry poured a terrific concentrated fire 
upon the advancing line, and again it came to a halt, 
then broke and retired. But now, the situation grow- 
ing desperate, Getty's division of the Ninth Corps, 
including the Twenty-fifth, was ordered up, and 
charged directly upon the intrenchments at the Tele- 
graph road near the Marye House, the Jerseymen 
forming the centre of the attacking force. Pushing 
steadily forward a distance of some eight hundred 
yards, over fences, ravines, and swamps, the regiment, 
just at dusk, then alone charged with a cheer to a 
plateau only fifty paces from the wall held by the 
enemy, exposed all the way to a murderous fire, but 
bravely pressing on and holding their advanced po- 
sition. But this was but for a little time. At length, 
the supports having fallen back, and the darkness 
rendering it impossible any longer to manreuvre with 
safety, the enemy, moreover, having perfect com- 
mand of the position, the regiment was reluctantly 
withdrawn, still, however, fighting gallantly, and 
pouring in volleys of musketry as it fell back. By 
this time other parts of the line had also been finally 
driven back, and the enemy having reoccupied his 
advanced position, the Twenty-fifth, with its division, 
bivouacked on the ground from which it had moved 
to the assault. The loss of the regiment in this battle 
was nine killed, fifty-eight wounded, and eighteen 
missing. The conduct of the men was excellent 
throughout, being much more steady, indeed, than 
that of some of the other regiments. The following 
congratulatory order, dated ' Bivouac, Street of Fred- 
ericksburg,' was issued by the colonel commanding 
on the day after the engagement : 

" I. Tlie colonel conimantling takes great pleasure in giving credit to 
the officers and men in general of this regiment engaged in the action 
of yesterday. Their coolness under the trying circumstances in which 
they were placed stamps them as worthy comrades of tiie veterans of 
the army. 

" II. Tlie few who in the time of danger skulked from tlu ir duty to 
their country will in due time receive tlieir reward. 

*' III. Tlie noble men whom we have lust (killed in action) we mourn 
for, and sympathize with their families in their affliction while we hope 
that tlieir and our loss will be the eternal gain of our late comrades. 



146 



HISTOKY OF BERCKN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES. NEW JERSEY. 



"IV. In coDgratulntiug all on the ttold front tho rfgimrnt displayed, 
and for our preaenration from greater loas under the terrlDc Are of the 
enemy, It If proper that we should render thanks unto God for His mer- 
ciful prorideiice. 

"Asi>RKW Derbom, Colontt Comm»Hding" 

It is not our purpose to follow the regiment through . 
all its movements. After remaining in the old camp j 
at Falmouth until early in February, 1863, the regi- 
ment was transl'irred to Newport News, and thence 
on the 13th of March to Sutt'olk, Va., where it en- 
camped a siiort distance Irom the Dismal Swamp, 
near Fort Jericho, a work commanding the railroad 
running to Portsmouth. In April the enemy, some 
thirty thousand strong, liaving crossed the Black- 
water and taken |)ositioii in our front, the regiment 
was put into the iiitrenchnicnt'i, a i)ortion manning 
the completed works, while others constructed new 
defenses, built bridges, and opened necessary roads. I 
The purpose of Longstreet seemed to be to cross the \ 
Nansemond, overwhelm the garrison, seize the roads 
to Norfolk and cut off the Federal su|)i)lies. This 
would have placed botli Norfolk and Porlsniouth at 
the mercy of the rebels. It was therefore imperative 
that the position of our forces on the Nansemond , 
should be inflexibly maintained. This involved the 
command of the river for a distance of eight miles, 
bordered by lagoons and marshes which could only 
be rendered p!is.sable for troops and reinforcements 
by the construction of long roads, bridges, and cause- 
waj's. This work, at once arduous and important, 
was performed largely by the Twenty-filth New Jersey, 
while the bridges were in almost every instance con- 
structed under the direction of Col. Derrom. Two 
of these bridges, one over liroer's Creek, near Sullolk, 
and the other over Jericho Creek, were not only built 
but designed by the colonel, and were constructed 
almost entirely without tools, the workmen using only 
wood-axes, one auger, and one small chisel. Each 
bridge was built in from five to ten hours, and though 
subjected to the severest tests, — columns of troojts, 
trains of loaded wagons, and the heaviest field ord- 
nance and siege-pieces repeatedly crossing over them, 
— they stood unshaken. 

A writer, giving an account of these works, says,— 

"The lirlclge o»cr Uroor's Crti-k, over aoTonl.v feet In length, and the 
foundation resting on a muddy Lottum In ten feet of water, was thrown 
across In Bto houm, the whole stnioture, Inrluding the .ultlng down of 
the Unilmr and thi. cordur.)) Ing of tho npprom line Ihnaigh a thick wood, 
being coniplol.d In Iom than a dajr with a dotall of sixty men. Col. 
Derrom appears to havi. ■ugg|.al>'<l this whole »y»l.ni of roads anil 
bridges, by nifaus of whiih, mainly. I/ongatreot was ihickmated, 

" A latter from Oen. fietty to Gol. Derrom says, • More c-8|»cl«lly were 
your suggeatlons on the subjwl of military hri.lges of value. The bridgra 
constnicted by you, and aft.-r your own Invention, oror llmiT's Cn>ek, 
during the siege of Suffolk, In April last, were of the greatest Import- 
ance. Thiuwn with great rapidity, ond at a critical niomenl, by cutting 
olTa detour of Ave mlle«, anil thus bringing the lriHi|« on the Nanse- 
monil Hirer Inbi cloa.! and rapid rommunicjitlon with ikcIi other and 
with SulTolk, they contril.iite<l essentially to the succmsful termination 
of the siege.* '• 

After the abandonment of the siege by l^ongstreet, 
the Twenty-fifth Regiment built a fort near Sufl'olk, 
which Gen. Uetty, in compliment to the State, named 



Fort New Jersey. The loss of the regiment during 
the siege was small, two killed and nine wounded. 
Among the former was Chaplain Rutler. who was 
mortally wounded while moving about the field, al- 
leviating the sufferings of the wounded soldiers. He 
was a man of the most exalted character and the 
purest patriotism, and was universally beloved by the 
men in who.se service he so bravely died.' 

The regiment having completed its term of service 
returned home, and was mustered out on the 20th of 
June, 1863. (See record of the ofticers and men in the 
regiment from Passaic County in a subsequent chap- 
ter.) 

Comptiny A.- — (John McKierxas, Captain.) 
Ackennan, Jacob, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 2". 1883. 
Anderson, Abraham, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862 ; must, out Juuf 20, 18(0. 
AngiB,John,privale, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20,1863. 
Attenborough, Samuel, private, enl. Sept. 1. 1862: musL out June 20, 

1863. 
Avison, Jeremiah, private, enl. Sept. 1,1862; must, out June 20, 18C3. 
Bohen, Jamea. corp, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; wounded in the head at battle of 

Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13, 1862; rejoined company for duty March 

22, 1863; must, out June 20, I»M. 
BotI, Frederick, con>., enl. Sept. 1, I8C2; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Boyd, William, private, enl. Sept. 1. 1862; must. out June 2fl,186<. 
Boyle, Jame«, private, enl. Sept 1, 1802 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Burton, George, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Campbell, John, wagoner, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
ConartoD, Michael, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, ont June 1», IMS. 



• Francis E. Butler was l*orn at Suffleld, Conn., on Feb. », 1825. Be 
woa the i*oii of Asa Butler, u pupeT-nianufnctnrer of Suffleld, Conn., and 
for a numl>er of yean* previoun to entering college was engaged In the 
office of the large papor-liouse of bis brothers, Henry V. and William 
Butler, in Sew York and I'aterson, S. J. lie graduated with honorable 
distinction at Yale Colb-ge in the cla«s of 1857, and after studying di- 
vinily at Princeton and at I'nlon Theological Siniinary in Sew Y'ork, he 
became pastor of the CVmgregalional Church of Pater»»>n, where he re- 
nkained till he elilentl tho service aj« chaplain. 

Ue nianifeeted on all occasions the spirit and courage i>f the tnie sad- 
dler, OS well ai o( the faUhfiil > bnpliilo. ofl.oi putting lilmself In |m»Is of 
danger to do extra service over and aliove what the duties of his station 
ri-i)nired. It was In one of those situations, while taking care of wounded 
comrades on the Held, that he received the fatal shot which ended his 
useful and promising career. In all his relations Chaplnin Butler was a 
man of high honor and of an exalted character. Ills people, whelher of 
the church or of the regiment, all love<l and honored him, and his 
memory is greatly levered by his surviving frieii'b. 

It is said, in explanation of the military knowUilge and enthusiasm 
which Chaplain Butler lUsplayeil while in lliu army, llmt this was a s-irt 
of april ill! corpn ImhllKil in early life, for when ipiile young, at home 
in Suffleld, tijun., ho organlzeil and equipped a military coni|>any of his 
own, and drille.1 them in the tactics which he hiniself leariie.1 for that 
purp«>ae. It is well known to those familiar with Ihe hlsloiy of the regi- 
ment that he rendereil lmp«>rtant service to the officers in command, and 
a brilliant career was predlctol for him In the army had his life been 
spared. 

2 We Dud the following note attacheil to the reiord of this comliany : 
"Company A, formed from a nucleus of meniliers of Wiulilngton 
Fire Kiiglni' Company (I'aterson. N. J.), were men of average height, 
stnmg and liealthy. and Invariably re|«irled more men for duty each 
day than any other company In the regimint. The coni|>any lieing 
comiwsed of mechanlca, were detaileil to assist In building all of Col. 
Derrom's patent bridgea, iioUbly tho one crossing the creek near Suf- 
folk. Oen. Getty said to Capt, McKlernau that If this bridge was com- 
pletitl by a certain time II would be worth a million dollara to the gov- 
emmi-nt. The bridge was completed In the time, lieing overs»'venty feet 
long, and thruwn across In the sl<ice of Bve hours. (Japt McKlernau, of 
Co. A, was compllmente<l by C.d. Derrom on the efficiency and wllling- 
neM with which hia men worked, In some inslancea up I" their waist in 
mud and water. This bridge aaveil Gen. I'eck from being driven from 
SulTolk." 



BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. 



147 



Conoly, James, private, eul. Sept. 1, 186'ii ; muBt. out Juue 20, 1863. 
Connor, Michael, private, eul. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Dean, Jolin, sergt., eul. Sept. 1, 1862 ; wounded in left shoulder at battle 
of Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13,1862; rejoined company for duty 
March 22. 186:1 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Dean, William, private, eul. Sept. 1, 1862; discU. at Eckingtou U. S. A. 

Hosji., Washingtou, D. C, Jan. 13, 1863, for disability. 
Deats, Ezra, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; disch. at reg. hosp-, camp near 

Falmouth, Va,, Jan. 12, 1863, for disability. 
Demarest, Peter S.. private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Dougherty, Johci, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Dingie, Peter M., private, enl. Sept. 1,1862; teamster at convalescent 

camp, Alexandria, Va, ; final record not known; absent at muster. 
Duffy, John, private, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 186:1. 
Englehart, Frederick, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Folly, Elias, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Folly, John B., private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Frank, John K,, private, enl. Sept. 1,1862; killed in action at Freder- 
icksburg, Va., Dec. 13, 1862. 
Gordon, John, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Gallagher, William, corp, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out Juue 20, 1863. 
Gibson, James T., 1st sergt,, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; wounded in left wrist and 
taken prisoneratbattleof Fredericksburg,Va.,Dec. 13,1862; paroled 
Jan. 9, 1862 ; com. 2d lieut. 5Iay 1, 1863; rejoined company for duty 
June 8, 1S63; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Hart, Henry, M.D., private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; wounded and taken pris- 
oner at Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13, 1862 ; died of wounds at Rich- 
mond, Va., Jan. 22, 1863; buried at National Cemetery, Richmond, 
Vtt. 
Hagan, Ale.\andei-, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out Juue 20, 1863. 
Haycock, William, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out Juue 20, 1863. 
Hodge, James, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20. 1863. 
Howard, Thomas, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Heline, Thomas, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; died of typhoid fever at reg. 
hosp., camp near Suffolk, Va., March 26, 1863; buried at National 
Cemetery, Hampton, Va. 
Heske, Gottleib, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; killed in action at Freder- 
icksburg, Va., Dec. 13, 1862. 
Huff, .Jacob, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Hyde, Joseph, private, eul. Sept. 1, 1862; discli. at reg. hosp., camp near 

Suffolk, Va., Blarch 13, 1863, for disability. 
Ingham, William, private, enl. Sept. 1,1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Ingrund, John, private, enl. Sept. I,lf62; must, out June 20,1863. 
Jackson, John, private, enl. Sept. 1,1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Jantz, Michael, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Kay, Alfred, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Keife, Andrew, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; killed in action at Fredericks- 
burg, Va„ Dec. 13, 1862. 
Keer, John, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Kegan, John C, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Kidd, William, private, enl. Sept. 1. 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Kime, Aaron, private, enl. Sept, 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863, 
King, Charles A,, [irivate, enl. Sept. 1. 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Lawless, Henry, private, eul. Sept. 1,1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Lee, James, corp,, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; sergt. March 1, 1863; must, out 

June 211, 186:j. 
Mahoney, Timothy, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Mara, Philip, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 211, 1863. 
McBride, John, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
McDermot, .John, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
McKiernan, John, captain, com. Sept, 1, 1862; must, out June 2(1, 1863. 
McKiernan, Samuel G., corp., enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; sergt. Sept. 30, 1862 ; 
pro, to 1st lieut., Jan. 11, 1863, rice Rogers, pro.; wounded slightly 
at l.atlle of Suffolk, Va., May 3, 1863 ; must. out. June 20, 186:). 
McNeill, Joseph, Corp., enl. Sept. 1, 1862; sergt. March 1, 1863; must. 

out June 20, 1863. 
McComisky, Francis, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
McGill, Jumea, musician, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
McGill, Bernard, private, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must, out June 2(i, 1863. 
McGuirll, Anthony, private, enl. Sept. 1,1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Maher, Patrick, private, eul. Sept. 1, 1862; corp. Dec. 22, 1862: must, out 

June 2(», 186:1. 
Munday. John, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1.%:!. 
Morrison, Thomas, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; wounded in lelt shoulder 
in action at Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13, 1862; must, out June 20, 
1863. 
Morgan, John, private, enl. Sept, 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 



Newton, William, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Oliver, Richard, musician, enl Sept. 1,1862; trans, from Co. E; must. 

out June 20, 1863. 
Otto, Adam, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Parker, John, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; dIsch. at U. S. Hosp., Fort 

Schuyler, New York Harbor, Jan. 23, 1863, for disability. 
Phalon, John. Corp., enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Pallett, Richard, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Pettigrew, Matthias, sergt., enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Quiulan, John, private, enl.. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Reed, William, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Robertson, James, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Richards, Tbom.as B., 2d lieut., enl. Sept. 2, 1862 ; res'd May 18, 1863. 
Rogers, Andrew, Ist lieut,, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; pro. to capt. Co. F, Jan. 11, 

1863, vice Blenkow, res'd ; must, out Jane20, 1863. 
Ross, Richard, private, enl. Sept. 1,1862; wounded in breast at battle of 

Fredericksburg, Va,, Dec. 13, 1862 ; rejoined company forduty, March 

25, 1863; wounded in thigh at battle of Suffolk, Va., May 3, 1863; 

must, out June 20, 1863. 
Ryan, James, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Scanlan, James, private, enl, Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Spindler, Charles, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Stone, James, private, enl. Sept, 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Sutton, Michael, private, enl. Sept, 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Sweeney, Patrick, private, enl. Sept. 1. 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Thomas, Benjamin, private, enl. Sept. 1 , 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Vail, Johns., private, enl. Sept. 1, 1802; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Van Dyne, James, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; wounded in left thigh in 

battle of Suffolk, Va., May 3, 1863 ; rej()ined comi)any for duty June 

10, 1803 : must, out June 20, 1863. 
Van Ness, Ephraim N., private, enl. Sept. 1, 18B2 ; must, out June 20, 

1863. 
Van Ness, John K., private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out Juue 20, 1863. 
Veader, John H., private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Veader, David, corp., enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; died of malarial fever at Armory 

Hospital, Washington, D. C, Dec. 22, 1862. 
Veasey, Nicholas, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; Corp. March 1, 1863 ; must. 

out June 20, 1863. 
Walls, Michael, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Watt, Alexander, private, enl. Sept. 1,1862; killed in action at Freder- 
icksburg, Va,, Dec. 13, 1862. 
Warren, Peter, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Ward, William J., sergt., enl. Sept. 1,1862; private Oct. 21, 1862; pro. 

to 2d lieut. C^i.E, Dec. 30, 1862, rice Marsh, promoted; must out June 

20, 1863. 
Watson, Edward J., private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; corp. Sept. 30, 1862 ; must. 

out June 20, 1803. 
Way wood, Henry, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Wise, John, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; Corp. Dec. 22, 1862; wounded in 

action at Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13, 1862 ; rejoined company for 

duty June 10, 1863; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Winters, William B., private, eul. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Wood, John, private, enl. Sept, 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1803. 

Compatiy C. 

Allen, Oscar, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 

Anderson, John, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 

Barker, Dayton, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 

Barker, Marinus, Corp., enl. Sept. 2, 1862; private Oct. 13, 1862; must, 
out June 20, 1863. 

Bell, John, corp , enl. Sept. 2,1862; sergt. May 3, 1863 ; must, out June 
20, 1863. 

Binson, Robert, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862 ; disch. at Armory Square 
Hosp., Washington, D. C, Dec. 26, 1862, for disability. 

Brown, Alexander, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863, 

Buckley, Joseph, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862; disch, at Falmouth, Va., 
Jan. 17, 1863, for disability. 

Bush, James, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 

Burton, George, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 

Clark, Andrew, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862 ; must, out Juue 20, 1863. 

Clark, Redmond, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862: must, out Juue 20,1863. 

Condron, Patrick, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 186;i. 

Coyle, Henry, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 

Clinton, Francis De Witt, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862; disch, at Stanton 
U. S. A. Gen. Hosp., Washington, D. C, Feb. 2, 1863, wounds re- 
ceived in action at Fredericksburg: leg amputated. 



148 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



OoDMljrea, Alexander, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862; diKh. at Fairfax Sem- 
inar;. Vs.. Jan. 8, 1863, for diaability. 
Doremui, Andrew, Corp., enl. Sept. 2, 1862; gergt. Mnj 11, I8G3; muat 

out June 20, 1863. 
Doremiu, Albert C, prlTate, enl. Sept 2, 1862 ; must, oat June 20, 1S63. 
Doremus, Stephen, priviite, eiil. Sept. 2, 18G2; must, oot Juno 2U, 1863. 
Doremus, Tbomaa C, private, eol. Sept. 2, 1862; must, out June 20, 

1863. 
Decker, David N., private, must, in Oct. 31, 1862; must, out June 20, 

1863. 
Devine, llugb, private, eul. Sept. 2, 1862; must, oat Jane 20, 1863. 
Drew, .Martiu R., private, eul. Sept. 2, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Drew. Alexander, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Eakins, WilliHm, ser^t., eul. Sept. 2, 1862 ; 2d lieut., rice Parmley, rcs'd, 

Jan. 7, 18)j3; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Eakins, Kubrrt, private, eul. Si^pt. 2,1862 ; must out June 20, 1863. 
Everaou, Matthias, private, eul. Sept. 2, I8C2; must, out June 20, 1863. 
rine, George, private, eul. SepL 2, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
7orce, Columbus, Ist lieut., eul. Sept 2, 1862 ; acting adjt. from Oct. 15 
to Dec. 20, 1SG2 ; pro. to capt. Co. O, Dec. 25, 1862, vice Powell, re- 
Bi^cned ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Fredericks, Jiicob, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862 ; must, oat June 20. 1863. 
Findon, Job H., private, enl. Sept 2, 1862; must, out June 20, 18G3. 
OannoD, John, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Graham, Archibald, capt., com. Sept. 2, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Haycock, Muhlon, private, enl. Sept 2, 1862; must, out Juno 20. 1863. 
Montgotupr}. John, private, enl. Sept. 2, 18C2; must out June 20, 1863. 
Mulligan, John, private, enl. Sept 2, 1862; must out June 20, 1863. 
Huun, James, private, eul. Sept. 2, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Mullen, John, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862; disch at U. S. A. Gen. Hosp., 

Newark, N. J , March 13, 1863, for disability. 
Page, Willinin, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1803. 
Paine, John, private, eul. Sept 2, 1862 ; must nut June 2(i, 180.3. 
Perry, lletthual, private, eul. Sept 2, 1862; must out June 20, 1863. 
Pulhamus, David, private, onl. Sept 2, 1862 ; sergt, Jan. 1(1. 1863; pri- 
vate May II, 18&I; must out June 20, 1863. 
Lamond, John, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862 ; Corp., Jan. 10, 1863 ; must oat 

June 20. 1863. 
Leslie, David, private, eul. Sept. 2, 1862; Corp., Jan. 10, 1803; must out 

June 2(1, 1863. 
Luck, William, private, onl. Sept 2, 186;; must, out June 20, 186.3. 
Ltldwb'k, Jacob, private; no record. 

MarKhall, Ceorge W., private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862 ; must out June 20, 1863. 
Maasaker, John, private, enl. Sept 2, 1862; must out June 20,1863. 
Mcliaw, Tliomoa, private, onl. Sept 2, 1862. 
Maher, Thuinas, sergt., eul. Sept 2, 1862 ; Corp., Oct IS, 1862; scrgt, Jan. 

10, 1^63; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Miller, John, private, enl. Sept 2, 18S2 ; must out June 20, 1863. 
llarwoixl, .labe/., Corp., enl. Sept 2, 1862. 

Hudson, Itobert, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Jones, TIsdel B.. private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862; must out June 20, 1803. 
Kay, Jamee S., private, enl. Sept 2, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Kay, Selh H., private, onl. Sept. 2, 1862; must out June 2(>, 1863. 
Kelly. Itobert, private, enl. Sept 2, 1862 ; must out June 20, IN6.3. 
Kimball, Henry, private, enl. Sept 2, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Kendall, 4te.irgo II., private, enl. Sept. 2, IH62; must out June 20, 1863. 
Prcelon, Daniel II., private, enl. Sept 2, 1862 ; must out June 20, 1863. 
Poat William F., private, enl. Sept 2, 1862; sergt, Jan. 10, 1863; most 

out June 20, 186:1. 
Nor^l^ William II., Corp., enl. Sept 2, 1862; sergt., Oct IS, 1862; lat 
sergt, Jan. In, 1863; Oct 15, 1862, color sergt, until Jan. 10, 1863; 
must, out Juno 20, 1803. 
Parmley, R.il>.Tt, 2d lieut, com. Sept 2, 1862 ; ri's'd Jan. .'i, 1863. 
Prealun, (ieorge II., private, enl. Sept 2, 18G2; most out June 2(1, 1863. 
Preaton, Jamee W.. private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862 ; must out Juno 20, 1863. 
Preaton, William K., private, «nl. Sept 2, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 186:1. 
Bee<l, Thiimaa, private, enl. Sept 2, 1862; must out June 2U, lHi;3. 
BIley, Jiunen, private, inl. S'pt 2, IN62 ; must out June 2", IHCM. 
Roberis, Jidiu J., cor|>., enl.Sept 2, 1862; must, out June 20, 1x6:1. 
Quarkenbush, John, i»rp., enl. Sept 2, IN62 ; munt out June 20, 1863. 
Scott Henry I,., private, enl. S<ipt 2, lHn2; must out June 20, 11163. 
Slsro, Krancis, private, nnl. Sept 2. 1862; must, out June 2(', 186.3. 
Sllngrrland, John, private, enl. .Sept. 2, IH62 ; must ont June 2(1, 1863. 
Btavenson, William J., private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862 ; Ist sergt ; pro. to lat 

lieut., rir« Force; must, out June 20, 186:1. 
Suitor, William, private, enl. .Sept 2, 1862 ; Corp. May :l, 1863; must out 
June 20, 1863. 



Swin. Edward, sergt, eul. Sept 2, 1862 ; must out June 20, 1863. 
Spring. tein, James, private, onl. Sept 2, 1862 ; corp. Jan. 10, 1863; must 

out June 20, 1861. 
Smith, Cbarlea W., private, enl. Sept 2, 1862; must out June 20, 1863. 
Smith, James, private, enl. Sept 2, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Spear, William II., privato, eol. Sept 2, 1862; must out June 20, 1863. 
Spittle, Charlce, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Spittle. John R., private, onl. Sept. 2, 1862; must out June 20, 1863. 
Van Ordeu, William, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Van Orden, Henry, private, enl.Sept 2. 1862; must out June 20, 1863. 
Van (jrden, .\ndreu, private, onl. Sept 2, 1862; must out June 20, 1863. 
Van Orden, Garret, private', enl. Sept 2, 1862; must out June 20, 1863. 
Van Onlen, Charlee, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862; died of ulceration of the 

bowels at hospital, Philadelphia, Pa., Dec. 31, 1862. 
Van Orden, Giles, private, enl. Sept 2, 1862; supposed to have died In 

Gen. Hosp. 
Vreeland. J.din J., private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862; must out June 20, 1863. 
Weatcrvelt, Martin V., private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862 ; must, ont June 20, 

186:i. 
Wilds, William, corp., enl. Sept 2, 1862 ; disch. at U. S. A. Gen. lloap., 

Washington, D. C, Dec. 26, 1862, for disability. 
Paleman, Richard, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1862; missing in action at Fred- 
ericksburg, Va., Dec. 13, 1862; supposed killed. 
SUnnor, William, sergt, enl. Sept 2, 1862 ; killed in action near Suffolk, 

Va.. May 3, 1863. 
Garlick, Scth, private, enl. Sept. 2,1862; Corp., May 11, 1863; must oat 

June 20, 186:1. 

Company E. — (Alexander HoLMiis, Captain.) 

Bsboock, Anthony M., private. West Hilford, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must. 

out June 20, 1863. 
Babcock, Minard, private. West Miiford, enl. Sept. 1, 18(;2; must out 

June 20, 1863. 
Banta. Charles G, private. West Miiford, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must out 

June 20, 1863. 
Barnard, John, private, Acquackanuuk, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must out 

June 20, 1863. 
Berry, John, corp.. West Miiford, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; disch. at U.S. A. 

Gen. Hosp.. Waaliingbjn. D. C. Jan. 31, 18M, for dLsabillty 
Brinkerhoof, E. Itoardman, mmtician, Paterson, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must. 

out June 20, iwu. 
BuBh,Goorgo D., private, Acquackaaonk, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must out 

June 20, 1863. 
Gary, William R., private. West Miiford, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; mast out 

June '20, 1863. 
Oarlin. George D., private. West Miiford, «nl. Sept 1, 1862; must out 

June 20, 1863. 
Cole, William F., private, West Miiford, eol. Sept 1, 1862 ; must out June 

20, 1803. 
CJole, Frederick S., private. West Miiford, enl. Sapt 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Cook, Martin, private. West Miiford, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 

20, 1863. 
Conklin, George K., Corp., enl. Sept I, 1862 ; private Oct 1, 1862. 
Conklin, Samuel J., private, West Mllfurd, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must out 

Juni- 20, 1863. 
Croft, William, private, PaUraon, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must out June 20, 

1863. 
Ojnsolyea. I^lward, private, Paterson, enl. Sept 1, 18C2; disch. at Ward 

V. S. A. Hosp., Newark, N. J., April 18, 1863, of wounds received in 

action at Fredericksburg, Va. 
Oronk, Joseph, private, Pompton, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must out June 20, 

1863. 
Crotber, Sidney, private, Manchester, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must, out Jans 

20, 1863. 
Day, Horace P., private. West Miiford, enl. Sept 1, 1862; disch. at ramp 

near Falmouth, Va., Jan. 12, 186.3, for disability. 
Daven|><>ri, (iarret, private. West Milfonl, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must out 

June 20, 188:1. 
Davis, Horace, private. West Milfonl, enl. Sept I, 1862; Corp., Oct. 1, 

1862 ; must out June 20, 1863. 
Decker, Henry, corp, Paletaon, enl. Sept 1, 1862; ssr(t, Oct 1,1862; 

must out June 20, 1K63. 
Bdwnnls, Samuel B., private. West Miiford, enl. Sept 1, 1862 ; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Freeman, George P., West Miiford, pro. to 1st lieut, Sept. 16, 1862; res'd 

Dec. 22. 1862. 



BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. 149 



Freclericks, Henry I., private, West Milford. enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must. 

out Jure 20, 1S63. 
Gilmore, David F., Pat«r8on, Ise sergt., enl. Sept. 1, 1S62; disch. at U. 

S. A. Hosp., Hampton, Va., May 11, 1863, for disability. 
Gorniley, Thomas H., West Milford, Corp., enl. Sept. 1, 1862; sergt. 

.Ipril 4, 1863; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Hand, William H., private. West Milford, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Hadley, Edmund V., Paterson, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; corp. Oct. 1, 

1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Hartwick, William, Paterson, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862. 
Henderson, Thomas, Paterson, private, onl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Henderson, Martin, Wast Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Herman, Martin, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862. 
Holmes, Alexander, Paterwon, capt., must, out June 20, 1863. 
Hopkins, Daniel, West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out 

June 20, 186:!. 
Irvin, Martin, West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 

20, 1863. 
Jennings, John, West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; niuBt. out June 

20, 1863. 
Kay, John, Paterson, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; Corp., Doc. 12,1862; 

sergt., Jan. 20, 1863; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Kay, William H., Paterson, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 

■M, 1863. 
Kimlple, George, West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; disch. at H. 3. 

.\. Gen. Hosp., Washington, D. C, Doc. 7, 1862, for disaliility. 
Kiml>le, James, West Milford, private, enl. Sept 1, 1862 ; must, out June 

•20, 1863. 
Luke, George, Paterson, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out Juno 20, 

18G3. 
Margeson, Richard P., West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; died at 

regt. hosp., near Falmouth, Va., Dec. 22, 1862. 
Mar-ih, Charles M., 2d lieut., com. Sept. 16, 1862 ; 1st lieut., vice Freeman, 

resigned, Dec. 30, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Merrion, Robert R., West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out 

Juue 20,1863. 
Herrion, Nicholas, West Milford, private, onl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Uerrion, Martin, West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862. 
Mains, Henry, Paterson, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; disch. at camp near 

Falmouth, Va., Jan. 12, 1863, for disability. 
Morse, Aaron, West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 

20, 1863. 
Morse, William, West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
McCauloy. Daniel J., private, enl. Sept. 26, 1862 ; must, out June 20,1863. 
McGurk, Arthur, West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; Corp., May 

11, 1863; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Odell, Henry, Pomptou, privjite, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 

1863. 
Oliver, Richard, Paterson, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; trans, to Co. A, 

Nov. 26, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Oxer, William, Paterson, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out Juno 20, 

1863. 
Pittll, Henry, West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 

20, 1863. 
Price, George, Paterson, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 

1863. 
Post, George, Paterson, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; disch. at U.S.A. 

Hosp., Fort Wood, Now York Harbor, Dec. 28, 1802. for disability. 
Banney, Jefferson, West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Bear, William H., Paterson, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 

20, 1S63. 
Biker, Obadiah, Paterson, sergt., enl. Sept. 1, 1862; disch. at U. S. A. 

Husp., Washington, D. C, Jan. 19, 1863, for disability. 
Scott. Thomas, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20,1863. 
Sbay, Abrani, West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 

20, 1863. 
Smith, Daniel, West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1,1862; disch. at U. S. 

A. Gen. Hosp., Fort Wood, Jan. 17, 1863, for disability. 
Shippey, John, West Milford, sergt., enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; disch. at Carver 

n. S. A Hosp., Washington, D. C, April 7, 1863, for disability. 



Snyder, James, West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; died at regt. 

hosp., near Falmouth, Va., Dec. 28, 1862. 
Stickle, Cyrus H., West Milford. sergt , enl. Sept. 1, 1862; 1st sergt.. May 

11. 1863; must, out Juno 20, 1803. 
Staltor, Robert, West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; Corp., Jan. 26, 

1863; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Stalter, Jeremiah, West Milford, corp , enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; disch. at camp 

near Fairfax Seminary, Va., Nov. 28, 1862, for disability. Retained 

in service by mistike, and wounded in action at Fredericksburg, 

Va., Dec. 13, 1862. 
Struble, Francis, West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Taylor, Edward, Paterson, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 

1863. 
Templeton, Isaac F., Acquackanonk, Corp., enl. Sept. 1, 1862; deserted 

Jan. 24, 1863, at camp near Falmouth, Va.; returned to duty May, 

1863 ; left at Norfolk, Va., Juno 4, 1863, for trial as a deserter ; final 

record unknown. 
Tborne, George E., West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Torbert, Matthew G., Paterson, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Van Orden, Peter, West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

Juno 20, 1863. 
Van Ordon, George, West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Van Orden, Henry J., West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1,1862; must. 

out June 20, 1863. 
Van Orden, Samuel, West Milford, corp., enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Vanzili, Eber, Paterson, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 

1863. 
Vanzili, Theodore, Patei-son, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 

20, 1863. 
Vreeland, Richard, West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Vreeland, Ralph, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 

20, 1863. 
Vreeland, Henry, Pompton ; must, out Juno 20, 1863. 
Warhurlon, James, West Milford, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Whelan, James, Paterson, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862. 
Williams, Andrew J., West Slilford, musician, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must. 

out June 20, 1863. 
Woodruff, John J., West Milford, Corp., enl. Sept. 1, 1862; sergt.. May 

11, 1863; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Woolston, Charles, private, enl. Sept. 26, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 

Company H. 

Alexander, Donald, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, in Sept. 18, 1862 

must, out June 20, 1863. 
Alexander, James, private, enl. Sept. 1,1862; must, in Sept. 18,1862 

must, out June 20, 1863. 
Burris, James P., private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, in Sept. 18, 1862 

must, out Juno 20, 1863. 
Burris, Andrew J., private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, in Sept. 18, 1862 

must, out June 20, 1863. 
Boardman, William J., private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, in Sept. 18, 1862 

must, out June 20, 1863. 
Braddock, William, private, enl. Sept. 1,1862; must, in Sept. 18, 1862 

must, out June 20, 1863. 
Bergia, Harvey, 1st lieut., enl. Sept. 18, 1862 ; oapt., rice James Inglis, 

com. qr.mr. ; resigned Dec. 28, 1862. 
Bogert, David C, sergt., enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; com. Sept. 18, 1862 ; must, out 

June 20, 1833. 
Bogert, Cornelius, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1892; must, in Sept. 18,1862; 

must, out Juue 20, 1863. 
Cadis, James, private, onl. Sept. 1,1862; must, in Sept. IS, 1862 ; disch. 

at U. S. A. Hosp , Washington, D. C, March 9, 1863, for disability. 
Carlough, George N., private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, iu Sept. 18, 1862; 

disch. at U. S. A. Hosp., Newport News, Va., March 8, 1863, for dis- 
ability. 
Carson, George W., private, enl. Aug. 30, 1862; must, in Sept. 26, 1862; 

must, out June 20, 1863. 
Cheesboro, Charles P., private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, in Sept. 18, 1862 ; 

must, out June 20, 1863. 



150 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



OoatB, Joseph, prirtte, <nl. Sept. 1, I8fi2; muit in Sept. 18, 1862: muft 

out June 'M, 1863. 
Cook, Thuniu, private, eul. Sept. 1, 1862; nium. in Sept. 18, 180'J; Diust. 

out June 2U, 1863. 
CdIHus, Jeue T., private, rul. Sept. 1,1862 ; must, in Sept. 18, 1862 ; mast. 

out June 20, 1863. 
Collins, Samuel U, private, enl. Sept. 1,1862; must, in Sept. 18, 1862 ; 

must out June 20, 1863. 
Oampl«ll, John 0., private, enl. SepL 1, 1862; must, in Sept. 18, 1862; 

must, out June 20, 1803. 
Demarest, William, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, in Sept. 18, 1862 ; 

must out June 20, IS&'i. 
Demarest Abram, private, enl. Sept 1,1862; must in Sept 18, 1862 ; 
disch. at U. S. A. Hasp.. Philnilelpliia, Uarcb 14, 186^!, for disability'. 
Devour, William, private, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must in Sept Is, 1862; 

must, out June 20, IS&t. 
Pulclier, Cliarles, private, enl. Sept. 1,1802; niunt. in Sept 18,1862; 

niu»t out June 20, 186:t. 
Demarest, William, private, enl. Sept. 1, 18li2 ; must, in Sept 18, 1862 ; 

must, out June 20, 180^1. 
I»ewer, Jttnies, private, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must in Sept 18, 1862 ; corp. 

Jan. 1, 1863 ; must out June 20. 1863. 
Dutcher, Cliaries, musician, enl. Sept 1, 1802; must in Sept 18, 1862; 

must, out June 20, 1863. 
Fisber, Caspar, private, enl. Sept 1,1862; must in Sept 18, 1862; disch. 

at U.S. A Hosp., I'liiladelpbia, Pa.. June 6, 180:1, for disability. 
Gravelius, George, corp., enl. Sept. 1, 1862; assistant hospital steward 

Oct 12, 1802; must out June 20, 186:1. 
Glune, Adolph, private, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must in Sept 18, 1862; must 

out June 20, 1863. 
Garrison, Slepliou, private, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must in Sept. 18, 1862; 

must out June 20, 186:1. 
Badle.v, Benjamin, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must in Sept 18,1862; 

must, out June 20, 186.3, 
Hilton, John T, private, enl. Sept 1,1862; must in Sept 18, 1862 ; must 

o<it June 20, 180:1. 
Hogencamp, Martin, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must out June 20, 1863. 
Hopper, Andrew J., musician, enl. Sept 1, 1802; must out June 20, 1803. 
Hopper, Thoraue A., private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must out June 20, 186.3. 
Hopper, Jacob, recruit, enl. Oct. :il, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Hartrick, Charlis, private. enl. Sept 1, 1862; niu»t out Jnuo 20, 1863. 
Haycock, I*el<T, private, enl. Sept. I, 1802; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Houghton, John, private, inl. Sept 1, 1862 ; disch. at U. S. A. Hoap., Wash- 
ington, D. C, .March 27, 1863, for disability. 
Hutchinson, Wm., private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Inglis, James, Jr., capt, com. Sept 2, 1862 ; com. quartermnhter Sept. 2.'), 

1862. 
Irving, James, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; roost out June 20, 1863. 
Jacobus, Peter, corp., enl. Sept 1, 1862; private, Jan. 1, 186:1; must out 

June 20, 1803. 
Jacobus, Peter, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863, 
Kenney, Martin, corji , enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; diach. iit Klkinglin l'. S. Army 

Gen. Hoap., Washington, D. C, Jan. 19, 186:1, for disability, 
Kreiger, John F., private, eul. Sept. 1, 1802 ; must out June 2t), 1863, 
King, William M, sergt, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must out June 20, 1863. 
Kingslaod, Jacob, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must out June 2<t, 1863. 
Lair, Samuel, sergt, enl. Sept 1, 1862; 1st sergt, Oct. 1, 1862; must out 

June 20, 186:1. 
I4iblaux, Ktnile, private, enl. Sept 1, 1862; died uf typhoid fever at camp 

near Suffolk, Va., April 20, 1861. 
l.orery, Simon, private, enl. Sept 1, 1802; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Morehead, James, private, enl. Sept. I, 1862; must out June 20, 1803. 
Hoaely, Joseph, sergt, enl. ,S«pt. I, 1862; must out June 20, 186:;. 
Moael.v, Klcbanl, private, enl. Sept 1, 18A2 ; killed in action at Freder- 
icksburg, Va, Dec. l:i, 1862; buried there. 
Measengcr, Iw^wis, private, enl. St^pt 1, 1862 ; must out June 20, 186:1. 
Mrntruch, Philip, private, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must out June 20, 18S1. 
Miirtania, Isitac, private, ••nl. Sept. 1, IH62; must, out June 20, 1H63. 
Mc,\unlan, Dun>-an, private, enl, S4>pt, I, 1862; adjt's clerk ; must, out 

Jnn*- 20. 1803. 
Packir, Willlnm P., private, enl. Sept 1, 1862: Corp., Jan. 12, 1863; must 

oat June 20, 1H6.3. 
Perry, Theodore S.. private, enl. Sept 1, 1862 ; must out June 20, 1863. 
Perry, John, prlvalo, enl. !<ept I, IMI2; must out June 20, 186:t 
Petry, ,\ndrew, private, enl. Sept 1, 180i; must, out June 2o, 1863. 
Petry, Ge«)rge W., private, enl. Sept 1, 1802; Corp., Jan. 12, 1863; must, 
out June2o 1803. 



Poet, Anthony G., corp., enl. Sept, 1, 1802 ; died of typhoid fever in hos- 
pital, at camp near Falmouth, Va , Dec. 27, 1862, 
Post Garret J , private, eul. Sept 1, 1862; must out June 20, 18<i3. 
Pope, Austin, private, eul. Sept. 1, 1802; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Putoam, Joaeph B., private, enl, Sept. 1, 1862 ; pn>. to oom.-aergt., Sept. 

.30, 1862; must, out June 2U, 1863, 
Preston, James, piivate, enl, Sept. 1, 1862; disch. at U. S. Army Hoap., 

Philadelphia, Pi> . Feb. 7, 186:1, for disability. 
Pruden, Kbene7.er, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Pont James M., private, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must out June 20, 1863. 
Beid, John 1... privnli, enl. Sept 1,1802; must, out June 2o, 186:1. 
Reid, John, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must out June 20, 1863. 
Biker, John II., private, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must, out June '2ii, 1863, 
Spear, John, private, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must out June 20, 1863. 
Stephens, Henry, private, eul. Sept 1, 1802 ; must out June 20, 1863, 
Shaffer, Lewis B,, corp,, enl. Sept 1,1842; disch. at camp near Falmouth, 

Va., Jan. 9, 18li3, disability. 
Sigler, Daniel M., Corp., enl. Sept 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1803. 
Terhuiie, John, jirivatu, enl. Sept 1, 1862 ; disch. at Army General Hos- 
pital, Washington, D. C, Mny9, 1863, disability. 
Tiffany, Charles H. D., private, enl. Sept 1,1862; must, out June 20, 

186:1. 
Torbert Ge^irge M.. private, enl. Sept 1, 1862 ; must out Jum- 20, 1663. 
Vandcrbilt, Richard, sirgt., enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must out June 20, 1863, 
Vanderbilt Abraham, 1st sergt, enl. Sept 2, 1862 ; Isl lieut, ric« Beyea, 

pro., Sept. 20, 1802 ; must, out June 20. 180:1. 
Van Wagoner, Cornelius, 2d lieut., com. Sept 2, 1802; must in Sept 16, 

1862; ambulance lieut,; must, out June 20, 1863, 
Van Saun, Cornelius, private, eul, Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Van Saun, .Klbert, private, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must out June 20, 1863. 
Van Wagoner, Garret private, enl. Sept. 1. 1862 ; disch. at camp near 

Falmouth. Va., Jan. 9, 1863, disability. 
Van Winkle, Simeon J., private, enl. Se|it 1, 1862; must out June 20, 

1863, 
Vanderbilt,Cornelius, private, enl. Sept. 1,1861; disch. at L'. S. Army 

Hoepilal, Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 21, 1803, disability. 
Van Blarconi, JiiniiB, private, enl. Sept 1,1862; sergt. audlio.^p. steward. 

Sept 30, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863, 
Van Houten, Isaac, private, enl. Sept 1, 1862; Corp., Oct, 12, 1862 ; must 

out June 20, 186:1, 
Warden, John, corp,, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must out June 20, 1863. 
WHiite, William, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; ninst. out June 2", 1863. 
Williamson, Charles, private, enl. Sept 1, 1802; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Willis, Cornelius A,, private, enl. Sept 1,1802; must, out June 20,1863. 
Worthington, BIchard, private, enl. Sept 1,1862; must out June 20, 

1863. 
Wilson, James, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must out Juno 20, 180.1. 
Wright, Andrew, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must out Juno it', 186:1, 

Companii IT,— (Enoch J. ,\YRES, Captain.) 
.\ckerman, I»avid, Acijuackanonk, wagoner, enl. Sept. 1, 18*i2 ; must. 

out Juno 20, 1863. 
Alysn, Itlchard P., .\cquackanonk, private, enl. Sept 1, 1862; corp,, 

April 20, 1863 ; must out June 20, 18C3. 
Ayres, J. Enoch, Patersou, capt, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; pro, to lieut,-col. Sept 

24. 1802, to All original vacancy ; must, out June 2", 1863. 
Baganal, Jamea, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must, out 

June 211, 186.3. 
Beldin, John, Acquackannnk, private, enl. Sept 1, 1862 ; must out June 

20,1803, 
Beach, Stephen, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must, out 

June 211,186:1. 
Belcher, Adam, Pomplon, corp,, enl. Sept 1, 1802 ; wouioled at flrst bat- 
tle of Freilerirksburg, Dec, 13, 1802; sergt, Jan. 1, 186:1; must out 

June 20, 1863 
Bogart, William, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept 1, 1862; must out 

Juno 20, 1863. 
Bowman. Peter, Acquackanonk, private, anl. Sept. 1, 1862; must oiil 

June 20, 186.3, 
Brooks. Abraham, Acquackanonk, private, enl. .lept 1, 1862: niiint. out 

June 20, 1863. 
Brewer, George W., Acquackanonk, musician, enl. Sept. 1. 1862: must 

out June '20, 180:1. 
Bngsbee, William, Pompton, private, anl. Sapt 1, 1802; must. lOil Juna 

'20, lUVi. 
Carroll, llryan. Acquackanonk. private, enl. Sept 1, 1862: must, out 

June 20, 1803. 



BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. 



151 



Cieco, Thomas A., Acquackanoiik, corp., enl. Sept. 1, 18G2 ; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Clark, Henry, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 

20, 1863. 
Colib, John, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1,1862; must, out June 

20, i»m. 
Cole, Abraham H., Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 

20, 1803. 
Collins, John J., Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 

1863. 
Conklin, Levi, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 18G2 ; must, out June 20, 

1863. 
Conklin, Walter, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1 , 1862 ; must, out June 20, 

1863. 
Conklin, Andrew, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1S62; must, out June 

20, 1863. 
Cook, Francis H., Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1SG2 ; final record not 

known. 
Cunier, Lawrence, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Davenport, William H., Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20, 18C3. 
Decker, Barney, Pompton, sergt., enl. Sept. 1,1862; private, Jan. 1,1863; 

must, out June 20, 1863. 
Deiiliolm, Charles, Acquackanonk, Corp., enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Degraw, John, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 

1863. 
Degraw, Peter, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 

186.3. 
Deeths, John, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 

2(1, 1863. 
Deitcli, Henry, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Dodd, Amzi, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 

20, 1863. 
Elston, Jesse K., Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1,1862; 1st sergt., 

Sept. 24, 1862; 2d lieul.. ii.c G. M. Post, res'd, Dec. 25, 1862; must. 

out June 20, 1863. 
Ennis, Abraham, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20, 1S63. 
Faulkner, Leonard, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
GarTBbrant, Garrett, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must. 

out June 20, 1863. 
Gould, Thomas, Pompton, sergt., enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 

1863. 
Greenwood, Philip, Pompton, corp., enl. Sept. 1,1862; sergt., Jan. 1, 

1863 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Hamm, Aaron, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Hamm, Louis, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 

20, 1863. 
Hardy, John, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must out June 20, 

1863. 
Hann, Jeremiah, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Hanke, Bernard, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Henchliffe, James, Manchester, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 30, 1863. 
Henderson , Samuel M., Pompton, sergt., enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Holloway, David, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 

211,1863. 
Holloway, John, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 

1863. 
Jacobus, John-H., Acquackuuonk, musician, enl. Sept. 1,1862 ; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Jenkins, Jacob, Manchester, private, enl. Sept. 1,1862; must, out June 

20, 1863. 
Kilby, Joseph, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; disch. at 

Washington, D. C, Nov. 28. 1862, for disability. 
Lee, George W., Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; 1st sergt. 

Dec. 25, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Maby, John H., Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; disch. at 
Chestnut Hill Hospital, Philadelphia, March 25, 1863, for disability. 



Maynard, Floyd, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

Juue 20, 1863. 
McKay, Simon, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 

1863. 
Miller, Garret, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out Juno 

20,1863. 
Miller, Charles, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

Juue 20, 1863. 
Mowry, John, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out Juue 

20, 1803. 
Morris, Jesse B., Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; died of typhoid 

fever at camp near Falmouth, Ya., Dec. 29, 1862. 
Nix, John, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1. 1862; Corp. Jan. 1, 1863; 

must, out June 20, 1863. 
Oakes, Richard, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; Corp. Jan. 1, 

1863; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Odell, Arthur, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 

1863. 
Passage, Jacob, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 20, 

1863. 
Personette. George, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. I, 1862; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Piaget, Louis .\., Acquackanonk, com. 2d lieut. Sept. 18, 1862; 1st lieut., 

vice Spear, promoted, Sept. 24, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Post, George M., .Vcquackanonk, 1st sergt., enl. Sept. 1, 1862; com. 2d 

lieut., vii:e Piaget, promoted; res*d Dec. 22, 1862. 
Quemau, Thomas, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; disch. at 

U. S. A. Gen. Hosp, Philadelphia!, Pa., April 16, 1863, for disability. 
Ryan, William, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 30, 1863. 
Redner, Joel, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862. 
Spear, Job ji R., Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 

20, 1863. 
Spear. Edward R., Acquackanonk, com. 1st lieut. Sept. 18, 1862; capt., 

rke Ayres, promoted, Sept. 24, 1862; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Spear, Josiah M., Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; disch. at 

camp near Suffolk, Va., April 2, 1863, for disability. 
Schulstor, Francis A., Pompton, Corp., enl. Sept.l, 1862: must, out June 

20, 1861. 
Shippee, William H., Pompton, Corp., enl. Sept. 1, 1862; killed in action 

at Fredericksburg, Va , Dec. 13, 1862. 
Sindle, Christopher, Acquackanonk, Corp., enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

Juue 2", 1863. 
Severn, Benjamin R., Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; disch. 

at U. S. A. Hosp., March In, 1863. for disability. 
Snyder, Henry, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

Juue 20, 1863. 
Snyder, John, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 

20, 1863. 
Storms, David, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 

1863. 
Stockard, Leonard, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Straut, Andrew, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1,1862; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Shurtz, John, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; disch. at camp near 

Suffolk, Va., April 2, 1863, for disability. 
Thompson, Wm. H., Pompton, private, enl. Sept.l, 1862; must. out June 

20, 1803. 
Tuers, Joseph S , .\cquackanonk. private, enl. Sept. 1,1862; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Tuers, John, Jr., Acquackanonk, 5th sergt., enl. Sept. 1, 1862; sergt., 

Jan. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 1863. 
Turner, John Y., Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out 

June 20, 1863. 
Yanatta, George, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862: must, out June 

20, 1863. 
Vanatta. Harmon, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out June 

20, 1863. 
Vanatta, Horace, Pompton, private, enl. Sept 1, 1862: must, out June 

20, 1863. 
YanattA, John, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must out June 20, 

1863. 
Van Riper, George, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must out 

June 20, 1863. 
Van Riper, Philip H., Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must 

out June 20, 1863. 



152 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES. NEW JERSEY. 



Y»n CWen, Jompb, Pompton, prirate, enl. Sept. 1, 1882 ; mu«t. out June 

2(1, 1S03. 
Van OkIod, D«Tld, MaDcheeter, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1662; most, unt 

June 20, 1863. 
V«nzili, laaac, Pompton, priTate, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 

1863. 
VreclHnd, Garret, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1,1862; must, out 

Juue20, 1K63. . 
Vreelaud, Garret I., Acquackanonk, private, enl. SepL 1, 1862 ; most, out 

June 2il, l»6:l. 
Vreelaud, Peter, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862. 
Willinnui, Patrick, Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept 1, 1862; Corp., Jan. 

1, 186.1 ; muBt. out June 20, 1S0.1. 
Ward, William W., Acquackanonk, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 20. 186,1. 
WeutluTwalk», George, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; must, out 

June 2", 1863. 
While, Martin, Pompton, corp, enl. Sept. 1, 1862; private, Jan. 1, 1863; 

must out June 20, 1863. 
White, John, Pompton, private, enl. Sept. 1, 1862 ; must, out June 20, 

1863. 
Thicket, Charlea, Acquackanonk, private, enl. January, 1863 ; sergt-mi^J., 
ri'ce Leach, promoted ; moat, out June 20, 1863. 

Thirty-third Regiment.— Company D of the 
Thirty-third Ilegiiueut wu.s raised in Piissaic County. 
Companies A, B, C, and F were raised in Newark ; 
Company G was raised in Morris, Hudson, and Essex 
Counties; Company E in Camden and Essex; Com- 
pany H in Hoboken, and C()nii)any K in Jersey City. 
Company D, from this (.ouiity, was otliwrfd as fol- 
lows: Captain, Charles Courtois ; First Lieutenant, 
James T. (Jibson ; Second Lieutenant, AVilliam A. 
Miller. 

The Tiiirty-tiiird was the first " veteran rejriment" 
raised in New Jersey, under an authorization issued 
in the summer of 18G3 U) Col. Mindil, formerly of 
the Twenty-seventh Regiment. It was recruited at 
Newark, and mustered into the United States service 
on the .3d of September. On the 8th it embarked 
upon transports lying in the Pa.s.saic River, and pro- 
ceeded to Washington ; tlience on the 24th it was 
ordered to join the Army of the Cumberland. It 
participated in the movements about Chattanooga, 
the Atlanta campaign, Sherman's march to the sea, 
and through the Carolina.s, and in pursuit of John- 
ston, at Smitiifield, N. C, fired the la.st shots of the 
war into the retreating reliel cavalry, whom they had 
successfully fought for half a day. The Thirty-third 
was retained in service until Aug. 2, 18ti."), when it 
was ordered to be mustered out, and proceeded to 
Newark. 

In a little less tlian two years this regiment had 
traversed a distame of two thousand five hundred 
miles, over seventeen hundred of which were accom- 
plished by marching. It fought in eight battles and 
engaged in over a dozen skirmishes. Altliough but 
two years in service, the losses of battle and cam- 
paign were such that the regiment was twice filled. 
The numlier of brevets conferrol upon it.s officers 
ghow how highly the regiment was appreciated by 
the government. 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 

RECORD OF PASSAIC COUNTY MEN IN THE WAK 
OF THE REBELLION. 

EXCELSIOR BBIGADE, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS. 

COMPANT A, FIE8T ReOIMENT. 

Weller B. Honey, eecond lieutenant. 
SerjMBtt.— Orderly, Arch itiald Belcher; iBt, John Baxter; 2d, John E. 

Van Houtin; 3d, William Wilson; 4th, John Johnson. 
Cbrporal*.— let, Joseph Winters; 'id, Charli-s Gaukel ; 3d, Jamee Rovran ; 

4th, Jesse Jackson ; 5th, Charles Maury ; 6th, Charlea Ryerson. 



Acton, John. 
AahHeld, James. 
Byer, William. 
Campbell, Asaph. 
Carey, Jamee C. 
Clark, Samuel. 
Clark, David. 
Clark, Isaac. 
CorHgan. Edward. 
Cavanagh, John. 
Counsulyeii, John. 
Davenport. Slartin. 
Dougherty, Stephen T. 
Enl»i»U.', Robert. 
Elliaon, leoac. 
Goulding, Sidney. 
GiTTieon, John H. 
Hare, John. 
Harvey, R^»bert. 
IlalloM.ll, David, 
llallowell, TIf.mas. 
Healey, John. 
Jenkins, William. 



McCann, William. 
Marshland, Benjamin. 
Miles, E.l»anl. 
McNabb, William. 
McGrogan, Edward. 
McTtlnllon, John. 
McKenney, Jnmea. 
SIcl'ready, John. 
Merkel, Joseph. 
Piilhamua, Albert. 
Rlker, Henry. 
Rikor, Ol»adiali. 
Ryerson, C. V. 
Shaw, John. 
Spencer. Joseph. 
Speer. Ji»eiah. 
Slater. John. 
Tolesoii, Jamee. 
Van Vantlemchen. 
Van Dien, Garret, 
Weetervelt, James. 
Whitford, John. 
Wlielehan. John. 



COMPASV 0. 



Edwin E. Post, private. 



SerjeanU.— let, William H.Levi; 2d, O. 
4lh,C. H. Calkins. 

Privat«$. 
Ackcrnian, William. 
Ackernian, Jamee. 
Allen, Alexander. 
Alli»on,Jci«epli. 
Barnnm, 11. M. 
Bergen, Timothy, 
llamfonl, Thomaa. 
Blniichanl. A.J. 
ItouKe, John. 
Bnggln", C«'rge. 
Burke, John. 
Bn-wn, William. 
Cjirs*', Daniel. 
Oirnel, Andrew. 
Cavnnaugh, Thoma*. 
Circt, Jamee. 

Cletfg, James. * 

C.illler, Kli«». 
Conklel, John. 

Catanaugh, William. 

Ihuiglaw, C. M. 

DnlTy, Thomas, 

Drake, Nathan. 

IKioglierly, Thomas. 

Drew, J. U. 

Elliot, William. 

Kttlnger, Joseph. 

FiK«.iirk, (■. C. 

Goggins, Joeepb. 

liariibrant. I. II. 

Gueet, IWiiJiiniin. 

Oarribranl. G. II. 



CoKPANT I, First Bkoimeiit. 

M. Garnbrant ; 3d, C. J. Mosely ; 



Geddea, Willinm. 
Halstead, James. 
Hammond, GarieU 
Hillun, Jonathan. 
Hum, William. 
Hughes, John. 
Hough, Thomaa. 
Irwin, Peler. 
Jamee, William II. 
Know I Ion, H. C. 
Kohler, AnUiouy. 
Kisaock, Henry. 
Konor, Patrick. 
Kilcliell, Joseph. 
Lloyd, J. C. 

Lomon, Daniel. 

Lonion, William. 

Ltitlan, llngi). 

Mabie, George W. 

Mallisiin, Jt-teoph. 

Marshall, RoU.rt. 

Mtwenger, Thomas. 

Moakhouse, John. 

Mickel,J. A. 

McCorly, Patrick. 

McGIII, Michael. 

McKenoii, Martin. 

Monke, Peter. 

Uidgely, Samuel. 

O'Brien, Ktlward. 

O'Cotinell. Michael. 

Perty, Gisirge. 



RECORD OF PASSAIC COUNTY MEN IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. 153 



Whitehead, W. M. 
Whitehead, E. 
Ward, Thonias. 
Wildey, James E. 
Waldrean, Garret. 
Williams, I. M. 
Wright, J. M. 



Petry, G. M. 
Byan, Michael. 
Shervin, Janjes. 
Simpson, Robert. 
Steel, G. W. 
Steel, John. 
Shervin, William. 
Toules, J. M. 
Killed, Wounded, and Muting in Compania A and I (EiceUior Brigade) at 
Williamsburg, Va. 
Company A. 
Killed.— J. E. Van Houten, Robert Harrey, sergts.; J. Winters, Cliarlas 
Gankle, Charles Ryerson, corps. ; Thomas Hallowel, U. Hallowel, J. 
Slater, John Witford, privates. 
Wounded.— B.W. Hoxsey, lieut.; A. Belcher.sergt.; James Bowen, James 

Westervelt, privates. 
afi»rin<;.— Edward Corrigan, James Ashfleld, A. T. Campbell, J. Cava- 
naugh. 

Company I. 
yiUed.— Edward Birley, Corp. ; Michael Ryan, Jonathan Hilton, Henry 

Kissock, privates. 
Wounded.— John Conkie, Corp.; Joseph Kitchell, Peter Erwin, privates. 
aflMinj.— A. Marshall, corp. ; Timothy Bergen, George Buggin, Thomas 
Cavanaugh, James Clegg, Thomas Haigh, W. H. James, John Lester, 
Samuel Medgely, privates. 

FIRST REGIMENT NEW YORK NATIONAL GUARDS (CoL. Allen). 
Privates. 
Aikens, James. Escott, Thomas. 

Bell, William. Griffin, James. 

Coats, William. McBride, John. 

SECOND REGIMENT. 
Company F. 
Bohen, John, private, enl. May 28, 1861 ; must, out June 21. 1864. 
Campbell, Cornelius R., private, enl. May 28, 1861 ; died of dysentery at 

Culpeper, Va., Oct. 4, 1863. 
Carroll, John, private, enl. May 28, 1861 ; must, out June 21, 1864. 
Curran, Thoma."!, private, enl. May 28, 1861 ; disch at Sickel U. S. A. 

Gen. Hosp., Alexandria, Va., G. 0. 77, Par. 6, War Dept., A. G. O., 

Waahington, D. C, April 28, 1865. 
Brooks, David, private, eul. May 28, 1861. 

Ellison, Anthony, private, enl. May 28, 1861 ; must, out June 21, 1864. 
Feeney, James, private, enl. May 28, 1861 ; must, out June 21, 1864. 
Fine, Cornelius, private, enl. May 28, 1861 ; must, out June 21, 1864. 
Jackson, Samuel, private, enl. May 28, 1861 ; killed in action at Gaines' 

Farm, Va., June 27, 1862. 
McNab, John, private, enl. May 28, 1861 ; must, out June 21, 1864. 
Paxton, Isaac, private, enl. May 28, 1861 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Nov. 

1, 1863; disch. therefrom June 27, 1864. 
Post, Sylvester J., private, enl. May 2S, 1861; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, 

Nov. 1, 1863; disch. therefrom June 27, 1864. 
Russell, John, private, enl. May 28. 1861. 
Sherron, Patrick, private, recruited Sept. 19, 1801 ; trans, to Co. B, 15th 

Regt. ; disch. at camp near Clifton, Va., Sept. 19, 1864. 
Terhune, William, private, enl. May 28, 1861 ; disch. at Camp Seminary, 

Va., March 2, 1862, for disability. 
Van Allen, Peter, private, enl. May 28, 1861 ; disch. at U. S. A. Gen. 

Hosp., Newark, N. J., Nov. 25, 1862, for disability. 
Wilson, William, private, enl. May 28, 1861 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, 

Nov. 16, 1863; disch. therefrom May 28, 1864. 

Company G. 
Conklin, Edward I., private, enl. May 28, 1861 ; corp., Nov. 1, 1862 ; must. 

out June 21, 1864. 
Eitel, Jacob, private, enl. May 28, 1861 ; must, out June 21, 1864. 
Phalon, Patrick, private! enl May 28, 1861. 
Potts, William, private, enl. May 28, 1861. 
Richardson, Joseph, private, enl. May 28, 1861. 

Company I, Second Regiment New Jersey Volvnteebs. 
Allen, John, 1st lieut., enl. May 30. 1861 ; res'd Dec. 5. 1861. 
Allen. Stephen W., private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; pro. to 1st lieut. Co. F, 

loth Regt., April 27, 1862 ; res'd June 12, 1862. 
Allen, Wallace W., private, enl. May 30, 1861; disch. for disability at 

Paterson Park U. S. Hosp., Baltimore, Md., Sept. 3, 1862. 



Ackerman, Andrew H., private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; pro. to 1st lieut. Co. 
A, 11th Regt., July 21, 1862, to till original vacancy; pro. to capt. 

Co. C, March 6, 1863. 
Andrews, Chauncey, private, enl. Sept. 30, 1861; recruit; disch. H. S. 

Hosp., Philadelphia, for disability. 
Atchinson, James, private, enl. May 30, 1861. 
Atchinson, William, Corp., enl. May 30, 1861 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, 

July 27, 1863. 
Babcock, Frederick, private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; disch. at camp near 

White Oak Church, Va., for disability, March 12, 1863. 
Beardsley, James, private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; must, out June 21, 1864. 
Beggs, James, private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; must, out June 21, 1864. 
Berdan, Albert, private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; disch. for disability at tamp 

near White Oak Church, Vh., April 15, 1863. 
Brooks, William H., private, enl. Sept. 11, 1861; recruit; killed in action 

at Gaines' Farm, Va., June 27, 1862. 
Broughton, tirinishaw, private, enl. May 30, 1861; Corp., Oct. 1, 1862; 

must, out June 21, 1862. 
Brower, Cornelius W., private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; died U. S. A. Hosp., 

Fairfax Seminary, Va., Sept. 30, 1862. 
Brower, Francis M., private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; must, out June 21, 1864. 
Buck, Chester H., private, eul. May 30, 1861 ; disch. for disability, U. S. 

A. Hosp., Philadelphia, July 22, 1862. 
Buckley, John F., private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; pro. to 2d lieut. Co. A, 11th 

Regt., May 27, 1862; capt., rice Kearny, pro.; res'd for disability 

July 19. 1864. 
Buckley, William I, Corp., enl. May 30, 1861; sergt. ; pro. to 2d lieuL 

Dec. 21, 1861; pro. to capt., wice Danforth, killed; must, out June 21, 

1864. 
Burnhani, Sylvanus B., private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; died U. S. A. Hosp., 

Chester, Pa., Aug. 18, 1862, of wounds at Gaines' Farm, Va.; buried 

at Chester, Pa. 
Brooks, William, private, enl. May 30, 1861. 
Cain, Randolph P., musician, eul. Sept. 24, 1861 ; recruit; trans, tu band; 

trans, to 1st Regt. (?) 
Chadwick, Leonard, private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; diach. for disability at 

Camp Seminary, Va., March 29, 1862. 
Clogan, James, private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; must, out June 21, 1864. 
Cooper, Samuel, private, enl. May 30, 1861; disch. U. S. A. Gen. Hosp., 

West Philadelphia. Pa., Dec. 15, 1862, for disability. 
Courtier, David, private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; disch. at convalescent camp, 

Alexandria, Va,. Feb. 25, 1863. 
Courtier, William H., private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; recruit. 
Crawford, Robert W., private, eul. May 30, 1861; disch. at convalescent 

camp, Alexandria, Va., for disability, July 31, 1863. 
Cuudell, Charles H., sergt.. May 30, 1861 ; disch. at Fairfax Seminary, 

Va., to accept commission. (?) 
Davison, George W., private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; killed in action at Gaines' 

Farm, Va , June 27, 1862. 
Davison, William, Jr., sergt., enl. May 30, 1861 ; disch. U. S. A. Hosp., 

Newark, N. J., Feb. 2, 1863, for disability. 
Danfortii, Charles, Jr., pro. to 2d lieut., June 12, 1861 ; pro. to capt , vice 

Griffith, ros'd, Sept. 9, 1861 ; killed in action at Gaines' Farm, Va., 

June 27, 1862. 
Donaldson, William, private, enl. May 30, 1861; disch. at camp near 

White Oak Church, Va., Jan. 3, 1863, for disability. 
Driscoll, John A., private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; must, out June 21, 1864. 
Douglass, Theodore F., private, enl. May 30, 1861; must, out June 21, 

1804. 
Dunkersley, William B., private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; trans, to Vet. Res. 

Corps, Nov. 15, 1863; disch. May 31, 1864. 
Evans, Lemuel E., private, eol. May 30, 1861 ; disch. for disability, U. S. 

A. Gen. Hosp., Philadelphia, Pa , July 11, 1862. 
Finklemeyer, Nicholas, private, enl. May 30, 1861; disch. near Cloud's 

Mills, Va., for disability, Aug. 6, 1861. 
Flavel, John W., private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; died at Chesapeake U. S. A. 

Gen. Hosp., Fort Monroe, Va., Aug. 25, 1862. 
Fielding, Thomas, private, eul. May 30, 1861 ; must, out June 21, 1864. 
Ford, Edward G., 1st sergt., enl. May 30, 1861 ; pro. to 2d lieut., Dec. 9, 

1861 ; pro. to Ist lieut., vice Allen, disch., Dec. 28, 1861 ; res'd Oct. 29, 

1862. 
Goetschius, Peter V. H-, private, enl. May 30,1861; disch. at U. S. A. Gen. 

Hosp., Newark, N. J., for disability, Dec. 31, 1861. 
Goodrich, Radford R., private, enl. May 30, 18G1 ; Corp., Dec. 25, 1861 ; 

private March 8, 1863; must, out June 21, 1864. 
Griffith, George, capt., enl. May 30. 1861 ; res'd Sept. 6, 1861. 
Hamilton, William, Corp., enl. Oct. 10, 1861; sergt., May 13, 1S62; pro. 



154 



HISTORY OF BKUGKN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



to 2d ll«ut. Co. G, 23d Kegt., Feb. 14. 1883 ; pro. to Ht lieut, Co. H, 

April IS, 1863; not must. ; must, out June 27, 1863. 
Hartley, Jo«(ph, w.guuer, enl. May 30, 1861 ; niu.t. out June 21, 1864. 
H»rtfy, Henry, private, enl. May 30, 1801. i?) 

Hay. .. William, private, enl. May 30. 1861 ; pro. to 2d lleut. Co. C, 13th 
Uegt., \ag. '.iS, 1862; pro. to let lleut., rice BuckUlb, ree'd, Nov. 1, 
18U2; res-d March 29, 1863. 
Haycock, C'harlo^ private; no record. 

HIghle, Edward, Corp., enl. May M, 1661 ; disch. at U. S. A. Hoep., New- 
ark, N. J., Dec. 30, 1862, for disability. 
Hoff. Loulu, private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; muM. out June 21, 1864. 
HolMiee, Alexander, private, enl. May 30. 1861 ; di»ch. at U. S. A. Geo. 

Hoep.. Philadelphia, Pa., July 9, 1802, for disability. 
Hoy, Willian, II , private, enl. Sept. 30, 18111 ; traf.8. to Vet. Re«. Ci.rp., 

July 1 1804; iliBch, therefrom Sept. 30, 1864. 
HulM.r, Henry, private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; dlsch. at Camp Sem., Va , Feb. 

16 18tVi,for geneial disability. 
Irvin, James, private, enl. May .30, 1861 ; diech. at U. S. A. Gen. Hoep.. 

Fortrees Monroe, Va., Feb. \:i, 1863, for disability. 
Johnson, William, private, enl. May 30, 1801 ; dlsch. at UeCamp U. S. A. 
Gen. Hoep., Ih.vid's Island, X. V. Harbor, Dec. 26, 1802. for wound, 
received in action. 
Keenau, John, private, enl. May 30, 1801 ; trans, to Vet. Kes. Corpa Sept. 

I, 186;l; disch therefrom May 30, 1864. 
King, Robert W.. private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; disch. at Fortres. Monroe, 
Va Aug. 28, 1802, lor wounds received in action at Gaines' Farm, Va. 
King, Henry II.,' private, enl. May 30, 1801 ; disch. at convalcscenl camp, 

Alexandria, Va., for disability, Jan. 20, 1803. 
Lamb, David, private, enl. May 3ll, 1801 ; disch. at camp near White Oak 

Church, Va., Dec. 22, 1862, for disability. 
Laing James, Corp., enl. May 30, 1861. (?) 

Law, Jo«,ph, (?) Corp., enl. May 1, 18lH ; must, out June 21, 1864. 
Loan, William F., private, enl. May 30, 1801; tmns. to Weatern gunboat 

service Nov. 0, 1863. 
Mal|«s, Alfred, private, enl. May 30, 1801 ; disch. at H«rri»>u-a Landing, 

Va , July 8, 1802, to accept a commiseion. (?) 
McGill,' Alexander, private, enl. May 30, 1801 ; dlsch. at camp near 

White Oak Cliurcli, Va., Jan. 8, 1803, for disability. 
Mcl'K.ud, Samuel F., private, enl. May ;10, 1801 ; trans, to Vet Res. Corps, 

Nov. 6, 1803; disch. therefrom May :io, 1804. 
McCloud, William, private, enl. May 30, 1801 .killed in action at Cr»mp- 

tun's i'a»«, Md., .<<ept. 14, 1802. 
Mamrell, James, private, ei.l. May 30, 1861 ; orp., January, 1802; sorgt., 
Oct. 1, 1802; 1st sergt., Miirch 8, 1803; trans, to Vet. Res. Corp., 
Sepl. 1, 1861; disch. thcrelrom May 31, 1804. 
Mlll.r Janus, private, enl. May 3ii, 1801 ; must. ..ut Juno il, 1804. 
Milbr! Williiim H., private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; 'id lleut., Co. K, 13th 
Kegt., Aug. M, 1802, to Bll original vacancy ; lei liout., Co. A. Nov. 

1. 1862. 
Munroe. Martin R.. private, ei.l. May 3ii, 1801 ; pro. to sergL-maJ., tht. 

7, 1861. 
Montgomery, El.eneier. private, enl. May 30. 1801 : pn.. to M liei.t. to. 

K, Wd Regt., Jan. 8, 1863 ; must, out June 27, 180;i. 
Moiehea.l J..hn, private, ei.l. May 30, 1801 ; mu.t. out June 21, 1804. 
O'llrien, Michael, private, enl. May 30, 1861; Corp., Oct. 1,1802; mu.t. 

out June 21, 1864. 
Ott, Jacob, private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; killed in action at Wilderne-e, 

Va., May «. 1804. 
Perkins, Daniel, private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; mu.t. out June 21. 1864. 
Paxlon. Abram A., Corp., enl. M..y 30.I861; l.t .ergt.. Dec. '29. 1861 ; 

color aergeant ; must. ..ul June 21, 1804. 
Ratter Felix, private, enl. May 30, 1801 ; mu.t. out Juno '21. 1864. 
R„l„.rl., William II., private, enl. May 30. 1861 ; mu.t. out June 21, 

1864. 
Scott, Ge..r,e, private, enl. May 3o, 1801 ; dl.ch. f..r dl.ahllity at Camp 

Seminary, Va., March 3, 1802. 
Sherrmn, William, private, enl. May 3", 1861 ; mu.t. out June 21, 1804. 
»lm..nl>.n. He Win. private, enl. Mi.y 30, 1861 ; dlKh. |Kir ..nler of War 

UepL, to accept a cowm-lou a. 2d lleut. Co. I. 261h Regt.; not 

inn.lered. 
Smith ll.d-.ri o, .ergt, enl. May 30. 1801 ; mu.L out June 21, 1864. 
Smith, An,,, T.. private, enl. May 30. l««l 1 Corp., March 17, 1862; mu.t. 

out Juii" 21, 1864. 
.8mith, John, i.rlvale, enl. May 30, IH61. 
Hip, Vreeland, private, enl. May 30, 1801 ; dlKh, Aug. 5, 1863. to engage 

In Kiinb'.at .ervice. 
■ Sllng.rlan.l, John T., private, enl. May .10, 1861. 



Slater. John J., private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; must, out June 21, 1864. 
Van Boulen, Wallingaon, private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; trans, to Vet. Re.. 

Corp., March 16, 1864 ; disch. therefrom June 4, 1804. 
Van Giewn. iMac, private, enl. May 30, 1801 ; mlaeing in action May 8, 

1864 ; reported to have died at Florence, S. C. 
Walkington, Sam. B., Jr., private, enl. May 30, 1801 ; Corp., Oct. 1, 1862; 

1st .ergt., June 1, 1863; paroled priwner: diKh. at TrenloD, N. J.; 

mu.t. onl Feb. 28, 1865. 
Walthall. Jame., private, enl. May 30. 1801 ; dlKh. at convalewent 

camp, Alexandria, Va., July 15, 1863, for .Usability. 
Watta, George, private, enl. May 30, 1861; diach. at C. S. A. Hoap.. 

Newark, N. J., Feb. '28, 1863, for disability. 
While, John G. B., private, enl. May 30, 1801; pro. com.-aergt., Feb. 23, 

Winter.. William, private, enl. May 30, 1861 ; dUch. at camp near White 

Oak Church, Va., April 13, 1803, for disability. 
Winlield, Daniel H., private, .nl. May 30, 1861 ; corp., March 17, 1862 ; 

2d lleut., July 0, 1802; l.t lieut , rice Whitehead, tran.ferred, Oct. 

22. 1863 ; must, out June 21, 1804. 
Whitney, Samuel S., private, enl. May 30, 1801; disch. at conv.l«Ken» 

camp, Alexandria, Va., Jan. 30, 1803, for disability. 
Zabriskie, John, private, enl. Sept. 30, 1801 ; recruit; killed in icxlon at 

Gaines' Farm, Va., June '27, 1862. 

THIRD REGIMENT (EXCELSIOR BRIGADE). 

COXPANV C. 

/Vicoie*. 

Mar.li, William H. 
Perry, Joseph. 
Rear, William U. 



Cromln, Jamea 
Farrel, David, 
llinchy, Maurice 



COMPAXT K. 
Birmingham, Patrick, privale, enl. June 4, 1801. 
Cotter, John G., private, enl. May 10, 1801 ; nmst. in June 4, 1861 ; dlsch. 

at Washington, D. C, May 22, 1802. for disability. 
Grimley, Patrick, private, enl. June 4, 1801 ; pro. .ergt., April 30, 1863; 

uiust. out June 23, 1804. 
Ihukett, Joseph, private, enl. May 10, 1801; muat. in Juno 4, 1801 ; 

must, out June 23, 1S04. 
Kierniun, Mahael. private, enl. May 10, 1801 ; mu.t. In June 4,1801; 

disch at Fort Worth, Va , for diMbllity, April 4, 1862. 
O'Neill Thomas, private, enl. May 10, 1801 ; must. In June 4, 1801 ; pro. 

to c.irp., Dec. 24, 1862 ; killed In action near Spottsylvania, Va , May 

a, 1804. 
Rose, Henry, private, eul. July 8, 1801 ; trane. to Co. C. 15th Regt., June 

4 1804 ■ d..ch. at Tri'nUin, N. J., Aug. 10, 1804. 
Stone'r William, private, enl. June 4, 1801 ; mu.t. out June 23, 1804. 
Schaus, Henry, private, enl. May 10, 18.11 ; mu.t. In June 4, 1861 ; disch. 

at C. S. A. Gen. llosp., Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 19, 1863, on account 

of wounds riWln-d in action. 
Watson, Georg.., privale, enl. July 8, 1801 ; must, in July 8, 1861 ; dlKh. 

al K..it Mcllenry, Md., Sept. 29, 1802, fur disability. 

FIFTH REGIMENT 

CollUM O. 

Bergen, Martin, musician, mu.t. In Aug. 22, 1861 ; mu.t. out Sept. 7. 

1KC4 
Dougheriy, Charle. W., private, enl. Aug. '22, 1861 ; dlwh. at codt.Iw. 

cent camp, Alexan.lriH, Va , March 14. 1803. for dlaability. 
Duer, Alain, privaf, onl. and must. in. \ug. 22. 1801. 
Fairhursl, William, private, enndled and must. In Aug. 22, 1861 ; dlKh. 

„l Div Gen. Ho.p, Alexandria, Va.. May 23, 1804, for diwiblllty. 
Feahan, William, private, mu.t. in Aug. 22, 1861 ; must, out Sept. 7. 

1K04 

Fre.lan.l',John H., private, enl. and must In Aug. 22, 1861 ; .lied at For- 
tree. Monroe, Va., »lay 20, 1862. „f wound, received In aclion at W il- 
llamaburg, Va.; I.nrie.1 at National Cem.lery. Hampton. >b., R-.w 
13 Sec D, Grave 40. 

Grave.' James, private, enlisted and mu.t. In Sept. 2. 1861 ; dl«:h. at 
U. S. A. Uo.p., Philadelphia, Pa., April 1», 1863, of wound. rec«lv«l 

In action. 0.7 laiu 

Hal.tea.l, Albert, private, niu.t. Sept. 2, 1861 ; mo.t. lo on Sopl. 7. 1864. 

with regiment. 
Hand. J—e. privale, mu.t. In Sept. 2, 1861 ; dl«h. at camp naar W ».h- 

Ington, D. C, Nov. In, 1801, for disability. 
H«.ney, Henry, private, mu.t. In Aug. 2'2. 1801 ; died of chronic dy«n. 

t„ry at HarrlKn'. Umllng. Va., July 10, 1802. 



I 



RECORD OF PASSAIC COUNTY MEN IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. 155 



Mann, Alexander, private, must, in Sept. 2, 1861. 

McCaiTon, Jolin, private, enl. Aug. 22, 1861 ; corp., Jan. 1, 1863; missing 

in action at Cliancellorsville, Va., May 3, 1863 ; siippogeii to be dead. 
McMilligan. Joseph, pt ivate, enl. Aug. 22, 1861 ; disch. at convalescent 

camp, Alexandria, Va., April 20, 1863, for disability. 
Miniel, George, private, enl. Aug. 22, 1861 ; discb. at Budd's Ferry, Md., 

May 20, 1862, for disiibility. 
Miller, David, corp., must, in Aug. 22, 1861; private, June 26, 1862; 

must, out Sept. 7, 1S64, with regiment. 
Norbury, William, private, must, in Aug. 2:^, 1861; discb. at 3d C^brps 

IIosp., near Fort Lyon, Va., Nov. 18, 1862, for disability. 
Patton, TboniaB, private, must, in Aug. 22. 1861 ; trana. to Co. F, 7th 

Regt. ; re-enl. Feb. 25, 1864. 
Perry, John, private, must, in Sept. 2, 1861. 
PoBt, Peter, private, must, in Sept. 2, 1861. 
Rainsford, Charles E., private, must, in Aug. 22, 1861 ; disch. at U. S. A. 

Gen. HoBp , Washington, D. C, Aug. 26, 1862, for disability. 
Roche, Philip, private, enl. Se]it. 23, 18G1 ; disch. to join regular army, 

Oct. 26, 1862. 
Salmon, Patrick, private, enl. Aug. 22, 1861; disch. to join re^Iar 

army, Oct. 26, 1862. 
Stalter, David, private, enl. Aug. 22, 1861. 
Walsh, Livsey, private, enl. Aug. 22, 1861; disch. at Annapolis, Md., 

April 17, 186 ■, for disability. 
Williamson, SHmuel, private, enl. Aug. 22, 1861 ; must, out Sept. 7, 1864, 

with regiment. 
Williamson, William, private, enl. Aug. 22, 1861 ; killed in action at 

Wilderness, Va., May 5, 1864. 
Winterbottom, Radcliff, private, enl. Sept. 2, 1861 ; disch. at camp, Chees- 

man's Creek, Va., April 10, 1862, for disability. 
Van Horn, William, wagoner, enl. Aug. 22, 1861 ; must, out with regt. 

Sept. 7, 1864. 
Young, Peter, private, enl. Aug. 22, 1861 ; disch. at U. S. A. Gen. IIosp., 

Baltimore, Md., Dec. 19, 1862, for disabilitv. 

SIXTH REGIMENT NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS. 
Company A. 
Johnson, W. J., son of Capt. Johnson, of Paterson. 



Company B. 



Oakley, William. 
Sinclair, William. 

Adams, Joseph. 
Briggs, Joshua A. 
Campbell, Brunett. 
Dunkerly, James. 
Elliott, Thomas. 
Freeland, Cornelius. 
Glancy, James. 



Archey, Jumes.. 



Company C. 



Hamilton, Alexander. 
Holt, Cyrus. 
Kershaw, William. 
McCann, John. 
McKenney, Owen. 
Scanlau, Edward. ^ 
Trumley, Lewis. 



Comp.vny G. 
Blauvelt, Cornelius. Smith, John. 

Company H. 



Swift. David. 

Thomas 
Sergeants. — J. Horsfau, James 
Corporals. — Windsor Blake, J, 
Drtimmer. — John Miller. 

Black, Daniel. 
Bolson, Janiee. 
Bridge, Robert. 
Butterworth, Abram. 
Cassidy, William. 
Carrigan, John. 
Cavanaugh, Patrick. 
Clark, David. 
Cowan, James. 
Craig, John (1). 
Craig, John (2). 
Crowell, George. 
Doty, Patrick. 
Davis, William. 



Company I. 
Spence, Lieutenant. 

Kenworthy, J. H. Theberat, Peter Tawse. 
Bunco, Joseph Dunning, Patrick Lynch. 



Privates. 



Diggin, James. 
Golwey, Robert I. 
Gallagher, Patrick. 
Gibbs, William. 
Hopper, William. 
Knight, James, 
Mai-shall, William. 
McMahon, Thomas. 
Moran, John. 
Morrow, Arthur. 
Oldnian, John. 
Palmer, James. 
Paterson, Robert. 
Porter, John. * 



' Taken prisoner by the enemy at Fort Pickens. 



Robinson, James. 
Russell, David. 
Sinclair, Andrew. 
Smith, James. 
Taylor, John. 

Cupitt, George. 



Williamson, Kane. 
Whitney, John H. 

Whitney, Theodore. 
Woods, Thomas. 
Walker, Samuel. 



COMP.\NV K. 



EIGHTH REGIMENT. 
Company D. 
Albion, Charles, private, enl. Aug. 29, 1861 ; no record. 
Christie, John, Corp., enl. Aug. 29, 1861; sergt, Nov. 25, 1863; died of 

clironic djarrhiea at Camp Parole. Annapolis, Md., Dec. 16, 1864. 
Miller, Abraham, private, enl. Aug. 29, 1861; disch. at Washington, D. 

C, May 6, 1862, for disability. 
Pound, John P., private, enl. Aug. 29, 1861 ; diach. at Harewood U. S. A. 

Gen. Hosp., Washington, D. C, March 12, 1863, for disability. 
Van Houten, Henry G., private, enl. Aug. 29, 1861; disch. at Ladies 

Home Gen. Hosp., New York City, April 7, 1864, for disability. 

Company K. 

Ackerly, John, private, enl. Sept. 13, 1861 ; died of typhoid f«ver at IT. 
S. A. Hosp., Br-.oklyn, N. Y., July 20, 1862. 

Donahue, Martin, private, enl. March 15, 1865; substitute; trans, to Co. 
H. (See record in Bat. B, 1st Art.) 

Eakins (or Akiiis), private, enl. Sept. 13, 1861; disch. for disability at 
Falmouth, Va., April 19, 1863. 

Elliott, Hugh, private, enl. Sept 13, ISGl. 

Fields, William H., private, enl. Sept. 13, 1861 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, 
Feb. 15, 1864; disch. therefrom Sept. 26, 1864. 

Fendow(or Finden), John, private, enl. Sept. 13, 1861 ;, disch. for disabil- 
ity at Fort Hamilton, New York Harbor, A.ig. 15, 1862. 

Fox, Henry D., corp., enl. Sept. 13, 1861 ; tlitich, at U. S. A. Hosp., New 
York, Jan. 5, 1863, for disability. 

Fury, Wiiliiim, corp., enl. Sept. 13, 1861 ; disch. at Harrison's Landing, 
Va., Aug. 3, 1863, for disability. 

Halstead, William E., private, enl. Sept. 13, 1861 ; died May 18, 1863, of 
wounds received in action atChancellorsville, Va. 

Heywood, Joseph, private, enl. Sept. 13, 1861 ; trana. to Vet. Res. Corps, 
Sept. 30, 1863; disch. therefrom Aug. 12, 1864. 

Hough, John, private, enl. Oct. 19, 1861 ; disch. at U. S. A. Hosp. at Ba! 
timore. Mil., Jan. 30, 1863, for disability. 

Langwith, Samuel, private, enl. Sept. 13, 1861 ; must, out Sept. 21, 1864. 

McNeill, John, private, enl. Sept. 13, 1861. 

MoBcly, Richard R., private, enl. Oct. 24, 1861 ; killed in action at Chan- 
cellorsville, Va., May 3, 1863. 

O'Neill, Thomas, private, enl. Sept. 13, 1861; trans, to Co. C; re-enl. 
Dec. 25,1863. 

Quackenbush, John, private, enl. Sept. 13, 1861; trans, to Vet. Rea. 
Corps, Jan. 15, 1864; disch. therefrom Sept. 13, 1864. 

Robinson, James, substitute, enl. June 2, 1864 ; trans, from Co. C • final 
record incompleta. 

Somerville, Alexander, coip., enl. Aug. 1, 1862; sergt., Dec. 10, 1862 ■ 
disch. at U. S. A. Gen. Hosp., Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 5,1863. 

Sharp, Squire, private, enl. Sept. 13, 1861 ; killed in action at Williams- 
burg, Va., May 5, 1862. 

Speer, Peter, private, f nl. Sept. 13, 1861 ; must, out Sept. 21, 1864. 

Smitli, Frederick B., private, enl. Sept. 13,1861; musr. out Sept. 21,1864. 

Storms, Thomas G., private, enl. Sept. 13, 1861 ; disch. at U. S. A. Gen. 
Hosp., Newark, N. J., Jan. 23, 1863, for disability. 

Van Allen, Peter, private, enl. Sept. 13, 1861. 

Weymer, Isaac, private, enl. Sept. 13, 18'.1 ; disch. at U. S. A. Hosp. at 
Newark, N. J., Dec. 22, 1862, for disability. 

Winterbottom, Thomas, private, enl. Sept. 13, 1861 ; must, out Sept. 21, 
1864. 

NINTH REGIMENT. 
Company A. 

Beigher, Joseph, private, enl. Sept. 13, 1861 ; died at Chesapeake U. S. A. 
Gen. Hosp., Fortress Monroe, Va., May 15, 1864, of wounds received 
inaction at Swift Creek, Va.; buried at Hampton National Ceme- 
tery, Va. ; trans, from Co. M ; re-enl. Jan. 18, 1864. 

Degteman, John, private, enl. Sept. 26, 1861 ; trans to Co. E, Nov. 17 
1862 ; disch. at Newberne, N. C, Jan. 14, 1863, for disability. 
Company C. 

Cooper, Henry C., private, enl. Sept. 10, 1861; corp., Jan. ig, 1863; re- 
enl. Jan. 18, 1864 ; sergt., Sept. 9, 1864 ; must, out July 12, 1865. 

Corcoran, John, corp., enl. Sept. 10, 1861 ; re-enl. Nov. 25, 1863; must. 
out July 12, 1865. 



ISO 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Gould, Georg* C, Corp., on). Sept. 10, 1861; prirato, Jul; 31, 1863; ra- 

enl. Not. 28, 1863: mint, nut July 12, 1865. 
Houk, Georgf, pritate, (nl. Sept. lU, 1861 ; reHinl. J*D. 18, 1864. 
Jacolmt, John II. A., priTate, onl. Sept. 10, 1861; Corp., J«D. 16, 1862; 

muni, out Dec. 8, 1864. 
Manning, Benjamin, private, enl. Sept 10, 1861 ; re^enl. Jan. 18, 1864 ; 

must, out July I'J, IStiA. 
Biker, Thomas, private, enl. Sept. 10, 1861 ; must, out Dec. 8, 1864. 
Stagg, William W., private, enl. Sept. 10, 18C1 ; must, out Dec. 8, 1864. 
Voorhcea, Henry, wagoner, enl. Sept. 10, 1861 ; re-enl. Jan. 18, 1864 

must, out July 12, 1865. 

COHPANY E. 

Broirn, James, suhstitulc, enl. Oct. 1, 1864 ; disch. at Greensboro*, N. C, 

G. O. 73. C. S. 1866, Dcpt. N. C. 
Berdan, Richard J., corp., enl. Sept. 20, 1861 ; sergt., Feb. 20, 1863; Irt 

sergt., Nov. 9, 1863; re-enl. Jan. 18, 1864; pro. to 2d lieut., Co. C, 

.\ug. 29, 1864, rice Rogere, promoted : pro. to q.m., Feb. 10, 1865. 
Bonney, Charles E., eergt.-maj., enl. May 1, 1862; 2d lieut, rice B. W- 

Hopper, promoted ; ree'd Juno 22, 1863. 
Carlough, John N , private, enl. Sipt 20, I8C1 ; re-enl. Jan. 18, 1864; 

Corp., Dec. 7, 1864; must, out July 12, 1866. 
Delaney, TInton, private, enl. Sept. 20, 1861 ; died at Craven Street 

Hosp., Newhemi', N. C, .\pril 29, 1862; buried there. 
DulTonl, Benjamin V., private, enl. Sept 20, 1861 ; dlsch. at Newberoe, 

N. C, .\ug. 12, 1862, for dlsiiliility. 
Dunkerley, Enoch, private, enl Sept 20, 1861 ; must, out Dec. 8, 1864. 
Gilliam, George M., private, enl. Sept. 20, 1801 ; must, out Dec. 8, 1864. 
Goldsmith, James Bnyard. Ist scrgt., enl. Sept. 20. 1861 ; pro. lo 2d lieut. 

Bat. E, Ist Regt N. J. Art., Sept 8, 186:1 ; ree'd Feb. 9, 1864. 
Ilalliwell.Thomas J, private, enl. Sept 20, 1861 ; must out Dec. 8, 1864. 
Hudson, Thomas H., no record. 

lluniellin, John 1>., private, enl. Sept 20, 1861 ; must out Dec. 7, 1864. 
King, William H., musician, enl. Sept 20, 1861; re-enl. Jan. 18, 1864; 

must, out July 12, 186.S. 
King, Edo M., sergt., enl. Sept. 20, 1861 ; disch. at Trenton, N. J., Dec, 

8,1864. 

King, Michael, private, enl. Sept. 20, 1861 ; disch. at Newberne, N. 0., 

M.irch 31, 1863, for disability. 
Munson, William L., private, enl. Sept. 20, 1861; Corp., Nov. 7, 1863; 

disch. Dec. », 1864. 
McClelland, Jumea, private, enl. Sept 20, 1861 ; disch. at Newberne, N. 

C. Feb. 28, 1863, for disability. 
Moore, William, private, enl. Sept. 20, 1801 ; re-enl. Jan. 18, 1864. 
Osborne, Jcihn II,. private, enl. Sept 24, 1861, 

Prentiss, William, private, enl. Se|it, 20, 1861 ; must, out Doc. 7, 1864. 
Post, llulmuth, private, onl. Sept 20, 1801 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps; 

disch. Ihernfroni Oct. 20, 1804. 
Rankin, Jai , private, onl. Sept 20, 1861 ; re-enl. Jan. 18, 1864; must. 

uul July VI, I«6.'.. 
Reld, Wllllani, private, enl. Sept 20, 1861 ; disch. at Ward U. 8. A. Gen. 

HoBli , Newark, N. J., March 18, 1864, lor disability. 
Rice, Arthur, private, enl. Sopt. 2", 1861 ; re-enl. Jan. 18, H64; must 

out July 12, 1866. 
Someni, William H., private, enl. Si'pt 20, 1861 ; ro-onl. Jan. 18, 1864; 

must out July 12, 1865. 
Stnlor, David J., Corp., onl Sept 20, 1861; sergt, Oct. 8, 1863; dlsch. at 

Fortress Monroe, Va., Sept. 22, 1864. 
Slswin (or Sasstin), Koliert A., private, onl Sept. 20, 1861 ; re-onl. Jan. IK, 

1864; must "Ul July 12, IK65. 
Tierce, John, Corp., enl. Sept. 20, 1861; privalo, Dw. 24, 1862; pro. to 

qr.-mr. wrgt, Dec. 24, 1863. 
Smith, nolnrt M., private, .-nl. Sept. 21), 1861 ; dlsch. al Newberne, N. C, 

May 29, 1K63, f..r disability, 
Valentine, Darld, private, enl, .Sept 211, 1861 ; dlsch. at Newport Newt, 

Va., Jan. K>, 1864, arm amputated. 
Van llouten, Oscar, con>., enl, Sept. 20, 1861; private, Dec. 24, 1862; pro. 

to qr.-mr. sergt., Dec. 24, 186:1; re-enl. Jan. IN, 1804 ; com. 2d heut 

Co. K ; nut iinisli»re<l. 
Van RIpiT, Wllllani T., private, enl. Sept, 20,1861 ; r*-enl. Nov. 30, 1863 ; 

must "ul July 12, IWIS. 
Van Schaii k, ll>Miry M., private, enl. .Sept, 20, 1861 ; pro, to sergt.-m^ , 

Il«c,'^4. lHn2; re-enl. Nov. 311, 1863; must oul July 12. 1X65, 
Williams. Janiee, private, enl, Sept. 2", 11*61; died at U. S. A. Hosp., at 

lleaiifort N. C, Sept 28, 1864; also rofiorted dlsch. Dec. 7, 1864. 
Winters, John, private. Sept, 21), 1861 ; Corp., Dec. 24, 18S2; must out 

(Ml. 15, 1864. 



TENTH NEW JERSET INFANTRY. 

GoMPAHT r. 

Allen, Stephen W„ 2d lieut, com. Dec. 31, 1861 ; Itt lieut, rice William 

Rennyson, promoted, April 17, 1862 ; res'd June 12, 1863. 
Ariaus, Henry, private, enl. Dec. 14, 1861. 

Barthoir, lialph It., private, enl. Dec, 30, 1861 ; Corp. March I, 1864 ; re- 
enl, Jan, 3, 1864 ; killed in action at Wilderness, Va., May 6, 1864. 
Oarlough, William 11., Corp., enl. Dec. 16, 1861 ; private, Deo. 15, 1862 ; re- 
enl. Jan. 3, 1864; trans, to Vet Ree. Corps, March 17,1866; disch. 

Oct 10, 1876. 
Coventry, William, sergt, enl, Dec. 30, 1861 ; re-enl. Jan. 3, 1864 ; disch. 

at U. S. A. Ilospilal. Washiiigt..n, D. C , April 22, 1865, for diaaldlity. 
Carr, John, substitute, enl. Aug. 2, 1864; disch, at Trenton, N. J., ortler 

War Dept., Sept. 18, 1865. 
Cavanagh, William, private, enl. Dec. 31, 1861 ; disch. at Wash)Dgt«>D, 

D. C, Jan. 23, 1863. 
Cook, Jacob, private, enl. Dec. 31, 1861 ; re-enl. Jan. 3, 1864; must, out 

July I, 1865. 
Chadwick, Edwanl, private, enl. Dec. 31, 1861 ; disch. at Trenton, N. J., 

Feb. 28, 1865, for disability. 
Clues, Isaiah, rorruit, i-nl. Feb. 7, 1862 ; dlsch. at Trenton, N. J., order 

War Dept., May 3, 1865. 
Duige, John, private, enl. Dec, 29, 1861 ; discb. at Washington, D. C, Aug. 

30, 1K62, (or dieabilily. 
Deeths, Beiijaniin, private, enl. Dec. 23, 1861. 
Dillon, Robert private, enl, Dec, 3'J, 1861 ; died of dysentery at I'alel^ 

son.N, J., July 7, 1863. 
Eckhart, Angiii.tus, recruit, enl. Feb. 7, 1862 ; re-enl Jan. 3, 1864 ; dlsch. 

from Summit House U. S A. Gen, Huep., May 3, 1865. 
Gariey (or Goi by), William, private, enl. Dec, 19, 1861 ; re-enl. Jan. S, 

1864; must, out July I, 1865. 
Gibbs, Samuel, private, enl, Dec, 30, 1861 ; disch. at Washington, D. C, 

July, 18, 1863, for disability. 
Garntbrant, James, private, enl, Dec. 30, 1861. 
Gardner, John J., recruit, enl. Jau. 1, 1862; Corp., June 26, 1863 ; must 

out Feb. 11,1865. 
Harris, Deiijamlu, sergt, enl, Jan. 14, 1863 ; dlsch. at Trsnton, N. J., Feb. 

18, 1865, paroled iirisoner. 
Henry, Peter, recruit, enl. Jan. 14, 1862; re-enl. Jan. 3, 1864; dlsch, at 

Trenton, N. J., by order War Dept, June 28, 1866; must, out July 

6, 1865. 
Harry, .\braham, private, enl. Dec, 30, 1861 ; trans, to Vet. Res, Corpa, 

Sept. 1, 1863; died of smallpox at hospital, Washington, D, C, Feb. 

12, 1864. 
HoU, William, private, enl. Dec. 2.3, 1861 ; re-enl. Jan. 3, 1864 ; dle<t of 

cbntnic diarrhrea at hospital, Annapolis, Md, Dec. 20, 1864. 
Jebb, Philip J. W., strgl , enl Dec, 13, 1861 ; killed In action at S\xitt- 

sylvania, Blay 12, 1864; buried at Fredericksburg, Va., Nat. Ceni. 
Lynes, Patrick, private, enl. Dec. 31, 1861. 
Lord, Joseph, private, onl. Doc. 30, 1861 ; re^inl. Jan. 3, 1864; must, out 

July 1. 1865, 
Mcllride, Robert private, enl, Jan. 3, 1862 ; ditch, at Washington, D. C, 

June 10, 1862, fur disiibillty. 
McDnniels, Gilbi>rt private, enl Dec. 23, 1861 ; re-enl, Jan, 3, 1864 ; Corp., 

May 16. 1865; must out July 1, 1K6.5. 
Habie, Frederick, private, ,.nl Dec. 31, 1861 ; died of chronic dlarrhica 

St li S. A. Hosp., Annalxdis, Md., March 12, 1866. 
McCourt, Thomas, private, enl Dec. 30, 1861. 
Marks. John, private, enl. Iler, 30, 1861; disch. at Washington, D. C, 

Juno 10, 1862, for disability 
HcCrea, Janiea, recruit, enl. .Ian. 3, 1862; re-enl. Jau. 3, 1864; must, out 

July 1,1S0.S. 
HcGorgan, Fxlward, recruit, enl. Jan. 3, 1862; re-enl. Jan 3,1864; must 

out July 1, 1864. 
Menish, John, cirp., enl. Jan. 14, IK62; died at hoeplUl, Washington, 

D. C, May 28, 1864, of wounds received in actiou at Spottsylvania, 

Va., May 12, 1864, 
Rennyson, William, com. 1st lieut Dec. 31, 1861; pro. to capt., to All 

original vacancy, March 28, 1862; rea'd Jan. 26, 1864. 
Bomaine, Abraluim i;., private, enl. Dec, 24, 1861 ; disch, at Watbiogton, 

D, I'., May 14. 1862, for disability. 
Sandfonl, Leonard, Islvergt, enl. Dec. 19, 1861 ; com. 2d lieut, Co I, Deo. 

18, 1864; not miisterwl. 
Bllngerlend, Thomas, private, enl. Dec, 14,1861. 

Sherwood, James, private, enl. Dec. 27, 1861 ; rorp., June 26, 1863; pri- 
vate, Nov 26, 1863; re enl. Jan. 3, 1864; must, out July 1, 1866. 
BherwiKjd, Robert, private, enl. Dec. 30, 1861 ; died al U. S. A. H»p., 



RECORD OF PASSAIC COUNTY MEN IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. 



157 



Baltimore, Md., Sept. 18, lbG4, of wounds received in action iit Win- 
chester, Va., Aug. 17, 1864; buried at Loudon Park National Ceme- 
tery, Baltimore, Md. 

Smith, William, private, eol. Dec. 15, 1861; re-enl. Jan. 3, 1864; corp., 
March 8, 1805 ; must, out July 1, 1865. 

Van Riper, William, private, enl. Dec. 25, 1861. 

Van Riper, Stephen, private, enl. Dec. :tn, 1861; re-enl. Jan. 4, 1864; 
killed in action at Spottsylvania Court-House, Va., May 14, 1864. 

Vau Dien, Garret J., private, enl. Jan. 14, 1862; recruit; disch. near 
Petersburg, Va., Jan. 14, I860. 

Warbnrton, James, recruit, enl. Aug. :il, 1862. 

Wentwick, Raient, private, enl. Dec. 16, 1861 ; disch. at Waahingtou, 
D. C, June 27, 1862, for disability. 

Watte, John, private, enl. Dec. 19, 1861 ; re-enl. Jan. 3, 1864; disch. at 
U. S. A. Iloap. at Newark, N. J., Muy 4, 1865. 

Willinmson, James, recruit, enl. Feb. 7, 1862; re-enl. Jan. 3, 1864; disch. 
at U. S. A. Hoap., Baltimore, Md,, July 17, 1865 

Woods, Thomas, recruit, enl. Feb. 7, 1862 ; died of typhoid ftner at Wash- 
ington, D. C, May 10, 1862. 

White, James, recruit, enl Jan. 14, 1862; wagoner; re-enl. Jan. 20, 1864; 
must, out July 1, 1865. 

Wright, Williaui, private, enl. Dec. 19, 1861 ; disch. near Petersburg, Va., 
Dec. 19, 1864. 

Wright, David M.,corp., eul. Dec. 19, 1861; sergt., May 16, 1865; re-eul. 
Jan. 3, 1864; must, out July 1, 1865. 

Polhamus, Jolin, private, eul. Dec. 19, 1861. 

Mitchell, William, private, enl. Jan. 14, 1862; died of typhoid fevrr at 
U. S. A. Hosp., Washington, 0. C, May 1, 1862. 

Post, Joseph P., private, enl. Dec. 23, 1861 ; re-enl. Jan. 3, 1864 ; disch. at 
.Ward U. S. A. Hosp., Newark, N. J., May 4, 1865. 

Peck, George, private, enl. Dec. 23, 1861. 

Polhamus, James, private, enl. Dec. 30, 1861 ; corp., Jan. 25, 1863; died 
of chronic diarrhu'a at Berryville, Va., Sept. 16, 1864. 

Gardner, Janien E., recruit, enl. Feb. 7, 1862. 

Yeoniaiis, Zachariah, private, enl. Dec. 2J, 1861. 

THIRTEENTH REGIMENT. 

Company C (David A. Ryerson, Captain). 
Arlington, Peter, private, enl. Aug. 4, 1862; distli. at Harrisburg, Pa., 

Feb. 11, 1863, fur wounda received in action at Antieram, Md. 
Baker, John W., corp,, enl. Aug. 12, 1SG2; private, Nov. 19, 1S62; must. 

out June 8, 1865. 
Barnes, Alexander, corp., enl. Aug. 4, 1862; trans, to Vet. Res. Coi-ps, 

Nov. 13, 1863 ; diecli. therefrom for disability, April 25, 1865, at Phil- 
adelphia, Pa. 
Barnes, Nathaniel, private, enl. Aug. 4, 1862 ; trans, to Co. I; died at 

Marietta, Ga., Aug. 1, 1864, of wounds received in action. 
Ball, Abraham S., private, enl. Aug. 11, 1862; disch. at Trenton, N. J., 

May 3, 1865, by order of War Dejiartment. 
Bartholomew, Gustavus, private, onl. Aug. 11, 1862. 
Baitzell, George W., 8ergt.,enl. July 20,1862; 1st sergt., Nov. 1, 1862; 2d 

lieut., vice Ryerson, promoted ; cmii. Ist lieiit. Co. K ; not mustered ; 

disch. June 26, 1S64. 
BIythara, William 11., enl. July 31, 186i : trans, to Co. G, Aug. 24, 18G2. 
Beresford, William J., private, enl. Aug. 7, 1862 ; trans, to Co, I.Aug. 

24, 1862 ; died of fever at Chattanooga, Tenn., Nov. 30, 1864. 
Bogert, David, private, enl. Aug. 7, 1862; trans, to Co. I, Aug. 24, 1862 ; 

must, out June 8, 1865. 
Brown, Jolin, private, eul. Auir. 5, 1862. 

Brown, Amzi W., private, enl. Aug. 11, 1862; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Brown, William A., substitute, enl. Oct. 11, 1861; trans, to unjissigned 

company, 33d Regt. 
Brower, Ellswortli, let aergt., enl. Aug. 11, 1S62; died of diarrhtea at 

Sliarpsburg, Md., Nov. 8, 1862. 
Burris, Charles D.. corp., enl. Aug. 9,1862; must, .mt June J<, 1865. 
Burris, David H., private, eul. Aug. lU, 1862; discli. at Newark, N. J., 

by order of War Department, April 28, 1805. 
Bucklish, William, let lieut., com. Aug. 10, 1S62; res'd Oct. 9, 1862. 
Carlough, William, private, enl. Aug. 7, 1862 ; disch. at Newark, N. J , 

Ward U. S A. Hosp., by ordei- of War Department, May 3, 1865. 
Clark, Thomas, piivate. enl. Aug. 7, 1862; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Crawford, John C, private, eul. Aug. 13, 1862 ; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Comer, George H., private, enl. Aug. 7, 1862 ; disch. at U. S. A. Hosp., 

Washington, D. C, Aug. l.S, 1863, for disability. 
Cucokoro, Jacob, private, enl. Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out June S, 1865. 
Crouter, Joseph, private, enl. Aug. 7, 1862; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, 

Sept. 1, 1803 ; disch. May 6, 1864. 
U 



Demarest, James A., private, enl. Aug. 20, 1862 ; disch. at AVashington, 

D. C, Aug. 3, 1863, for disability. 
Decker, Charles \., enl. Aug. 1, 1862 : disch. at Washington, D. C, Dec. 

23, 1862, for disability. 
Deachant, John, private, enl. Aug. 10, 1862; missing in actioti at Chnn- 

cellorsville, Va., May 3, 1863; supposed dead. 
Donnelly, Arthur B., private, enl. Aug. 7, 1862; corp., June 3,1863; 

disch. at De Camp U. S. A. Gen. Hoep., David's Island, New Yoik 

Harbor, July 22, 1865. 
Edwards, Andrew, private, enl. Aug. 1, 1862; disch. at Hairisbuig, Pa., 

Feb. 11, 1863. of disability. 
Edwards, Horace W., recruit, enl. Sept. 28, 1864; disch. at Ward U. S. A. 

Hosp., Newark, N. J., May 3, 1865, by order of War Department. 
Eisenhart, John C, private, enl, Aug. 7, 1862; corp., Nov. 19, 1862; sergt. ^ 

Aug. 1(1, 1863 ; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Fitzgerald, Edward, juivate, enl. Aug. 1, 1862; disch. at Newark, N. J., 

Aug. 28, 1863, for disability. 
Fredericks, Henry, private, eul. Aug. 15, 1862; must, out Jnu*^ 8, 1865. 
Gant, John H., sergt., enl. Aug. 9, 1862; Ist sergt., Sept. 11,1863; must. 

out June 8, 1865. 
GalTney, Michael, private, enl. Aug. s, 1S62. 
Graham, James, recruited Sept. 2S, 1864; died at Cedar Creek, N. C, 

Marcli 17, 1865, of wounds received in action at Averysboro', N. C, 

March 16,1805. 
Gougb, James B., private, enl. July 26, 1862; corp., April 1, 1864 ; must. 

out June 8, 1865. 
Gouge, William 0., private, eni. Aug. 1, 1862 ; corp., Nov. 19, 1802 ; sergt., 

Sept. 11. 1863; disch. at Ward U. S. A. Hosp., Newark, N. J., May 3, 

1865, by order of War Dept. 
Gannon, Daniel, private, enl. Aug. 1, 1862 ; disch. at U. S. .\. Gen. Hosp., 

Philadeljihia, Pa., April 27, 1863, for disability. 
Gannon, John, private, enl. July 29, 1862; disch. at U. S. A. (Jen. IIosp.» 

Wixshiiigtoti, D. C, Jan. 22, 1863, for disability. 
Garrison, Freeborn, private, enl. Aug. 4, 1862; corp., June 3, lHi)3; disch. 

at De Camp U. 8. A. Hosp., DaviilVs Island, New York Harbor. July 

22,1865. 
Getchius, George, private, enl. Aug. 2, 1862; corp., Aug. 7, 1862. 
Greenalst, Joseph, private, enl. Aug. 5, 1862 ; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Garrabrant, Henry, private, etil. Aug, 5, 1802 ; must, out June 8, I860. 
Grier, Thomas H., private, enl. Aug. 7, 1862 ; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Hammer, John, private, enl. July 29, 1802; missing in action at Cliancel- 

lorsville, Va., May 3. 1863 ; supposed dead. 
Hall, Theodore W., private, enl. July 26, 1862; trans, tn Vet. Res. Corps, 

Sept. 1, 1863; disch. July 1, 1865. 
Harris, George M., sergt., enl. July 26,1862; disch. at camp near Staf- 
ford Court-House, Va., Feb. 9, 1863, for disability. 
Hayes, William, 2d lieut., enl. Aug. 13,1862; 1st lieut., rice BucUlish, re- 
signed, Nov. 1, 1862; resigned March 29, 1863. 
Hardy, Thomas, private, enl. Aug. 8, 1862 ; corp., May 3, 1862 ; must, out 

June S, 1865. 
Hartley, John, private, eul. Aug. 11, 1802; disch. U. S. A. Hosp., Balti- 
more, Mil,, Jan. 5, 1863, for disability. 
Huffman, Benjamin, i)rivate, eul. Aug. 7, 1862; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Hughes, John, private, enl. Aug. 8, 1862. 

Jeffries, Jacob, private, enl. Aug. 8, 1862; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Jarvis, Ebenezer C, private, enl. Aug. 13, 1862 ; must, out June S, 1865. 
Kelly, Edward, private, enl. Aug. 4, 1S62. 
Knajtr, Henry, private, enl. Aug. 3,1862; disch. in the field .Xpril 5, 

1863, for disability. 
Larne, James, private, enl. Aug. 7, 1862; trans, to Vet. Res. Cnrjjs, Sept. 

1, 1863; disch. July 6, 1865. 
Lise, Andrew, private, enl. Aug. 9, 1862; tuiiis. to Vet. Kes. Corps, Seid. 

1,1863; discli. Feb, 2, 1864. 
Lytle, Gilbert C, private, eul, Aug, 7, 1862 ; must, out June 8, 1866. 
Lynch, Daniel, private, enl. Aug. 7, 1862; sergt., Sept. 11, 1863; must. 

out June 8, 1865. 
Mensel, George, private, enl. July 20,1802; trans, to Co. 1; must, out 

June 8, 1S65. 
Messenger, John N„ sergt., enl. Aug. 7, 1862: private, Feb. in, 1865; 

must, out June 8, 1865. 
Manning, Benjamin B., private, enl. Aug. 15, 1862; C'»r|>., April 1, 1864; 

Ijrivate, Nov. 22, 1864; corp., April 28, 1865; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Mickler, Jacob, private, enl. Aug. 5, 1862; disch. at U. S. A. Hnsp, New- 
ark, N. J., April 14, 1863, for disability. 
McGarrity, James, private, enl. Aug. 6, 1862; disch. at convalescent 

camp, Alexandria, Va., Aug. 21, 1863, for disability. 
McCarty, Wm.. private, enl. Aug. 4, 1862; trans, to Co. G, Aug. 24, 1862. 



158 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Uoran, John, prime, enl. Aug. II, I86'2; tnni. Co Vet Bee. Corpe, Jan. ' 

I, 18«5: disch. Oct. 20. 1865. 

Mvere, George, priTatr, eul. Aug. S, 18G2; died at V. 8. A. Hoiip., Phila- 

delpliia, Pa., Oct. '26, 1862, of wounds received at AntJetam, Hd., 

Sept. 17, I(<C-2. 
Kix, Cliarlee, private, enl. Aug. 11, 1862; niuHt. out June 8, 1865. 
Ogden. Townseud, wagoner, enl. July 26, 1862; tram, to unaligned 

coni|>any. 33d Regt. ; Corp., Dec. 7, 1864. 
Parliameiit, Janiei* II., private, enl. Aug. 9, 1862; disch. at U. S. A. Gen. 

HoHp., Fort Scliuyler, New York Harbor, May *, 1865, by order of 

War Department. 
Post, John .\., Corp., enl. Aug. 7, 1862; disch. at Tullahoma, Tenn., Fob. 

II, 181-4, for disuibility. 

Remington, William, private, enl. Ang. 9, 1862; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Ryerson, Peter M. com. 2d lieut, Fob. 28, 1863; Ist lieut.,i-ice Hayes, 

res'd ; died July 1, 1804, of wounds received at Pine Knob, Ga., June 

16, 18C4 ; buried at Ponipton, l>a8.«aic Co., N. J. 
Shepherd. John .M.. private, enl. Aug. 11, 1862; disch. at U. S. A. Ho«p , 

Pliiladelphia, I*a., Dec. 19, 1862, of wounds received iu action at An- 

tietam, Md. 
Shepherd, John J., private, enl. Aug. 2, 1862 : trans, to Co. O, Aug. 24, 

180-2. 
Smith, David, cur]>., enl. Aug. 7, 1802; private, June 3, 1863; must, out 

June 8, 1866. 
Smith, George, private, enl. Aug. 5, 1862 ; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Smith, John 11., private, enl. Aug. 4, 1862; must, out June 8, 1866. 
Smith, Gilbert, private, eoi. .Vug. 7, 1802 ; Corp., April 9, 186.^, ; must, out 

June 8, 1S05. 
Stewart, John M., private, enl. Aug, 11, 1862; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Stolk, Philip, private, enl. Aug. 7, 1862; Corp., May 10, 1863; must, out 

June 8, 1865. 
Sutton, /ebulon, private, enl. Aug. II, 1802; Irans. to Vet. Ites. Corps, ' 

March 31, 1864; disch. June 2», 1805. 
Taylor, Henry ('., private, enl. July 28, 1862 ; trans, lo Co. 0, Aug. '24. 

!8iV2; disch. at Trenton, N. J., by order 4if War Department, May 3, 

1865. I 

Terhnne, William N., enl. Aug. 7, 1H62 ; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Tui-ker, Samuel, private, enl. Aug. 7,1862; disch. at U. S. A. Hosp , New- 
ark, N. J., June 4. 186:), for disability. 
Tucker, Matthew, mut«ician, enl. July *26, 1862; must, out June 8, 180.^. 
Tichn.ir, William H., private, eul. Aug. 7, 1802; must, out June 8, 18G.^ 
Titus, Henry, private, enl. Aug. 6, 1862. 

-Van Killer, Cornelius, private, enl. July 31, 1862; must, out June 8, 180.'i. 
Van Riper, Andrew, private, enl. Aug. 8, 1802; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Varrick, Albert, private, enl. Aug. 7,1862; trans, to Co. I, Aug. 24, 1862; 

lnui.1. out June 8, 1865. 
Varrick, John, private, enl. Aug. 7, 1802 ; trans, lo Co. I, Aug. 24, 1802; 

must, out June 8, 1H05. 
Van flouten, Peter, private, enl. Aug. 9, 1802 ; Corp., Nov. 13, 1862 ; sergt.- 

maj., June 3, I80;i; private, Nov. '27, 180;i; Corp., Dec. 7,180-1; scrgt., 

April I, 1805 ; must, out June 8, l.'^O.'i. 
Walts, Gf.orge W., private, enl. Aiit:. 4, 1862; trans, (o Yet. live. (Virps, 

Nov. 1, 1863; recnl. Aug. '26, 1K64; diech. therefrom as airp., Nov. 

15, l»r,5. 
Wnetervell, Calvin, private, enl. Aug. 6, 1862; must, out June 8, 1866. 
Wostervelt, Cornelius, private, enl. Aug. 5, 1862; disch. at New York by 

i.riler War Depurlmoiit, May 4, 1865. 
Weslenell, l.lnii", priiate, enl. Ang. 8, 1802; disch. at U. S. A. Ho«p., 

No -2, Nashville, Tenn , May 3, 1805. 
Winter-, Janu's, private, enl. Ang. 7, 1802; trans, to Vel. Res. Corpe, 

Feb. I.'j, IKn4 ; <ll«cli. lit Alexanilriii, Vs., Fob. 18, 1804, for disubillly. 
Wilson. Tl lure, private, enl. Aug. 6, 1862; trans, to Co. I, .Vug. '24, 

1802; must, out .liine 8, 1H65. 
Wuluisley, John, private, enl. Aug. 0, 18C2; must, out June 8, 1865. 
While. Jacob, private, enl. Aug. 7, 1862; must, out June 8, 186.',. 
ZelllT, John, private, enl. Aug. 14, 1802; trans, to Co. I, Aug. 24, 1862; 

niiisl nut Juno 8, I8G5. | 

(^MPAXT K (Huuil C. iRiili, Captain). 

Abbott, Thomas, private, enl. Aug, 19, 1862; disch. at V. S. A. Heap., 

Washington, I>. C , Jan. 28, 180.3, for dlsablllly. 
Abl«itl, Silo*, private, enl. Aug. '21, 1802; ilieilal Washington, D. C.,May 

'28, IHThl, of wounds received In action at t'liaDcellorsvillo, Va., May 

3, 180:1. 
Allen, K UvlnRslon, Corp., enl. Aug. 14, 1802 ; sergt., Jan. 0, 180^i; must. 

out June 8, 180.', 
Anderson, John, private, enl. Aug. 12, 1862 must, uiil June 8, 186.'*. 



Andeiwin, Abraham, private, enl. Aug. 11, 1862. 

Berdan, Jacob H., enl. Aug. 8, 1862 ; must. out June 8, 1805. 

Blaka, Alezaiider, private, enl. Aug. 11, 1862 ; must, out June 8, 18t>.'i. 

Berdan, John D., private, enl. Sept. 20, 1802 ; must out June 8, 1865. 

Busby, Janiee, private, enl. Aug. 11, 1862; must, out June 8, 1865. 

Bush, Abraham A.,corp, eul. Dec. 1, 1862; private. May 10, 1802; must. 

out June 8, 1865. 
Bush, John D., Corp., enl. Aug. 12, 1802; must out June 8, 1865. 
Brown, Archibald, private, enl. Aug. 18, 1862 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, 

March 15, 1 864 ; reenl. Nov. '29, 1804 ; disch. Oct. '22, 1800. 
Drown, Curtis, private, enl. Aug. 14, 1862; died at U. S. A. Ho.p., West 

Philadelphia, Pa., March 13, 1803, of wounds received in action at 

Antietnui, Md. 
Bntterwiirth, John, private, enl. Ang. 18, 1802; muat. out June 8, 1865. 
Bowley, William, private, enl. Aug. 18, 1802. 

Cauipbell, John A., recruit, enl. Sept. 0, 1804 ; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Oarlongh, John J., private, enl. Aug. 14, 1862 ; Corp.. Aug. 15,1863; must. 

out June 8, 1865. 
Carlough, Stephen, private, enl. Aug. 21, 1802; died f^m reeult of an 

accident at Paramns, Itergen Co., N. J., Jan. 18, 1864. 
Carter, William, private, enl. .\ug. 12, 1862. 

Clark, Henry, private, enl. Aug l:t, 1802 ; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Clark, Charles C, private, enl. Aug. 21, 18<-)'> ; trans, to nuassigned i-oni- 

{lany, :t:td Kegl. ; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Clark, Isaai', private, eul. Aug. 18, 1802. 
Connolly, Patrick, private, enl. Aug. 13, 1862. 
Connell, Joseph E., private, eul. .\ug. 18, 1862; wouudeil at battle of 

Cbttricellorsvillo, May 3, 1803; trans, lo Vet. lies Corps Nov. 15, 

1803 ; disch. June 29, 1864, and com. 2d lieut. Vet. Res. Corjie ; res'd 

April -20. 1KC6. 
Dawson, James, private, enl. Aug. 19, 1802; trans, lo Co. II. 
DemaresI, James J., private, enl. .\ug. 11, 180.*. 
Demarent. Martin V. B., private, enl. Aug. 12, 1862; died of intermittent 

fever .it Maryland lleighls, Mil., Oct 20, 1802. 
Davis, Samuel II , private, Co. II. enl. July 13, 1862; disch. at Newark, 

N. J., by order War Department, May :l, 18*'i5. 
Doremus, John II., private, enl. .Vug. II, 1802; die<l at I'. S A. Hosp., 

Frederick City, Md., Dec. 9, 1862, of w-ounds received at Antietam^ 

Md, Sept. 17, 1802. 
Deyo, Wllliiim U.. private, enl. Aug 21, 1802. 
Dougheily, Samuel, sergt., enl. Aug. II, 1862; 1st sergt., Nov. 28. 1804 ; 

niii!.t. out June 8, 1865. 
Engel, Jacob, private, enl. Aug. 12, 1862 ; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Eukers, George, corp., enl. Aug. 11, 1862 ; sergt., Dec. 1, 1862; 1st sergt., 

Jan. 1, 1864 ; must, out Juno 8, 1865. 
Farlow, John, private, enl. Aug. 11, 1862 ; must, out June 8, 1865. 
EppinoU, John, private, enl. Aug. 15, 1862. 
Frcoland, William, privule, enl. Aug. 12, 1862; died at Washington, 

May :'l, 18o;l, of wounds received at Chaucellornville, May 3, 18g:1. 
Gammall, Robert, private, eul. Aug. 14, 1802; died at Frederick City, 

Md , Dec. II, 1802, of wounds nveiveil in action at Antietani, Mil., 

Sept. 17, 1802. 
Qarnibmnt, John, private, enl. Aug. 14, 1802. 
Gmy, Charles, private, enl. .\ug. 15, 1862. 
Oneiiot John II., private, enl. Aug. 11, 1862. 
Godwin, Abraham, sergt.. eul. Aug. 9, 1862 ; disch. at Washington, D. C.. 

April 24, I80:l, by order of War Dept. 
Harris, Davbl, Corp., enl. Aug. 11,1862; private. Sept 1, 1862 ; con>., J»". 

1, 1804 ; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Hopper, William II, privote, enl. Aug. 19, 1862; cun>.. May 10, 1863 ; 

must, out June 8, 1S65. 
111. k», Havol, private, enl. Aug 18, 1802; disch. at U. S. A. Gen. Heap.. 

Newark, N. J , May 3, 1865. 
Holt, Willliini J , private, enl. Aug. IP, 1862; must out June 8, 1865. 
Irke, .Mm, private, enl. Vug 15. 1802; must, out June 8, 1805. 
Irish, Hugh C, c«pl., com. Aug. '22, 1802; killed in action at Anlietam, 

Mil., Sept 17, 1802. 
King, Fn-lerick C, private, enl. Aug. II, 1862; died at Keailysvllle, 

Mil.. Sepl. :iO, 1802, of wounds received In action at Autietam, Md., 

Sept. 17, 1802 ; burled there. 
Kenny, James E., private, enl. Aug. II, 1862; trans, to Co. H ; must out 

June 8, 1805. 
Kidd. Alejnniler, private, enl. Aug. 13, 1862 ; uiu«t. out June 8, 18*5. 
Knoble, Charles K., private, eul. Aug. '20, 1862; disch. at U.S. A. Hasp., 

Woshlngton, 1). C, Jan. 28. 186:1, for dl<abillly. 
Lines, John, private, enl. Aug II, 1802; disch. at V. S. A. Hosp., New- 
ark. N. J., May 8, I8«;l, for disability. 



KECORD OF PASSAIC COUNTY MEN IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. 



159 



Lambert, William, private, enl. Aug. 13, 1862; diich. at Chestnut Hill 

U. S. A. Hosp., Philadelphia, Pa., Sept. 3, 1863, for disability. 
Magee, Henry, private, enl. Aug. 11, 1862; disch. at U. S. A. Hosp., 

Washington, D. C, Feh. 23, 1S63. for disability. 
Magroff, -Abraham, private, eul. Aug, 12, 1862; killed in action at An- 

tietam, Md., Sept. 17, 1862. 
Moaeley, James W., private, enl. Aug. 11, 1862; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Sloore, Francis, private, enl. Aug. 18, 1862. 
Martin, Robert, private, enl. Aug. 19, 1862. 

Morsereau, Cornelius, sergt., enl. Aug. 20, 1862; died at hosp., Washing- 
ton, D. C, July ly, IS&l, of wounds received in action at Chancel- 

lorsville, Va., May 3, 1^63. 
Mickle, George, private, euJ. Aug. 11, 1862 ; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Nichols, James, private, enl. Aug. 21, 1862 ; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Nield, John, private, enl. Aug. 11, 1862; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Dec. 

5, 1863; disch. July 7, 1865. 
Odell, John, private, enl. Aug. IS, 1862 ; disch. at U. S. A. Hosp., Phila- 
delphia, Pa., Jan. 20, 1863, for disability. 
Post, Jauies W,, private, enl. Aug. 12, 1862; corp., Jan 1, 1864 ; must, out 

June S, I860. 
Post, William J., private, enl. Aug. 13, 18G2 ; must, out June 8, I860. 
Price, D;iiiiel, private, enl. Aug. 13, 1S62; trans, to Co, H ; must, out June 

8, 1865. 
Probst, Llewelyn J. T., private, enl. Aug. 13, 1862; killed in action at 

Chancellorsville, Va., May 3, 1863. 
Euestow. Charles F., private, enl. Aug. 22, 1862; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Scott, James G., lijt lieut., com. Aug. 22, 1862; pro. to capt., vice Irish, 

killed; resM Jan. 13, 1863. 
Speer, Henry, Jr., curp., enl. Aug. 11, 1862; private, Oct. 18, 1863; must. 

out June 8,1865. 
Sisco, Andrew, private, enl. Aug. 13, 1862. 

Smith, Leuiuel, private, enl. Aug. 18, 1862; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Snyder, John, private, eul. Aug. IS, 1862; trans, to Co. H ; must, out June 

8, 1865. 
Stantield, John C, corp., enl, Aug. 15, 1862; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Thompson, John A., private, enl. Aug. 11, 1862; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Terhune, Cornelius M., private, enl. Aug. 12, 1802. 

Terhuue, Andrew N., private, enl. Aug. 13, 18G2; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Tennant, John, private, enl. Aug. 15, 1802 ; trans, to Co. I, Aug. 25, 1862 ; 

trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Sept. 30, 1864. 
Todd, Archibald, private, eul. Aug. 20, 1862; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, 

Dec. 28, 1864; disch. July 5, 1865. 
Townley, Stephen E., private, enl. v\ug. 16, 1862; corp., Dec. 1,1862; 

sergt , Jan. 1, 1804; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Vanderbeek, Thomas, private, enl. Aug. II, 1862; must, out June 8,1865. 
Vanderbeek, Jauies W., private, enl. Aug. 20, 1862; trans, to Vet. Res. 

Cori^, Sept. 1, 1863; discU. June 8, 1865. 
Vanderbeek, James J., corp., enl. Aug. 20, 1862; sergt.. May 1,1863; 

must out June 8, 1865. 
Van Buskirk, John E., private, enl. Aug. 21, 1862; must, out June 8, 

1865. 
Van Ordeii, Henry, sergt., enl. Aug. 14, 1862; sergt.-maj.; pro. to lat 

lieut. Co. I, July 17, 1804; trans, from Co. I ; disch. May 15, 1865, by 

order of War Dept. 
Van Ordeu, Lewis, private, enl. Aug. 21, 1862 ; must, out June 8, 1365. 
Van Sann, David, private, enl. Aug. II, l?62. 
Van Riper, Stephen, private, enl. Aug. 1-1, 1862. 
Wallace, John, private, enl. Aug. 13, 1862; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Wannamaker, Daniel S., private, enl. Aug. 20, 1862; corp., Nov. 28, 1864; 

must, out June 8, 1865. 
Wannamaker, Cornelius, private, Aug. 13, 1862; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Wannamaker, Lewis, recruit, enl. Sept. 3, 1864; disch. at Annapolis 

Junction, Md., by order of War Dept., May 4, 1865. 
Wells, Heber, 1st sergt., enl, Aug. 8, 1862; pro. to 2d lieut., t-ice Miller, 

pro. ; res'd Aug. 24, 1863. 
Whitehead, James H., private, enl. Aug. 11, 1862; must, out June 8, 

186.*i. 
Whitehead, William A , privHte, enl. Aug. 13, 1862. 
Young, Jacob H., private, enl. Aug. 11, 1862; must, out June 8, 1865. 
Zabriskie, Wil'iam V. D., private, enl. Aug. 9, 1862; disch. at Annapolis, 

Md., paroled prisoner, Aug. 9, 1862. 

THIRTY-FOURTH REGIMENT. 

Company A. 

Scanlon, John, private, enl, Sept. 3,1863; enl. in the navy steamer 
" Dragon" Aug, 9, 1864; disch. May 31, 1865. 



THIRTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT. 

Company A. 

Van Nostrand, William, corp., enl. May 31, 1864; must, out Oct. 1, 1864. 

Van Vorst, John H., private, enl. May 31, 1864; must, out Oct. 1, 1864. 

Company B. 
I (lOO-days" men under call of the Governor, 1864.) 

! Conklin, John, corp., enl. May 31, 1804; must, out Oct. 1, 1864.' 
, Demarest, Abraiiam, corp., enl. June 6, 1804; must, in June 23, 1864.2 

Decker, James W., private, enl. June 6, 1864. 
, Dolan. Joseph, private, enl. June 9, 1864. 
; Flyn, Joseph W., corp., enl. June 9, 1S64. 
I Heald, George, private, enl. June 9, 1864. 

Kurd, William S., corp., enl. May 31, 18G4. 

Jackson, John R., private, enl. June 9, 1864. 

King, Anthony, private, enl. May 31, 1864. 

Schoonmaker, Robert, Corp., enl. May 31, 1864. 
I Stinson, John, private, enl. June 9, 1864. 
1 Woodward, John E., sergt., eul. May 31, 1864; died of typhoid fever at 

U. S. A. Ho.sp., Fortress Monroe, Va., Aug. 29, 1864. 
I Woodward, Jacob, private, enl. May 31, 1864; died of typhoid fever at 
U. S. A. Hosp., Hampton, Va., Sept. 2, 1864; buried there in Nat. 
Cem., Row 17, Sec. E, Grave 42. 

Wiley, William, private, enl. May 31, 1864. 

Young, John, corp., enl. June 9, 1864. 

\ FORTY-EIGHTH NEW YORK REGIMENT(CONTINENTALGUARD). 
Privates. 



Boudinot, Henry B. 
Burnett, Thomas. 
Brooks, Leonard D. 
Brower, James A. 
Clark, John. 
Douglass, Robert. 
Feuwick, Peter B. 
Gilmore. Frederick. 
Gray, Benjamin. 
Johnson, Edward. 
Kip, David. 
Messenger, Charles. 
Messaper, Richard. 
Messenger, .\ndrew. 



Post, Frederick. 
Phillis, James. 
McCully, Samuel K. 
McFarlan, George. 
Rayuor, Josiali B. 
Snider, Luke. 
Silcocks, lsa6LC. 
Smith, James. 
Vreelatid, Abraham. 
Welch, John D. 
Wilde, John. 
Winvan, Cornelius. 
AVhitford, Robert. 
Williams, John. 



FIRST CAVALRY. 

CoSIPANY I. 

Brotherlow, Thomas, piivate, enl. Sept. 11, 1S61 ; diach. at U. S. A. Hosp., 

Washington, D. C, Oct. 24, 1862, tor disability. 
Donaldson, James, private, enl. Sept. 11, 1861 ; disch. at convalescent 

camp, Alexandria, Va., Jan. 30, 1863, for disability. 
Dross, Charles, saddler, enl. Aug. 15, 1861; corp. Dec. 1,1862; saddler 

Jan. 1, 1864 ; re-enl. Dec. 27, ltr63; must, out July 24. 1865. 
Freeland, George W., private, enl. Sept. Il,ls61 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, 

March 15, 1864; disch. Sept. 17, 1864. 
Hasbruck, James H., private, enl. Sept. 11, 1S61. 
Post, Andrew, enl. Sept. U, 1801 ; corp. June 9, 1863 ; sergt. Nov. 1, 1863 ; 

re-enl. Dec. 27, 1863; 1st sergt. May. 1, 1864; must, out July 24,1865. 

THIRD CAVALRY. 
Company B. 
Post, Andrew H., recruit, eul. Aug. 30, 1864; trans, from Co. G; disch. 
at Trenton, N J., July 8, 1805 ; paroled prisoner. 

BATTERY B, FIRST REGIMENT ARTILLERY. 
Donahue, Martin, private, enl. Sept. 3, 1861 ; disch. at Brandy Station, 
Va., for disability, March 22, 1804; enl. substitute Co. H, 8th Regt. 
N. J. Inf., March 15, 1865 ; trans, to Co. K ; disch. at U. S. A. Hosp., 
Washington, D. C, by order of War Department, April 28, 1865. 
Mills, William H., private, enl. Sept. 3, 1861 ; disch. at Philadelphia, Pa., 
on account of disability, March 17, 1863. 

FIFTH REGIMENT NEW YORK ARTILLERY. 
(Recruited by Lieuts. Cundell and Veeceliua.) 
Lieut., George Cundell. 
Sergeant— William H. Doty. 
Fife-major. — H. Sanderson. 

1 All who survived were mustered out at this date. 
- All mustered on this date. 



160 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Prwatm. 



Brooks, William. 
Bradley, Boruanl. 
Connelly. Patritk. 
Corby, Core*i. 
PcM'koit, Amirew. 
Dectlif, Benjamin H. 
(■alloway, Tluimatf. 
Griffin, John. 
Hopper, Cliarlee. 
Honn, John. 
Keift, John. 
Keibe. »l\vnr(]. 
Keunt'dy, Thomas. 
King, Juhii. 
Krombeck, Frederick. 
l«amon, Jubeph. 



Lyondf William. 
Lynns, Rensselaer. 
Maiu>erker, Henry. 
Milne^, Henry. 
Miliieit, William. 
Mullen, Janiee. 
McCunn, Andrew. 
Nutton, George. 
O'Brien, James. 
Viiii Kiper. William H. 
Van Rip^-r, Peler. 
Vreeland, John. 
Riley, Robert. 
Slingerland, Thomas. 
StepheuMtn, George. 



SERRELL^S U. S. ENGINEER AND ARTISAN REGIMENT. 
Jamee Baxter, Military Instnictor and Master Machinist. 

Sergeant. — Leonard Brooks. 

Oorjwrdla.— Ebenezcr Parker, Daniel W. Stagg. 

DramiTurr. — John Riitan. 



PrieaUt. 



Baines, Stephen. 
Brcwii, William P. 
Hudson, Thuma8. 
Jones, Evans. 
Lyman, Richard. 



Messenger, James H. 
Mo-tes, Henry. 
Palmer, Jame^. 
Rutan, David F. 
Terhune, William H. 



FIFTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 

James Cook, Captain. 



Duncan, Samuel. 
Freeland, Eltenewr. 
Tattersall, James. 



Wilson, Roberto. 
Wooley, Richard. 



HAWKINS' NEW YORK FIRE ZOl'AVES. 

Privates. 



Breman.Jdhn. 
Coventry, John C. 
Gates, J<imph. 
Grecnhaigh, Sqniro. 



Halloway, Joeejdi. 
Lnton, Jitmos. 
Mulligan, William. 
Titns, Henry. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 
Is* Urgi. S. v. f'ire Xo%iatrM. — James SnlliTan. 

2d Hegt, X. Y. fVnr Zonarei. — Abnihani E. Harris, Robert M. II<-aumont. 
Setr York Fnijineer VoU., (\>. .4.— John Rubertson, R<)bert Scott. 
Fourte<nth AVir York I'o^*.— Tliomns Shiiflor. 
Sinth Regimmt A>ir l«rJt \ *>f.— Ralph Shocock. 
t'ump'iny A, Chicago l.ujht Artillery. — William S. Fondn. 
OomjuiHy h, SfCimd Uhmie ittnnd. — Lindsay Anderson. 
CbmjKiiiy A*. TenOi Matutarhua^tta. — Thomas Jnm>ld. 
liittUry It, Firtt Snt' York AriaUry.—ChtkTir'it Mmiks. 
Pirti It'tttrry MiiM-ichtisftU ArtilUry. — Henry Rurwell. 
Oompan)/ F, /Viiiuy/ninw Lujht Ckiralry. — John W. Fuller. 
Company C, I'. S. ('koAMeura. — William H. Maxwell, sergnant; James Law- 

•tm, Co. B, same reglmonl. 
tiU-tm^ fVrW«/m, r. S. ti>tU^r.—t\ McKlernan. 
f^Hn/MXif junker Citt/. — Jonathan W. Hack'^t. 

V.S. Fl.uj'Shit> MitmeaoUt, f. s. S.~Jimv\fU Menish, Jamw* BurfhB. 
(Tharles A. Hlaiienl, rhtef EiiKlneer, Fremont Cavnlry. 
Jvrr<-fayi{;AfA Sfir York KoJimiMTii.— William Smith. 
Serrniy-eighUt Otmrvon //iyAf'fntffTa.—WlllliimS. Smith. 
Itolxirt RjilxTtiom, on bt*nl the L'. S. frlgnt** " Santer." 
John L Kmcraim,oD boani the U. 8. rrlgaiP "Sanlee;" kllliwl In Imttle 

ofl (Inlveaton, Texas. 
tV/mpamy A, Thirty-fourth Uagt. X. Y. Volunteer: — John I>oan. 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 

NEW BARBADOES. 

Ancient and Modem Boundaries.— Tlie towuship 
of New Ii;irlia<l()0,-4 ci>mi)rise3 at tlip present time a 
very liiniteil area compared with the extent of iu an- 
cient boundaries. Nearly two centuries ago (1693) 
it was a township in Essex County, and comprised tlie 
whole territory between the Hacicensack and Pas.><aic 
Rivers, from Newark Bay on the southeast to the 
present boundary line of Sussex County. Hy the 
divisions which have been made in cutting up this 
territory into other townships, some of them of quite 
recent origin, it is now reduced to a strip of land on 
the west side of the Ilaokensack not more than five 
miles long and an average width of two miles. The 

I points which mark its northern and southern bound- 
aries on the Hackensack River are New Bridge on 
the north and Little Ferry on the south. 

1 Physical Features. — The land along the Hacken- 

I sack Kivcr in this township is generally quite level, 
and in some ])laces below high tide: but it rises grad- 
ually to a considerable elevation in the western por- 

I tion, and commands an extensive view southward 
towards Newark Bay, some thirteen miles distant. 
Clay, sand, and loam, separately, and often mixed 
together, compose the principal soils. There are some 
marsh lands, but they are mostly capable of cultiva- 
tion. The clay lands are valuable from their prox- 
imity to the Hackensack Kiver, and their clay has 
been extensively used for years in the manufacture of 
brick. The soil generally is cajjable of producing 
good crops, and much of it is under a high state of 
cultivation. The Hackensack Kiver is navigable to 
New Bridge. From that point northward to the State_ 

I boundarj', and even beyond it into New York, some 

' twenty-five or thirty miles, the dwindled stream may 
be called only a tributary of the ocean-fed Hacken- 
sack. Below New Bridge and to Newark Bay the 
Hackensack forms one of the most beautiful features 
of this section of country. The river is well confineil 
within its banks, varying in width from one hundred 

I to five hundred feet. The current is so gentle and 
still that the waters seem to be slumbering in (juict 
repose. This circumstance may have led the Indian 
to give to the Hackensack a name significant of this 
peculiarity, or of the silent meeting of the waters at 
the conlluem-e of ( )verpeck Creek and the main stream 
at Little Ferry. 

Meaning of Hackensack. — A local writer who has 

furnislicd a portion of this township history gives us 
the following on the word Hackensack : 

*'Thi> wuni Ilackeiiwick liaf> Ih'i>ii ao vaiiniiily s|k>1I(hI mill ilrRnod it 
may l>i« mi upon ijiKTilioli to-<la>' an to lU urthogralitiy i.ii<l .iglilflcatlnn. 
Ftvm llackniMck or Arkpnitjick, olllier of wtiicli 8|m*IIIii^* Ih prot«lily 
eoim-t arconlififi to tho iiriKtnal Iiiitlan pnuiuncliillun, It lioa waiidorod 
throuKli ArkliigtiHACk, Arklnghaaaack, AkkinKwkkp, Acki'iiklKhiickjr, 
.\ck(>lik('slinrkjr, Haicpiiiiark, llaglikliuuirk, HnrkoDBncky, Hackiiigke- 
•harkr, llackliiKkajMirkj, IIackin.«ck. Ilark<|iilulinri|, lla«-<|iilukar.r, 
tIackiniiaKh, HaglikliiKMck, llarkkriiMk. 



NEW BAKBADOES. 



161 



*• Much couid be written about the meaning of the name. One writer 
defii.eB it ' low land,' and another ' one stream uniting imperceptibly with 
anotlier in low, level ground.' The Indian, then, when he first stood on 
' Espatin,' commanding a view of the two rivers running so quietl.v 
through the meadows from the long range of hills above, their waters 
so still in their course through the lowlands as scarcely seeming to move, 
pointing to the place, said, in the language of the tintutored son of the 
forest, ' That is Hackensack, — the silent union of tlie waters. . . .' 

"tieepy Hollow tempted the pen of Washington Irving in bis unri- 
valed description of its beauty and repose ; but the still river, the quie- 
tude of the surrounding country, with many an old Dutch mansion and 
ancestral abode, lure the fancy to sketch the scenes along the Hacken- 
sack. which are full of quiet beauty and interest." 

Early Settlements. — The name of New Barbadoes 
was probably given to the ancient township by its 
first proprietors, Capt. William Sandford and Capt. 
Joliii Berry. It may have been given by Nathaniel 
Kinsrsland, who purchased a portion of Sandford's 
grant on the Neck. Capt. William Sandford in 1668 
acquired title to the territory from the junction of the 
Hackensack and Passaic Rivers northward, compris- 
ing 15,308 acres. Capt. John Berry and his associates 
in 1669 acquired title to the lands north of the Sand- 
ford tract, embracing the territory within the limits 
of Hackensack and the present townshi)) of New 
Barhadoes. 

Ciipt. John Berry was a man of prominence in the 
colony of New Jersey. He was for many terms pre- 
siding judge of the court at Bergen, and was a mem- 
ber of the Council several years, and acting Governor 
of the province during the absence of Carteret in 
England, 1672 to 1674. At first he resided in Bergen, 
where a building of his, probably not the house he 
lived in, was the first jail of the province, and Adrian 
Post was jail-keeper ; he afterwards settled on his 
plantation in New Barbadoes, where he resided in 
1680. It is probable that his plantation and that of 
his son-in-law, Michael Smith, adjoining him, were 
the first considerable improvements in the township. 
These plantations near the Hackensack are given a 
prominent place in George Scott's historical and de- 
scriptive account of East .Tersey, published in Edin- 
burgh in 168">. 

On the 11th of July, 1670, Capt. Berry started upon a 
trip to the Ishtiid of Barbadoes in a trading-vessel, and 
was absent until July following. He no doubt traded 
to the West Indies, and some have supposed that he 
was captain of a merchant-vessel, but there is no evi- 
dence of tliis, while his appointment as captain of 
militia in Bergen is a matter of record. How much 
earlier than 1670 he came to the province we are un- 
able to say. His lands in this township were acquired 
in 1669, and some of the deeds given by his own hand, 
recorded in the clerk's office at Hackensack, are dated 
in 1696, showing that he was living and transacting 
business at that date. In defending himself against 
Capt. Sandford, in an action referred to elsewhere. 
Berry quoted Scripture and took high, manly ground, 
such as became a gentleman and a Christian. He will 
be remembered by every devout lover of the Reformed 
Church as the donor of the site of the " Old Church 



on the Green" at Hackensack, two and three-quarter 
acres, deeded to the Consistory in 1696. In his will 
he uses the following language : " I commit my soul 
into the hands of God, my creator, with a well- 
grounded persuasion that Jesus Christ, in his human 
nature, taken in his divine, hath made full payment 
unto divine justice for all my sins and transgressions, 
and that his righteousness shall be imputed to me for 
my justification." His daughter married Michael 
Smith, the first sheriff' of Bergen County, who filled 
that oflice in 168.3. 

It will be of interest to our readers to know some- 
thing of the origin of the name New Barbadoes. Our 
local assistant has given us substantially the following, 
which we condense and somewhat abbreviate : 

The word Barbadoes is of Portuguese or Romanic 
origin. Capts. Sandford and Berry were undoubtedly 
Englishmen by birth, but in early life went to the 
Island of Barbadoes, then under British rule, where 
they probably lived for some time. The island, often 
called " Little England," is situated in north latitude 
13° 10', and in west longitude 59° 32', being the most 
"windward of the Lesser Antilles," and washed by 
the waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic 
Ocean. It is the oldest of the English West India 
possessions, and was first discovered by the Portuguese 
early in the sixteenth century. Finding it covered 
with a forest of tropical verdue, with long pendants 
like beard hanging gracefully in festoons from the 
trees, — a kind of beard-like moss, — in their fervid and 
descriptive language the Portuguese called the island 
Barbadoes, or the Bearded Isle. 

Barbadoes became an English possession in 1625. 
The island is some twenty-two miles long by fourteen 
wide, and is densely populated. When New Amster- 
dam and the surrounding country passed from the 
Dutch to the English in 1664, prompted by a spirit 
of adventure and seeking larger fields than the pent- 
up island for their enterprise, many Englishmen came 
to America and purchased lands and founded their 
homes here. Sandford and Berry were probably among 
the number. They were rivals in litigation, and jirob- 
ably in politics and speculation. They were two 
bright, quick-witted Englishmen, who meant to make 
their mark in the New World, and so they did. We 
have already spoken of Berry and his successes and 
honors. 

Capt. William Sandford came from the West Indies. 
He resided in Newark in 1675, and was a member of 
the Provincial Council in 1681-84. He died in 1692, 
and requested to be buried on his own plantation. 
He implored his friends " to assist and favor the con- 
cerns of a poor ignorant widow and five innocent 
children with their best advice, help, and council, to 
preserve them from those vultures and harpies which 
prays on the carkasses of widdows and fatten with 
the blood of orphans." His children were Ardinah, 
who married Richard Berry, constable of New Bar- 
badoes in 1695 ; Peregrine, who married Fytje, daugh- 



162 



HISTORY OF BKRGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NKW JERSEY. 



ter of Enoch Michielse (Vreeland) ; William, Grace, i Acquackanonk was the present city of Passaic and its 

and Elizabeth, who married Ca]it. James Davis. vicinity. Thus it was intended to sui>ply the spiritual 

The precise date of the first European settlement needs of a territory described by a radius of from 

within this township is unknown. Tradition asserts seven to ten miles around the church, of wliich it was 



that Dr. Vim Iniburg erected the first dwelling-house 
in Hackensiuk on the creek bearing liis name, also 
sometimes called Hackensack Creek, just back of the 
present court-house site. This house is said to have 
stood just across the creek from the court-house. 
Excavations there within the past few years are said 
to have disclosed old foundations of buildings which 
stood there at a very early period. Probably the first 
house stood on either side of this creek not far from 
the river. One of these early dwellings is also said 
to have stood on what was ancientiv known as the 



the centre. In olden times the worshipers in the old 
Church on the Green would come on .Sabbath morn- 
ing in wagons, and in the rude carriages of that day, 
and on horseback from many miles around to swell 
the great congregation. 

" The home comforts of the settlers in a few years 
were neither few nor stinted, with their houses covered 
with vines and sorrounded with little garilens, with 
furniture from over the seas, and the ancestral plate 
and crockery carefully brought from Old Holland, 
and ranged in long rows upon the white shelves in 



Varick property. The following are the names and the big spare-room ; its spacious fireplace, where the 



the years of the coming of some of the earliest set- 
lers in and about this locality: Albert Zabroweski, 
1662; Lawrence, same year ; Lowrie, in 16.<">; House- 
man, 1695, and Kijip a little earlier; Van Buskirk, 
1697; Van Giesen, 1689; Andressen, 1679; Facounier, 
1709 ; Dismarie, 1695. The church records of the 
Church on the Green tell us that in 1694 the church 
received into membcrshii) Martin Powelse. .Ian, 
Christyn, and Lena, also Maria Ktsal and Rachel 



cherry log and wood-fire aflbrded light and warmth 
and comfort to all the inmates. These old houses 
are all gone, but in many respects they might be en- 
vied to-day by the descendants of those early settlers. 
Soon the abundant crops of flax and hemp called for 
the spinning-wheel, the distaff, and the loom, and 
there was music in the spindle and shuttle, mingled 
with the songs sung by the cradle and the firt-side. 
Such homes as these, and such they were in all the 



Jackse. In the following years down to 1700 there colonies at that early day of honest toil to subdue a 



were regularly added to the church more than sixty 
members, whose names are given in the record, show- 
ing of course that there was a considerable town or 
settlement near the church and in the vicinity and 
some settlements in the surrounding country long 
before the seventeenth century. Some of these earlv 



wilderness and to acquire the comforts of domestic 
life, such homes as these have made America what 
it is." 

Civil Organization. — Hy an act passed in 1688, in 
the fourth year of the reign of .Tames II., by the 
General Assembly at Perth Amboy, the inhabitants 



settlers lived on the east and .some on the west side , of Hackensack and New Parbadoes were empowered 

of the Hackensack River. The church it-self at that I to build pounds, "the charge whereof to be paid by 

early day gathered its children together from a wide the inhabitants of each of the respective out-planta- 

extent of the surrounding country. \ tions." In the fourth year of the reign of William 

Taschemaker, as jiastor for three years, and Hen- ] and Mary (1692i an act was passed by the (ieneral 

drik Jarse and Albert Ferensc, as its elders, and Assembly at Perth Amboy dividing the counties in 

Hendrik Epke and Volkhert Hanseg, as its deacons. East Jersey into townships. This act empowered the 

— these are the never-to-be-forgotten names of the i people of each county to take certain steps to set off 

founders of the ancient Church on the Green. How and define the boundaries of townships; but the act 

long New Harbadoes, or even .\merica herself, might was so defective in its provisions as to become inoper- 

survive the Church of (iod on earth we cannot tell; ative, and in 169;i a supplementary act was pa.ssed. 

but the saintly lives of those who slumber aroun<l the ]{y this act "the township of .Vcqulckanick and New 

old church, and the sacred memories of the baptism, Barbadoes" — both settlements apparently combined 

the marriage, and the burial of all tho.se who have in the same townshij) — became known for the first 

gone in and out there for more than two centuries, time in legislation. The boundaries were defined as 

would cry out agaitist the sacrilege and the folly of including "all the land on I'issiack River above the 

such an experiment, even if it were possible. On the third river,' and from the mouth of the said third 

20th of A|iril, 1696, John Berry dcniated two acres river northward to the partition line of the province, 

and three-quarters of land for the site of the Church including also all the land in New Barbadoes Neck 

on the Green, " for the inhabitants of Hackensack, between Hackinsack and Pisaiack Rivers, and thence 

New Barbadoes, and Aciiuaekanonk, who intend to to the partition line of the province." It would seem 

build a i-hiirch." A more detailed history of this from the wording of this act that Ac<|Uaekanonk was 

churi-h and of its organization will be found else- included in the original township, as well as all the 

where in the history. The inhabitants of Hacken- 

sack then were the dwellers (Mi the east side of the , . . , „ ,, , , ^ 

o«» i,i..,ii irm wiv 1 The " UilrJ rl«r" tiere rehrrrd to U thr YallUMW, which formod 

river. New Barbadoes embraced the inhabitants then „,^ origiimi UHuuinrj ulmh Acqu.ckam.iik un.i Nc»iirk. Hn p.mph- 

dwelllng in the present township of that name, and in !,««» of New Jirjoy, i»:ift-.i7, p. o«. 



NEW BARBADOES. 



163 



territory comprised between the Hackensack and 
Passaic Rivers to the northern boundary of the prov- 
ince. If this be correct, the township embraced Ac- 
quackanonk (including the site of the present city of 
Passaic), Hohokus, Washington, Franklin, Saddle 
River, Midland, Union, Lodi, and the present New 
Barbadoes. That Acquackanonk and New Barbadoes 
were included in the same township further appears 
from an entry in the minutes of the Governor and 
Council, Dec. 3, 1683, where the " inhabitants of Aqua- 
ninoncke" are authorized to join with those of "New 
Barbadoes Neck" in the " choyce of a Constable." 
Again, at the same date, Maj. William Sandford, of 
New Barbadoes Neck, was ordered to '" appoint an 
officer to exercise the inhabitants of Aquaninocke." 
Sandford, it seems, by this time had become a " major," 
and had control over this large " military district." 
The Indians, probably, were the enemy they had in 
view. 

It is unnecessary here to mention the particular 
dates — covering a period of nearly two hundred 
years — at which the township parted with portions 
of its ancient territory, as its extensive area filled 
with an active and industrious population and the 
exigency arose from time to time for the division into 
new townships. The dates of these will be found in 
the respective township histories. New Barbadoes 
received its last reduction in limits by act of the Leg- 
islature passed in 1876, — the centennial of the national 
birthday. The periods, proximately in the first in- 
stance, since the permanentsettlement may be divided 
into centuries, thus : 

Permanent settlement, 1676. 
Revolution, 1776. 

Last reduction of the township, 1876. 
Before the county organization (1682) each town- 
ship or plantation was governed in its local affairs by 
a board of selectmen. They exercised Judicial and 
legislative powers of a restricted kind, being confined 
to the local affairs of their respective plantations, and 
limited in their jurisdiction to "small causes." May 
1, 1688, a bill was drawn up by the provincial secre- 
tary to constitute a "Court of small Causes for the out- 
plantations of Bergen County, and for Aquackinick 
and New Barbadoes in the county of Essex." It was 
sent to the House of Deputies by Maj. John Berry, 
of the Council, and wa.s signed by the Governor, and 
became a law May 22, 1688. Under this act a court 
of small causes was organized at " New Hackensack," 
probably the village now known as Hackensack, with 
the " New" prefixed to it for a time to distinguish it 
from Old Hackensack (township) on the east side of 
the river. 

Of these courts no records were kept, and we find 
now and then only a fragmentary allusion to them. 
They granted licenses to sell liquors and keep ordi- 
naries, fixing the rates of charges for " man and beast" 
with minutest details. The early roads and bridges 
— such as they were, probably poor enough — were 



under their supervision. As judges of the "Court of 
small Causes" they sometimes exceeded their juris- 
diction and overstepped their authority. But then 
the victim, if he had money enough to carry up his 
appeal, could go to the Governor and Council, or eveu 
to the king and Parliament across the sea, if necessary, 
to get relief 

William Sandford, John Berry, and Isaac Kingsland 
were the early legislators for New Barbadoes and its 
vicinity in the Provincial Council. Sandford was a 
member of that body from 1682 to 1703, and Berry 
from 1682 to 1692, and Kingsland from 1684 to 1696. 

Freeholders of New Barbadoes.— We give below 
a list of the chosen freeholders of the township from 
1794 to 1880, inclusive. The " Board of Justices and 
Freeholders" which preceded 1794, not being recorded 
by townships, are placed, irrespective of their town- 
ships (which it has been impossible to ascertain, ex- 
cept in a few instances), in the general county history, 
to which the reader is referred. 

1794-95,1802, Isaac Vanderbeck, Jr.; 1794-95, Areiidt Schuyler; 1796- 
99,Chrl8.A.Zabri8kie; 1796-97, -Abraham W.DePe.vster ; 1798-1805, 
Edmund Wm. Kingsland; 1800-1, Garret G. Lansing; 1802, Joost 
Bogert; 1803-6, L-ke Van Zaen ; 1806-8, Jolin I. Hopper; 1807-8_ 
Casperus Bogert; 1809-14, Henry I. Zabriskie; 181)9-11, Henry Van 
Dolsem ; 1812, John Berry ; 1813-16, Henry P. Kipp ; 1815-16, John 
D. Romeyn ; 1817, John A. Schuyler ; 1817-18, Jacob J. C. Zabriskie ; 
1818, Philip Berry; 1819-21, John J. Hopper, Peter A. Terhune; 
1822, John T. Banta; 1822-23, 1826-27, John A. Boyd; 1823-27, 
Albert G. Hopper; 1824, Jacob J. Brinkerhofl'; 1828-33, John 
Zabriskie ; 1828-32, Henry W. Banta ; 1833, David I. Christie : 1834- 
35, Andrew Zabriskie; 1834-35, John D. Komeyn ; 1836-42, Albert 
A. Brinkerhoff; 1836-37, Andrew Demareet; 1837-39, Albert G. 
Doremus; 1838-40, John J. Van Saun ; 1841-43, George Voorhis; 
1843-45, Ralph Weslervelt; 1844-46, Richard T. Cooper; 1846-4S, 
1852, William Wiuant; 1847-49, Jacob I. Zabriskie; 1849-51, Chris- 
tian De Baun; 1850-52, John A. Zabriskie; 1853-54, 1R56, Richard 
R. Hawkey; 1853-54, William Blair; 1856-58, Peter A. Terhune; 
1857-59. Wilhelmus Berry; 1859-61, Abraham I. Demarest; 1860- 
62, Abraham A. Banta; 1862-64, Lucas A. Voorhis; 1863-64, 1866, 
Garret G. Ackeraon ; 1866-67, Garret A. Hopper; 1867-69, William 
De Wolfe; 1808-70, Nicholas A. Demarest; 1870, Henry C. Barring; 
1871, Garret G. Ackerson ; 1872-74, Jacob Yereance; 1875-78, Wm. 
Huyler; 1879, Frederick Steinle; 1880, John 0. Grode. 

Villages and Hamlets. — The village of Hacken- 
sack, the county-seat of Bergen County, and the small 
villages or hamlets of Fairmount and Cherry Hill, em- 
brace nearly all of the territory in the townshi)) of 
New Barbadoes. In their corporate limits they nearly 
intersect each other, making one picturesque village, 
extending for several miles along the valley and cross- 
ing the slopes and slight elevations which give variety 
to the landscape. To the eye of the traveler there 
are few more beautiful spots than that along the 
Hackensack River, embracing the village of Hacken- 
sack and its surroundings. 

The village of Hackensack proper contains about 
4000 inhabitants. The business part of the town is 
on Main, between Passaic and Essex Streets. There 
are very many beautiful and some very elegant and 
spacious residences on Main, Passaic, Hudson, and 
Essex Streets. There are some very comfortable and 
spacious houses with commodious grounds and gar- 
I dens in the western part of the village on the hillside, 



164 



HISTORY OF BERGExN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



commanding extensive views of the surrouiKliiig coun- 
try. The court-house and the other county buildings 
are on Court Street, in the central part of the village, 
looking upon the Park, or (ireen, fronting on Main 
Street. The ancient Dutch Church is nearly opposite 
and in the vicinity. The Park, or Green, is ornamented 
with a fountain of beautiful design, and is supplied 
from the public water-works for the town from a res- 
ervoir at the Hackensack above the head of naviga- 
tion. The Park is in the shape of a parallelogram of 
about one hundred and twenty feet on Main .Street 
by about two hundred feet between Court and Man- 
sion Streets. It is most beautifully shaded with lofty 
elms, which, with the ancient and thrifty weeping- 
willow near the old church, afl'ord in summer a de- 
lightful shade and a most picturesque view, scarcely 
excelled within the same dimensions in any other 
town in the State. On Court Street, between the 
court-house and Main Street, stands the Hackensack 
House, a large and commodious hotel, of which Mr. 
John Ryan is the present proprietor. On the oppo- 
site side of the Park, on the corner of Main and Man 
sion Streets, is the old but comfortable Mansion 
House, kept at present by Mr. William W. Crouk- 
right. The many old-fashioned fireplaces, bordered 
with tiles, ornamented with designs from sacred story, 
indicate the ancientne-ss of the old Mansion House, 
antedating the Revolution. Here or in this vicinity 
tlie ground has been trod by the feet of Wiishington 
and Lafayette and the patriotic soldiei-s in that great 
struggle for freedom. Here, too, the " forefathers of 
the hamlet" of Revolutionary days saw their court- 
house burned to ashes and the town sacked and plun- 
dered by British invaders. They threatened, also, 
to destroy the old church, but it escaped their sacri- 
legious hands. 

F'or a century and a half from its organization Hack- 
ensack was always an important place and the centre 
of considerable business activity. For over one hun- 
dred years it was the business centre for all the sur- 
rounding country, and to the northwest it conimandeii 
the trade for a ilistancc of from fifty to seventy-five 
miles. There was then considerable navigation, and 
especially, in the fall and spring, of farm and industrial 
products .seeking transportation by water to Newark 
and New York. Better roads and more rapid com- 
munication with these large t<^)wns during the last 
fifty years have reduced the limits of the trade and 
business of Hackensack by aH'ordiiig otliiT commo- 
dious outlet* to the surrounding country. Hut the 
New Jersey and the New York Railroad and the 
New York, Susquehanna and Western, formerly the 
Midland Railroad, pa.«s through the town, bringing 
it within thirty or forty niinntcs of the great nirtrop- 
olis. Many business men reside here, while their 
place of business is in New York and elsewhere. 
There is also much wealth in the town, which hits 
been retired from active business. It has become 
largely a place of pleasant homes and beautiful 



abodes. It is beginning to bestir itself in industrial 
and manufacturing pursuits. Thomas' jewelry man- 
ufacturing establishment in the upper part of the vil- 
lage has a large factory connected with its liusiness 
in New York City. Immense quantities of jewelry 
are manufactured here and sent to all parts of the 
United States. Within two years (iivenaud Brothers 
have built an extensive silk-factory in the lower part 
of the village, and are employing at least one hundre<l 
and fifty hands in the manufacture of that fabric. 
This firm is also extensively engaged in silk manu- 
factures in other |)art.s of the country. Messrs. John 
Smults, Handfield, (iardner, and Merhotf Brothers 
are extensively engaged in brick-making in the vicin- 
ity of Little Ferry. There are almost inexhaustible 
beds of clay in that locality well adapted for making 
the very best quality of brick ; and the annual manu- 
facture and sale of brick from these establishments is 
immense, amounting to several millions. Their supe- 
rior quality has created a demand for these brick all 
over the country greatly exceeding the supply. 

Newspapers. — At present there are three newspa- 
])cts in Hackensack, — the Jifnieii Cmiiili/ Demticrnt, 
the H(trknisnck Republicon, and the Ji'-riicn Iinlrr. 
The Diiitocral and Jiepiiblicni are published weekly, 
and the Index bi-weekly. The Democrat was estab- 
lished Oct. 1, 18(51, with Rev. Chancey C. Burr as its 
first editor, but in March, 1862, he was succeeded by 
Fben Wintoii, who was succeeded by his .son, Henry 
U. Winton, its present editor. The paper is an ar- 
dent and devoted a<lvocate of Democratic principles. 
An examination of its columns, especially for the last 
few years, shows it to be an ably conducted local news- 
pa|)er. It aims generally to confine itself to such of 
the local allairs of the county as are of interest and 
iini)ortance to its readers. The licpuhlicnn was estab- 
lished in 1873, succeeding the Berrien Count;/ Wntr/i- 
man, under the charge of H. B. Johnson, who was 
succeeded by Hugh M. Herrick, who was succeeded 
by William H. Bleecker and Thomas B. Chrystal, and 
subsequently by Mr. Chrystal, who has had the sole 
charge of the paper for several years. Though not 
strongly partisan, it advocates the principles of the 
Republican party, and contiiins much interesting 
matter for the general reader. Under its present 
management the pai)er has been most ably and suc- 
ce.sst'ully conducted. The Index succeeds the Xeu- 
Jersvij I'ilizcn, published in Hackensack some years 
ago by Cornelius Christie, a counselor-at-law and 
a scholarly and cultured gentleman. The [ndfx is 
published by W. N. Clapp. It is generally unpartisan, 
and aims to give a full but brief account of matters 
of local interest. 

The lidnnrr of Truth is a monthly is-sucd by Rev. 
John Y. De Baun, editor, and is referred to here- 
after. 

Churches and their Early History.— At the head 
of the churches in the township of New Barbadoes 
in point of age ami niemlxTship justly stands the 



NEW BARBADOES. 



IG.) 



First Reformed (Dutch) Church fthe" Church on the j 
Green"). We have already alluded to the early history 
of this church in other parts of this history of the 
township. Its records go back more than two centu- 
ries, containing the names of many of the leading 
aiitl prominent families in the town from the begin- 
ning, such as Westerveldt, Demaree, Van Winkel, 
De Vow, Ackerman, Bougardt, Hoppe, Mandeville, 
Powels, Banta, Van Der Linda, Housman, Bertholf, 
Terhunen, Blinkerhof, Zabrowiski, Lozier, Kip, and 
Romeyn. 

In 1686, Jaenis Simson, on confession of his faith, 
and Chrystina, the little child ofMattlys Hoppe and 
Antie Pouls, with Garrit Van Dien and Meyno 
Powels as witne-sses, were received into baptism. The 
confessor and the little child and her parents and the 
witnesses have all gone to their rest, but the old 
church outlasts them all, handing down their names 
and their faith to us. 

The honored pastors of this church have been 
Pctrus Taschemaker, from 1<J86 to 1689, whom we 
have already named; Guilliam Bertholf, from 1694 to 
1724; Reinhar Erricksou, from 1725 to 1728; Anto- 
nius Curtenius, from 1730 to 1755 ; John Henry 
Goetiichius, from 1748 to 1774 ; John Schuyler, from 
1756 to 1759; Cornelius Blaw, from 1768 to 1770; 
Warmoldus Kuyjiers, from 1770 to 1797 ; Theodorick 
Romeyn. I'rom 1775 to 1784; Solomon Froeligh, from 
1786 to 1823; James V. C. Romeyn, from 1799 to 
1833; James Romeyn, from 1833 to 1836; Alexander 
H. Warner, from 1837 to 1865; and Theodore B. Ro- 
meyn, from 1865 to the present time (1881), making 
an aggregate pastorship of two hundred and forty-six 
years, and an average of more than seventeen years 
for each pastor. Dr. Solomon Froeligh claims title to 
the longest pastorate of thirty-seven years, though 
one of his brothers served thirty-four years, and an- 
other thirty, and another twenty-eight, and another 
twenty-six, and another twenty-five. 

We have already given the names of the first offi- 
cers of the church. On the 29th of July, 1695, the 
pastor, Dominie Taschemaker, with the elders, re- 
ceived six more to the church membership. For the 
further history of this church we insert the very full 
and complete account contained in the ecclesiastical 
history of the church prepared by Dr. Theodore B. 
Romeyn, its present pastor, and published in 1870. 
This account is so full and so ably prepared that it 
justly and fitly deserves a place in this history. After 
alluding to the facts we have given, Dr. Romeyn, in 
speaking of Dominie Taschemaker, proceeds to say, — 

"He continued to administer the Lord's Supper to them as lie had 
opportunity until some time in 1689. He was settled during this period 
at N*ew Amstel (now New Castle), on the Delaware River, and conse- 
quently this ministration to the flock at Hackensack must have been 
rendered at very great inconveoience. Suljsequently he removed to 
Scheiiectaily, and became pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church at that 
place. He waa such at the time of the great Schenectady massacre by 
the Indians, on the 8th of February, 1690, and was one of the victims, 
together with his wife, two colored servants, and many of his people, 



thus falling a martyr to his Master.^ His head was cloven opeu, and, it 
is said, was cairied on a pole itiTo Canada, and his l>ody l)urned to the 
shoulder-blades. We know of no reminiscences of his personal charac- 
ter, except such as are given by the Labadists, Jasper Dankers and 
Peter Sluyter, in their journal. From this itseenis that Dominie Tesse- 
niaker came originally from Utrecht. In September, 1079, he was a can- 
didate for ordination, and about that time was probably examined and 
ordained. Hewas then expected to preach at South River. On Sunday, 
Oct. 29, 1679, he preached at Bergen. These Labadist tourists give a very 
wretched account of bis preaching and character. Tliey said they ' never 
heard woi-se preaching,' and stamp him as a 'perfect worldling.'- But 
this is the judgment of two of the most censorious men who ever joined 
two censorious natures together and then vented tlu-ir spleen. Had the 
dominie been a Laba<lift he would doubtless have received a saintlier 
characteristic from these twain carping visitors from Friesland. 

"Tlie name of Rev. Rudolphus Farik (Varick) occurs in the church 
records as having on one occasion ministered to this people at a very 
early period by preaching and administering the sacrament. 

'* During the absence of a stated minister his place was supplied by 
one who was called a Voorleser. He led the devotions of the worshiper's 
in singing and prayer and the reading of the Sciiptures. He was the 
catechiser and schoolmaster. Such a person seemed indispensable to 
those early settlers. In such a capacity Guilaem Bertholf became at 
that early date a settler in this locality. So acceptable were his services 
to the people that they desired him to become their minister, and ac- 
cordingly he was sent, at the expense of the churches of Hackensack and 
Acquacknonck, to Holland in 1693 for the purpose of being 'examined 
and ordained by theClassis.' The minutes of the Classis of Bliddleburgb, 
in Holland, show that he was admitted to full examination, and having 
given good proof of his qualifications, he was ordained and invested with 
the pastoral care of these churches.-' It will be seen that at that time 
these two churches of Acquacknonck and Hackensack were united. 
In 1694 he returned in safety to America and entered on the work of the 
ministry. This is indicated by bis own records at that date. He was the 
first regularly installed pastor in New Jersey. The first minister in the 
State, however, was a Presbyterian, Rev. Abram Pierson, of Newark, in 
1666, where the next year a church was organized. In 17u9 the Dutch 
Churches in Monmouth County obtained the services of Rev. Joseph 
Morgan, who was there for twenty-two years. Then two Dutch minis- 
ters in New Jei-sey, and never more at one time than two in New York 
City and two in Long Island (and at one period, from 1702-5, these 
four were reduced to one), constituted all the Dutch ministers around 
New York City or in New Jersey, being never more than six at one 
time.^ The first Dutch minister in America was John Michaelis, in 1628. 
The first in New Netherlands was Everardus Bogardu8,who arrived in 
1633. He was the man who, in a letter to Governor Van Twiller, repri- 
manded him for his official conduct, calling him a ' child of the devil,' 
promising him 'such a shake from the pulpit on the following Sunday 
as would make him shudder.' The church in Bergen is the oldest in the 
State, bearing date of 1660. But it had no settled pastor until 1757, 
ninety-seven years after its organization. 

" In 1696, just ten ye&vs after the organization of the church at Hack- 
ensack, a church building was erected on this very spot, and has gener- 
ally been known by the distinctive title of * The r?nirch (m the Green.' 
Where previous to this date services were held is not definitely known. 
A tradition coming through Rev. James V. C. Romeyn locates the build- 
ing j!ist below a graveyard, on the outskirts of the village proper, on the 
street leading to Hoboken. The church building at Bergen has prece- 
dence in age of sixteen years, having been built in 1680, while the first 
place used for worship in the city of New York was a spacious room 
built for the purpose over a horse-mill in 1626. The earliest account of 
a church organization at English Neighborhood is in the year 1768. 
That at Pompton Plains bears date of 173S ; that of Ponds, 1710, which 
was the first house of worship erected on the north of the Passaic River. 
The church at Paramus was organized 1725. As late as 1748 all the 

1 Taylor's Annals, 170; B. D. Ch. Mag , v. 2, 328. 

- Journal of a voyage to New York and tour in several of the Amer- 
ican colonies in 1679-80. 

^ Classis, in ordinar>' session, held in Flushing, Sept. 2, 1603. " Lemma 
9. (iuillaume Bertholf, at present Voorleser in the congregation of two 
towns in New Netherlands, presented a memorial signed by many mem- 
bers of the congregation, requesting that they might preserve him as 
their ordinary minister and pastor. It was resolved that the subject 
should be acted on to-morrow," etc. 

■* Corwin's Centennial. 



16t) 



HISTORY OF BKlUiEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES. NEW JERSEY. 



rrgion of cuuntr]r now comprised In the bounds of the congregations of 

Poniptiiii Plains, Pumpton, Ponds, Proakness, MontvilU', VairHcld, Little 
KalU, Add Totowa(or pHtersoni wiw fnvoreJ with but one cliiirch organi- 
ZHti«Mi.i At an eurly (M>riud o( tlie (ieltlt-nM-iit uf tliiN region ttieru was wliat 
waH called * the Krt'ticb Chiircli.' locAte4l jiiMt tlii« sidt- or Ili(> Old Bridge, 
by or in what iti calU-d 'the French btir>ing-(;roiind,' on tlie ea*tern !»ide 
of the Uiickeiiiuick UiviT. The tradition niiiit tlial as a Utat wtut sailing 
up llie river, on board of wliich were two noun witli liioir uiother, the 
niollivr died, and oho was buried ou the knoll of ground whicli is now i 
occupied A8 a burial-plot. These persunN are said to have iK-en of the 
DemarlaM fauiily which seltletl at 'Old Bridge' in 1677. A Lntlierau 
Church stood likewJNe on the imuie HJdu of the river, between tliis vi|. 
lage anil New Bridgi>, in whut i^ nuu ''ailed 'The Luthemn burying- 
gruund * Thix settlement t*f Lutherans v,vu* from Holland, and was 
vii)ite<l by l^r. Mublenburgh. It was probably organize^) into a cuugre- 
gation aU'Ut the year 1745 or 1746 - Itev. L C. Ilurtwick is said to have 
been the pastor for a tinie. The Kev. William Giafl wun tlic last pastor. 
Hi> left, and removed to (iermantown. N. J., some lime during the war 
of the Kevolutiou. The Rev. Dr. SchafTer, of New York, preached on 
the ruins uf the old church in the summer tif 18:^1, and attempted to 
revive an interest iu the <dd congregation, but it amounted to nothing.' 
Juilging fiom tlie present ruins, the building must liave been of very 
^ml(ll diuienttioiiH. Strange at* it may ^i-em. nrarce any other informa- 
tion respecting thet<e two churches can be gathered up. The Luther-an 
Churrh WHS in |M)ssfiMii(in of a certain ti-actof land on which the minister 
resided, which revertetl, accurding to the conditions of its grant, to the 
oldest male member of the church living when it was nu longer used 
for church puriKtrtes. By those terms it twcauic the proi>erty uf Cornelius 
Van Bnskirk, of Schraalenburgh, but nut until another clninmut was 
disiK)SMesse<l of it throngh recourse to the law. There is no dale in the 
'French burying-^ToutHr that curiies us back fnrther than I7:t5, and 
none in the Lntbcraii furtlier than 174.'i. A great portion of the latter 
yard ha;*, howuver, been wumhed awuy by the constantly aggressive waters 
uf the river, affording not a very creditable instance of care for tlie re- 
niuins of tlie dead of bygone days. 

''Some of the nuiterials of which the Dutch Church of 1(>9C, located 
on this tiiM)t, was constructed are now in the present bnilding, having 
been placed there in 1791. They nmy be ween In the eastern wall. On 
some of them are engraved in letters, rather nide, the initials of indi- 
vidual names; on others, the names iu full, with conesponding orna- 
ments, while there are others which partake of the nionogramniic. Of 
the original slructure scarce anything seems to bo known tK<yond the 
fact that it oncoexisletl. The stone now Inlaying the eastern wall bear* 
Ing Ibis inscription.— 

10 WtSTA CE 

it said to have been over the entrance-way. Some of the other carvings 
are, to say the least, curious.* It is to he regretted (hat to us they are so 
meanliiKless; others have l>eeu marreil by the tools of thoiighlleiis 
mechanics, one of which has l>oen cut In pieces, liearing date 172/>, with 
an loHcriptiim which would, from the character of the |M>rtlon whicli Is 
legible, seem to Indicate that It had been placeil In a very prominent 
position. 

** The preient site of the church, together with adjoining lands, making 
alKint two acres and three-qnarters, inrludlng n large portion of * the 
Green," or Park, on the west, woii donali'd to the rhur< h April 'M, IGOfl, 
by ('a|it. John Berry. The original <le«d In now Iu the an-hlvoii of the 
church. It wan grHnte<l in ctirmiileratlon of the fiui that, as stated In his 
own language, 'that tlu' luhabltaiitA of lUckenHack, New Barliadoos, 
and Arquarkoiionck are intended to build acliurch.* It was given to 
' one Morgan of ye said land for ncrommodation of uUd church.' SuIh 

1 Rev. T. II. Dnryee's sketch. 

* iMter from Itev. Mr. Deyo, of Siiildli< Ulver. 
> Letter from Hev. Dr. Pohlnian, of Albniiy. 

* The following have U<en taken from lh« Appendix of Mr. liumeyu's 
history of the churrh. 



Mquently, under date of March 23, 1712, another deed waa given, nun ■ 

speclflc, and making the grant alvolute and unconditional, ' for the con- 
sideration of love and gtXKl will toward his loving friends and neighbors 
of Said township of HackeiiHa.-k, New Barbadties, and Hackquackenm)^ ' 
This John Berry (Berrlei, of nuch considerate and generous inipnl" 
whose memory is pn-i'lotis l>ecause of bi:^ irift-. rather than be-au-' ' 




AH AS • LAM 
i D^ Mi MP 




his great poMnssions, originally, in 1<>I>9, together with certain hhmm iiittf , 
became owner, nndi>r the ndmlnlKtratioii of t^overnor Carteret, of a 
tract of land extending from the line of the Siuiford grant, on the 
south, 'six miles into the country,' Incluiling thus the present site of 
the village of llackennack, running from the llackensack Blver, on the 
east, lo what Is now callwl Saddle Ulver (calleil by the Indians, improp- 
erly, ir<iU7»Mile, It being pru|>erly Kerakano*^),on the west, and what Is 

ft Original Indian deed toCapt. Jtdin Berry, Nov.29,ie8(>, in ixMseestou 
of Chancellor /abriskle. 



NEW BARBADOES. 



167 




■^cri-^iuij^^-s^^^J^. 



now called Cole's Creek, on tlie north, above this cliurch al>oiit two 
miles. If the language iisetl in bis will is any evidence, Capt. John ' 
Berry, the donor, was a Christiim, iiiid bis donntion was made with sin- 
cere affection for the church. In tliiit will we find this language : 'I j 
commit my soul into the hands uf Gud, my Creator, with a well-grounded ] 
pei-suasion that Jesus Christ, in bis human nature, taken in his Divine» 1 
hath made full payment unto Divine Justice for all my sins and trans- 
gressions, and that his rigbteounness shall be imputed to me for my 
justification.' Snch testimony gives tlie bequpst pocniiar endearment- 
This original settler had more favural»Ie estimates of the value of re- i 
ligion and religious ordiuances than thtit old historian who, at the early 
settlement of New Jersey, in giving a descriptinn of the country, 
spoke of it as being ' worthy of the name of Taiadise, because, in addi- | 
tion to its natural advantages, it had ni> lawyers or jdiysicians or 

"Giiillaem Bertbolf, during whose pastorate the fii-st structure was 
reared, continued bisnnnistry nntil 17'.i4, a period of itbuut thirty years. 
During this time two hundred and forty-twu persons were admitted into 
the cliurcb membership on confession and twenty-six by certificate. 
The record was kept with apparent lare till he ceased his active labors. 
A growing feebleness is traceable in the entries which were made by 
him, and at the close they show the trembling, unsteady hand of old iige, 
which dropped the pen at last, and it was taken up by another. Previ- 
ous to 1720 there was no record of church membership kept at Acquack- 
enonck. The one we have here kept by him was piobably the only one. 
At Tappan he is said to have officiated statedly for all the years of his 
ministry in the administration of tin- Lord's Supper. He organized the 
church at Itaritan, March 3, lO'.iy, and ordained the elders on the same 
day. He likewise introduced the Rev. Theodoru8 J. Frelinghuyseu to 
the pa-storate there in 1720. The church at Tarrytown (thnn Philip's 
Manor) was likewise organized by him, about IGU7, where he occasion- 
ally ministered. He is said to have own«'d a tract of land of thirty-seven 
acres near Hackensack, which he bought of John Berry, and on which 
he probably resided. His salary, judging from a single receipt, which is 
still extant, was, in 1717, fifty pounds peianniim AVe append the auto- 
graph accompanying the receipt. He died in 1724, leaving a large 



the passage of each was twenty pounds and extra charges. The cap- 
tain's receipt for the money is among the church papers. It was paid by 
Messrs. Martinus Pauls and Jacobus Blinkerhof, at New York. It 
seems that a note of paynu-nt was given at Amsterdam, and paid after 
arrival by these i)arties, as if there was a previous agreement. Rev. 
Gualtherius Hubois' name is likewise associated with the same matter. 
Fnun the receipts it appeare that his salary was about foity pounds per 
annum. At or near the same time the salary of the Voorleser was about 
four pounds, four shillings, and sixpence. 



family of children. From him sprang the Brrtholfs of this day, honored 
in having so worthy a forefather. We believe that the place of his 
burial is unknown. We are told of him tliat ' he was in possession of a 
mild and placid eloquence, which pnrsuiided by its gentleness and at- 
tracted by the sweetness which it distilled and the holy savor of piety 
which it diffused around.' 

"With Mr. Bertholf's death terminated the connection between the 
churches of Hackensack and Acquackenonck. The Rev. Reinhart Er- 
rickson (Erigson), from Holland, succeeded in this pastorate in 172.5, 
while the Rev. Henry Coens succeeded in that at Acquackenonck. In 
a record of his own marriage, May 22, 1726, which was consummated by 
Kev. Mr. Coens, be styles himself ' minister of New Barbadoes, Schraa- 
lenburg, and Perremus.' Following this record is that of the marriage 
of the Rev. Mr, Coens, consummated by Mi. Errickson, September 1st 
of the same year, the speedy reciprocation of a favor by himself asked, 
and very soon after having granted it to his ministerial brother. Rev. 
Mr. Errickson married Maria Piovt)Ost. Rev. Mr. Coens married Bella 
(Belinda) Provoost. This record gives proof that Mr. Errickson had the 
care at this time of both the churches at Hackensack and Schraalen- 
liurgh. 

"The church nt Schraalenburgh was organized in 1724. The first 
building at Schraalenburgh was erected in 1725, a few rods east of the 
present site of what is now called 'the South Church.' Mr. Errick- 
son continued this pastorate for aliout three years, when, in 1728, he 
removed to Schenectady, The fruits of his ministry in the increase of 
churdi mend>ei-sbip was the addition of fifty pei-sons on confession and 
sixteen by certificate. From Schenectady he removed in 1736 to Free- 
hold, Monmouth Co., where there is said tu be at the present time a very 
excellent portrait uf him. He cunii' tiver IVom Holland in the sliip ' King 
George,' Capt. Samuel Payton, with his brother atul sister. The fare fur 

■" Whitehead's E. N. Jersey. 




0^<'c/^ 



"With the removal of Mr. Erickson began the project of erecting a 
new church edifice. This was completed the same year. The stones of 
the old building were incorporated in the new one. During this period, 
and until 1730, the church was without a pastor, but it enjoyed the occa- 
sional ministry of the Rev. GualtheriuH Dubois, of New York, during 
which forty-six were gathered into church niemliership. 

"The Rev. Antonius Curtenius next succeeded in this pastorate, being 
called from Holland. His ministry began in November, 1730, which is 
the date of his first entry of marriages in the records of the church. 
The record of church membership begins in 1731. About this time the 
Schraalenburgh and Paranius congregations united in a call upon Rev, 
George W, Mancius, who accepted, and was settled on Dec. 23, 1730, over 
which churches he presided for about one year. Subsequently, in 1737, 
the churches of Hackensack and Schraalenburgli became ecclesiastically 
united niuler Rev. Mr. Curtenius, who remained sole pastor for aboTit ten 
years. 

"His Kilary aeoins to have been about tbiity-f»ne pounds, thiitei-n 
shillings, and four pence, Bemi-annuKlly, iiltliougb at times it seems to 
have reached forty pounds, or eighty annually. Then, lor reasons of 
which we ale not informed, the Re%-. John Henry Goelschina was called 
as a colleague with him, and settled Oct. 16, 1748.'- His i-ahiry seems 
at times lo have been about fifty pounds, more or less, with the frac- 
tion of a few pence, always named in quite all the receipts, showing 
that either the dominie counted clcjsely or the consistories or the people, 
between whom we judge not, .lust liefoie his settlement a benevolent 
contribution was made to a church at Philadelphia of eight pounds and 
five shillings by the Schraalenburgh Church, and five ponrnls, live shil- 
lings, and Bi.\ i)ence by the Hackensack Church, wbiib was acknowledged 
by the consistory of said church at Philadelphia, timler the signatures 
of each of the elders and deacons, by date Dec. 1,1747. 

"This co-pastorate continued unlil May 2, 1750, when Rev. Mr. Cur- 
tenius renujved to Flatbush, L. I., and settled over ' the five churches in 
King's County.' At this place he died in October of tho following year, 
in the fifty-ninth yearofhis age, after an illnessof about flvedays. Rev, 
Mr Curtenius was married by Rev. Mr. Mancins, ' minister at Schraa- 
lenburgh and Peramus,' to Elizabeth De Foreest, July 10, 17:i2. Subse- 
quently he was married again to Catharine Boele, from New York. One 
who has given a reminiscence of him says, ' He was a gentleman, regu- 
larly educated, and remarkable for his inilefatigable diligence in the 
ministration of his functions. His actions in all the afl'airs of life have 
ever been accompanied with the strictest rules of justice, so that uone 
could with more propriety claim the title of a preacher and sincere 
Christian, which not only his good morals manifesled, but his glorious 
resolution to launch into eternity, saying, " O Death, whore is thy sting?" 
etc. His remains were decently interred in tho church. His death is 
universally lamented by his relatives and all those who knew him, par- 
ticularly by his congregations, who are highly sotisible of the loss of 80 
inestimable a shepherd, whose every action displayed the Christian.'^ 

" With this co-pastorate of Curtenius and Goetschius, or in connection 
with it, began dissension among the people. Hack thither, we suppose, 
may be traced the first sparks of the fire which rageil for yeai-s in these 
localities, and which, with grief be it said, has not yet gone out. The 
great wonder is, after such burnings, sweeping over years, that more 



2 Dr. Gordon's Manual. 

=< Chrixlian InUllujeiirer^ October, 1860, 



168 



HISTORY OF BERGKN AND FASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JEUSEV. 



tfaao the tuahet* of these churchee remain. But wliatftver flres may burn, 
even such as raged liere, God cnn and will tako cnre uf his church, niid 
He has duni* it thus far. 

" The T«o' idea uf » c<dleagu(< may xiigResI, In thU ctuH*, disvatisfacllon 
•omewhere. Then the co-pasturs probahly bi;<'auie entangled in differ- 
encfs, and erentually idfntitied with ttioni. The ca^te is thus statc<l hy 
Dr. Gordon : 'Mr. Goetschius waa youuft, active, and potwi'^sod willml of 
popular tah>ritfi. Mr. Curleninv was a quit>t, ^ood man, who loved pence 
no ]v^ than piety ; but he wiis lc8s active, and second to his culleat^ne 
in popularity. Facts lead uh io infer that Goetschius played the part of 
AltMilom in stealing the hearts of the i>eople fiuni Cuiloniuit. He so 
nniriagcil us lu pmcure the members uf consistory from among his own 
Immediate friends, who had l>ecunie alieiiate<l from the older pastor, and 
the r<K-ord is left by one who had made a careful cullectiun uf well-a^cer- 
tuined facts tlmt " Curit-nius preached freiguently without a single elder 
or deacon in his sent." '' 

"As liiHti'ry uuglit to be a truthful record of events, the following 
stutenietit i(i ciTt'iiiily in place, which is quoted by Dr. Taylor in liis 
' Annals <>f the Claris of Brr(;en,' that ' Mr. Goetechins and hiu friends 
went to AmtK>y and obtaim-d fruni the GoviTiiur a charter convey! g the 
church prujverty in an improiwr manner, without the knowledge of tlie 
friends (>f Mr. Curtenius. Subsequently, on representation front that 
party to the Gitvernor, the charter wtia declured invalid.' 




■■ .Vnuther cause of diMcnsiun, which He.-med to increase the bitterneta 
uf feeling, WR8 the rise in thette chun'hes, as was the case through all 
the churcheji, uf the parties undt-r the names of * CV)«/iu' and ' Cou/erenti'.* 
The ' tV)</M(t' party desired sepanition from the C'la^sis of .\nisterdiim, in 
Holland, and organi/jition into a Claa'-is in this country, with jHiwentof 
ordinalion and judiciid authority. The opposing party wisluHl the cIom- 
Ical authority to renniin vested in the t^lossis In Hollnnd. In that case 
it would l»e necepsiiry that every minister settled hero t^hoiihi come Hum 
Hullrtiid iilready urdalnml, ur go there for nrdiniitiou. The * Coetus* 
party formed the i»rogre»«dve party of tbe times. They were con».lun8 
that, ihougli they were /rom Holland, they were not in Holland, and 
thought the dennmd of their clrcumstJinrcs of more consequence Ihiin 
mere formal relationnhii>s uf nuthorUy and namf. The!*e parties, regarded 
In the light *>l the eU-nionts thnt chunictoH/ed tbeni, have not yet died 
out, iind the question may be started whi-ther there are not some living 
whu, out of veneration for what \h old, and unconscious that timoH have 
changed, would not think it l>etler tos<-nd can<lidate-'< awiiy to the fiither- 
land f"r onlinntion, unh'rts, perhn|w, the rr/imM* of the vojuge would 
serve a.-* un uttjection to remnining by what it old because old. In tlie 
ye«r \~:r, a meeting of ministerM was held In New York, at which a plan 
of a Cuetus or Assembly which should b« sulmrdinato to the Classls of 
Amf>tenliini wa*" pro|HMM>d, matuifd, and forwurded to the different 
churches fur their concurrence. Another meeting was held April 'Si, 
17:W, at wlilch the plan was nttifieil and adupted. It was then sent to 
th*> ClnMis of Amstertlain, In Hulhind, for nppn>t>atb>n. It tf>ok that 
GlassiH about nine years to return nil answer (1747), which wiis of cun- 
cuirenre. lJ|K>n this favoi-iiblo turn ti) their re<pie«ts the Drst meeting 
of the Coetus was held in tlo' Scptoml>er following in the city of New 
York. Snbsecpiently (17M) this ' Coetus' pnqtoscd a Heparalu urgarilza* 
lion lis a t'lHAsin, with cliinshal powors. Again<«t thiH op|>o«itiot) arose 
on the part of alMiiit one-half the ndnlitry, who styled theniNelres 'Con- 
ferenlle.*2 The ' C'onferentie* met Orst in 17f)fl. The members consli- 
tutitig i( were comiHweil uf the most learni>d men, while those of the 
' (*u4*tni>' wore men uf * practical preaching, zenl, and industry.* 

" IP>twoen these parlies the must intensely bitter feelings seem to have 
pre\nl|p<l throughout Ihn Ihilch Ctiurrh denondnatioti. An hlnturian > 
des4-ril)es the Niale of affairs In the fulluwlng language: 'The peace i>f 
the cliurrb wiis deMtroyiHl. Not only neighburing nilidsters and cungre- 
galions wep- at variance, but tn many placKH the same c>»ngregatiun wan 
dlrhb'd; and in IhuKe Instance* in which the nienil>ers, ur the Inllnenttal 
chamcient, un the different side* ware nearly equal, (he cunseqnenctp* 
bvcaine very deplorntde. Houses of worship wore lucked by one part of 
Uie cungregntlun against the other. Tumults <in the Ijord's t>ay at the 

) Pr Oonlon*s Manual, p i. 

S Chruluiu ytngtisirte, vol. II. p. 0. 

^Dr. T. Ilomevn. 



doors uf (be church were fhequent. Quarrels respecting the serrices 
and the contending claims of different ministers and people often ti>ok 
I'lace. Preai-hers wore sometimes sasuulted In the pulpit and public 
wurship either diKtnrl«d or terminated by viulence. In their attacks 
the 'C'onferentie' i»arly wore considered the mure vehement and uutra- 
gcous. But on both sides a furious and int*'nipera(e zeal prompted many 
to excesses which were a disgrace to the ('tirif<tian name, ami threatened 
to bring into contempt that cause which both professi*d to be deeinnisof 
supporting. 

"In these divisions we And the colleagues of the churches of Hack- 
ensack and Schraatenburgh taking oppusite grounds. Ri-v. Mr. Curte* 
nius was of the 'Confereutie* party, and Her. Blr. Goetschius of the 
'CoetUB.' Although about this time Mr. Curtenius left fur Flalliush.yot 
the Are was kindled, and the fuel wrh ready and burning, and it burned 
vigorously. Peace had tied the borders of their congregations. Fami* 
lies were divliled agalnnt themselves, and indignities were heaped upon 
one another. 

" One result of this dissension was the divittion of IheMc two churches 
into distinct orgainzatiuns. The Rev. Gerardun Haughevuort officiated 
on the occasion of (he ordination and installittion of the elders and dea* 
cons of these respective iKMlies. Thus at this i>erio<l wi> And liro distinct 
church organ i/jitious where (here was but one, nnd fifo congregations at 
Hiickentsack, and tiro itt Schninlenburgh, worshiping on alternate Sah- 
Imtlis in the same buitdltig, each acknowledging the right of the other 
to ou.-liiilf ilu' property at each location. 

"While Mr. Goetirichius remained iMistor of the party that adhered to 
the 'CoetUH,' the Uev. John Schuyler became (he pastoi' of the other 
party III 1756. The fiienda of Mr. Gm-tschius fullowed him when he 
preached, whether at Schraalenburgh or HuckenB'tck,aud the friends of 
5Ir. Schuyler piiixiieil (bo same cotirse towanl^ him. What amount of 
Clirisiian love such a state of things munt have fostered one tn - 
imagiui-. A litde study of the way certain patriarchs of the Old T< >' 
ment nnnaged to avoid strife, and nn imitation of their conduct, might 
have avoided an almost incalculnble amount of evil. 

" In 1750, Mr. Schuyler's labor« ended here, hiving served the people 
three years, .\fier a vacancy of abuu( Hiar-yeais. He v. Cornelius Ulauw, 
who came from llollund, was t«et1led in 17(>S. His ministry lasted three 
years. He was followed by Kev. Warmotdns Kuypors, who came to this 
country from the ii^land of Cumvua about 17C8 or 170'.'. The exact date 
of his settlement does Dot appear. It was before 1771. At this time the 
chniches at Hackensack nnd Schrnjileuburgh wore under the care uf the 
Clansis of Hackensack, through the opemtiunuf the ' .\rlicles of rniuu,' 
which were ailupted in 1771 In New York with a view to healing the 
brettche« which were existing, Cn-dit for thi;* laU'r uf love Wlungs to 
John H. liivingstou, who, viewing with heavy hi'art the condition uf the 
Dutch I'hurches in America, when he left this country foi llollund foi 
thi'puriHise uf pn>secuting his Btudien de(enninfd to make an effurt to 
bring the sad and serious subject before (be brethren there and interest 
them in bringing al>out |>eace. He was happily successful. The result 
was (he meeting In New York of aconvendon of alt the ministers, with 
une elder from each church, (o devise menus of rei-unciliatlou. Of (his 
ctinvenlion Itevs. Mr. Kuy)>ersand (iuetschlus were members. 

" Fur a short tinu- Mr. Kiivpers ««?* c«'temi»uniry with Sir. Goelpkhiu-*. 
Mr. (•oetschluB eioled his InUtrs in death, Nov. H. 1774, »t the age of 
nfly-seven. He was the son of a Gernuui minister in Switzerland; was 
lK>rn in 1714, at Zurich. He recidve.l his literary education at it> uni- 
versity. In early life ho came to Thiladelpliia with his father, who was 
calletl and (lettlwl as the pas(<ir of the first Germnu Reformed Church in 
that city. Thei-o he pronwuteil the study of the<dogy, under the Bev. 
Mr. porsiUB, another ntlnlstcr of the German Reformed Church. He 
preached for *ime time after his ordination in the Reformed Dutch 
Church In Neshamlny, I'a. Thence he remove*! to Jamaica. 1.. I., lu the 
year 1741, having accepte*! a call from the CuKed Reformed Dutch 
Clinnhe'* In Newtown, Jamaica, Success, and Oyster Hay, of «hich he 
was the first xettled pastor. In consequt-uce uf bis imn-asiiiK p<qiul>irlty 
as a cunimanding pulpK orator, and his extensile llti-rary and theologi- 
cal acqiilromenls, accompanied with an oarneKt piety and an untiring 
ft4<al, he WHS BtMin chosen as a lecturer and (eacher of theology In the Re- 
formed Dutch Cliurch. A Isrge numlH>r of the yunug men uho entered 
the niltilntry at that day were under tils tlo'ological Innt ruction. Amontc 
them wa« S«dumon Kroidlgh. 

" HU ndidstry on Unig Inbiu 1 wa> very «i»in attended with a reuinrk- 



NEW BARBADOES. 



169 



able blessing, and as be belonged to tbe 'Coetua' party, be consequently 
experienced great opposition fruiii tbe bretbien of the ndverse party, 
the' Conference. ' Oltentinies tbechuiclies were closed against him and 
his adherents, and he was ficijuently compelled to preach in barns, in 
private houses, and under shady trees. On one occasion, when he had 
obtained access to tbe pulpit in Jamaica, the chorister (who in those 
days had his seat at a small desk immediately hi-neatb the pulpit, ami 
at the comnieiicenieut of the morning service read a chapter froui the 
Bible and gave ont tbe first psalm or hymu), in order to prevent the 
minister from having the opportunity of preaching, gave ont the whole 
of the one hundred and nineteenth Psalm, which, if sung in tiie slow 
way that then prevailed, would have consumed the whole day. When, 
however, tlie usual time had been occupied he arose in the pulpit, and 
by his powerfnl voice drowned that of the foresinger anil obtained the 
mastery and preached. Not having been ordained by the 'Couferentio' 
partj', the validity of his ordination was by them called in question. But 
for the sake of harmony in the churches on Long Island he submitted 
to a re-examination and reordination by the ministers of tbe 'Confer- 
entie' party, who were in the nnijority in New York and Long Island. 
It was at that time the rule for the candidate who had been through an 
examination and had snstained it to pay to the Clas^is or Synod live 
pounds, which went into the contingent lund of the body, and it was 
always paid before the adjournment. When the president, therefore, an- 
nounced that tbe examination was sustained, it was expected that the 
fee would be laid on the table. But 3Ir. Goetschius had paid this sum 
at his former examination, and thinking it to be unjust that he shovild 
be called to pay it again, arose and said, • Now, hrethreu, I mnst say to 
you as Peter and Jolin did to the lame man Mho lay at the gate of the 
Temple which is called Beautiful and asked alms of them, ' Silver and 
gold liave I none, but such as I have give I thee: in the name of Jesus 
Clirist of Nazareth rise up and walk,' and immediately be took up his 
hat and walked out of the bunse.' While on Long L-jland he gave great 
offense by a sermon which he preached on ' The unknown God,' it being 
received as a reflection upon the peraonal piety of the people. The old 
folks said, ' Shall this stripling tell us that we have so long served an 
unknown God?' His life on Long Island was one of great conflict. 
'He was a man of deep feeling, strong passions, and independency of 
spirit.' It is said by the author from whom we glean some of these 
facts that it wjis not unusual for the early ministers to wear a cocked 
hat and a sword, which they took off and laid behind them in tlie pul- 
pit ; and that on one occasion, when he api)rehend('d resistance to en- 
tering his church at Hackensuck, he called for his sword, buckled it on 
his tliigb, determined to do wliat he must to assert his rights, and thus 
accoutred he entered the pulpit,^ 

" He is said to have been in pei'son below the medium size, of a vigor- 
ous constitution, abrupt in speech, but clear, expressive, and pointed in 
his language. In his preaching he was both a sou of thunder and a son 
of Consolation, terrifying in denouncing the curses of the law, but con- 
soling and encouraging in his addresses to Ciiristiaus. It was a common 
thing for his audience to be bathed in tears. His wit was leady, and his 
sarcasms such that they were not soon forgotten. During his residence 
at Jamaica he was on pleasant terms with lM)th the Presbyterian and 
Episcopalian clergymen of the place. The latter said to him on a certain 
occasion, referring to his solemn and severe manner in the pulpit, 'It 
always seems to me, when I hear you preach, that the law must have 
been given in the Dutch language.* 'Very likely,' said Mr. Goetschius, 
'and I have always thought that the English must have heen the lan- 
guage in wliich the serpent spoke to our mother in Paradise.' During 
the ministiy of Mr. Goetschius in Hackensack several powerful religious 
revivals occurred. He labored here for about twenty years. He died 
suddenly at Schnuilenburgh. The last words he was heard to utter 
were, * Now I shall soon be with my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.' ^ 

Dominie J. Hendrikus Goetschius was married to Rachel /abrowsky, 
by Dominie Curtenius, Aug. 'J6, 1750. 




/J'^-^-^^'t-^^.^^^ - 



"In the year following (1775) Rev. Theodorick Romeyn (commoidy 
called Dircli was called to till this vacancy from the Reformed Dutch 
Church at Marbletown, N. Y. To whatever extent the 'Articles of 
Union' were eflective in bringing about peace in these churches it was 



• Dr. Spmgue's Annals of R. D. Ch. ~ 
■-' Chrisliiin Intel}., October, 1865. 
^ Dr. Sprague's Annals R. D. Ch. 



not perfect peace. Bad feelings die slowly, the worae the slower. Mr. 
Romeyn consequently found the old fires still alive at Hackensack, and 
tliey began to burn anew through the political differences connected 
with the Revolutionary war. He was faithful in his attendance upon 
the Classis, but during his ministry no delegates were sent from Mr. 
Kuypers' church. The condition of things is thus described by an- 
other: 

"'Some few were traitors, some indifferent, others entered tmt aa 
warmly into tlie cause as might have been expected; others, again, with 
enlightened patrioiisui, urged on the cause of their country as the cause 
of God. \ lew. no doubt, were exces.sive in professions of patriotism, and 
used it to cloak their love of plunder and their individual resentments. 
Then vanie the strong political controversies under the earlier years of 
our Constitution. All these causes constantly agitated the community 
composing these congregations. They followed their respective minis- 
ters on alternate Sabbaths, meeting like two angry waves. Private 
friendships with many were broken up. Politics were largely mingled 
in the discussions of the pulpit, and the result was for a long time that 
all, or nearly all, who belonged to one communion were of one political 
creed, and all, or nearly all, who were of the other communion were on 
the opposite side in politics.' 

"Dr. Theodorick Romeyn remained pastor of the churches of Hack- 
ensack and Schraalenburgb for ten years. Previous to his settlement 
he had declined two calls from these churches. He arrived at Hacken- 
sack in the early part of May, 1776, and was installed by Rev. Samuel 
Verbryck, who preached on the occasion, and for whom he is said to have 
cherislied * the most affectionate respect and veneration.' 

"During his ministry this locality was greatly disturbed by theBriiish 
troops and their sympathizers. Before the close of the year in which 
he wafl settled they entered his dwelling during his absence and carried 
off or destroyed all his furniture, clothing, books, papers, etc. Soon after 
this he removed his family to New Paltz, and thence to his mother-in- 
law's at Marbletown, where they remained nearly two years. Frequent 
visits were made to his congregation, but they were necessarily brief and 
always attended with great danger. On the occasion of one of these 
visits, in September, 1777, as he was about leaving, he was waylaid by 
two armed loyalists, who, as he afterward found, had a design upon his 
life, and were prevented from executing it only by the formidable ap- 
pearance of the armed men who happened to be with him. In February, 
1770. he ventured to return to Hackensack with his family, and soon 
after solicited and obtained 'militia aid' from Governor Livingston ; and 
as the state of things became more alarming, he subsequently obtJiined 
additional aid. In March, 1780, a detachment of the enemy surprised 
Hackensack, took a immber of the inhabitants prisoners, burned the 
court-house and some private dwellings, and carried off a large amount 
of plunder. Among the prisoners was one of Mr. Romeyn's brothers, 
who remained a ca[>tive about three months. Mr. Romeyn himself was 
providentially the means of saving several men in the house in which he 
lived, and he himself i-scaped only by hiding in the garret, standing on 
abeam beliind a chimney. He was at this time again plundered of a 
considerable quantity of clothing. ■» His house was set on fire, but the 
flames were extinguished before doing any considerable damage. While 
absent in 1778 his congregation sent him £25 18s. for his use, through 
Isaac Van Gieson. His absence was deeply regretted, and they depre- 
cated the idea of his connecting himself with any othercharge.^ During 
this period a correspondence was kept up between him and Dr. Peter Wil- 
i son,« part of which, on the side of the latter, is now in the archives of 

I * Dr. Sprague's Annals R. D. Church. 
I 5 N. J. Col. Doc. Index, 454 p. 

j 6 Peter Wilson was at this time the learned and accomplished princi- 
j pal of the academy at Hackensack, an institution of more than ordinary 
I reputation in its day. Application was actually made in its behalf to 
j the Legislature for a charter of incorporation as a college, and l>ut for 
, the delicacy of Mr. Wilson, who was then a member of the Legiebiture, 
! and thus refused to support the measure personally, it is probable that 
Hackensack would have been a seat of college education. 

Dr. Wilson was a fine scholar and a thorough patriot. His contempt 

of British aristocracy led him to leave his home in Scotland, where he 

might be free from the caste and constraint which trammeled a noble 

spirit. From 1777 until 178;j he was a member of the Legislature, and 

was always selected as the principal person to draft the laws of the day. 

In 178.3 he was appointed to revise aud complete the laws of New Jersey 

up to that period. Subsequently he became Professor of Languages and 

I of Greek and Roman Antiquities in Columbia College, New York. He 

I died at Hackensack, Aug. 1, 1825, in tlie seventy-ninth year of his age.— 

■ Dnhh t'/i. .)/«;/., 2, IdO. 



17i> 



HISTORY OF 15KUGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



the New Jeney Hlitorlcal Society, but hb own letters have been de- 
etTo\ ed. He wiw an anient patriot, aiitl received from tlie Britiitti, who 
Heenied Im have a («{ii*ctiil dislike to him, t)ie title uf * the rebel panwn.* 
He was tui intimate relatluiii» with several m<>8t diiilitigdisheil ufflceni in 
the nruiy, and rendered importiiiit service. 

*' In 17S4 he uccepteii n call Trom the Reformed Dutch Churrh 
at Schenectady, X. Y. During liis miiiiiitry there he watt ditm- 
bled by a pnnttytic stroke for a time, hut rallied so that he was 
able to preach again once each Sablxith for aI»out u year. He 
died oil the 16th of April, 1804, in the sixty-fii-«t year »f his age. 
He WHS born at HackeniHick, Jan. lii, 1744. He whs the son of Niclioltis 
H«iiiieyn and Itachel Vri-t-landt. His great-grandfather, Clats Jimso 
Rumeyn, wiis the tlrst penwn of that name who came to tbii* country, and 
wospmhiibly thefitiherof nil the Ronieyits herealKnitandofniany otliere, 
if not of all in the Un<l. He emigrated fruni the United Province.-* (now 
Belgium) to Brazil, in South America, between the years IGjtt and 16i¥t, 
while that country was subject to the States-General. When, howevvr, 
the States rcliur)uished their possession of the country in 16CI, be emi- , 
grated to New Netherlands (New York), and settled first iit Amesfort 
vT GravenzJiiid, oit Long Isliind. Thence he removed to Haekensjirk, 
where he lived not f.ff frum ten yeiin*, when he Ment to Shappekenike, 
or Gre«'nwicli, al>ont t\vr> miles Ironi New York, where he died.' Theo- 
doric Romeyii was fiilher of Dr. John B Ronieyn, of New York, and 
uncle of Rev. James V. C. Romeyn. of Hackensack. He gmduated at 
Princeton, 17G>'i, and was classmate of Rev. Dr. Jonathan Kdwnnls. 
Part of his theological e<luc:ition was ]tcqnire<l under Kev. J. H. Goets- 
chius, who preached hifi ordination sermon. At the ejirly age of nine 
years he was deeply impressed with religious views, and at sixteen or 
seventeen Ite publicly profe><sed his faith in Christ. In IT'JT he beciime 
one of the two additional Professors of Theology, the other being Dr. 
Solomon Frooligh. His characteristics are piven by Rev. John Mjer 
(Meyer), his colleiigue and successor, who preached his funeral sermon. 
He says of him that * be ])o6sessed a mind strong, energetic, and more 
than ordinarily cnmprehen<<ive. His judgment was sound and mature, 
and his nmmory remarkably retentive. In the discharge of his minis* 
terial functions he proved himself an able minister of the New Testa- 
ment,— b watchman that needeil not to be ashamed. As he had loved 
the doctrines of grace, and hud experienc^'d their i>ower and inlluence 
on bis own heart, so he iilso insisted upon them in U\n public niinittim- 
tions. His theme uniformly was CbriMt ami bini crucified. His nniuncr 
wiuf Udd, iiiirvpid, and daring. In the execution of bis duties he waa 
neither daunted nor moved,— he wiis Iho Boanerges of his day. When 
he repnivw! the sinner trembled. When he pn>nounced KImiI's t'iir8<'M 
agtiiust the wickeil, It was like the thunders of Sinai. He wiw not, how- 
ever, Incapalfle of the |>atlietic. He could at times move the heart and 
niell the audience to te.trs. His disconrseH were solid and interesting, 
oftentimes enlivened with historical anecilofeii. In the introduction of 
these he was peculiarly happy. He always entered deep inlu IiIm sub- 
ject. Mis ilelivery was iininiated and uiiafli'cteJ, without ostentation, 
and l<iM:oming bis snbjei t. He aimed at nothing but what wils perfectly 
natiinil. In his intercourse with the worM he 8upp<irted a becoming 
dignity. Independence of sentiment iiiarkinl bis imth thntugb its busy 
rounds. He knew not )iow to dissenible; he was |Kdlle to all, familiar 
with few. This rendered the circle of his intimates coiitnicted and the 
nunii.er of bis confidential friends small. In bis ci>nversation he whs 
interesting, always iiistnictive. His family in him have lost an aflTec* 
tlonate relative, a watchful guanlian, and a great example, the chundi 
a pillar, and society >in ornament." - 

" R*-v. Mr. Ilomeyn's place wiu not sup|i|ied until more than a year 
after bis departure,' b-aving Mr. Kuypers S4de |>a"tor. 

'* Rev. Solomon Froeligh was then railed from the churche« of Mill- 
nUtw and No-shan-bk, and having accepted, in 17lji> was InstalliMl hy 
Rev. Ihnjumln Vtin der Linda, of Sailillo Klvor.* 

1 Vr. Spriigue's AnnaN. Ii is Mibl by »<mie of the family that he firtt 
went fmm France to Holland, which givi*« » French extractmn, and not 
Dutch, and makes binione ol the largo class of llugiienolB. This origin 
Is clalnieil by Ihone ^t hi* ^pell the namo liomuint. Instead of Homrf/M. 

9 Mem. Dr. Livingston iGunni, ApiN>ndu t*, :ui,t. 

>■ Among other reasons for leaving Hai-kensack wu disapiiuintment 
that the nrreMia of his suUry hxd not been |uiid. But It U some satit* 
faction to know that there is a receipt among the rhun-h |iaiiers which 
•hows that In the end all thow arrears were met. 

< Mr. Vim der Linda was l>t>rn it| I'ullitly, mur ILickenoack, In 1710. 
Ills family settled In that locality as early as 1 OHO, on the place now 
occuple«l by Mr. Garret Brinkerhoff. He was the flr-t peratm examined 



** Difficulties still continuing in the churches, the Claasis reff«rreil the 
w hole matter to the Synod for settlement. The propositions from Synod, 
through the t'litHsin. were accepte<l by the church of Mr Froelipb. But 
the churches unilcr Mr. Kuypern diwcn ted, through their elder, Abrahani 
Kip. The reasons for such diasent having been given, new efforts were 



'*^^*^-^»-^ <s«-»x crCti, 



'^^r^ 



made towards reconciliation, which were ^ticces-'fiil. Iiilh.ulties w. le 
adjusted, H plan of union adopted, and articles agre^'d uih.ii between the 
two cliurche'i by a n«>lemn declaration of adherence and a formal sub- 
scription. The Claasis recorded the fact of reconciliation with grent 
joy, ns may well be suptxwd. .Vfter forty year* of diwpiiei, |»eace nt 
length prevailed, and it seemed as if all dissension was huned out of 
sight for ever. 

"At this juncture it was proponed to rebuild the church ut Hacken- 
sack, which since 1728 (aWut sixty-two years) had served them as a 
{dace of Worship. A meeting tor consultation was announced to Iw 
held, and the tradition runs that, hk iIm- subject of rebuilding hail iu 
friends and opi>osers 'as i< genemlly the case where there are progres- 
sive movements), and much interest wa^ nmnifested by lK>th imrties, the 
young people settled the matter by taking possession of the church 
some hours before the time for the apiniinted meeting and tearing out 
the pews around the wall, removing the chairs and benches from the 
centre of the room, and carrying them, with other fixtuies, to 'the 
Green' (or public B<|UHro). The*e preliminary steps left the meeting 
nothing to do but to vote to n*build. This was done after a plan, which 
is now in the archives of the church, together with the iiaineN of the 
suLecribers to the building fund, of which there were one hnndre<l and 
thirty-two. There were two subscription |mper-, one in Dutch, the 
other in English; the former liotl forty-nine stgnuiures and the latter 
eighty-three. The subscriptions run from forty pounds downwani to 
four sh'llings, the largest of w hich wa-* that of Peter /ahriskie.^ This 
work WHS vigorously prosecuted and Nultstantially done, as the present 
tower and walls, which are now stJindiug, testify. It was fininhed In 
1792. In Ih-it building we gather tixiny ,—thtil building enlarged and re- 
modeled twice. There is the sume old tower, with it-* massive mas'Min. 
of wall, nearl) four feet in thickness, and there are the old side walU 
with the old lUKli-rial of the earliest structure worked In them. Over 
the entrance way wns placed a tablet of brown^toiie. bearing the in- 
scription, in Dut< h : '1-^n-dnight maakt macht,' whi<-b means * I'nion 
is strength." Below it was engraved a lion, aud beneath it the follow- 
ing inscription, in Dutch : 

Met Huys 

des lleere 

Gebonwt .\nno I6*J6 

herUiuut .\nno 1728 

WtKierom herbouwt 1792.*'' 

"This tablet wss removed to the rear of the building in 1847. It i(« 
now uii the eastern wall. Itearing marks of Its rough iis^ige, and having 
been once broken in three pieces, which fact airries with it the fotlouiug 
piece of history of some local interest; On the loth day of July, 17'Ji, a 
most violent tliunder-stt>rm passed over the village of Hackensack. the 
ligbtuint: Htriklng tlie sleeple of this edifice, d<dng much damage, and 
dispbicinK this stone, which wns broken in three pieces. The motto 
woH sundered in two part«, ' Kon-drucht' being on one pii-ce and ' insakt 
niai ht' being on the other. The ev<iu called forth an sppmpriaie ser- 
mon from Dr. Fn'eligh, which wan Bubiie<pieiitly (In \&H*) trHiislateU 
and published. Sotne regard*.) (he vioilation as a IMvlne token, slgiii- 
fylng Mep^nitlon of the church, interpreting it, as many 'lo Providence, 
to suit their fancies. The Idographer of Dr. Fmeligh says, referring to 
the afler-8e|Mration, 'This Is our belief, founded on what to* have known 
and «een of the two people, that, according: to the sign given July Mth, 
the triune God has made them two; the fire of grace is on one side, and 
the fire ofrngeaiid illsconl on Iheiither.' On which side was grace and 
on w lib h side was flie dp|H*nds, of course, very much on which side the 
judge in the msilrrlK'long*. But which side was* Ken-4lracht' and which 

under **tbe Coelus/* and was called ti> Paramus in September, 174m. Hu 
married a niece of Gen. Schuvler. Dominie Verbryck marrieil Mr. Van 
der Linda's daughter, and residi-<l on the old homestead at one iN^riod. 
His son WRK taken pri»oner by the nrili'<h. 

- Ap|H>ndlx. No. .i 

« Till* hons«* was built here In IR06, and rebuilt In 1728, and agtin re- 
built In 1702. 



NEW BARBADOES. 



171 



I 



Bide ' insmkl nmrlit' 1ms never beon noticed. The interpretation ought to 
have heen more specific, for the stone was broken in three pieces, the third 
piece not having any notice given it. Ami as for the fact that the Hon 
was neither decapitated nor had scarce a Iiair of his akin injured, it liaa 
never yet been interpreted in a providential light. Let us trust that it 
means that Christ, after all, shall not be divided, whatever other 
divisions there may be. 

''Tradition says that when those stones which inlay the front walls 
of the building, on which are engraved certain names, were placed there 
the workmen refused to place them until the respective-parties whose 
names they bore paid them an extra bonus, which it is said was freely 
spent in indulgetice at the tavern hard by.^ 

■* Here, in this building, Rev. Messrs. Kuypera and Froeligh ministered 
alternately until the former was disabled by increasing infirmities. 

" Instead of unfolding from this point of time ( 1792), which marks an 
era in the erection of a new church edifice, and promising, from events 
which had just taken place of so specific a character, harmony and peace, 
we are forced to unveil fresh recitals of discord, almost while the smile 
of congratulation over pacific measures were still playing upon the faces 
of the people. It is simply historic fairness that compels us to give place 
to facta wliicli, unfortunately, were facts, and of which one could wish, 
as of some children, that they had never been horn. Only five years 
passed ere the fires of dissension began to kindle up anew, and the flames 
to blaze up m^re fiercely than ever. 

" It having become necessary to furnish a new parsonage for Kev. Mr. 
Knypers, a resolution was passed to take not of the common fund two 
hundred pounds for that purpose. As the four consistories had joint in- 
terest in the property, it is easily to be seen how jealousy could spring 
up in view of such an appropriation. Mr. Froeligh and his people stren- 
uously opposed it. Subsequently he consulted with his friends, and on 
Aug. 11, 179r<, asked from the Classis a dissolution of the union between 
the two churches. The Classis refused to grant the request, but referred 
the matter to the Particular Synod. Synod appointed a committee of 
reconciliation, with power to dissolve the connocliou if found to be abso- 
lutely necessary. 

" The commission to whom this business of reconciliation was referred 
consisted of Rev. Drs. Livingabjn, Lewis, Condit, and Rev. Messrs. Lowe 
and Studdiford It met with the congregation at Hackensack June 28, 
179ti. The Rev. William Linn, of New York, preached an appropriate 
sermou on an appropriate text, ' Blessed are the peace-makers,' etc. A 
solemn and impressive allusion was made to the occurrence of the year 
before, by which the stone over the doorway WKSshatteied and the only 
one harmed. Ho did not venture to 'assert that there was a particular 
voice in the thunders of that day, but,' he says, 'it has been mentioned 
by many as somewhat singular that while differing about the appropri- 
ation of BonieTiioney, you should be made to expend a part in repairing 
the damage to the church; and that this stone, beating the remarkable 
inscription, should be the only one which was removed and broken.' In 
closing he said, ' If the commission shall be so happy as to accomplish 
a reconciliation a tiew stone shall be engraven and brought to its place 
with honor an<l triumph. Unhurt by any dark cloud, it shall remain a 
monument to late posterity of restored love aud friendship. But if a 
separation shall be deemed expedient, let the broken stone continue as 
an emblem of disunited bretliren.'- 

"The new stone was not placed there; the broken one was cemented 
and replaced. However, a reconciliation for a short time was effected, 
for the commission found no reason for separation, especially since Mr. 
Kuypers and his people desired the union tn remain peaceably. The 
union was consequently continued, and the money for the parsonage 
was appropriated. Subsequently, in 17'.i7,' in order to heal these breaches 
more perfectly, another committee was jippointed by the Synod, when a 
paper was drawn vip, by the provisions of which both parties agreed to 
stand. It consisted of the following articles : 

"'I. All animosities shall cease. 

" ' '2. All distinctions to he done away ns to the choice of members of 
consistoriee. They to he chosen without limitation, provided the mem- 
ber going ont of office shall nominate two persons, one of whom shall 
he chosen. 

"'3. A second minister to be called, hut not without the unanimous 



^ Of une of those whose names appear there, Albert Zabrisky, it is re- . 
lated that he once asked Gen. Washington, as he was about to leave, 
"what he tlien intended to do?" The general asked him " if he could 
keep a secret?'' He answered that he could. The general then replied, | 
" I can, too," and went his way witliont giatifying his curiosity. 

- Original Sermon, in possession of Mrs. Abram Berry. i 



consent of Mr. Kuypers' part of the consistory. That if ilouble the 
sum of Mr. Froeligh's salary be raised tlie calls shall he equal; if not, 
Mr. Kuypers' people shall provide for his support. The same provision 
is made in case of Mr. Froeligh's death or removal. 

'"4. A paraonage house to be built by both congregations equally. 
If Mr. Froeligh's people refuse, then tlie whole expense to be paid out 
of the fund.' 

"It was not very long, however, before Pr, Froeligh withdrew tlie 
assent whicli he had ho solemnly given to the articles of peace; and 
consequently strife resumed its pi-evious disgrai-eful reign. Ris dissent 
seems to have beon based, according to his eulogist, upon his having 
marked 'the distinction between the preciou^t and the vile, the clean 
and the unclean.' He had been reminded in his early efforts for union 
by one of bis people that it would be inadvisable and unsuccessful in 
the end, for so it had been indicated to him in a remarkable dream 
which he related.^ 

"Dr. Froeligh, too, had 'come to visions' bearing upon the same mat- 
ter, aud which he took as ominous of the Divine will, because it seemed 
to direct his thoughts to a certain special passage of Scripture : Jer. xv. 
19-21. 

"At tliis juncture Rev. Mr. Knypers became sii feeble that he was 
unable to take mtu-li part in the discussions of the day. A request for a 
dissolution of his connection with these churches being piesented to 
the Classis, it was granted. He was declared Evtetitus (disabled), the 
congregation kindly promising to pay him one hundred and sixty 
pounds per annum during his life. But death made the genei-uns pro- 
vision unnecessary ; fur only five days afterwards he was tJiken away, on 
Sept. 10, 1797, in the tixty-fifth year of his age and the forty-third of 
his ministry. He was pastor over these churches about thirty years. 
He nuiy be said to be the ministerial link between the past and the pres- 
ent, for there are those now living who well remember him, but none 
who have any distinct recollection of those who were before him. His 
remains wore placed in the eaith just in front of the pulpit of the 
cliurch, as it stood when he died, and there they were found in the ex- 
cavations which were recently made in connection with the enlarge- 
ment of this building, but without even a stone or stick to mark the 
resting-spot, and are now deposited beneath this pulpit, waiting that 
resurrection of the dead which he preached. Rev. Mr. Kuypers seems 
to have been a man much respected and beloved. Those who speak of 
him at this late day do it with peculiar regard. One who knew him 
well (Dr. Jolin Van Buren) gives this rich testimony concerning him: 
' As long as I have known him, even to this hour, lias he given conspic- 
uous example for imitation, without being interrupted hy a single 
transaction over which it is necessary to cast a veil. In short, this is 
the portrait of the man I love and esteem. Grace without austerity, 
friendly without dissimulation, and religious without hypocrisy. Th s 
cannot be deemed flattery, for my soul abhors it. Frequently had be 
regretted the state of the church, and trusted that Providence would 
still the waves of contention, and say, " Hither sluilt thou come aud ;im 
further." I have more than once desired him to meet with the consis- 
tory (luring the dispute, and his general answer was, "Trouble I hate. I 
have great reason to be thankful for the number of years of my life 
already past, but my glass is nearly run, and the bright prospect of a 
blessed hereafter fast opening to view. The concerns of the temporali- 
ties of the church I wish to leave to others." ' 

"From our church records it appears that on the 26th of August, 
1797, only fifteen days before his death, he received into communion on 
confession of their faith twenty-four persons. In person he was quite 
large and corpulent, and wore a wig. He preached in Dutch. He is 
said to have been a man of high classical attainments, and some of his 
manuscript sermons, written in Latin, are still in existence. His resi- 
dence was the stone house now occupied by Mr. George Doremus, next 
to the Washington Institute. It is said that his method of tea-taking, 
as I learn from our venerable friend Richard Paulison, was to sit at the 
table after the rest were tlirough the meal, and quietly alternate a sip 
of tea with a whifl' from his pipe. 

" Domi!iie Kuypers left three sons, all of them ministers of Christ, — 
Gerardiis A., Zecharias H.. and William P. They are all now deceased. 
Gerardus A. passed more than forty years of his ininistrv in the city of 
New York, during twenty of which he wa-s senior pastor of the Collegi- 
ate Churches, a man, according to the testimony of Dr. Knox, of most 
eminent qualifications in personal characteristics and as a clergyman.-* 

" Before the death of Mr. Kuypers, a request had been made by the 
consistories of Dr. Froeligh for a dissolution of the connection existing 

3 Lamentation, by Rev. C. T. Denuirest. 
■< Dr. Sprague's Annals of R. D. Ch. 



172 



IlISTOllY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



bfitwecii the Iwo churcht'8. But iioir lie cluimtNl that llie cliiirclies wero 
one, Rfid upiHMM-d lite action of the Synuil in Appointing Mippliftt fur Mr. 
Kuypore' mngre gallon. Dr. Fruvligh's opposition to a ttppunition then 
becam*^ no sIronK that c-vcii the seat of the dflegato from Mr. Kuy|>cn' 
church was contested, on the ground that the churches were one. 
What his motives were we stial) leave othcn> to imagine, without iv^s»- 
ing nny judgment. 

" About this lime (October, 1799) a call was presented Co the Claaoia 
for approvitl up«in Rfv. Jnmee V. C. lUnneyn, of the churches of Green- 
bu«h and Wynontskill, in New York, fn.m lUv. Mr. Kuyperr' church. 
The appwviil *if the call was opiKwed hy Dr. FroeliKh and hia friends. 
But the CLifl6i» gave it their approbation neveriheleiw. Dr. Froeligh 
appcale<l to the Particular Synod agllin^t the ClaaaiB, on the grtmnd, 
plausibly, that an elder from Mr. Kuyperu' church whs admitted to a 
seat in the Chiftsi*, and that the corporaie tteal bad been iiffixed to said 
call without the authority of the Iwdy corporate. Xeverlhelees the 
Svnod sustained the ClaasiB in their action. They did so because they 
found that the clnirter-armugement wax »o complicated that it would 
be diflloult for any call to be nuide unb-ss by miuctioii of tin- sunn- op- 
posing party who had the whole bwlance of power in controlling and 
oppi>Hing all the wiehea of Mr. Kny|»ri*' church. Indeed, Dr. Froeligh 
gave it to lie i)nderMtoo4l that nu man should be called but such aa suited 
his own will. Again Xw appialed from i»articular to General Synod. 
Meanwhile, Rev. Mr. Komeyn liad removed to Hackensack, and ar- 
ningementfl wore made for hin installation. His consistories invited Dr. 
Frveligh to perform the installation services, but ho declined. Rev. 
Jnhn Corneilson was then invited, and having acquiesced, performed 
(be duty, December, 1799, preaching a sermon from 1 Thess. ii. 4: ' Hut 
as we were itllowed to be put in trust with the gnspel.to we preach nut 
lis pleasing men," etc. The sermon wiw BubsL'quently published. 

"The whole case came up before the Synod, and wtw disiioscd of by 
the adoption of two important resolutiuns confirming th'- uctioir of Par- 
liiular Synod, by which Mr. Komeyn was installed, and recommending 
u Heptiration of the churches. Against this disposition of matters Dr. 
Froeligh and bis elder entered their pl-utesl. 

'* At this Synod it was deemed advisable to divide the Chuisis of Hack- 
ensack, ami the two Classes of Bergen and Panimus were cnnstitnied 
• •ut of it. The chnn h under the «harge of .Mr. FrMellgli wii^ tiMtigne^l 
t.' the Chissis nf Paramu-, and Mr. K.-nieyn's to the Clas^is of Bergen. 
But for a long lime the temiwial afTaiis between the two churches re- 
inained unsettled. Kepeated attempt" ^vere made by Mr. Romeyn's 
church toward an e<piitable and satisfactory adjustment, but in vnin. 
Mr. Froellgh's church claimed all the prui»erty, jis a leitei written by 
him to Mr. R»'meyn, Dee. '>ii, IWWI, indicates. 

•*ln the meanwhile Iho old bouse of worship at Schnuileid.ur(;b, 
which was used by iM.th the congregations, becftme quite untit for ucru- 
patlon, and Mr. Fn.ellgbs people, without consultation with Mr. Ko- 
meyn's, prucewled t« erect anotlur bmlditig. Mr. Rouieyn's |M'..ple con- 
sequently offend to pay om-half the cost for its j«iint ownership and 
use. But this offer was refuseil. and they wt-re left without litigation lo 
goon. It became necei^sary, Iherefoie , for them t*» provide lor them- 
wdves, which noceiwlty. like many other*, in the provblonce of God, at 
the time not undenitood, but sulwequently are, as ilesigned, for gooil, 
prove<l a blessing in the erection of that nobly building in wlibh the 
Reformed rhnnh of Schnuilenhurgh now wondiip, under tin- ministry 
-*if Rev. Dr. tJonlon.i At the sjime time the congregations of Mr. Ko- 
meyn, in llatkensack and Scbraab-nburgb, jointly purchns*-.! u paicel 
of land at Schnu»lenbur«h, on which tln-y erected a panwnagu fi.r tlielr 
puntor. 

" Dimcullie- still exliled tending lo disturb the peace, and Msrvlug as 
a canker to g.«Ml feeling. Patience bad a tine flebl for development. 
The buih burned on with as (lorce a lliv as that which Moses saw. Th* 
old church building at 8<hnuilenburgh became a bone of cimtention. 
When aband,.ned llH(i||, Mr. R-mieynV iwople noUlied Dr. Fn.ellgh*s 
that the furniture was taken fn.m it for preservation until a division 
c*.uld be made. AInmiI the same time Dr. Fr..eligh*. iK.H>ple proceeded 
|o pull down the building, and .ippn-prtated Its material exclUM\ely t.. 
themselves, which circnnishince bnmnlit forth a notice from Kev. Mr. 
Ib.moyns|»eople, asking them to d.-si-t. But the work went on, ami 
they were alh-w-d without litigation to pn.ceed. The bunding erected 
h\ them at Sbnmleiibnrgh Is the one usually called ' the SouUi Ohurch,' 
but reeentiv enlarped and remwleled at a heavy exi^-n-e. SuUdiuoully. 
however, their ieini<oral difficulties weie atljuMed, and division of prti|M 
erty was made. 

I |tr. liordon's Manual, p. 17. 



" But the end of the trouble was not yet. The new relatiunshijiii uf 
the separate churches led to difficulties In the matter of the transfer of 
meuil»erei from one church to the other. Dr. Froeligh whs amigned for 
disorderly and unconstitutional proceedings, and liis case came event- 
ually before the General Synod, * In deflatice of church authority, Mr. 
Froeligh persistently refused lo recognize this (Mr. Komeyn'si church, 
and took every occasion to make his contempt felt by them and their 
|>astor. At length matters proceeded to such lengths that his conduct 
bocamc intolerable. He received members of this church into Iris own, 
refusing to recogni/.e them at all as having been members of a lawful 
church.' 2 

"Charges were also brought before the CIhsbIb against Kev. Mr. 
Romeyu. The record of tbeir transactions in the minutes of the 
Classis is enough to make any man of refined Christian feeling blush 
with shome.3 

"The ecclesiasticitl proceedings instituted againiit Dr. Froeligh before 
his Classis were an*«wered by him through his showing that his cim- 
sistory aHBumcd the resisuiKibility. The case was carried front the 
Classis to Particular Synod, and in 1822 whs brought to a crisis. The 
action of Particular .Synod, sustaining Mr. IWmeyn's apjieal, was i<|)- 
I |H>aled fruti) by the Classis uf Paramus, whirb had sustained Dr. Fr>»e- 
i ligli. But the GeuHi-al Synod, by a vote of thirty-six to eight, refused 
I to sustain the apiieal uf the Classis. This left the case open for trial by 
Classis as an action against Dr. Froeligh in his ministerial capacity. At 
the meeting of Classis in September, 1822. the case was calbnl up. Dr. 
Froeligh was not piesent to proceed to trial. The Claris refused to go 
on with the case. Mr. Komeyn again appeabHl to ihe Particular SynotI, 
because, though Dr. Froeligh was al>senl.all the merils of the taee wer« 
before the Classis, as a matter of record, and it was notorious that Dr. 
I Froeligh had seceded from the Reformed Dutch Church. This appeal 
(he Particular Synod, in May, 1823, referre<l to the General Synod for 
flnal trial. It was jiresented Ut that judicatory in June follow ing, but 
withdrawn by Mr. Rtmieyn,* nptui the gixiund that Ihe object contem- 
plated would bo bniught up through aimther channel.' 
I "At the meeting of the iionenil Syn>Nj in 1823 a printed pamphlet 
was laid upon the table puriHtrting (o be reasons as-signed by a number 
of ministers, elders, and deacons for declaring themselves ' The True 
Reformed Dutch Church in the Cnited Stati-s of America,' tlateil at 
Schraaleiiburgh, Oct. 25, 1822. It wits signed by the uamea of five miii- 
I isters, eleven elders, and nin(> ileacuns. 

"The immphlet was referred to the committee on synotlical minnten, 
' and they reported that as Dr. Froeligh was a prufeasor of tlie«>logy, he 
was directly answerable to the General Synod. Un the Uisls of the 
jkamphbt which he hail signed, there was tabled against him s u list in- 
tially the following charges: 
" * 1. Avowing himself a sinretier from the Reformetl Dutch Church. 
"'2. Implicating Uie constituted anthurilloe of the church in grossr^t 
neglect of duty, such us dlsre(;anllng dii^clpline, pr^tetituUng (he sa> ni- 
nients, etc. 

'"X Uniting with several de|iosed minlsteis of the I^>formed Dutch 
Church In declaring themselves the "True Reformml Dutch Church," 
thns acting in contempt of all ecclesiastical authority. 
"'4. Promoting schism and dls-enslon In the church ' 
"On these grounds Dr. Ftoeligh was cited toappear befoti' theSyiio>l. 
Nut appearing, a second citation was nerviMl niton him. To this his re- 
ply was that he ' should nut r<-ply to it.' 

" lie was conse(|uently removed from his office as proh-ssoi'. and sus- 
pended from the ministry. The ostensible reasiui for this secession was 
I the prevalence of the llopkin«ian heresy, together with * tlie dangeiuuo 
InnoVHliouN lK>th in diM trine and discipline.' 

"Sul>se(|uently. * An addre*>M of the Cummlssion of lieiiernl Synod to 
thominlsters.onicers, ami other members of Ihe Reformed Dutch Church, 
andes|Kuially tothemlidsteni andchunbeaof tlieSeeoMslon,' wiui prlnteil 
and extensively circulated, in which the whole matter uf the Secewion 
WAS reviewed, and thecharge<t brought agalnxl the church tif de|wrliire 
from doclriiii^nand duli<*»wvrr ably answered, and proved to be without 
nny founilatioti whatever. 

" But It is well known to many that this Seceasion was the nmlnrlng 
of a gnmlh consioiing of |R»lty peiitonal dlfflcultic« and feelings, on 
which the charges of doctrinal defection were grannl. The slandartls 
and catechism of the Refomied ( Dutch) Church are the same as they 
were originally, anil the SecMtion have none other. The fonner recog- 
nise them, and their doctrines are taught as leaUy, even if not as for- 

* Dr. Oonlun's Manual. 
, ■'>8*e Minutes of (Hasali of lk>rgen. 



NEW BARBADOES. 



173 



maUij, as they ever were. It must be remembered, too, that there are 
views wliicl) are liyperdoctrioal, and there are abuses of doctrine which 
lire as thoroughly lieretkal as certain views which seem to fall below the 
doctrinal standard. Doctrine is one thing, interpretation of doctrine is 
ant'ther. It is easy to judge a man a heretic when one makes his own 
interpretation of doctrine the proper standard. It was by this method 
tliat the Pharisees accused Christ of being a violator of God's law. 
Tlieir accusation did not make him such. To be a Calviuist it is not 
necessary that one should Ue a fatalist. Calvinism, abused and perverted, 
has done far more for the cause of its enemies than Calvinism understood 
and rightly represented. And the abuse and perversion of Calvinism 
may be traced more closely to its profe>ised friends than they are willing 
to allow. At the same time the remark may be permitted that many to 
whom Calvinism is a monster of such horrid mien have more of it about 
them than Ihi-y are aware of.' Indeed, many who judge Calvinism do 
not really havn clear views of what it is. 

" The germs of Secession are actually traceable as far back as 1820, in 
tlie Classis of Montgomery. At that time, in that locality, there were 
various grievances of which complaint was made, and warm disputes 
which led some of the membei-s of Classis to absent themselves from thc-ir 
meetings. On this account /our of the members were suspended (Syl- 
vanus Palmer, Henry V. Wycoft, Nicholas Jones, and Albert Amnier- 
niaii). Bui these were all restored in the same year. In tlif^ following 
year, the grieviuices continuing wirb new grounds of complaint, Rev. 
Messrs. Palmer, Wycoff, Tol, and Ammerman renounced their connec- 
tion with the Classis and the Reformed Dutch Church. Classis therefore 
suspended these individuals, together withMr. Jones, who.a few mouths 
before, had declared himself independent. 

" In A manu8crii»t on this subject, one whose statements are wortliy of 
all confidence says, ' This was, indeed, the beginning of the Secession, 
only it did not take an organic form until more than a year after, when 
Dr. Froeligh proposed tliat these noitliern ministers, with himself, 
should unite and constitute aClassis in due form, which was accordingly 
done in October, 1822.' This, then, is the beginning 'in organic form' of 
that organization which is now known under the emphatic and e.xclusive 
title of the 'Trde Reformed Dutch CVai/v/*,' thus being distinguished 
from what is considered false or impure, 

"In this body Dr. Froeligh continued to liibor until bis dealh, wliich 
occurred Oct. 8, 1S27, mtbe seventy-eighth year of his age and lift) -third 
of his ministry. He was born on May 2ft, 175U, near Red Hook, then in 
the county of Albany. In bis eighteentli year he went tn live with Rt-v. 
Tlieodorick Ronieyn fur the jiurpose of being educated by him in pre- 
paratory studies. He continued with him three yein>. llnder him he 
made a profession of religion, although under tlie Kev.Jobn Schune- 
mau's ministry, at Caatsban, N. Y., he tii-st received his religious im- 
pressions. From Mr. Romeyn he came to this village, and pursued his 
studies under Mr. Peter Wilson ^afterwards Dr.). Having received the 
degree of Bachelor of Arts from the College of New Jeisey, he studied 
Iheolugy under Rev. John H. Goetschius. Subsequently, in Octolier, 
1774, he was licensed; then, un June 11, 177;"), he was ordained and in- 
stalled pastor of the four Reformed Dutch congr«galions in Queen's 
County, L. I. There he labored for tilfeen nmnths, and, because of the 
number disaffected towards our nation;il indepeTidence, be fled to New 
Jersey, just escaping from being taken jtrisunerby the British. In this 
perilous Uight he lost his worldly snb>tance, including even his books 
and clothing. He came immediately tu llackensack, where he preached 
a sermon upon the impending Revolutionary contest, which, though 
warmly conmiended by many of" liis/liearers, so enraged the Tories that 
they could scarce restrain their demoiistiati-uiH uf dissatisfaction even 
till the close of his service. 

"Subsequently he went north wjih Ur. Livingsion. and settle.! tem- 
pomrily over the congregrttions of Fisbkill and Poughkee) sie. After 
three years he accepted a call to the united congregations of Neshanick 
and Millstone, in Somerset County, N. J. While there a great revival 
twok place. After a severe illness lie was given up lu awful depression 
for six yeai-s. and for weeks together at one time he could not bring 
himself to enter the pulpit. But relief came, and he was never troubled 

' li may be new to some that it is claimed that the course of the party 
disclaiming further connection with the old body was noX a Secession ; 
that their act was simply the act of those abiding faithful to the old 
standards, while the old party were virtually Seceden, because, as 
charged, theif departed from the Reformed Dutch faith. On this uo com- 
ment is needed. We append the following words of Dr. Froeligh: "The 
ministeis, elders, and deacons of the jnrlicatories from which, for suffi- 
cient cause, as stated in our reasons, we have ivithdraicn.'" 
V2 



thus again. In 1786 he became pastor of the churches of Hackensack 
and Schraalenhnrgh. Though for years his ministry wus attendeil 
with no special success, yet a powerful revival began with a fast-day 
sermon, which he preached the firat season of the prevalence of the 
yellow fever in Philadelphia. In 171)1, Mr. Froeligh was chosen one of 
two Lectors of Theology, as successor to Rev. Dr. Myei-. In 1797 he was 
chosen a Professor of Theology, and continued in this office until 1823. 
In 1811 the degiee of Doctor of Divinity whs conferred upon him by 
Queen's College. The last sermon he preached was at Schmalenburgh, 
Aug. 5, 1827, from Rev. iii. 21, This was his last visit to the sanctuary. 
Oneof his dying sayings was. 'I have had many and bitter enemies, who 
have tried to dome the greatest of all possible injuries in the world, but 
I can say from the heart I do not feel the least ill-will against any of 
them. I am at peace with my enemies, atid can forgive them all,' Dr. 
Froeligh was married to Rachel, diiughter of Isaac Vanderbeck. They 
had nine children. His eldest son, Peter Ditmarse, became a clergyman, 
and was settled for some time over the churches of the Secession in 
Acquackenonck and English Neighborhood. 

"Dr. Froeligh was an earnest advocate of his political views, and de- 
fended them in the pulpit on what he deemed proper occasions. He was 
one of the electors of President of the United States for the State of New 
Jersey in 1800, and gave bis vote for Thomas Jetlerson. The testimonials 
given of his personal chaiacteritstics by Dr. Thomas De Witt and Dr. 
Henry Ostrander, in Dr. Sprague's 'Annals of the Reformed Dutch Pul- 
pit,' are of very high order. 'He was of about the ordinary size, perhaps 
slightly corpulent, and with a countenance rather staid and sober than 
expressive ofstiung emotion. His manners, though not highly cultivated, 
were not generally otherwise than courteous, unless, perhaps, towards 
some of his ecclesiastical neighbors, with whom his relations were such 
as not to inspire any great cordiality. His mind was clear and discrimi- 
nating, and hie communications, whether in or out of the pulpit, were 
easily understood.' (Dr. De Witt.) ' I think it was impossible for one to 
be a witness of his daily life without being dee( ly impresaed by the 
strength of his devout feelings and his conscientious devutedncss to his 
work as a minister of Christ. He was very earnest in bis iidv. cacv of 
experimental religion and in inculcating the necessity of fujuiing the 
churches to a higher type of spii ituality. He exhorted, prayed, sighed 
continually for more boldness and energy in discipline, more caution in 
the .idmission of members, and more conformity to the letter and spirit 
of our constitutional requirements. It is evident enough that he whs 
occasionally subject to deep mental depression and temptations, to doubt 
and unbelief; and on other occasions, especially in his piiblic ministra- 
tions and in the distribution of the sacramental elements, his mind 
seemed wrapt into a state of holy admiration.* (Dr. Ostrander.) 

"Subsequently, in 1829, a secession from the Secession took place, and 
a Classis was formed, consisting of Rev. H. V. Wycoff, S. Palmer, Henry 
Bellinger,- and Albert Ammernian, the latter of w.ioni had served the 
church of Johnstown and Maytield in an independent capacity. This 
separation from the Secession was followed by another in 18^2, under 
Rev. C. Z. Paulison. Mr. Paulison was deposed because: 

'"1, Ho took exception to a law of the "True Reformed Dutch 
Church," which made it necessary that every witness in a church court 
should be a member of said ehnrch in good and regular standing before 
any testimony could be received. 

"'2. Because he maintained "that the essence of s.iviug faith cuii- 
aisted in a full persuasion of Christ's love to our souls." 

'"3. Because he mnintained "that we can infaUihbj know ourselves 
to be Christians." 

"'4, Because he approved of the sentiment " that the .-ainla can do 
no wrong; that sin cannot hurt them; that God sees no sfn in them." 
(By this he meant that "a true believer doe-^ not commit sin unto con-, 
demnation.")-* 

"This Secession styled itself *The Reformed Church.' The church of 
the Secession' at Paterson united with it at Hackensack, haviug Mr. 
Fauliscin as joint pastor. He was dismissed in 184u. Then Rev. John 
Felty succeeded him in March, 1S42. In October, 1843, the Rev. Albert 
Ammerman was installcil pastor of these churches. In 185:» he was 
dismissed from the church of Paterson, to minister solely to the church 
at Hackensack, over which he is now the venerable at.d venerated 
pastor. 

"The General Synod having suspended Dr. Fioeli^ih and his co-p«rt- 



Independeut Refurmeil Dutch 



' Mr. Bellinger is now pastor of , 
Church at Sharon, N. Y. 

^ Minutes of Synod of T. R. D. Church, June, 182s, pp. i,j, 17. June 
1832, p. 12. Address of C. Z. Paulison. 



174 



HISTORY OF UKRGEX AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NKW JKRSKY. 



neiB in secessiou, they, in their tiirn, proposed by retolution to declare 

excomniiinirated all those who did not withdi-HW with thorn, and the 
wliule Putch Church wua pronounced doliv^-red over to Satan until Ihcy 
rpjwiit (uccortling to the wonU of the rpanhitinn of «-xcuminuiiication). 
But iifterward (ho subject wuit |M)stpontMl indehnitcly.' 

'* For BuniB time aubxpqtient tu this the cuiigrtgntioii of Dr. Frocligh 
continued to worehip in this building, notwithsiunding the ii«>p)inition. 
Out of courtesy and u desire fur peace, and probably the expi'ctiktion 
that 'the Secession' wuuld provide for itsflf, the Itev. Mr. Ilonioyn's 
l>eop]f dill not auert tlieir chiiui to the exclusive ptissession and use of 
the church pro|>erty. But when the pastor, Uev. C. Z. Poulipon, who 
succeeded Dr. Froeligh, seceded from the church over which he was 
ministering and altandoned the pulpit, being ttepoaetl t*y the Claasis of 
the ni'W party, tlun this Church ilid assert its exclusive right to the 
property winch it litis Hjnce hehl. 

"The following is a copy of the action taken by the consistory of Ilev. 
Mr. Komeyn'H church, as a reference to th« hook of minutes will show, 
at a meeting lieM May 9, \b',i'i : 

" Ii wart Resolrfit, That the following notice be put upon the church 
door: 

•' ' To ait whom it may Concent : 

"' We, the mini^tters, elders, and deacons of the Dutch Keformed Con- 
gregation of Ifackensack, In the county of Bt-rgen and State of New 
Jersey, being the corpornto or body politic known and distinguished by 
that name, ilo hereby publiiiih and make known that since the secL-ssion 
of Dr. Froeligh and his congregation we liave viewed ourselves as the 
rightful owners of the church, and all the property vested in the joint 
corporation and body potitic, in the year 1789. That our not a^rterting 
our chiim, and pursuing legul nieaHures to o1)tain a dcciHion in hiw, hus 
merely been owing to courtesy and a desire to cultivate good ncighhor- 
hooil. A division having recently taken place among tlioKowho consti- 
tuted the Secewton, the church and pulpit having been abandoned by 
the lately settled preacher, and we r»-uiaining in posiHessJon, have 

"* He*oirtA, and by these pn-senls ilo r««o/c'«, That we kee|» the excin- I 
sive p«>jtsession of the church and property connected therewith, and | 
will permit no person or pen<on§ to officiate therein without our appto- i 
Imlioii and consent, it l>eing underatood, iin our meaning and intent, that i 
penwuK* owning pews or seals in tin- church arc at liberty ami welcome 
to occupy tlii'm, but in subordination to the constituted authorities of 
the Dutch Reformed Church inherCla^siH and Synod. It Is further 
•tatetl that if our right Is contested we are willing and ready to have 
the cane tried in some court of law or eijulty, and there decided In a 1 
peaceable and friendly manner. ' 

"'Considering the unhappy state of ill will, anarchy, and confusion j 
to be without justifiable cause, unchristian, and injurious t^i religion, it 
is to us, who have untfonuly adhervd to the Dutcli Befonned Church, | 
and Continue to profess ourselves subordinate to her government and { 
standing, a matter of dee|> regret.' ^ 

''Appended to this i^ a subsetpient minute, in the folh»wiiig wcjrds: ! 
'in consequence of the above notice we are in peaceabli> posse>4sion. ^Ir. | 
Paulinon's, as well as tite old Secession paity.have each built a cinirch.' 

"The ground taken on which this decision was made wiu» tliat the 
property belongeil to the btnly from which the Aecession went lurlh. 
The SeretMbni disclaimed ail connection with the original Ixidy, went 

' These referencet are made hlstoricallji and not for purposes of 

<inintn>/r(Tiiinn, nor with a desire tti rcvivu old anlmonlties. They de- 
serve to perish. They have done harm enough. Let lovo reign. Ilul 
as strangerM nniki* inquiries respecting the relations of the churches in 
this coiiiiiiunil}', and aii historical diAtourse must deal with historic 
truths or be dereclive, these plain statements are d'>signed to afford a 
moilluni of desired Information. 

Tlie author of this dlscounie takes this op[»or(nnlty tossy that during 
Ills niliiintry In llarkensnck he has failed to dls<'over the exintonceol 
anything like husilllty of feeling on the |Mirt of the old tH)dy toward 
thtme " who wei.t out from them," whatever they may have nufferod 
from tlietr severe relleclions. 

ThrAn tle-lring further Infornuillon on the snbjet t, and from an optH>- 
• ile sland.i>oint fr<>m that of the author, which will -xhlbit the original 
tami>er of the Serrs»ion, are referred to the following stnirces: "A 
lAmentation over the Itev. S«domon Froeligh, S. S T. D. and P.," by 
Itev. C^tmeliiin T. Domarest, A. M., at<|ue V. D. M.. minister of the King 
Street Church, New York. The notes are spftclally nignlflcant. 

'*Thf* Minutes of the tteneral Synod of the 'Tkii: Hefomied Dutch 
Chnnii.' " 

l^aniphlels of lUv. C. /. I'liuUiiun. 



out fhjm It as If from an 'unclean thing,* which It branded it, and be- 
came thus a lK>dy by itself, leaving the old liody hy itj«elf. And it was 
presumed that a Se<'ei^sion which wa'< so radical in doctrim*, even to dis- 
fellowshtp, certainly included the piH>r dust of earthly possession. The 
line had been driwn by the Secefsion, and it si-emed l-ocoming that it 
should nin all the way through to the other side, and so it was run 
there. As it was, the old ownership of pews was not at all questioned, 
nor is it to this day. 

"Indeed, when the question of a separation of the two churches was 
recommeiKled by General Synoit, Dr. Froeligh distinctly slated 'thatifa 
ntparaliou of civil ronrerng i$ intntitlfil Vi imphj *t c/«iini on any part of the 
properly hehl by the corporation, they deem mch elattn altn^ether unfounded, 
hecautr by te}>aralitiy tcHhotU content^ and ecen in deji*tnc« of the moit tpir^ 
lied op\>o»ition on our party and by fwming them*elre» into a distiuet coni/re^ 
gatioH, your adherents hare undoubtedly diMolred their r-onnec/toa tcUh the 
body corporate, find forfeited all title toil* projtertij.'' Such was his doctrine 
even when a tepnration was )<nggeste4l on mutual gn^nnds. Then how 
much more applicable was it in the case of a seceM^ion. And yet even 
then individual claims ware allowol. 

"Mr Romeyn continued to minlHter to these joint congregations of 
Hackcneack and Schnialenburgh, until the year 18^t. Having suffered 
from a slight attack of paralysis which made this <louble charge too 
onerous, he nsked release from the |>astomte of St-hraalenburgh, which 
was granted. The lime having arrived at uhicli it seemed pr>q>er that 
each of these churches should maintain a S'-parate iKi.<ilorate, the com- 
bined con-ilstorie." resolveil to reqni'St Classls lo dl-s<»lve their joint re- 
lation^hip. At the same tune, March 20, Ift^U, the church at Hacken- 
sack executed a call upon Kev. James Romeyn,8<m xf their aged pastor, 
to become a colleague of his father. In April following (1S:(3) the 
Classis of Bergen dissolved the combined relaiionshi|is of the iwo 
churches, atid the imstoral tie of the Kev, Mr. Homeyn to Schnoilen- 
burgh, and likewise approved the cull upon his son. Thi^ call whs ac* 
cepterl, and Kev. James Romeyn untered very miou upon his la)>ors. 
The father retained nominally the pa^ti'mle of the church, and con- 
tinued in leebleness to occupy the pulpit until the first Sablath in May, 
when he ministered in the sanctuary for (hi> lust lini'v He is said to 
have cherished the desire to nniintain h s pisitiou unld he might yield 
it, without a Sabliath's interruption, to his own son. One who has 
made a roconl of the incident say-*, * That son felt the scene to l»e sub- 
lime. Tile dignified retirement from a luistonile of more than thiity 
years, and the taking of his place in the )h'W as a hearer of the word, 
to be one of the Hock tu be guiibd into the grii'ii |>astuies of gospel pro- 
vision by a soli so Well beloved, was, inde<Ml, a s|>eciacle for men and 
angels to look u|K>n with pleasure."-' It is said that on (his occ^ision he 
gavo out Psalm cxxxvii. p. 3, containing the words: 



"' For her my tears shall fall, 
For her my prayers imceiid. 
To her my cares and toils he given 
Till toils and cares shall end.' 

"The Inst public service of Rev. James V.C. Uomeyn was at a fnnernl 
over an aged member of his church, which was reudervd in the Dutch 
language. His pastorate wa<* finally resigned SepL lt>, IKM, having 
served this people for ii>-arly Ihiity-tlve yeurs. (iradually his slreiigth 
failed him, and he diinl June -^7, IH-lo, in the neventy-fifih year of his 
age. His septilchri' i^ with us unto tliiN dity. RfV. Jamei* Y. C. Rttmeyn 
occupied at one period us the |>ar«oiuige the place which Is at present 
the residence of Mrs. Chailotte Andeivon. Suliseqiienlly it wiut s- M, 
and he purchased the properly n<iw Itelongnig (o W. S. Itnnta, K-<[ . 
which he occupied until he ererleil the building mljolntng, In \thii'li 
died. His minltlry wiu blest by the addition t>> the communion of i 
church on confessicui of three hundren nnil foriy-i'ight members Fi 
is still being gatheretl fr^ini kvM sown by hts hand, and there are lli ~ 
who (hnuigli his ministry bi-c<ime ' pbdils of giace,' of whom li n»i> I- 
truly said : 

"'Time that doth all things else Impair, 
Still makes them flourish ilnmg and fair.' 

■* However Indelicate on the |iart of your si»i'aker anything lik- 
enhigy would Ik* of one who u-wssonear nnd dear to bim as Mr. Romi'Vn, 
yet It is not too much (or even him to "ay that his name is so fragrant 
with sweet inemorli-s that hi- chlblreii and children's children flnd tif 
n)o"t pleaiilng satlsfacllon In tin nienUon. The |Ni|»eni which have itetn 
presented la^arlng n|H>n the unhappy contr-'VersiM of his day Indicuto 
a very firm, derlde<l, yet gentle Kplrlt. which seems to have welt \nrar- 

3 ChriMtiam InteHiijenrer^ Ool. I J, 1659. 



NEW BARBADOES. 



175 



ranted the ChissiB in making tho reference to him they did in their reao 
lution of respect at the time of (he dissolution of his pastorate, relating 
to 'bfs-eottciliatory and Christian disposition.' 




"James Van Canipen Romeyn was born at Mini)«ink, Sussex Co., N. J., 
on the 15th of November, 1765. His father was the Rev. Thomas 
Komeyu, who was first settled at Jamaica, L. I,, in 1751, He was one 
of seven sons, four of whom devoted themselves to the ministry. His 
literary education was olitained at the Schenectady Academy. His 
theological course was pursued under his relation. Dr. Dirck Romeyn, 
and he was licensed hy the Synod of New York, Oct. 5, 1787. In a few 
weeks after he was called to the united congregations at Greenbush 
and Sihndack, and settled February, 17S8. He married the youngest 
daughter uf Maus Van Vranken, of Schenectady. It was one of her 
maxims, and practiced by hei', ' Let ministers mind their congregations, 
and let their wives take charge of their familie.s.' He formed a second 
marriage with Sirs. Elizabeth Pell, of Paranius, N. J , who survived 
bim. 

"He remained in his first charge till July 1, 1794, when he became 
pastor of the united churches of Greenbush and Wynantskill, residing 
at Rloomitigiove, two miles east of Albany, where lie continued to min- 
ister until called to HacUensack, 

"Tlie fnllowiug characteristic of him has been furnished by Rev. 
J. R. Berry, D.D. : 

"'The ministry of Rev. James V. C. Romeyn extended from 1799 to 
183:i. It fell upon the most troublous limes of our denomination in this 
section of the country. Previous to his call to this church the signs of 
a fearful tempest were thickening on every hand. Hackensack already 
gave tokens of becoming the principal point of the great struggle which 
ensued. After the death of Rev. W. Kuypers the question of another 
pastor presented no ordinary difficulty. The great need wa.s a man who 
should properly combine the elements of true piety, firmness, prudence, 
and love of peace, These characteristics Mr. Romeyn wjis widely known 
to possess, and upon the basis of this reputation he was called to the 
pastorate of the churches of Hackensack and Schraalenburgh, without 
having been seen or heard among them. How well he sustained the 
reputation which he thus brought with him is well known to many yet 
who remember him in his active life, 

" ' Of his piety the sweetest memories have been cherished and repeated 
by those who knew him in the fond relations of his home or in the con- 
fidence of personal friendship. His natural, loving, and sincere dispo- 
sition was sanctified by his sincere and loving faith in Jesus, This gave 
bis children that peculiar fondness with which they regarded him while 
living and revered his memory when dead. This shone out conspicuously 
also in all his public ministrations, in which neither abstract dogmatism, 
nor fierce polemics, nor fiery denunciation, nor any attempt at brilliant 
eloquence appeared, hut mainly a tender and instructive presentation of 
the cross, 

"* One peculiarity of Mr. Romeyn's ministry was the extraordinary 
facility with which he appropriated Scripture texts and language to pecu- 
liar occasions. This was particularly conspicuous at communion seasons, 
when, as he handed the bread to each communicant i)ersonally, he re- 
peated a text suitable to that person's case. Asa single illusttation out 
of multitudes may be mentioned the case of a timid believer, who after 
longhesitiilion had at length professed his Saviour's name. At the next 
communion hi.s daughter was brought into the fold. As Mr. Romeyn 
passed the bread tu the happy father he repeated the words, "Said I not 
unto thee that if thou wouldst believe thou shouldst see the glory of 
GodV" The same feature appeared in the very last public service he at- 
tempted. It way an address at the communion table. Enfeebled by 
paralysis, and with broken utterance, he began his remarks with the 
afffcling language of Job, " Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye 
my friends, for the hand of God hatli touched me." 

"'In all nnittei-s where fidelity to righteousness demanded firmness 
Mr. Romeyn was firm to the last degree. But his constant desire was 
for peace. He disliked strife. Few men were ever subjected to so many 
gross personal insults as be. The intense excitement of the times, the 
bitterness of party feeling, the fierce contests grnwiug out of the "Seces- 
sion" poured upon him from pulpits, in ecclesiastical meetings, along 
the streets, and even at funerals the most unwarrantable and gross 
abuse, but not an instance of angry retort or unguarded utterance have 
we ever heard related of him. His life was a singular illustration of the 



ancient rule, "always to treat an enemy in such a manner that he may 
become your friend," In dignity of manner, in marvelous self-control, 
in tnio charity of heart, and in readiness to forgive he was worthy of a 
distinguished companionship among those who aspire to be "blameless 
and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke." 

" 'A noticeable feature of his character was his disinterestedness and 
ready self-denial. When stricken by paralysis he voluntarily resigned his 
position and all its perquisites, making no mention of any claims which 
he might justly be considered to have after a faithful ministry of thirty- 
five years. 

"' During the last eight years of his life the earthly house of his tab- 
ernacle was shattered by repeated attacks of i)aralysis. His mind suf- 
fered in the feebleness of his body. Patiently he waited the signal for 
his departure. The last token of earthly recognition was given in re- 
sponse to the question, " Do you know that you are almost home?" In 
a few hours that home waa reached, and mortality was swallowed up of 
life. 

"' In review ot the life of Mr. Romeyn, feelings of special satisfaction 
arise in regard both to his personal cliaracteristics and his peculiar 
adaptation to the lime and place of liis ministry. It is doubtful if the 
whole number of the ministers of our churcli in that day could have 
furnished another who would have borne the trials and met the diffi- 
culties of his position better than he." 

" The following incident will serve as an illustration of his candor 
and prouiptness in moderating his self-respect. ' At a certain time one 
summer, when his house was filled with company, he was visited by 
an agent of a religious benevolent society, whose business would neces- 
sarily occupy several days, and whuui the I'aniily materially discoin- 
modod themselves to accommodate. The second or third day after he 
came a grandson, given to rummaging, took down a manuscriiJt vol- 
ume from the sideboard, and after looking into it fur a few minutes 
exclaimed, " Oh, grandpa ! liere is a book that has something in about 
you," Mr. Romeyn took the hook, without knowing where it came 
from, and foiinii it was in the handwriting of liis gue>t, the agent, and 
that he had described his congregation as cold and dead, and very penu- 
rious, and himself as old-fashioned, having no life, behind the age, etc. 
In due time the agent came back to dinner, and was suffered to par- 
take of a hospitable meal in peace. After conversing a little while 
Mr. Romeyn got the book and a.sked him if it was his, and related to 
him the circumstance which had made Iiim acquainted with its con- 
tents ; then, handing it to him, said, "Sir, I have learned what is in that 
book by accident. I extended to you the hospitality of my house at no 
small inconvenience. I favored your ol>ject by my personal subscrip- 
tion, and indorsed your application among my peuple. I find you have 
maligned us both ; ami having detected you in playing the sjty, and even 
reporting falsehood, I cannot consent tliat yon should remain longer, 
and you will oblige me by leaving my huuse immediately and desisting 
from your collections." ' \j^ 

"Mr. Romeyn was always ready to bear his proportion nf labor and 
responsibility. He was a trustee of Queen's (now Rutgers) College from 
1807 until his death, and one of the largest and most etticient collectors 
of the Tlieological Professorial Fund. The plan of tlie Theological Semi- 
nary of the Reformed Dutch Church was drawn up by him, and his in- 
fluence was largely exercised in whaping the dcnuniinutiunal policy of 
the church. 





"Although his son, the Rev. James Romeyn. had entered upon his 
labors some time previous, yet it was not until October, 1S35, that he was 
actually installed as pastor. He remained, however, only until Septem- 
lir-rof the following year (1836), having received and accepted a call from 
the Reformed Dutch Church at CalskiU, N.T., where he remained until 
the close of the year 1842. when enfeebled health compelled the re- 
linquishment of &o responsible a charge. Thence he removed to Leeds, 
N. Y. (Old Catskill), where he remained until called and removed in 
184-1 to Bergen Neck. He was called thence to Geneva, N. Y.,and seemed 
to enter upon iiis labors with renewed vigor. But it was only to have 
in a brief month's time that deep, dark shadow of affliction fall over him 
in a paralytic stroke, which ended liis ministerial work. From Geneva 
he removed to the city of New Brunswick. There his life was spared 
until Sept. 7, 1859, when he slept the sleep of the 'beloved.' His sepul- 
chre is with bia father's, hard by us who are here to-day. It is a plot of 

1 Dr. Sprague's Annals of R. D. Ch. 



i-i; 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEV. 



ground which wm k gift oat of pecaliar respect to him from a piulBh- 
loner whox? lore wait the Iotc of a run<Ic«t friend. Dear ttiy duit, my 
fether! DeArerstili Ihy iiipmnry, thou di-pHfted in ihf Lord! Resur- 
rection hopes gather around thy Krovo, and I shall 



• Meet thfe on that peiiceful shore.' 



" His tombstone bears the following inscription, taken from among 
his own later utterances, and placed there by his family, aa expreeeive 
of bis own views after having ipent his Hfo in the ministry of the 
goipel: 

***Thouh<ut dealt ictil trith thy aervani^ I./ord .' t have pamed my ' 
day* from early manhood <m a itinitter of Jetua Chrut. That i$ enottgh t \ 
I am luUiMjiedl G'^ft has ted me by a right tray. Bleu the Lord^ O my 
toull' 

"The following chiiracterietic of Mr. Romeyn is furnished by Rot. 
W. V. V. Mabon, DP., of Now Diirhuni, N. J. : 

"* My ac(iuaintaiice with the Kt-T. Jnnies Romeyn began in the year 
1835. He hud been at thiit lime the pastor uf the Refonned Dutch 
Church in Hackensack for porliaps two or three years. He was thirty- 
nine years old, and in the prime of his powers. Although not old 
enough to take the proper measure of his abilities, my opportunities of 
forming a correct and truthful estimate of his chamctoristics may be 
roganled as more than a compensation for any want of ripeness of Judg- 
ment at thf time. 

'■ ' At thai date the village was a place of some intelligence, excellent 
mornlit, and singular uniformity in the clafw uf its dwellings, equally 
removed from grandeur and aquaior. Th<'re was little, if any, absolute 
poverty or ignorance, and as It was the site of a formerly famous acad- 
emy, and was also the seat of the court-house of tlie county, there w^re 
enough |>ersonB of the professions whioh demand a libenil education to 
give a decided t4jne of sound intelligence to the community in which 
the subject of these observationw wns railed to exerrtse the pastoral 
office. I very soon learned that our pastor wa« a man of distinguished 
reputation ae n preacher. I gathered this from the remarks uf his au- 
ditors fri>ni Siibbatti to Sabbath, and rn>m cdiserving the ittlendiince u|H>n 
his messagtw of )>eople of education, taste, and tmvpl, residing in the 
villiige, whose presence at his or any rhnrch could not be attributed in 
every instance to the mere force of custom. The same Impression was 
conflrme<l by the frequent announcements from time ti> time of his 
having received rails to other churches of imitortance in the denomino- i 
tion. Indce«l, be had ministered suHicieiitly long among (be churches, 
lK)th in New York and New Jersey, to have made him a man of general 
not*- beyond the bouu<ls of his own rongregation. 

'"lie was a nnin of ardent devoliim. His ufllcial prayers wen- solemn, I 
htimble, and tervent. They were fliled with words and jdeas taken 
from the Scri|itureH, iind.consldHring the rapidity of his utterance, em- 
brscffd great range imd fnllnem, as the\ conhl not but do when pro- 
tr.icted, Hs weri* usually lii>* sermons also, Mmiewhat beyonti the average 
li-ngth of those services a.-* rendered by other men. \ mutual relative 
once relale^l to me her cjisunl cogni/ance of bis Mi>ending, on an orca- 
•lon of her being at bis house, the greater part of the whnle night in 
wr-stling with (iod in prayer. As was taid U» Nathanitd, " When thou 
wuft under the llg-tree, I si»w thee," so it was nut po»HibU' for the occu- 
pant nt ii CiUitiguouH ro4>m not to become the witness of those secret 
transartb'n- with Cod which arc the basis of ministerial efficiency as 
they arp of iH-rwinal effort. 

" * Lei us notice tlie corr(U|K>ndence in sentiment of parents and their 
childrou. Ills moilier, who was a woman of great strength of character, 
a^ well IIS a model of the doniesilc capabilities and virtues, bad, previous 
tn Iter own ileath, rerelvofl a dlHiinct impres<iiou of the event in a vivid 
dn'uui. Kiiiiwing Its meiming, she informed her family of her coming 
do)>arture, mid In the animation of the stdeinn prospect she concluded 
and crowned therxhortation. made In her dying cbambor tn those ab<iut 
her, by addressing her son with fhf>so words: " frearf, ('hri»t, James! 
prritrh Chrifi f" ThmM* words are the key-note lo the theme and preach- 
ing of uur Aul-Jeot. Whatever may havr been the peculiarltleft of the 
prt*acher, Ihr p<iwi>r and the nttmctlon of the preaching was Its evan* 
gellcal clianicter. Jesus t'hrist In the gofl[H>1 and vital religion through 
the working of Ihe Holy Spirit In the heart was the sub«tance In one 
form or another of all hia servlrpa. Ili< oni'e remarked to me in b crltl- 
elrm upon ilobnt Hall," All he suys Is t)ii> same that we sity,oitlya 
little mor«« rlegnntly Mihl. T1)«> fare Is jirerlxely th«> same, hut bettor 
cofikM " Kldelity to Ih** g(»iip«d was a mark<>d tpa'.nre in bis adminis- 
tration of the gisipel. He never let down his thunie hut lifted his hear- 
er- up to it. Ilia fidelity was acrompanlM with vixlble teal for gospel 
truth and the Master's honor. Perhaps < fn>m the ilracriptlun of tithers) 



the most powerful effort he made at any time was when the Waahing- 

toniaii temperance movement t>egan the innovation of Sabbath-evening 
temperance meetings. The character of many In the niovement was 
doubtful, and the services in this instance were not held in the inter- 
ests of Christtanity. He felt calieii on to preach on the sanctiflcation of 
the Sabbath, which he di<l with great effect. With his earnest tempera- 
ment, \\U tldeliiy to the peo]>k' of hts charge was openly manifest. He 
felt himself to be in the position of Ezekiel's watchman, and not seldom 
mode us feel liis determination to clear his skirts of the blood of onr 
souls. His warnings were persistent and terrible. He spared no sin 
nor searching examination into the springs of sin. You could see he 
watched for souls as one who should give account. 

" * Mr. Romeyn, for so we shall call him, since he n-'fiised the honorary 
clerical title conferred on him by the trustees of Columbia College, was 
not only faithful in the pulpit but was a minister <>f the gospel all 
through. My memory lingem with pleasure upon his conscientious and 
cheerful performances «if the social duties of his charge. The houses of 
his people were always open to bis visits, which were not stiff and 
formal calls but genuine visits. By this means he would put hinifielf 
into communication with the families, and while he gained their confi- 
dence he gHined the niost important knowledge, the knowledge of their 
renl ctJite, T may add, he knew how to make use of this knowle«1ge in 
a telling way. It is an ailmlnible proof of the reality of our Intore-t in 
otherr^ whenever we are willing to devote a large portion of our time 
to pervonul attentions involving labor ol a kind differing so much from 
the intellei^-tnal prepantiion required for the pulpit. My rec^dlections 
of his pastoral affection are very ngreeabl"*. .K touch of the same kind 
might be seen in his way of itdministerlng the Lord's Supper, at which 
time be himself would distribult> to the communicant^, one by one, and 
add in each instance some promise or exhortation in Scripture wonls, 
with an application which, without pen«onal knowledge at»d affection, 
woiiltl have been im|>ossib]e. 

"'The monil qualities of the man were mainly honesty, earnestio-^h. 
humility, and kindne»>. In the circle of bii> friends he was playful, ml 
if in his use of language ref(|*ecling others be whs ever severe, it niu> 
be dtmbtcil whelbei any nmn, especlHlly one of a nervous organization, 
is aware uf the strength of bis own words. The pr.wf of his humility 
is clear from Ihecomimralive retirement of bis life, notwithstanding the 
numerous and templing invitations which ^vt>re extended to him lo tic- 
cupy place* 4if more prominence. If he had been endoweil with alfeller 
digestion a great want would have been supplied, and the dis<<ase which 
terminated his career might have been longer averte«l. As it waa, the 
constitutional irritaliillly uf bis tem)»erameut never 8e|iurated him fr\>ni 
the confidence of bis friends, and though it would at time* disturb the 
selfpoise of a nature otherwise well I>alance4l,it did, liN in many persons 
of like organization, cttnlrlbute tu the energy' of all his other endow- 
ments. 

" * Hie friendships, indeed, were ardent, and, as a characteristic feature 
of his odnistry, he made In the sevrnil places of bis lalnir life-long 
friends, who kept up those personal relations wherever he might aftei^ 
wards sojourn, which in nmny cases were lianded down "U Isith sidee 
from parents to children. Kven outside the socreil circle of the Chri-ttan 
communion it was no uncommon thing for persons win. had known him 
Hs a preacher to make their iirrangements, when traveling In his neigh- 
liorhood, to avail tliemselvw of his hospitality, and to ren.w their en- 
joyment of his ministrations in the servict,-* of the church. His confi- 
dences, when bestowed u|Hin others, were complete and childlike, anil if 
alwolule transparency of character may be nfhrmeil of any man It may 
bo afHrmeil of him. If there wan any fault, be was loti ai tiew and ojien 
for the safely of hiH own happiness at all times. Rut this Is the neces- 
sary compensation for the iKwseHslon of such qtialltlos. 

"'Intellectually. Mr. Itomeyn was a man of ready iK'n-eplbm and of 
diligent preparation for public duties. Whether he ex|»er|i>d i<m) much 
from ohilsirate study or not, he couhl never be charge*! with sl'iveull- 
ness or neglect to bring out the l<est on all occoslons. He was not guilty 
of abusing the pmc^ of Goil under Ihe pretence of depending on the 
Divine InteriKMtltion lo ward off the reaulls of his »iwn indobnce. H* 
cither wnito out bis sermon in full or preacheil from an analysis em- 
bmclng every |Htlnt and llluNtraiiun of the whole subject, and there was 
the same fiillnefw and HchnesH m\ Ihe funeral occasions or at the lecture 
in the schtMd-house as in the sanrtunry. If therf wer»> a dozen hearers' 
or a crowrjeil house, whoever was there was served with the Mme viands 
In all their iibnndance, ridt, seononed, and smoking hot. 

" ' Ills excursions thmngh the neldi* of llternlure and td>«orvathm, as 
well iw his theological reading, were made chiefly suhaidiary to ths 
pulpit. Although he deprndetl much u[Nin his manuscript, the manu- 
script was often pretmreil In an IncnHllbly short lime, on unexi>ecU)d 



NEW BARBADOES. 



177 



chIIh, uwing to the fact of his materials being always at hand, and to 
the rapidity of his iiee of the pen. In fact, the pen was his constant 
companion and weapon. He was prolific in epistolary corrt-Bpunilence, 
and one of the mo^t liberHl patrons of the mail. His literary labora 
were not confined to eermons and letters. From time to time ht: con- 
tribnted articles ul' interest to the press, and in the councils of the 
chinch was the author of a comprehensive, far-sighted report, of which 
the vi'-wB and recommendations offered have in many cases been incor- 
ponited into the working organization of the denomination. In fact, as 
is the case with most ministers of the gospel, his views of policy were 
BO much in udvance of the perceptions and of the willingness to work 
on the part of tlie people that disagreement could nut fail to arise Ipe- 
twren them. I am cognizant of such lacts in at least a single instance, 
and suppose it was probably the rule. 

" ' His physiognomy and personal appearance were decidedly marked. 
With light hnir and eyes, thin face, large nose, mouth, and chin, tall 
ami bony frame, pale complexion, and erect attitude, his appearance 
excited the additional interest usually felt for persons suffering from the 
want of vigorous health His voice was deep, and its tones solemn, at 
titin-s even sepulchral, and his bearing thoroughly clerical. As in his 
pii.->liiral relations he carried with him the characteristics of the genuine 
dominie, so in his personal appearance he conveyed to the eye a senti- 
ment of the antique. The personnel was without claims to regular 
beauty, but original and striking. You could neither see nor hear him 
witliout the impression of being in the presence of a viatt. I may add, 
Hs a characteristic touch, that absolutely free as he might be considered 
fiom persuiuil vanity, yet no one could possibly be niure sensitive to a 
personal blemish, however temporary or trifling. 

" 'The attribute of his public efforts that most struck you was poicer. 
A member of the bar, referring to the only occasion on wliiih he liad 
hetird him, said to me once, *' It was such a tremendous exhibition of 
pi.W'-r I Wits iwtonished!" That was the general impression upon his 
lieaiere. 

"'The gruunds of it were not difficult to discover. His voice was 
goml, although the articulation was naturally somewhat thick. His 
urii-raDCe was rapid as a mountain torrent. He uttered as many words 
in the intervals between his pauses, which were well marked, as the 
org:ins of elocution could possibly give out. Owing to this his style waa 
generally diffuse, — diffuse U> the reader, — but by reasoTi of the rapid- 
ity of Iiis utterance it was not diffuse; that is to say^ the spread of his 
sentences was concentrated liy the compression of his rapid elocution. 
The movement was marked by the variety which attaches to nature 
and passionate feeling. Like the flow of a river over an uneven sur- 
face, the viilume vf his ideas received variety in their expression from 
the obstacles they nncountered. He had, at the same time, the art of 
condensing the whole argument or illustration in a |»inted, loaded 
blow, contained in a short simile or axiom. 

"* His power of illnstratiun w;i3 also very prominent. He used short 
metaphors, two or three strokes of a suggestive sketch, but not elabor- 
ate, finished paintings. He had too much wealth of illustration to waste 
time on comparisons long drawn out. Perhaps he threw down too 
many pearls at once for his hearers to be able to pick iip and lay away. 
A bushel of pearls may only bewilder, while a necklace would enrich. 
It will appear, therefore, that analysis and imaginatioTi jiredominated 
in bis treatment of pulpit themes. In fact, he had the faculty of paint- 
ing sketclies and passing verbal panoramas along before the eyes of his 
audience; but while he indulged in this direction, it waa in connection 
with close analysis and sound logic. If you add to these the very great 
force cousetpient upon earnest and very fast speaking, accompanied by 
transparent honesty, sympathy with the subject, solemnity of voice and 
aspect, ami a tlunuugh disdain of all arts and rules, you have the secret 
of \[ie poni'r X>> which reference has been made. 

'" His ministry was attended with fruits in every congregation which 
he served. I have heard him refer to the addition of thirty -nine mem- 
bers to the churcli at Nassau, his first charge, on confession of faith at 
a single communion. From his settlement at Nass;in, which began in 
the year 1820 and continued seven years, he ministered in succession to 
the churches of Six-Mile Run, N. J., Hackensack, N. J., Catskill and 
Leeds, N. Y.. Hergen Point, N. J., and Geneva, N. Y. In this last-men- 
tioned place his labors were interrupted by a stroke of paralysis soon 
after his removal thither, and at a moment when the appreciation on 
the part of that community of bis various accomplishments gave prom- 
ice of even larger usefulness than had ever before been held out to his 
reach. 

" ' The vulue of these brief sketches, if any, is believed to consist in 
their simple truth, photographed from the memory of one who first re- 
ceived fruni his hands the seals of the Lord's Supper, and who at the 



time of putting on the armor of the ministry was, in the language of 
the deceased himself, "dressed" by him "for the fight." '' 

" During Mr. Romeyn's ministry the property which now constitMtes 
the parsonage waa bought, together with adjoining lands, from Rev, Dr. 
Cannon, for two thousand and fifty dollars. This property adjoined a 
tract of four and a half acres bought by the congregation of Rynear 
Van Gieson in 1759. The purchase money was raised by subscription. 
The house originally standing upon it was rebuilt. 



d/^i^^i^^,^^^ /^ #> 



*' Rev. Mr. Romeyn was succeeded by Rev. Alexander H. Warner, who 
was called from Clarkstown, and was installed as pastor on the firat 
Wednesday in February. 183". His ministry extended over the long 
period of twenty-eight years, having ended by his resignation in Feb- 
ruary, 1865. During his ministry one hundred and ninety-two were 
added to the church, uf whom seventy-six were by certificate, and one 
hundred and sixteen on confession. During his ministry, there being 
need of greater church accommodations, it was resolved to add ten feet 
to the rear of the old building, which was done in 1S47. Under the su- 
perintendence of A.O. Zabriskie and John Huyler, Esqrs., the work waa 
successfully completed, costing about three thousand dollars. The re- 
sale of the old pews and the sale of the new ones paid the cost. The ceme- 
tery was likewise enlarged at a cost of about three hundred dollars. The 
parsonage house was likewise remodeled and enlarged, at an expense of 
about two thousand five hundred dollars, which was met by appropria- 
tions from the proceeds of the sale of lands belonging with the parson- 
age. During this period a branch shot forth from the old trunk, and 
the Second Reformed Dutch Church of Hackensack was organized, 
whose tasteful edifice is an ornament to that part of the village in which 
it stands. Its first pastor was Rev. James Deniarest, Jr., who was suc- 
ceeded by its present incumbent. Rev. George \\. Fisher, D.D. 

"On the resisnatioii of Rev. Mr. Warner a call was extended to Rev. 
Theoilore B. Romeyn, of Blawenbnrgh, N. J., tlie present pastor. It 
having been accepted, he was installed on the 21st <iay of June, 18G5. 
The sermon was preached by Rev. J. Romeyn Berry, D.D. This pastor- 
ate has thus far been blest by the addition of weventy-seven on confes- 
sion and forty-three by certificate. 

"There are upwards of twohundred families at presentinthe congre- 
gation, and about two hundred in the membership of the church, rather 
an unusual disproportion. The Sabbath -school numbers forty-six officera 
and teacheis and about three hundred scholars, and is cherished by both 
pastor and people. 

"Our church building stands where it stood of yore, aniitlat the city of 
the dead. Around it lies valued dust. Worshipersof the olden time and 
of more recent yearaarein this churchyard, the kindred and connections 
of those who first settled here and strangers who came hither to make 
a home. 

"The dust of the Rev. Warmoldus Kuypers is here, mIio fiti tw<Mity- 
seven years ministered the gospel on this very spot. He died in 1797. 

"Here is the tomb of Brig.-Gen. Enoch Poor, one of the officers in the 
United States army, who died Sept. 8, 1780, at the age of forty-four 
years. 

"Here is buried Peter Wilson, LL.D., the scholar and teacher and 
patriot, of whose memory and residence and influence this village may 
well be proiid. He died Aug. 1, 1825, 

"The remains of Col. Richard Vaiick, formerly mayor of the city of 
New York, and at the time of his death president of the American Bible 
Society, are here. He died July 30, 1831. 

" Here, too, is the grave of Rev. James V. C. Romeyn, who for nearly 
fifty-three years preached Christ, thirty-five of which were spent with 
those among whom liis body lies. 

"The grave of Rev. John S. Mabon is here too, the thorough in- 
structor, as he was the ripe scholar and the devout Christian. He died 
April 27, 1849. 

1 In the private corrf^spondence of Dr. James W. Alexander the fol- 
lowing reference is made to the subject of this memoir: 

"In the P.M. (afternoon) I went to Port Richmond (Staten Island), to 
worship with Brownlee's Church (Dutch). There I heard James Ro- 
meyn, and a more extraordinary man I never heard. Fullness of mat- 
ter, every step sudden and unexpected, genius, strength, fire, terror, 
amazing and preposterous rapidity, contempt of rule and taste. It was 
an awful discourse from 1 Thess. v. 3. It was one which I shall not 
soon forget. 

"Grovk Parso.vage, March 22, 1870." 



178 



HISTORY OK BEKGKN AND I'ASSAIC COUNTIES, NKW JERSEY. 



** Aniong his kindred Is the diut of R«r. Jamr* Romej'n, who pa»Md 
thirty-oneyean of bit life In the ministry. He died in SpptfOiber, 1859, 
HK^I *lxty-two yean*. 

** Here, too, ri'Sta tlu? ashes of Itev. Frederick Cn)wc, styled the ' South 
Amerlcfin mnrtyr,* because of persi-cntiuns whtcli )io endure*! wliiie at- 
teinpllnp to preuch Christ, and which resnltetl in his dentli. 

"Such are at IcaMt glimpxeH of the hitit<>riciil |Mist uf tliis church, 
which, OS respects n^e, is 'a mother-churcli.' 

"It must iieceMiirily havt* wielded a large inlluence over this and 
surrounding loc.-iliiiL*5. The list uf its pastors kIiowh (hat it had Dien to 
watch over its IntereHtf who were ningt worthy men, men of GikI, of 
piety, and patriotism. But it is a noticeahic fact in this connection that 
no mominient or tJildet or any nieniorial whatever has ever lieen reared 
by ttiis congregation t<» the memory of a single one of ihose who lived 
and died in iM Nelf-d»nying ttervice. 

"In propvtriion to tlii> age of this church and the long series of its pas- 
torales, very t'>-w liuve gone forth from its membership into the minis- 
try. Their immea are the following: 

"UemrduH Arense Kuypers, William Provost Kuypers, Peter Labagh, 
James S|>eDcer Cannon,* William V. V. Slabon, J. Romeyn Berry, Philip 
Berry. 



y^Ce^. /V /P^j^u<£y 



>y^ 



"Just sitl'stMiueut to the instaUntion of Rev. Tlieo. B. Romeyn the 
church accomnu^ittionM were somewhat increased by ihe atldition of an 
alcove and the lowering ol the pulpit, which giive an ndditionii) num* 
her of pews. During the autuniu <»f IMC"), Mr. George Fair pliiced at 
his own expense a bell in the tower at a cost q/" one thousand dollars. 

"During the autumn of I»67 and the winter of 1868 n chapel was 
erected at a cost of al^ont eight thunsand five hundred dollars, fur the 
accommi>dation of the social meetings and the Sjibl>ath-schtxil. This 
was built by private huMcriptions mainly. During the last spring sub- 
scriptions wi-re madf I'y one ^ffort of upward of two tlhuifiand dollars, 
by which the del>l ■•!) the cha|K>l is jiaid. 

"The growth of thl** iK>puliiiion within a few yenrs being such that 
our aCL-omniodatioiiN were no longer equal to the ileoiand upon un, the 
question of enlargement began to be suggested, iu eonnertion with the 
erection of a chapel. But the comMnalion of the two waa thought to 
be most impracticable. At length George Fair, Ksq., proposed out of 
his own private resources lo enlarge the old building by the addition 
of tranHeptt on each side. But this was found iinidviiMblo. At length 
he offered the coimiittory the generous sum of twenty thousand three 
hundred dollars, with the undomlanding that tlio building should bo 
lengthened twenty fi-.-i uml remodeled in a titling style, imd thiit 
whatever might be the additional cost, presuming there would be, be- 

' Gcrardus Arenso Kuypers was a son of Rev. Warmoldus Kuypers, 
born on the island of Cunu.-oa, Dec. IR, 176)); was liceuMetl |u preach in 
1787. lie wuH cjilled from I'ammus to the Curden Street Church, in 
New York. His brother, William I'ruvost, we supiuse, united with tbli 
chun^h. He was liorn I77:i, and licensed 1792. 

Peter I^liagh wiuj born in the city of New Yi»rk, Nov. 10, 177;i. He 
came with his luirenls to Harkentuirk as a refugee at the opening of tho 
Revolution. His gnindfaiher had formerly re8ldl^d in this place, and 
here alnu his father was Ixtu, in the year 1732. He united with this 
chiinh in 17m. tlien under lh«' care uf Dr. l-roeligh, with ulmni he sub- 
•eqiienlly sludleil the..|ngy. und wiw licensed t>> preach in I7l'(l. His 
name is still fresh In memory and fragrant with inlerent. — (Tmld'H Me- 
molrn.) 

James Spencer Cannon wm born on Ihe island of INira^oa, Jiin. 2K, 
I77A. His father, upon the death of his mother, placed him, with two 
other brotheni. In the academy of Dr. WIIboii, at IlackiMiMck. lie was 
left an or|dian by the death of his father, who, being a sea-captain, was 
IriRt overtKwtnl while nn a voynge t«i Cliarlenlon, 8. C. But a friend wom 
raised up In Ellas Ilrev<«.rt, fjtq., whc. <lefrayed Ihe entire expense of 
his etiucallon. Me Nub«e(|uenlly nnirrtetl the daughter of his benefattur. 
His cotinectbui with Ihe • hurrh at llnckensii< k t*K>k phice in 17U4. He 
fftudleil ihoobigy nndnr Ihe direction uf Dr. Kroeligh and Dr. Livingston, 
wllh Peter I<al>agli as a clnMniste, nnd whji llrensefl at the same time to 
pn«rh, In I7li4. After serving the churches at Six-Mile Itiin and >llll- 
ttone, and su)isef|uently the Six-Mlle Run Church sepnraloly for nearly 
thirty years, he WAS called loa pn>feMurship iu Ihe theological seminary 
at New Brunswick. He died July 2A, \ti&2. 



cause of the immense amonnt of work neeemnry to \te done In order 

to make a f\nishe<l structure, the congregation should assume. This 

being sutttcieiitly liberal a pn.ip*>8ition to be act-epted by lit>eral minds, 

the consistory residvcd upon the undertaking. To-ilay »hows tlie n*- 

suit. With the exception of the tower, the old walls, ro*if, and |>art 

of the galler>', nil Is new. We have reason to rejoice in having had 

I one Huiong us who was ready to consecrate such a portion of his suIh 

stance in the interest of the church of his fathers, and in its Ireing the 

prompting!^ of his own spirit, ami not through the sol-ciiHtion of others. 

' The completion of the ediflce reminds us that ttie donor, through whose 

I genenwity the work was started, is not here. He lived to see the be- 

I ginning of an enterprise in which he seemctl to take so fond an Interest, 

but just after these new waits began to rise he was suddenly cjilled away. 

I Such WHS the confidence placed in him that the whole work wa* Ifegun 

I simply on his word of promise. No paynn-nts had lK*cn made, no |iapers 
executed; uml when, near midnight, the shallow of sickness which 
I darkened Into the shadow of iletith fell on him. the flrnt thought in his 
; mind was of his obligntiun to t)ie church. As soon ns )Ht<s|ble papers 
wore executed making over the promised Riuonnt to the consistory, 
signed by a hand trembling with the touch of a sudden diseiitie, which iu 
a few hours proved fatal. It was the last business transaction of his old 
age nnd his life, and for it his memory' shall l>e cherished, itiid with the?><- 
out-lengthened walls th»t memory shall l>e atwoclated. Had he Invl 
longer the church would doubtless have seen further illustrations of his 
consecration of property In the evening of his days to the I^>rd whom 
he professed to love, and to whom we triist he died. When ilo* present 
obligations are canceled, according to tlie plans iK'fore ns, this church 
will be placed on a footing, as regards its external^, equal to its l»est-l>e- 
C'>n>ing wishes. When our fathers were called in their days to meet 
the exigencies of their circumstances they reepvmdetl in means and 
methods which became thorn* days. We have been proftting by what 
they accomplished almost, If not quite, np to this hour. Our time has 
now come. Let us be their worthy children, and our children will not 
only reap the fruits of our devotion, but be stimulated to take their 
places In their time. 

" A brief reKiinie of the financial history, aa far as wo can get at It, 
and cimditiou of the church back as fur as 17i>l may nut lie out of place 
here. In that yeiir Wm eilitice was reann]. The sulisci iplion list fi»ota 
up to tliree huntlred and twenty-eight pounds. The probable cost was 
alHiut throe thousand dollars Then followwl the improvement of 1834, 
costing a few hundred dollars. That was followed by the enlargement 
of 1837, costing three thousand dtdlars. In both cases of building the 
exponsrs were \ti\U\ with the purchase- money of the pews, and nut by 
gralnitous snbftcriptitui. So Diat we can s|H'nk of n^l only iu the sense 
of investment in chuitrh property, which In supposed In the privileges 
returned to pay for itself This itt then individual property, not donated 
nut of benevolence to the church, Imt owne<l and kept, or willed Hud 
heired,or sold ami tninsferr<H] for value leceived, like any other pro|H'rty. 
Saying, then, that the cost up to 1H47 and sul«»i)uent expemltturi's was 
about eight thousand dollars, this sum covers what tills congregation has 
been called upon to sjK'nd for its church building for throe-<|uarter» of a 
century. Of course this does not include the ciw*t of pursoungc prop- 
erty nor the usual minor re|>aira and yearly neceivary <-<i«t of ministerial 
support. And now, when they shall have made another luvr-ntment to 
cover the outlay m-cessary Iveyoiid the donatliui of Mr. F^ir, Isith of 
which outlays together will give wt much higher vnlue to their pewH, 
generally at least, hk* that the money Is not a mere gratuity nor lost, 
tliey will in llie pnst i»eri"<l of seventy-flve years, nnd Imc uuiny years to 
come, have Investeil sontelhing like foniteen thousand dollitrs. Four* 
teen thousand dollant for a century I rather the inten>st on that num, 
for they own the principal yet ^ 

"With a church building ca|ialde of accommo<lating eight hundred 
and fifty persi>ns, In quite ever)' resiiect uuexcejttlonable for its comfort 



- Since this statement was nuule a large number of the pews have 
Imm-u transferred to the ctuislstory for value receirod, which hss ihrown 
a ilebt iiiKm Ihe church, but at tho same lime brought those |tewg uutler 
the church's routnd. Thnaigh t)ie rise in real estate and legacieft ■! 
the church's friends, the original pro|ierty enabled Ihe consistory t 
make outlays for uecea«ary Impnivements. The earlier Mud later iiu- 
prorementft of the iwriMtunge, the alcove bultt In the church In 18AA 
and the organ place*! there, and repairs on the church building, instead 
of taxing tlis |»ewB, were done by the*e ineHiis. 

The slatenieni alHive Is of course a rough estimate, and may be open 
to correction, but it li as near as we can get at It. Pn.q'erly Ihe c(«t of 
Ihe chaiwl ought to t>e added. 



NEW BARBADOES. 



179 



andlieauty (however there maybe many who cannot appreciate the latter 
feature in churches, simply on the ground that, however well ' ceiled' 
their own houses may be, it matters not with regard to the * Father's 
house'), with a lecture-room as capacious and tasteful as could he wished, 
with a parsonage in one of the finest localities in the village, this congre- 
gation has all it ought to desire in respect to externals.^ 

"As pleasing as it may be to have such olden asBOciations and to 
cherish them, we must not rest upon them. They have their lessons. 
Through them we should be the wiser, better, stronger. But we must 
no more rest upon the past growth than a tree should on past growth. 
It must grow on and hear fruit itself. So must we. We must have our 
rooting, our branching, our leafing, our growing, fmr fruit-bearing. We 
are to stand as by ourselves, always as if a «<■«• church in evergreen 
beauty and strength. And had there been moreof this individual vitality 
in the Reformed Dutch Churches of this country the denomination would 
not have been the ' little o[ie' it now is in respect to numbers and power. 
But the Dutch would always liug the landing-place and stick to the 
shores of New York Bay and Hudson River, and scarce dare venture far 
ill the interior. How they ever got as far as New Netherland is to me 
almost a miracle. 

*' We have age. Let us have life, loo, or die and have done with dying 
always. Mere change of name will not save the church any more than 
it will save a vine. The vin^ may sell better in the market, but event- 
ually the owner will pull it up. It want« life, character, fruit. Men 
will t'ike to that church which commends itself by its high standards 
of Christian holiness, by a genuine catholicity of spirit, by a pure and 
earnestly preached Gospel, ly an independent and manly pulpit, which 
is a 'brazen wall' against vice and ini^pilty, by charity, by being a place 
where *the rich and poor meet together' witli«>ut enviable distinctions, 
by Christian love, by Christian unity, Christian fellowship, Christian 
energy. Christian sympathy and help. May God make this church a 
living church, to which shall daily be added of sucli as shall be saved, 
and 80 the old ' Church on the Green"" shall be an everyreen church. May 
many, amid the changes which are taking place in this locality, who are 
making this beautiful village their home find reason for making this 
church their spiritual home, saying, — 

'* Brethren, where your altar burns, 
Oh ! receive us into rest.' 

"To how many of us is thi.-* spot most dear as the gate of heaven to 
our kindred (and you know with what emphasis he who speaks to you 
Bays *oi'R kindred'). For, for more than fifty years have his own kin- 
dred ministered to you and yours, and his and your departed rest to- 
gether in the same places of sepulture, the same congregation of the 
dead. You and I can repeat the language used by one as she stood with- 
in this ancient yard a few years ago : 

"* I stand and muse beside the graves of kindred true and dear, 
Of those whose bed has been the earth for many a lingering year, 
Who having fought the ' fight of faith' have laid tlieir armor down — 
Translated to the better land they wear the conqueror's crown.'^ 
"What scenes have transpired within these very walls! Here for 
generations pjist has the truth been preached, here tears of penitence 
have been wept, and wiped away again. Here many of the dead have 
been bri_>iight for burial, and the words of counsel and consolation have 
been uttered. walls, had ye language what stories ye could tell of 
teacliings given, of tlie truth blest, of the Spirit grieved, of the wounded 
made whole, and of saints ripening for lieaven ! Thy presence has 
been here on this spot, Divine One I and neither the hills around us 
nor the great ocean that lies almost at our feet have had such a conse- 
cration as the baptism of Thy Imiy presence in the years bygone has 
given this house. And now, God of our fathers, be thou the God of 
their children, and may this house be filled with Thy glory ! ' Lei Thy 
tciirk appear unto Thy servants, and Thy glory unto their children. And let 
the beauty of the Lordour God. be upon tis^and esUddiah Thou theworkof our 
hands upon us, yea the jcorl- of our hands establish Thou itP 

"'Church of my sires ! my love to thee 
Was nurtured in my infancy, 
And now maturer thoughts approve 
The object of that infant love. 



' Since the reopening of the church it has been frescoed, through the 
kindness of Mrs. George Fair, at an expense of about one thousand 
<lollars. 

- The ministry of Rev. Theodorick Romeyn covered about ten years; 
that of his nephew, James V. C. Romeyn, nearly thirty-five years; rhat 
of James Romeyn, the son of J. V. C, about /our years, and that of bis 
Bon, Theodore B., nearly /our (at the present date five and a half). 



Linked to my soul with hooks of steel, 

By all I say, and do, ami feel; 

By records that refresh my eye 

In the rich page of memory ; 

By blessings at thine altJirs given. 

By scenes which lift the soul to heaven ; 

By monuments that humbly rise. 

Memorials of the good and wise ; 

By graves forever sad and dear. 

Still reeking with my constant tear. 

Where those in honored slumber lie 

Whose deaths have taught me how to die. 

And shall I not with all my powers 

Watch'ronnd thy venerable towers? 

And can I bid the pilgrim flee 

To holier refuge than to thee?'" 

Rev. Theodore Bayard RoarEYN, D.D., is the 
second son of the late Rev. James Romeyn, D.D., of 
Hackensack, N. J,, and was born at Nassau, Rensse- 
laer County, N. Y., Oct. 22, 1827. He entered Rut- 
gers College in 1843, from which he was graduated 
in 1846, and three years later he was graduated at 
the theological seminary of the Reformed Church at 
New Brunswick. In the autumn of the same year he 
began the Christian ministry at Blawenburgh, Som- 
erset Co., N. J., where he continued his pastoral labors 
for fifteen years and a half, when he was called to the 
pastorate of the First Reformed (Dutch) Church at 
Hackensack, where both his father and grandfather 
had for many years before ministered, and where he 
has unceasingly labored since, a period of sixteen 
years. Dr. Romeyn was honored by Rutgers College 
several years after his graduation with the degree of 
Doctor of Divinity. His wife, Amelia, is the daughter 
of Johnson Letson and Eliza Shaddle, of New Bruns- 
wick, by whom he has one surviving child, James A, 
Romeyn. 

Dr. Romeyn is a fitting successor in the Christian 
ministry of the Reformed Church to his many minis- 
terial ancestors. The mantle so honorably worn by a 
grandfather and father has gently fallen on his shoul- 
ders, and has been borne by him without spot with 
equal dignity and honor. Trained by family instruc- 
tion and example in religious doctrines and teachings,. 
his heart and conscience early and sincerely yielded 
to the calls of duty which directed him in the foot- 
prints made by a noble and pious father. 

To the work of his life he has brought natural men- 
tal endowments of a high order. These, by culture,, 
study, and scholarship have made him eminent in his 
profession and powerful for good in the pulpit. 

As a pastor his people regard him with reverent, 
affection. The attachment of pastor and people is 
strong in mutual love attested by a long and faithful 
service. In thirty-two years he has been settled over 
but two congregations, kindly, cheerfully, and con- 
scientiously performing every congregational duty. 
His sympathies overflow in sincerity and tenderness 
with misfortune, distress, and affliction, and he is ever 
the constant ministering good angel in every home 
of sorrow. Of genial and social disposition, he is the 
generous companion of bright and buoyant youth as 



180 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



well as clouded and weary old age. With warm at- | 
taclinient^, he has secured close and abiding friend- 
ships. In his sympathetic, social, and friendly inter- ' 
course with his fellow-men he never loses sight of the 
grand and sdlemn fact that life is real, given for a 
high and noble jiurpose, and is immortal. None can 
for any length of time enjoy hi.i genial companion- 
ship without being deeply impressed with the sacred 
and responsible character of his mission. The great I 
realities of life and life's destinies often tinge his 
thought and intercourse with sad solemnity. 

As a preacher he is gifted with eloquence which is 
characterized by originality of thought, beauty of 
illustration, and deep pathos. He never enters the 
pulpit without careful preparation. Every sermon is 
impressed with thought and study, and though some- | 
times long is never tiresome. ( )ld and young are held 
in wrapt attention, while his pathos melts to tears, or 
bis tender pleadings woo to thoughts of holiness and 
love. False j)retense, false pride, and i)omp find in 
him no apologist, but awaken a most righteous indig- | 
nation, and are the subjects of his constant aversion 
and merited rebuke. Extreme humility and modesty 
are the leading and crowning characteristics of his 
life, and render him to some degree unconscious of his 
large mental powers and attainments. Between his 
congregation and his pulpit he is constantly active and 
at work, never idle, and always faithful to the strictest 
performance of every trust. 

His youth, manhooil, and ri|)er years have borne 
unmistaken testimony that his ministerial calling has 
not been a mistake or failure. His entire life is the 
living witness known of all men that everj- faculty I 
of his head and heart is thoroughly devoted to the 
work of his sacred profession ; that his every word is 
a benediction, and his everj' work is performed in pro- 
motion of the good. 

l{y descent, culture, and ability Dr. Romeyn is a true 
representative of his ancestral church. It is enough 
to say of him that his life thus far has been eminently 
a successful one in the ministry of the gospel, and 
that his name is held in honor, reverence, and love 
in every household of faith which his jiresence lias 
cheered, comforted, or blessed. 

The Second Reformed Church, Hacken.sack, has a 
pleasant and commodious church on State Street, in 
the upper part of the town, with an elegant parsonage 
and lecture-room on either side of the church. This 
church w;lx organized in IS'iri, with a small incmlicr- 
ship from the First Chun-h. The edifice was erected 
the year following. The corner-stone was laid by 
Rev. John Knox, D.D., of New York City, July TO, 
ISSd, and the structure was completed in 1857. This 
church since that date hius greatly increa.sed, and now 
embraces a large memliershlp and attcinlance upon its 
Sabbath services. Rev. .Fames l>emarest, Jr., was the 
firnt piLstor, from IS-ie to IKC."}, and Rev. George H. 
Fisher, I). I)., from 186-1 to 1870, when age and in- 
firmities compelled his resignation, and was succeeded 



by the present pastor. Rev. C. B. Durand, in 1871. 
Mr. Durand is an instructive and .scholarly preacher, 
and the church has greatly prospered under lii» 
charge. 

The Third Reformed (German) Church is situated 
in Lower Hackensack, on Broadway, near Hudson 
Street. There is quite a German |iO|)ulation in Hack- 
ensack, as well as in every considerable town in Amer- 
ica. This church is designed to accommodate that 
class. The Germans are a thriving and industrious 
people, and have added much to the wealth and pros- 
perity of our .'Vmerican institutions They are gen- 
erally stanch su])porters of law and order, and many 
of them are devout supporters of the great German 
Reformer, Luther, and of the doctrines of the Re- 
formed Church in Holland. Their church in Hack- 
ensack wius organized in 18">8, by Rev. L. Mohn, of 
Hoboken, N. J., and H. Berker, of Union Hill, N.,T. 
The church edifice was erected in 1860, with Rev. 
William Wolf as pastor, from 18G0 to 18G2; followed 
by Rev. A. Shroeder, from 1862 to 1868; followed by 
Rev. 0. Loesih, from 1868 to 1870; followed by Rev. 
H. Riche, from 1872, and Rev. R. Freck and Rev. 
George Goeble, their present pastor. 

This church had its struggles in the beginning and 
for a period of twelve years or more, but its members 
hope and believe they have not struggled in vain. It 
has a membership of about one hundred, with a large 
Sabbath-school. 

The True Reformed Protestant Dutch Church was 
organized in •Schraalcnburgh, in the county of Bergen, 
in October, 1822, to adhere to the rules and tenets of 
their faith, as established at Dordrecht in 1618-19, 
without any change or modification ; and this is pre- 
sumed to be the reason why they write the word 
" true" ius a part of their denominational designation. 
The preaching of the pure doctrine of the gos|)cl, the 
maintenance of the pure administration of Christ's 
sacraments, the exercise of church discipline to 
punish sin, doing all things by the pure word of God. 
rejecting all things contrary, acknowledging Christ 
as the only lu-ad of the church were the grounds on 
which Rev. .Miram Brokaw, of Ovid, and Rev. H. V. 
Wycotf, of Charlc.sfown, and Rev. Sylvanus Palmer, 
of Union, and Rev. John C. Tol, of MidiUetown, each 
with an elder, and the Rev. Solomon Froeligh, D.D., 
S.S., T.P., also with an elder from Schraalcnburgh.of 
Hackensack, biuscd their action at Schraalenliurgli in 
1822. There are now eleven churches in this denom- 
ination in the States of New Jersey and New York. 
The fir.st pastor of the church in Hackensack wili 
Rev. James B. Demarest, a most sincere and devout 
preacher, and father of the late county clerk of Ber- 
gen, Hon. Thomas D. Demarest. Rev. Mr. Demare.st 
wiLs jiastor for twenty-two years, commencing here at 
the organization of the church, soon after 1822. He 
was succeeded by Rev. Cornelius C Blauvelt, who 
wiuH also the father of C.J. Blauvelt, a former county 
clerk of Bergen, and the immediate predecessor of 




(^c^/fiLwui^', yu^ 



<^M*^i. 



NEW BARBADOES. 



ISl 



Thomas D. Demarest. Rev. Mr. Blauvelt was pastor 
for five years, and was followed by Rev. Christian 
Z. Paulison, who was pastor for two years, when the 
present pastor. Rev. John Y. De Bauu, entered upon 
his charge. Mr. De Baun is also editor of The Bnimer 
of Truth, a monthly magazine of the True Reformed 
Church. The church edifice is located on Hudson 
Street, in Lower Hackensack, is a spacious structure, 
and the membership is about 100. 

The First Presbyterian Church of Hackensack was 
established in 1832, with Rev. Christian Z. Paulison 
a.s their first pastor to 1840, and followed by Rev. Al- 
bert Amerman in 1843, who is now venerable in age 
and has continued active pastor of the church till a 
short time since. The present pastor is Rev. H. B. 
McCauley. The church edifice is on Main Street, 
above Salem, in Upper Hackensack. 

During the seasons of Lent in 1861 and lSt)2 Epis- 
copal Ciiurch services were held for the first time in 
Hackensack, followed by the first Sabbath service on 
the 12th of April, 1863, and on the next Lord's day 
a Sabbath-school was organized with two teachers and 
five scliolars, and on the 11th of May following Clirist 
Cliurch Parish was organized with Rev. William G. 
Farriugton, who was elected rector the week following. 
Tlie corner-stone of the church edificeon Union Street, 
nearly fronting on Salem Street, in Upper Hacken- 
sack, was laid July 18, 1865, and divine service was 
held there in January following. Rev. Mr. Farriug- 
ton resigned the rectorship in May, 1870, and in the 
following September Rev. William Welles HoUey was 
elected his successor. A rectory, near the church, 
fronting directly on Salem Street, at a cost of eleven 
thousand dollars, was commenced in 1871. These 
elegant structures form a great ornament to the town. 
Eleven other parishes and missions have grown out of 
this church. With only six families at first this 
church embraces over one hundred families to-day, 
and its property is valued at over forty thousand dol- 
lars. With a most efficient and devoted pastor the 
church is prosperous and active in good works. The 
church has contributed more than sixty thousand 
dollars since its organization. The good Bishop Oden- 
heimer, now gone to his rest, was followed by the able 
and eloquent Bishop Starkey, of the Northern Diocese 
of New Jersey. Bishop Odenheimer's memory will 
long be revered for his simple piety, his comprehensive 
charity, and his arduous labors in founding Episcopal 
Churches in this part of his diocese, which during 
nearly the whole of his long episcopate embraced the 
whole State of New Jersey. Such bishops deserve a 
place in history, and in the good works which follow 
them will be honored of their Master. 

Methodism had not made much headway in Hack- 
ensack before 1849. There had been many Meth- 
odists here long years before, and they had worshiped 
God in many an humble place, wherever they thought 
they could find Him, but in the spring of 1849 their 
first society was organized here by Rev. A. L. Brice, 



who was followed in due course of itinerancy by Rev. 
S. Vansant. A church was erected and completed 
for dedication by Bishop Janes in 18o0. Many min- 
isters followed till, under the pastoral charge of Revs. 
A. Craig and J. R. Adams, from 1872 to 1874, the old 
church was replaced by a new and beautiful Gothic 
edifice, which was dedicated Jan. 15, 1875. This 
church is pleasantly located on the corner of State 
and Warren Streets, in the lower part of the town. 
Out of this church, on Oct. 16, 1868, was organized the 
Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church, with a mem- 
bership of 36, and with Rev. J. Cowims pastor. This 
church succeeded in building a large and beautiftil 
structure on State Street, in which services were first 
held Jan. 1, 1871; but after only one month their 
house was totally laid in ashes. The whole town was 
moved with profoundest sorrow over this calamity, 
and many of the churches oflered efficient aid for its 
re-erection. The society is now worshiping in a very 
commodious chapel on State Street, just above the 
Second Reformed Church, and, considering the adver- 
sity it has been called to pass through, is in a pros- 
perous condition. 

The first Roman Catholic Church was erected in 
Hackensack in 1861, when there were only 25 Catholic 
families in the town, while Rev. Father Annellie was 
pastor. He was followed by Revs. P. Corrigan and 
Dr. Beams. The corner-stone of the present church 
was laid in 1866, and the beautiful structure was fin- 
ished under the pastorate of Rev. P. Cody, and in the 
same year was consecrated by the Rt. Rev. Bishop 
Bayley to the most Holy Trinity. Revs. P. P. Gar- 
vey, T. Rolando, and M. J. Kirnan, as priests, have 
followed, and the church now embraces a membership 
of over seven hundred. 

The First Baptist Church of Hackensack w\as re- 
organized in 1870 with a membership of 13, which 
was increased in 1876 to 132 members, and has largely 
increased since that time. Their church is on the 
corner of Anderson Square and Urian Street, in a 
most convenient location. William De Wolf, A. D. 
P. Gilbert, and G. H. Atwood have served as deacons, 
and William H. De Wolf as clerk. Rev. Robert Mc- 
Gonegal has served as the successor of the two former 
pastors of the church under its present organization. 
The prosperous Sabbath-school, under the superin- 
tendency of John O. Hillyer and his co-workers, has 
embraced at least 225 scholars and teachers, and is in 
a most prosperous condition at present. The Baptists 
are laboring earnestly to increase their churches and 
church membership in this State, and the First Bap- 
tist Church in Hackensack promises well for this large 
and influential denomination of Christians in this 
country. Their present pastor is Rev. D. T. MacCly- 
mont, and the church membership is over 250. Mr. 
J. C. Hillyer still continues the superintendent of the 
large and increasing Sabbath-school. 

Zion Methodist Episcopal Church for the colored 
' people in Hackensack and vicinity is located on At- 



182 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



lantic Street near Railroad Avenue. Rev. J. A. Rob- 
ertj* is the present pastor, and Tliomas Williams the 
superintendent. This ehiireh and school, all things 
considered, are in a prosperous condition. 

Schools. — The township of New Barbadoes is di- 
vided into four school districts, known under the 
public school law by Nos. 10, embracing Fairmount 
and Cherry Hill and a portion of Midland township; 
and 31, embracing all the township between the com- 
mission line or boundary between Fairmount and the 
New York, Susquehanna and Western, formerly the 
Midland, Railway; and 32, all the territory of the 
township south of the last-named line to Kansas 
Street and the southern commission line; and 33, the 
remaining territory in the township to Little Ferry. 
These schools collectively embrace over twelve hun- 
dred scholars, and under the present State system of i 
public instruction are well managed and in a pros- 
perous condition. ' 

Of these districts, Nos. 31 and 32 are the largest 
and the most deserving of special notice. In 1825, 
Cornelius C. Bogert, Dr. Abraham Hopper, and Ar- 
chibald Campbell were appointed by the inhabitants 
in this part of Ilackensack as trustees to take steps 
for the establishment of a school wherein all the 
branches of a classical education could be obtained. 
These trustees purchased accordingly, on the 29th day 
of May, 1826, of James Hague and Albert G. Dore- 
mus a lot formerly owned by James Hill, on the west 
side of Main Street, and north of the lands of Henry 
Berdan, to be held in trust for the use of the stock- 
holders for a new academy ; and as the illustrious 
Lafayette had just passed through the village in his 
tour through the Union, and to revisit the scenes in 
this vicinity where this patriot of France had strug- 
gled side by side with Washington in the darkest 
hours of the Revolution, the patriotic people of Hnck- 
ensack called their new institution Lafayette .Acad- 
emy. The building wa-s erected by lienjamin Dldis, 
twenty feet on Main Street and forty feet deep, with 
an upper story for lectures and religious purposes, 
Mirmounted liy a cupola and bell from the old I'assaic 
Church. John Wash, Professor of Languages, from 
New York, wits the first teacher, followed by William 
Lynn, Michael Doyle, Simeon Zabriskie, M.S. Wiik- 
ware, Jacob Vandcrbilt, Hugh Norton, William C, 
Smith, and J, (J. Williams. 

In IS-W the old aea<leniy wa.s sold, and the commo- 
dious brick school-house wa.s erected on the northwest 
corner of State and licrry Streets, in the central part 
of what is generally known as the np-town district. 
This is a very large and imposing structure. .J. (!, 
Williams wax the first teacher, in IS.OS, followed by 
James H. Burlew, Isaac J. Wills, Thomas H. (iinimel, 
B. F. Shaffer, A. Rider, and (i. T. Probst, f.dlowc.l by 
8. G. Lippincott. This school-house is forty by fifty 
feet, with an addition of twenty by forty feet, and with 
riKiniH and accommodations for five or six hundred 
Hcholars, and with eight hundred and eighty-four 



square feet of blackboard surface. This school prop- 
erty is valued at ten tho\isand rloUars. A new and 
spacious structure three stories high was erected on 
the same site in 1877. 

School 32 is historic in age and association. Steps 
were taken very early in the colonial days by the pas- 
sage of a law rating the inhabitants for public instruc- 
tion in the several towns in the i)rovince. 

In 1767 a meeting was held in Hackensack, and 
long discussion had whether Queen's (now Rutgers) 
College should be located here or in New Brunswick. 
New Brunswick won in this contest, but the people of 
Hackensack began at once to take a profounder inter- 
est in the cause of education by reason of this discus- 
sion. In 1769 Reinen Van Gies.sc, an old and exten- 
sive landholder, interested in the public welfare and 
the promotion of learning, gave a site to the old Wash- 
ington Academy, on the northwest corner of Main and 
Warren Streets. A fine stone building, seventy-five 
by thirty-five feet, two stories high, with belfry in 
centre, in which was swung the famous bell with the 
inscription, " Presented to Washington Academy by 
Wm. Bayard, 1770," was erected and completed in 
the same year. This became a famous institution of 
learning. 

A long line of able instructors have given name 
and fame to the old Washington Academy. The re- 
nowned Peter Wilson heads the list, commonly known 
as Dr. Wilson, and afterwards Professor of Latin 
and Greek in Columbia College,' Henry Traphagen, 
John, of the same name, Bayard Bayanl, Thomas 
Geaghan, Christian Zabriskie, John Hayward, Henry 
Blacknuin, William Howell (a physician), John Bo- 
gart, Henry Howell, and John Vandcrbilt. Such men 
as Solomon Froeligh, a great scholar, as well as able 
theologian, John Van Bureii, Isaac Vandcrbeck. Jr., 
and those al)le lawyers, Robert Campbell and Nehe- 
miali Wade, were the first trustees, elected .\ug. 4, 
1790, This building was reconstrueteil in 1846 and in 
1858, and another story added in 1873, In 1865, on 
motion of G, K, Wygant, the school was made free, and 
in 18(>9 the necessary books and papers were to be fur- 
nished to s<'holars free of all charge also. The prin- 
cipals of Washington Institute since 1846 still retleet 
credit on this old seat of learning. Their mimes are 
Jacob Vandcrbilt (already mentioned), Jacob Wortcn- 
dyke (an eminent lawyer), Jacob Van Buskirk, Wil- 
liam Williams (an able civil engineer), Edwin Wil- 
liams, Joseph Hasbrouck, .\braham IVrlew, ,\braham 
Wallrrmire, II. A. Wileo.x, and last of all, and the 
principal for more than ten years, Nelson Haits, Mr. 
Haas will take rank with the most able of our public 
school instructors in this country. The standard of 
.scholarship in his school and his success as an instruc- 
t<ir have justly given him this high reputation. The 
schoiil building in 1866 could aecommmlnte one hun- 
dred and thirty sclmlars, and in 1S76 Iw.i ImiKlnd iitid 

' < 8*0 )>lu(niphlc*l ikotch of Dr. WliMn further on In Dili rliapter. 




Peof. Nflson Haas, son of Motthinf Hans ami Mirlinda 
Uolgate, wa-s born Aug. 3, 1833, at Chestnut Hill, in tlic city 
of Philndeljihia. His fiither wiui of iicrman descent, was a 
business man of strict integrity in that city, and for sixteen 
years was a member of its Common Council. Ho died in 1S69, 
aged seventy years. His mother was of Welsh extraction, and 
died in 1865, aged sixty-three years. His maternal grandfather 
was a prominent resident of Philadelphia, and for Sfveuteen 
years was a member of the State Legislature. 

Two of his brothers, Kdwin and Kdgar, have spent their lives 
as educators; they founded the Hightstown Classical and Scien- 
tific Institute, and also founded the New Jersey Cnllegiate In- 
stitute at l{or<lentown. on a part of the ol<l Honaparte property. 
The former died in 1875, aged forty-seven years; the latter 
is the present school superintendent of Ilurlington Cnunly, X. J. 
Another brother, Lewi;*, is a large and wealthy stock-raiser in 
California. His other brothers are Holgate, a farmer in Ne- 
vada; Franklin and Jerome were machinisls. Franklin died 
in 1872, aged forty-nine years, and Jerome resides in Califitrnia. 
His sisters wore Elizabeth, who died in ]87<>, aged forty-five 
years; Jane, died young; and Clara. 

Nelson Haas received his early education in the public 
schools of his native city, and at tbo age of seventeen began 
bis chosen profession as ft teacher, which he continued in the 
district schools in the locality of his birth until 1H.>il, when ho 
went to Mississippi, and for two years was the niathi*maiical 
teftobcr and teacher of physics in an academy at Port (iihson. 
Returning North, be, after two more years* service as teacher, 
was appointed deputy provost- marshal of the Ninth District, 
Pennsylvania, under A. W. Bolcnius, who was succeeded as 
marshal by Thaddcus Ktovons, Jr., during Mr. Haas' term of 
service. In the spring of 1865 ho joined Company B, Ninth 
Union League Uogiroout, Philadelphia, as flr*t lieutenant. 
After a few weeks was made commissary of the brigade, and 
remained in tbo service until the close of the war. 

I'pon his return Pruf. Haas began the study of law in Har- 
risburg, Pa., iti the ofTioc of Gen. William H. Miller, and was 



admitted as an attorney-at-law in 18G8. The same year, afler 
practicing a few months in Harri^burg, he removed to Cali- 
fornia, and opened a law-office at Stockton, where, however, he 
had remained only a short time when (he death of his father 
caused his return East. 

In 1871 he wos tendered the position of principal of Wash- 
ington Institute. District No. 32, at Ilackensack, N. J., the first 
and highest, in point of proficiency, in Pergen County, and one 
of the leading schools in the St:ite, which be accepted, and he 
has continued the incumbent of that high and responsible place 
since, a period of nearly eleven years. 

The same year of his settling in Ilackensack, Prof. Haas was 
united in marriage !o Miss Mary McQuoid, of New York City, 
a Indy of high literary attainments and culture, and a graduate 
of Uordentown Female College. Their surviving children are 
Nelson M. and Edwin Percival. 

Prof. Hans stands first among the leaohors of Bergen County, 
ond may safely be classed among tho prominent teachers and 
educators of the State. His love for and interest in school 
work ; his long-continued connection with tho schools of Ilack- 
ensack as teacher; his cu-ojtoration in raising the standard for 
teachers' (pialifications in Bergen County ; his executive ability 
and systematic management, not only of his own school, but in 
the tirganizatiun of the Bergen County Teachers* Association, 
of which ho has been president for the past eight years, and 
during the same lime its principiit teacher: ami his ability, as 
shown as a member of the hoard of examiners of teachers for 
the past nine years, have together not only given him a high 
place in tho confidence of the people of the county, but com- 
manded tbo attention of Uutgers College, which coDforred 
upon him in IS77 the honorary degree of Master of Arts. 

The above facts were fully demonstrated in the first competi- 
tive examination of the scholars bold in the county in June, 
1881, wherein his pupils receiving first-grade diplomas were 
greater in number than in all the rest of the county, and bore 
a higher standard of scholarship as a result of their teacher's 
thoroughness. 



NEW BARBADOES. 



183 



sixty, but with nearly one hundred more seeking ad- 
mission. This called for the present structure. 

In 1877 a meeting of the citizens of the district was 
called to take into consideration the necessary steps 
for a new school-house. Subsequently, by an almost 
unanimous vote of the district, twenty-five thousand 
dollars was devoted to the erection of a new school- 
house, and Garret Ackerson, Jr., Henry D. Winton, 
Joseph P. Vreeland; and Nelson Haas were appointed 
a select committee to co-operate with David Terhune, 
James M. Van Valen, and George E. Wygant, the 
school trustees, to select a site and to erect a new 
school-house. Failing of entire unanimity, the mat- 
ter was referred back again to the voters in the dis- 
trict as to the selection of a site. This occasioned 
probably one of the largest school-meetings ever held 
in the county, at which, after much excitement and 
debate, over four hundred votes were cast, and the 
following site was selected on the northwest corner of 
Union and Myers Streets, near the centre of the pop- 
ulation and generally commodious to the whole dis- 
trict, it being about three squares, or less than one- 
fourth mile, from the court-house. 

In the spring of 1878 the building was commenced, 
and was occupied by the school Dec. 2, 1878. The 
structure consists of four stories on a ground-plan of 
sixty-seven by seventy-seven feet, with a spacious 
hallway at the main entrance, and double stairs, easy 
of ascent, to the top story, and with most spacious 
doors for easy exit. There are four school-rooms on 
each floor, of about twenty-six by thirty-one feet, 
with commodious lunch-rooms for males and females, 
and an assembly-room of sixty-seven by forty in the 
highest story, with high ceilings and a thorough ven- 
tilation, with inside blinds so adjusted as readily to 
regulate the light, and spacious blackboards on the 
four sides of each room, with steam for warming all 
the rooms. 

Nelson Haas, A.M., the principal, was Professor of 
Mathematics and Physics in one of the Southern col- 
leges several years since, and has been one of the 
board of examiners of teachers for the last nine years. 
Pupils from this school in competitive examinations 
have found their way to West Point and Annapolis. 
The advanced grade of studies in this school em- 
braces geometry, trigonometry (plane and spherical), 
differential and integral calculus, beside the higher 
branches in the sciences and the Greek and Latin 
languages. 

Certainly these two district schools, Nos. 31 and 32, 
we have been describing are a great credit to the 
school system in this State. The school-house No. 32 
is a most beautiful structure, and is surrounded by 
lawns without wires or guanls, but upon which not a 
scholar ever encroaches. They know the invisible 
lines and obey. 

Peter Wilson, LL.D.'— Perhaps we have a right 



1 By ex-Judge Nehemiah Milliard. 



to consider it one of the chiefest glories of Scotland 
that she has sent to our shores so many Christian 
scholars who have adorned our annals with their 
learning, their patriotism, and their piety. Driven 
from home during the last century by poverty and op- 
pression, gifted with aspirations beyond their native 
isle, armed with an unconquerable faith in God, they 
found here not only a fair field for the accumulation 
of wealth through their thrift, but also for the exer- 
cise of all those manly qualities with which they seem 
to have been endowed, but above all for the enjoyment 
of that religious belief which has made Scotland loved 
and honored everywhere. Among these illustrious 
men, and not the least of them, was Prof. Peter Wil- 
son, who came to this country in 1763, and subse- 
quently settled in the village of Hackensack, and be- 
came the first principal of Washington Academy. 
His name will be found in connection with the history 
of that institution in this volume, but his life and 
character are deserving of more than passing notice. 
In all respects he is probably the ablest scholar and 
the greatest man who has ever lived in Bergen County 
or in this part of New Jersey. He almost began the 
career of his active life in New Barbadoes township, 
and here he found his last resting-place at its close. 

Peter Wilson was born at Banft', in the north of 
Scotland, Nov. 23, 1746. His father was a farmer in 
easy circumstances, and both his parents were emi- 
nent for their piety. Their early religious instruction 
soon took deep root in the young child's mind. In- 
deed, at the early age of eight years he is said to have 
manifested a deep sense of the sinfulness and misery 
of the soul before its new birth in Christ, and in his 
own chamber morning and evening he was earnestly 
engaged in solitary prayer. Undressed and on his 
bare knees, he was discovered by his mother engaged 
in earnest prayer. Reproving such an imprudent ex- 
posure of his health and life, he replied to his mother 
in thus humbling himself before God, " I think it 
should not be done by me in any other way. I do 
not think that I can be sufficiently humble before 
God Almighty in any other posture." "My child," 
said the fond mother, " you will take cold by 
throwing yourself naked on the floor. Besides, 
God does not require this of you. You will be 
heard as readily in your clothes as in this condition." 
He then told her " that he had thus been in the habit 
of prostrating himself in his linens only, and yet had 
never caught cold even during the inclemency of 
winter." Upon her entreaties he reluctantly gave up 
this habit of prostration, but insisted it was a most 
befitting posture in the humbleness of a poor sinner 
before the Great Judge. He early manifested extra- 
ordinary talent in his fondness for learning, his cir- 
cumspect and moral conduct, and was entered a 
student of Mariochal College in the University of 
Aberdeen. Here he commanded the esteem of the 
professors and the applause of his associates. He 
soon excelled in the classics, in Greek and Roman 



184 



HISTORY OF BERGKN AND FASSAIC COUNTIES, NKW JERSEY. 



antiquities, and in the sciences, graduating at the I 
early age of seventeen, receiving with liis diploma 
not only the usual salutations, but also assurances of 
the highest approbation. An independent Scotch- 
man at seventeen, graduating not only with lauda- 
tion but with approbation also, with all the world 
before him from whence to clioose, would be consid- 
ered more fortunate even, more blessed rather, than 
lulus, and that he would pursue his way safely, not 
only through this earthly life, but even beyond the , 
stars. He was at once offered a lucrative office in the , 
Scottish nobility, which would have oi)ened the way 
to honor and emolument in Scotland, but, against the 
persuasions of his parents and frieiiils, he declined the 
position. Having heanl and thought much of the 
new hopes and prospects then beginning to open up j 
to mankind in America, and hating the narrow tram- 
mels and restraints of aristocracy, where fools had 
sometimes been elevated and wise men despised, it 
was quite natural that he should turn his steps towards 
the New World. The following story illustrates the 
character of the young but thoroughly educated and 
independent lad of seventeen. 

On a damp and misty day, while his father was at 
work, a young man appeared whom he had to recog- 
nize as the laird, and at once the old, bald-headed 
man stood uncovered in his presence and exposed to 
the elements. The young laird of course did not un- 
cover, and was quite indifferent to the old man, and 
carelessly amused himself with a slight rattan cane 
he held in his hand. The old Scotchman only re- 
sumed his broad bonnet when the young nobleman 
disappeared. Young Wilson said, " Father, why did 
you stand so long a time with your b(uinet in hand 
and head bare in this damp day, while that young man 
who talked with you had his head covered?" The 
senior replied, " Ah, my son, that's the young laird." 

"Laird or nae laird, my worthy father." saiil the 
son, " I wad na hae kept my bonnet in hand and 
my auld bauld pow exposed to the cauld, damp air, 
while he a stripling forsooth like myself strutted about 
with his head covered." 

" Y'e wad na, say ye eallant '.' Then I am alVaid ye 
would be accounted a rebel." 

" Then I wa<l na live nniler sic a nobility and sic a 
government iis this." 

" And where would you gang til, laddie, then ?" said 
the surprised old man. 

"To America, father; i would gang to .Vmoricii." 

The restraints which such aristocratic manners im- 
posed and an ardent desire for the fullest enjoyment 
of religions liberty caused young Wilson at an early 
day to <|uit his native land, and so in 17(i3, in his .sev- 
enteenth year, he landed in the city of New Y'ork. 

His credentials from home .soon found him employ- 
ment :us a teacher in that city. In the course of a 
few years thereafler lie came to Hackeiisack and be- 
came the first principal of Washingtun Academy, 
which went into operation about 1770. I'nder his 



charge the academy soon became one of the most 
famous educational institutions of that day. Adam 
Boyd, his compatriot in the Revolution, has told sev- 
eral anecdotes concerning the devotion of Mr. WiLson 
to his adopted country. In 1775 he signed the bond 
of association in these words, " I promise to defend 
the rights and liberty of the I'nited States with my 
life and fortune." Subsequent history bears testi- 
mony to the most faithful fulfillment of that pledge. 
His talents and literary attainments soon gained 
for him great influence over his fellow-citizens. In 
his public s])eeches and well-written essays he bravely 
exposed the arbitrary laws and conduct of the British 
government towards the American States. He hailed 
the Declarations of Independence at Burlington and 
at Philadelphia with all the ciitliusiasm of a hope 
just newly born. 

About this time a notable instance is related show- 
ing the diHerent tinie-s and circumstances in which 
the same men may meet each other in a new country. 
Wilson after coming to Hackensack married a daugh- 
ter of Mr. Van Giesen. Exposed as were all the 
Whigs in that vicinity to a marauding British soldiery, 
Mr. Wilson found his house invaded one day by such 
a turbulent crowd, who soon became boisterous, and 
ai)peared to be entirely reckless of the peace and quiet 
of the household, anil charged Wilson and his family 
with being rebels. Mr. Wilson requested them to lie- 
sist, as there was a helpless female there whose life and 
health were imperiled by such a disturbance. This 
helple.ss female was his beloved wife. One of the 
officers of this band liap|icned to be the young laird 
already mentioned in this narrative. While he was 
thus importunately appealing to them to desist, be- 
cause, as Scottish gentlemen, as they were, they had 
not been trained thus to conduct themselves in their 
native land, the laird, fixing his eye on Wilson, in- 
(|uired, " Who are ye?" " I am Wilson," was the 
ipiick reply. " What! are ye Wilson's .son of Banff?"' 
" I am, sir." " Weel, weel, Wilson," said the officer, 
" I hope ye are nae rebel ; and be that as it may, we'll 
make nae mair noise here," and so the disturbance 
ended. 

In 1777 and 177.S .Mr. Wilson was a representative 
in the .State Legislature of New Jersey. In tho.se 
days men often served their country at the peril of 
their lives. It is said the electors who came to the 
poll were such as were willing to come at the risk of 
a rope around their necks. "The British force," says 
.Mr. l!iiy<l, " lay at lirowcr's llill. nearthc New Bridge, 
on the llackcnsuck River. Wc had no force to re- 
move them. Forage, it was said, was their object. 
The number of electors who appeared at the poll 
was seven. Peter Wilson was the first on the list. 
There wjis a dead pause. The little band of patriots 
lookctl at each other in suspense. Shall we proceed 
or shall we decline? It was carried triumpliaiitly 
that they should procceil, and Peter Wilson, .lohn 
Ontwatcr, and Isaac Blanch were elected mciMbcri of 



NEW BARBADOES. 



185 



the Legislature, and Peter Harring was elected to the 
Council, and Adam Boyd sheriff. During all this 
time Mr. Wilson was most eminent for his learning 
and his piety, and for his jirofound interest in politics, 
not for the sake of an office or to he an i/Jfice-i<>-fl:er 
merely, but because the promotion of humanity 
through his Christian faith seemed uppermost in his 
mind. In times of public crises such men are often 
called to the front. He was sent to the Legislature 
by annual election till 1783, and was often assigned 
as one of the ablest members to draft the laws ; and 
in the last year of his legislative service was appointed 
to revise and compile the statutes of the State to that 
period ; and Wilson's edition of the laws, in a volume 
of 480 pages, is a standard work in the legislative 
collections of New Jersey. But, ever true to the voca- 
tion of his first choice as a teacher, neither politics, 
which he had served with his learning, his zeal and 
fidelity during the struggle of the Revolution, nor the 
tempting allurements of office prevented him from 
returning to the academy, where more than one hun- 
dred students from all parts of the country were 
anxiously waiting to hail their master. During the 
last term of Mr. Wilson's service in the Legislature, 
in 1783, the academy at Hackensack had become so 
prosperous that an incorporation of the institution into 
a college was deemed desirable. It was proposed that 
Dr. Dirck Romeyn, who afterwards became president 
of Union College, at Schenectady, should become the 
president, and Mr. Wilson the Professor of Languages. 
Mr. Wilson, however, from motives of delicacy, while 
a member of the Legislature could not be induced to 
support the measure. While teaching he was also a 
close and constant student of theology and Oriental 
literature. In 1786 he was urged to take a license to 
preach the gospel, and received also a pressing call 
to become the coadjutor of the Rev. Dr. Westerlo in 
the pastorate of the large and influential Dutch 
Church at Albany. Dr. Westerlo was greatly dis- 
pleased with the course of Mr. Wilson in refusing 
such a call ; but the honorable and to him the greatly 
successful vocation of a teacher seemed to be the first 
and last and only field of his aspiration and devotion. 
When Dr. Romeyn became president of L^nion Col- 
lege Mr. Wilson was honored with the title of Doctor 
. of Laws, in 1793. Soon after he left Hackensack to 
accept the professorship of Greek and Roman anti- 
quities in Columbia College, in New York City. He 
at once took rank as one of the ablest college profes- 
sors in this country. He was soon after urged to 
accept the principalship of Erasmus Hall, at Flat- 
bush, L. I., when this institution soon became one of 
the most distinguished seminaries in fitting students 
for college in the United States. Two hundred stu- 
dents from the West Indies and I^urope and the 
United States studied here, and many of its students 
became learned and pious and distinguished men 
afterwards. The learned teacher became renowned 
in his disciples. 



The arduous tasks of such a principalship com- 
pelled him at length to relax his labors by returning 
again to the professorship in Columbia College; and 
in 1821, when past seventy-five years, the infirmities 
of age began to urge him to that retirement which an 
active, ardent, and laborious life so justly deserved. 
After twenty-six years as professor he resigned that 
position, as well as the provostship of Columbia Col- 
lege, amid the regrets and highest commendations of 
its trustees and faculty. That old and distinguished 
institution continued to the doctor half his salary 
during the remainder of his life as a token of affection. 
That learned and able lawyer, John Wells, a promi- 
nent member of the New York bar at that time, and 
one of the trustees of Columbia, first rose and made 
the motion for this annuity to Dr. Wilson, referring 
in eloquent terms to the eminent learning, the great 
powers of mind, the undoubted piety, the extraordi- 
nary services of the teacher, to which he had given 
the vigor of his best days, his high character, his ur- 
banity of manners, his great knowledge of human 
nature and of the difficult art of governing youth, 
his constant and abiding love of virtue and justice, 
and his unremitting devotion and masterly ability in 
educating his pupils, which had greatly extended the 
reputation of the college in the name and fame of its 
distinguished provost and professor. Such a tribute 
excited the warmest emotions in the hearts of all the 
trustees, and when the motion was seconded by Wil- 
liam Moore, M.D., it was carried without a dissenting 
voice. 

Thus blessed with the honors and the emoluments 
of a well-spent life, after two years in New York City, 
Dr. Wilson spent the remainder of his days in Hack- 
ensack, and died on the 18th of August, 1825, in the 
seventy-ninth year of his age. 

Few men have combined so much learning and so 
much worldly and conspicuous success with so much 
simple and sincere piety. The child at eight years, 
humbling himself before God in his chamber, was the 
same simple and devout child of his Master in all the 
greatness of his understanding. The pomp and hon- 
ors of time paled into insignificancy before the vic- 
tories and the triumphs of the Redeemed. He de- 
clined more honors than he would accept. Successful 
in politics as a legislator in the trying times of the 
Revolution, his intelligence and discretion prompted 
his appointment as Governor of the State, which he 
declined. The presidency of several colleges and edu- 
cational institutions were oft'ered him, but only to be 
declined. It was known that he had commanded the 
respect and esteem of Gen. Washington, and through 
much entreaty and persuasion he accepted the ap- 
pointment of Presidential elector towards the close 
of his life, and was president of that body of electors 
at Trenton. He died after having walked with God 
sixty-five years, with thanks be to God, who had given 
him the victory through his Lord Jesus Christ. He 
was an eminent classical scliolar, and his revision of 



186 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Sallust, of Longinus, and of Adam's Roman Antiqui- 
ties, liis Greek Prosody and Greeic Prepositions, and 
his corrected edition of the (Jreek New Testament 
are valuable works of learning to-day. The great 
Scotchman left his native laud to adorn his adopted 
country, but his constant and highest aspiration was 
at hist ti) enter iiitii the jnys dt" his Lcinl. 

Chartered Companies and Societies. — The char- 
tered companies and societies in Uackensack are as 
follows : 

The Hackensack Water Company, in 1873 and 
1874, constructed works to supply the village with 
water at a cost of $12.i,000. Tlie water is pumped from 
the river into a reservoir on the heights of Cherry 
Hill, one hundred and twenty feet above tlie river, 
and thence is carried by gravity through the iron 
pipes. It is said to afford a purer supply tlian the 
Croton in New York. 

The Hackensack Giisliglit Company was estab- 
lished in 181)7, with L. J. Van IJoskerok, .John J. 
Ward, M. M. Knapp, Garret Ackerson, .Jr., K. P. 
Terhune, John J. Anderson, ;ind N. S. Baiita, direc- 
tors. M. M. Knapp, N. S. Banta, and R. P. Terhune 
became respectively the first president, treasurer, and 
secretary. 

Bergen County Lodge, No. 73, I. O. O. F., was 
instituted in the village of Hackensack in the year 
184.5, and held its first meetings in a small room over 
the ball-room of the "Washington Mansion House," 
but tlie accommodations being found in.sufficient the 
lodge sought other (piarters. Forming a building 
a-s-sociation, the lodge purchiiscd a site and erected a 
building known as " Odd-Fellows' Hall." .\n addi- 
tion has since been made. At the early organization 
there was not entire harmony, but that has disap- 
peared, and the lodge is in a flourishing condition. 
There were three other lodges in the county in 187() 
and one eneani|>inent. The lodge has jiidiMl several 
of its members when sickness and death liave come 
upon them, and has expended tliousands of dollars 
in works of charity. The membership is composed 
largely of mechanics, with some fanners and persons 
in other occupations, numbering among these judges, 
slierilfs, prosecutors of the pleas, county collectors, 
meniliers of the Assembly, and chcisen freeholders. 

The Order of Uniteil .\merican Mechanics was 
founded in Philadelphia, July 8, 1845, with sister 
societies all over the country, embracing thousands 
of .Vmerican mechanics, advocating free schools and 
non-union of church and State, together with certain 
other principles claimed to be conducive to the in- 
terests of its members. The Columbia Council, No. 
CG, with seventeen charter members, was organized at 
Hackensack, Sept. 5, 1871. This association at one 
time w.'i-s verv extensive, embracing a large member- 
ship thronghiuit the Union, but it is believed the 
society at present is not active in its operations. 

Bruder-Liebe Society was organized Dec. •'), 1S(!4. 
This society of brotherly love and benevolence for 



the care of the sick and for the burial of the dead 
commenced with a membership of eight persons. It 
pays five dollars per week to sick members, and to the 
widow of any member forty dollars, and fifty cents 
to any member losing his wife by death. This society 
ha.s a charitable fund of over twelve hundred dollars. 
At present it holds its meetings in the school-house 
on Hudson Street. It has frequently ministered its 
charitable aid to the sick, to the dying, and to the 
dead. Its first officers were Jolm O. Grode, N. (1. : 
John Engle, V. G. ; William Getting, R. G. ; Carl 
Getting, F. S. ; August Fieschly, Treas. 

Pioneer Lodge, No. 70, A. F. and A. M.. was insti- 
tuted and set at labor April 4, IStl.O, under dispensa- 
tion from the then M. \V. G. M., William Silas 
Whitehead, of Newark, upon the recommendation 
of 1'a.ssaic Lodge, No. (J2, in which lodge the charter 
members of " Pioneer" had previously exemplified 
the work. The first meeting of Pioneer ~ XJ. D. A, 
was held in Odd-Fellows' Hall, Hackensack, with 
the following officers: William H. I>e Wolf, \V. M.: 
Dr. William H. Hall, S. W. ; Robert W. Goslee, .1. 
W. ; Richard A. Terhune, S. D. (and acting treasurer) ; 
Isaac E. Bogert, Sec. ; Thomas Picker, J. D. ; and 
David M. Hall, acting as tyler. All were charter 
members of the lodge. Its meetings were continued 
in Odd-Fellows' Hall till the autumn of 18t).5, when 
the lodge moved to Andei-son Hall, just constructed, 
on the southeast corner of Main and Passaic Streets. 
The third story of the hall had been specially fitted up 
for the lodge. It held it.s first regular meeting under 
charter or warrant from the Grand Lodge of New 
Jersey, Feb. 12, 18(!(). The officers for that year had 
been previously elected to the same jjositions held by 
them respectively under dispensation. The member- 
ship increased rapidly, and to about one hundred and 
fifty, while at Anderson Hall. But expensive para- 
phernalia anil fittings with sundry liberal donations 
by the lodge left it finally in a erippleil financial con- 
dition, and the evil elleets of a too rapid incre^ise in 
its membership became manifest, making it nece.s.sary 
to apjjcal to the generosity of its members in order to 
free the bulge of its accumulateil l)urdens. Some of 
its members al.so had been unfaithful, necessitating 
one expulsion and several suspensions for non-|iay- 
mcnt of dues. .Meantime the lodge had left ,\n- 
derson Hall, but after extricating it.self from debt it 
returned, to remain there till its removal to its com- 
modious quarters in the new building of the Bank of 
Bergen t^ounty, which the lodge still continues to 
occupy. It now numbers about sixty members, is in 
a flourishing comlition, and is one of the best ap- 
|iointed in the State Its present ollicers ( 1881 ) are 
James Van Valen, W. M. ; M. C. Gilham, S. W. ; 
James Russel, J. W. ; W. I. Comes, M. ; George 
W. Comes, Sec. ; .John Bertholf, S. D. ; L. Dodd, 
J. D. ; I... C. Westervelt and .John Ryan, Masters of 
C. J.; W. Burt, Tyler; N. W. Haas, C. W. Berdan, 
!,. Itiidd. Trustee-s; William 11. De Wolf, Dr. Wil- 



NEW BARBADOES. 



187 



liain H. Hall, I.. D. Hay, C. W. Vanderbeck, J. P. 
Yreeland, Dr. A. S. Burdett, Nelson Haas, Past Mas- 
ters. William H. De Wolf has been for several years 
a representative of the Grand Lodge of North Caro- 
lina near the Grand Lodge of New Jersey. 

Upland Lodge, No. 177, I. O. O. F., is a German 
lodge, instituted Feb. 26, 1874, with thirteen charter 
members, increased to sixty-five members in good 
standing, with a surplus capital of over one thousand 
dollars, and holding its meetings at present in Odd- 
Fellows' Hall. This is a large and influential society. 

Hildise Bund, Section No. 6, of Hackensack, was 
organized Dec. 3, 1869, as a chartered association for 
life insurance, and against accident, sickness, and 
for general benefit. This society does not now appear 
to be in active operation. 

On the 13th of July, 1881, Post 52 of the Grand 
Army of the Re])ublic was organized at Hackensack, 
with the following officers: C, George M. Hunter, 
21st N. Y. Inf. and 2d N. Y. Cav. ; S. V. C., W. I. 
Brant, 4(ith N. Y. (Mozart Regiment) ; J. V. C, J. ' 
H. Russell, 44th N. Y. ; Adjt., Daniel Demarest, 22d ! 
N. J.; Q., John Engel, 165th N. Y. (Duryea's Zou- j 
aves) ; Chap., W. W. Harper, 22d N. J. ; Surg., John 
G. Fream, 60th 111. (Sharpshooters) ; Sergt.-Maj., 
Simeon Van Wetering, 22d N. J.; O. D., F. W. ' 
Hover, 7th N. Y. Heavy Art. ; O. G., Albert C. Bo- i 
gert, 22d N. J. Comrades, W. H. De Wolf, 8th N. 
Y. ; T. J. Lonergan, 90th 111. ; Joseph Scott, 1st N. 
Y. Engineers; Aaron E. Ackerman, 13th N.J. ; Lewis 
Cotte, 22d N. J. ; John Spyri, 1st N. Y. Engineers ; 
Frederick Zeeb, C. Hoffman. 

All veterans who have an honorable discharge from 
the United States service are invited to join. 

The Hackensack Academy is a joint-stock com- 
pany, and was incorporated in 1870, with a nominal 
capital of three thousand dollars. Its first trustees 
were James H. Beatty, Charles H. Voorhis, John N. 
Gamewell, Benjamin C. Bogert, A. G. Munn, aud 
Bradley H. Baldwin. This institution has a large 
and commodious structure on the northwest corner of 
State Street and Central Avenue, adjoining the Epis- 
copal Church rectory. The academy is designed to 
afford all the facilities for the acquisition of a thor- 
ough classical and English education and to fit stu- 
dents for college. The public schools in Hackensack 
have of late years so far advanced in the higher grades 
of education as largely to afford all the advantages 
aimed at in this institution, but many of the public- 
spirited citizens of Hackensack, who still feel a deep 
interest in the cause of education and in the higher 
walks of a liberal culture, still hope to maintain this 
as a prosjjerous institution. 

Banking Institutions.— There have been several 
banking institutions in Hackensack during the last 
sixty years, but none of them are now in operation. 
The first banking institution of any importance was 
the Washington Banking Comjiany, which came here 
from Hoboken, where it had been previously organ- 



ized under a State law. It transacted business here 
about fifty years ago, but after a few years it met with 
financial failure. John De Grott was its president, 
and George Y. Allaire its cashier. It was first located 
in the present southwest parlor of the Mansion House, 
and subsequently moved to its banking-house, erected 
by the company for that purpose on the north side of 
Mansion Street, near Main. 

The Bank of Bergen County was established Jan. 
2, 1872, with a capital of sixty thousand dollars, and 
in January, 1874, increased to one hundred thousand 
dollars, and in the same year a spacious and substan- 
tial banking-house was erected on Main Street, on 
the site of the old Campbell tavern of Revoluticmary 
memory. 

Bergen County Savings-Bank was chartered in 
1870, and commenced business in 1872. Its business 
was mainly carried on by the officers of the Bank of 
Bergen County. 

The First National Bank of Hackensack was or- 
ganized Oct. 23, 1871, and commenced business the 
following January, with a capital of $100,000. 

The Hackensack Savings-Bank was incorporated 
April 4, 1873, and commenced business the following 
May. This bank was managed by the officers gener- 
ally of the First National Bank. All of these four 
financial institutions we have named continued in 
business till one or two years since. They are now 
closing up their affairs. 

Fairmount and Cherry Hill are pleasantly located 
on the Hackensack, in the northern part of the town- 
ship of New Barbadoes, on a gently rising slope. 
Fairmount was founded by G. V. Zingsem some fif- 
teen years since, and embraces some of the most beau- 
tiful building sites and buildings thereon to be found 
in this part of the country. Near Cherry Hill is lo- 
cated the spacious reservoir which supplies the vil- 
lage of Hackensack with water, drawn from the river, 
as we have already stated, above navigation. 

Burial-Places. — The oldest burial-place in the 
township in any state of preservation is the cemetery 
in the churchyard on the Green. Many of the most 
memorable men who have figured in the affairs of the 
township and in this section of country have found 
here their resting-place. As reference is made to this 
burial-place in the extended historical account of the 
Church on the Green, with a mention of very many 
who are buried there, further mention is unnecessary. 

The True Reformed Church also has a burial-place, 
beautifully situated on elevated ground on Hudson 
Street, in the lower part of Hackensack. It is not 
ancient, though very many burials have been made 
there in the last ten or fifteen years. 

Judge John Huyler.^The Huyler family were 
among the early settlers of Bergen County, and came 
from Holland to seek homes in the wilds of America. 
Wilhelmus, paternal grandfather of Judge Huyler, 
resided at Closter, where he carried on agricultural 
pursuits and reared his family. John Huyler, father 



1S8 



HISTORY OF BERGKX AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



of our subject, born at Closter, spent his business life 
in Xew York City, engaged at the mason's trade, and 
tliere died in 1836. His wife was Efta Westervelt, of 
Teiiatiy, and their ciiildren were William, John, Cath- 
erine, Eliza, Jacob, David, and Sarah. Of these chil- 
dren John was born in New York City, April 11, 1808. 
His boyhood was spent with his grandfather Wester- 
velt, at Tenafly, where lie received very limited op- 
portunities for any education from books, and only 
such as the district scliool then afforded. At the age 
of fifteen years he went to New York and began 
learning the mason's trade of his father, and about 
the time of reaching his majority, in connection with 
his brother William, he assumed control of the then 
quite extensive business which his father had carried 
on, and became one of the first and largest contractors 
and builders of brick mason-work in the city. Until 
1846, Mr. Huyler successfully continued this business 
there, and many of New York's most substantial busi- 
ness blocks and private palatial residences were built 
by him, and stand as monuments of his eiiter[)rise 
and industry. His brother William wa-s killed by 
accidentally falling from a building in |>rocess of con- 
struction. 

In 1841), Mr. Huyler, desirous of leaving the city 
and engaging in agricultural pursuit-s, which he had 
always loved from boyhood, purchased and settled on 
a farm at Pollifly, now Terrace .Vvenue, in the town- 
ship of Lodi. A i>art of his farm extended into the 
marsh-land contiguous to the river, of which there 
were several thousand acres. While a member of the 
State Legislature he obtained special legislation ap- 
pointing a draining committee, of which he was chair- 
man until liis death, to drain these lands, wlii<'li has 
been .successfully done, thereby bringing into a state 
of cultivation a large tract of country liereUjfore use- 
less. About 1855, Mr. Huyler settled in the village 
of Hacken.sack, residing where Judge Knapp now 
resides, and after three years located on the site for- 
merly tlie homestead of Robert Omphcll, wiiere, in 
1805, he erecteil a fine residence, which was his hoTue 
until his death, Jan. 9, 1870. 

In 1859, in connection with Col. Garret Ackerson, 
he built the dock on the ea-st side of the river at 
Hackensack, and established a landing for merchan- 
dise and a lumber-yard. Upon the rctirenu'ut of Col. 
.•\ckerson from this business, a few years afterwards, 
Mr. Huyler a-ssociated with him in the lumber busi- 
neits his son William, who sucecudcd his father in the 
l)usines.M, ami carries it on in 1881 in connection with 
his uncle, (iilliam Knian, and son, John ]'. Huyler. 

I'pon settling in Hergen CNiunty, .ludge Huyler 
t4)ok a leading and inHuential part in local politics, 
was elected and served in the State Legislature, 1852- 
•54, and was chosen Speaker of the Hou.se during the 
la.st term. He was appointed and served as judge of 
the (y'ourt of Appeals, 18.54 to 1857, and represented 
Hergen (.'ounty in ("oiipress from 1H57 to 1859. 

Judge Huyler was a man i>f strong force of char 



acter, decided opinions, enterprising, and far-seeing. 
He was frank and sociable, and always ready to en- 
gage in any enterprise that looked to the prosperity 
of the vicinity where he resided. He was among the 
prime movers in getting public improvement,s made 
in Hackensack, and a board of commissioners estab- 
lished, and had charge of the remodeling of the First 
Reformed Church at two different times after his re- 
moval to the village. He wa.s a liberal contributor 
and supporter of all worthy local objects, and a man 
of great perseverance and integrity in all his business 
relations. His wife, Magdalen Rutan, born Sept. 6, 
1810, whom he married Nov. 18, 1829, survives in 
1881, having borne him two sons, — Edwin, died at the 
age of two years, and William, Imrn Dec. 31, 1832, 
married Mary, (biughter of Paul I'aulison, of Ridge- 
field, and has an only son, John E. Huyler. 

Mrs. Judge Huyler's father was John I. Rutan, 
born in Hohokus, June 4, 1782, and sjient his active 
business lite in New York City, dying there Sept. 1, 
1854. Her mother was Maria Terhune, born Oct. 4, 
1784, who was a daughter of (iilliam Terhune, of 
Spring Valley, N. J. Both the Rutjins and Terhunes 
were among the early settlers of Uergeti County, and 
of French ancestry. 

John H. T. Banta. — The comnKui ancestor of the 
B:int;i faiiiily in liergen County, N. J., wius of Hun- 
garian origin, and upon emigration to .Vmerica settled 
at Hnglisli Neighborliood, now Fairvlew, along with 
the earliest settlers of the county. The family ap"- 
pears to have resided where the emigrant first settled 
until about the middle of the eighteenth century, 
when Yan Hanta, great-grandfather of our subject, 
removed and settled at I'ascack, Washington town- 
ship. He wits born Oct. t>, 1724, and his wife, Marga- 
ret, was born Feb. 11, 1729. Their elde.st son, Hen- 
drick, succeeded to the homestead pro|)erty at Pascack, 
and possessed at his death some five hundred acres. 
He was born .May 27, 1749, and died at Pa.scack, Feb. 
15, 181)3. His wife, who belonged to one of the old 
French Huguenot families, Margrieta Demarest, was 
born July 8, 1748, ami died March 24, 1802, and bore 
him the following children, viz. : John, born March 2, 
1777; Yacoinijn, born July 15, 1778; Garret, born 
Oct. 2, 1779; .lacob, born July 2(5, I7K1 ; llendrick, 
born Sept. 30, 1784; Margrietje, born Oct. 20. 178t); 
Theiinis, born March 25, 1789; Argeiiistjc, born ,Iaii. 
2, 1791. .\11 the above-named children were married 
and reared families except one daughter, and the 
|iareiital homestead was divided among the sons, some 
of wlidiii also carried on agricultural pursuits. 

Theunis, lather of our subject, born at Piuscaek, 
married in Novi'iiiber, \X\2, Rachel, ihiughter of 
John and Mary (i^ydccker) Benson, of Old Haikeii- 
sack township. A part of the farm owned by John 
Benson forms the present site of the Presbyterian 
f'luirch at Englcwood. .She was born Sept. 14, 1789, 
and died .\ng. 23, 1K74, leaving an only chilil, .lohn 
Henry T. Banta, subject of this sketch. 





a OL 



a-<V 



NEW BARBADOES. 



189 



Soon after his marriage, Theunis Banta removed to 
New York City, where he remained until 1833, en- 
gaged in the truck and carrying business. In tlie 
spring of that year he removed to Hackensack and 
engaged in general mercantile business in partnership 
with his brother, Henry H., on the corner of Main 
and Passaic Streets, having his residence on what was 
known as the Doremus homestead, adjoining the 
Campbell homestead. Here he continued in success- 
ful business until 1850, one year after the death of his 
brother, and was succeeded by his son. He was one 
of the trustees of Washington Institute, and actively 
interested in the propagation of educational work in 
Hackensack, one of the prime movers in opening 
streets in the village and in its general improvement, 
and was known as a man of correct habits, sterling in- 
tegrity, and good judgment. He died in April, 1870. 

John Henry T. Banta was born in New York City, 
Feb. 21, 1824, and was nine years old when his parents 
settled in Hackensack. Most of his minority was 
spent at school, he being graduated in the classical 
school of Rev. John S. Mabon, who for many years 
successfully conducted a school at Hackensack, and 
prepared young men for ^ college course. 

At the age of eighteen he entered his father's and 
uncle's store as clerk, and in 1850, as above stated, 
succeeded him in business. For five years he associ- 
ated with himself in trade G. Myres Anderson, but 
since 1855 has carried on the business alone. Thus 
the Bantas have continuously carried on mercantile 
business on this site for nearly half a century. 

Mr. Banta has been connected with and interested 
in the various enterprises tending to the prosperity of 
Hackensack since he became a business man here, and 
although he has avoided as far as possible any public 
place or political preferment, he has never shrunk 
from his duty as a citizen. He was one of the foun- 
ders of the old Bergen County Bank, and for a time 
served as one of the commissioners of Hackensack. 
He is a member of the .First Reformed -Church at 
Hackensack, and has served that church as deacon 
and elder. 

He married, June 1(3, 1869, Susanna, daughter of 
Frederick Steinle and Susanna Brockner, of Hacken- 
sack. Their surviving children are Frederick and 
William. Her father was a native of Germany, came 
to America while a boy, and with others who came at 
the same time celebrated at Philadelphia the fiftieth 
anniversary of his emigration during our centennial 
year. Her mother was a daughter of John Christian 
Frederick Brockner, a soldier in Gen. Washington's 
army, who after the close of the war settled in Passaic 
County. 

In 1869-70, Mr. Banta built his fine and substantial 
residence on the corner of State and Passaic Streets, 
which, with its beautifully laid out grounds and com- 
manding location, forms one of the most desirable 
places for a private residence anywhere to be found in 
Hackensack. 
13 



George Fair. — His father, William Fair, was a 
native of Scotland, emigrated to America with his 
wife, Mary Hume, and three children, Mary, John, 
and Jane, and settled in New Barbadoes, now Hack- 
ensack, about 1785. 

He was a cabinet-maker by trade, and carried on 
his business on the site of the present Fair homestead, 
in Hackensack, until his death, which occurred Feb. 
24, 1839, dying at the age of eighty-three years. His 
wife died at the age of seventy years, Sept. 23, 1824. 
Mary died unmarried, Oct. 12, 1852, and Jane died 
unmarried, July 19, 1848. John was a successftil 
merchant in New York for many years, and died Jan. 
5, 1854, aged seventy-six years. 

George Fair, fourth child of William and Mary 
Hume Fair, was born in Hackensack, on the home- 
stead, Nov. 27, 1785. He received during his boy- 
hood onlj' a common-school education, but the rigid 
home discipline of his vScotch parents early impressed 
him with habits of industry, economy, and self-reli- 
ance. 

At the age of fifteen young Fair went into the busy 
world to carve out a fortune for himself, and at that 
age became a clerk in a dry-goods store in New York 
City, where he continued for many years, and until 
he had saved enough money from his earnings to es- 
tablish business for himself With his elder brother, 
John, he engaged in the dry-goods trade on his own 
account in Vesey Street, New York City, where for 
many years these sterling men continued a successful 
trade, and their names became widely known as mer- 
chants of reliability and integrity in all their business 
relations. They invested of their surplus means in 
city real estate, which increased in value on their 
hands and gave hoth a large competency. 

During the last few years of their business career 
they gave up the dry-goods trade and engaged in the 
manufacture of cotton twine, cord, and other cotton 
goods of that sort on Long Island, which they very 
successfully carried on, having their office in New 
York, until the death of his brother, in 1854, when 
Mr. Fair retired from the active duties of life. 

He married, Sept. 26, 1843, Helena C. Price, daugh- 
ter of Judge Lewis Moore, of Hackensack. She was 
born Sept. 26, 1807. Judge Moore was of English 
birth, settled in Hackensack while a young man, 
where he married Eliza, daughter of Michael Price, 
a prominent and wealthy merchant of New York. 

Judge Moore owned the land where the Midland 
depot is now located, and resided in the house now 
standing there — a present to his wife from her father 
— until his death, in 1843, at the age of seventy-six. 
His wife died in January, 1860, at about the same 
age.' The surviving children of Mr. and Mrs. Fair 
are William and Lewis Moore. 

( )n May 10, 1856, after his retirement from business, 
Mr. Fair and his wife set sail for Liverpool, and spent 



' The Moore coat of arms couBisteU of a Heor^s head and seven stars. 



190 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES. NEW JERSEY. 



some two years in ^nsiting places of note in England | 
and on the continent, and several times thereafter 
tlicy made trips across the ocean in pursuit both of 
pleasure and health. His wife, who survives her hus- 
band, has a fondness for traveling abroad, and has 1 
visited Europe a score of times. She is a lady of su- 
perior ability, of preat kindness of heart for those in 
need, and her charities, bestowed upon the deserving 
poor in an unostentatious way, when the chilling 
blasts of winter and the scarcity of labor preclude 
llu-ni from earning an honest livelihood, will remain j 
unknown except to the donor. > 

After his first trip to Europe, Mr. Fair removed 
to Hackensack to spend the remainder of his life. 
Here, in 1859, he completed, on the homestead for- 
merly occupied by his father, the substantial and 
stately residence on Essex Street, where he resided 
until his death, Oct. 16, 1868. 

Mr. Fair was known as a man of liberal ideas, a 
promoter of sound morals and Christianity in the 
community where he resided, energetic in whatever 
he undertook, faithful in the e.xecutiou of any trust . 
reposed in him,of superior business ability, and one of 
the most liberal contributors to church and kindred . 
interests of Bergen County's sons. i 

Capt. Robert Colfax Avery Ward.— His pater- 
nal greal-graudfalluT was of Irish birth, and sup- 
posed to be the progenitor of the Ward family in ; 
Bergen County, as he is found located at Greenwood 
Lake during the early part of the eighteenth century. I 
Hi- eldest son, James, inherited the homestead there, 
and his son I'eter, after his marriage to Nancy Mead, 
first settled at I'ompton, but about the close of the I 
Revolutionary war purchased some two hundred acres 
of confiscated land at Campgaw, where he resided un- I 
til his death, in 1.S12, at tlie age of fifty-six. The 
other sons were .John and Philip. 

Peter Ward was an infiuenlial man in old Bergen 
County, and was a member of the .'state Council when 
he died. He was captain of a company of militia 
during the Kevolutioiuiry war, and did home duly. I 
His wife die<l at the age of forty-six in 1S06. Their | 
chililren were Peter. .lolin, .Tane, Catherine, Thomas, 
James, William, and Mary, of whom only James and 
William survive in 1881. Peter was father of our 
subject, was born at Cami>gaw, and married Maria, 
daughter of Robert Colfax, niece of Gen. William ' 
Colfax, anil second cousin of cx-Vice-Presidcnt 
Schuvler ("olfax. The children born of this union 
were ("apt. Kobert C. .\., Peter H., Sally .\nn, wife of 
Harden Burge-ss; Harriet, wife of Chauncey ( Joode- 
ricli; Jane, wife of Abram Willis; Mary, wife of 
Anthony E. Fatin ; Catherine, died young; Eucy, 
was first the wife of John Hall, and after his death, 
of Charles Bennett; John; Peryna, wife of Henry 
A. Berry; Maria, wife of Dr. Henry .\. Hopper, of 
Hackensack ; and Elizabeth, wife of John R. Ly- 
decker. 

Peter Ward was a brigade major under Gen. Wm. i 



Colfax in the war of 1812, stationed at BerL'iii 
Heights and afterwards at Sandy Hook. He was a 
tanner and currier, a farmer and distiller at Campgaw. 
In 1812 he began to speculate, was unfortunate, and 
lost his property. He afterwards removed to Boone- 
ville, N. v., where he engaged in farming, and died 
on Long Island. His wife died at the advanced age 
of ninety years, about 1877. 

Capt. Robert C. A. Ward spent his early life on the 
farm. In 1827 he came to Hackensack, and was em- 
ployed by D. & J. Anderson, merchants, where he re- 
mained until the death of one member of the firm, 
John C. Z. .\nderson, in 183li. He was employed by 
the Andersons in the coasting trade between New 
York and Virginia, dealing in wood and lumber. As 
early as 1832 he became interested with the firm in 
the purchase of some three thousand acres of land in 
Virginia, known as the '"Green Spring Plantation," 
formerly tlie residence of the Governor of the State, 
wlien .laniestown was its capital. Upon the decease 
of John Anderson, Capt. Ward became a joint owner 
of the business and lands, by purchsise, with the re- 
maining partner, David Anderson, and the firm was 
"Anderson & Ward" until 1840, when .Vnderson dis- 
posed of his interest to Capt. Ward, and John Ward, 
his brother, became a partner, under the firm-name of 
R. & J. Ward. This plantation has supplied large 
quantities of wood for the New York market, and es- 
pecially before steamboats began to use coal was the 
demand consideralile. and it also supplies large tim- 
ber for other purposes, besides having several hniidriHl 
acres under a good state of cultivation. John Ward 
died in September, 1871, leaving a widow and one 
daughter, who reside in Hacken.sack. 

Capt. Ward usually made two trips per month be- 
tween New York and Virginia until the connection 
of his brother with the business, when he gave up the 
duties of the coasting trade to him. During the same 
year, 1840, Capt. Ward purclia.sed fitty acres oC land 
in Hackensack, upon which he has since resided, hav- 
ing his house located on the corner of Main and Pas- 
saic Streets, and where he has carried on agricultural 
pursuits since. 

Capt. Ward's has been an active life, and by his 
own self-reliance, energy, ami judicious management 
he has .secured a fair competency. He Inis been in- 
terested in the local intprovements of the village, and 
in the various enterpri.scs in the locality of his resi- 
dence. He became one of the stockholders upon the 
rebuilding of the Washington .Vcaih'niy, has been one 
of the directors of tlie Bergen County Turii|iike Com- 
pany since 1852, when it was converted into a plank- 
road, and for several years was president of the road, 
and he is a stockholder of the New Jersey and New 
York and of (he New Jersey Midlaml Railroads. 

(/apt. Ward was niiited in marriage, Sept. 2, 1841, 
to Harriet, daughter of (iarret Myer, and wiiiow of 
John C. Z. .\nderson, who wius born June, IHiCt, and 
died Oct. m, 1873. 




i^l^. 





c/L^-,^.^ar. //../^>-^^^<^ 



NEW BARBADOES. 



191 



Ricliard P. Terhune. — The ftimily of Terhune are 
of French origiu, and honorably trace their descent 
from an ancestry who left their native country for ] 
Holland following the persecution of Christians con- 
sequent upon the revocation of the Edict of Nantes 
in 1685. The original emigrant of the family to 
America set sail from Holland, settled on Long Island, 
and belonged to the French Huguenots. They were | 
among the early settlers of Bergen County, and by } 
intermarriages have been connected with the most 
influential and prominent families in New Jersey. 

Richard Terhune, born Oct. 21, 17()3, was son of 
Nicholas Terhune, who died in 1807, aged seventy- 
five years, and grandfather of our subject ; resided at 
Lodi, and married Hannah Voorhis, a daughter of 
Nicholas, and granddaughter of Lucas Voorhis. He 
was a large land-owner, and carried on agricultural 
pursuits during his life. His children, whom he took 
great care in giving an education, were Nicholas, 
Albert, Paul, Dr. Garret, of Passaic, and Peter R. 
Of these children Nicholas was the father of Judge 
Terhune, of Passaic County, and resides on the old 
homestead. Peter R. Terhune was born July 9, 1803, 
on the homestead in Lodi, married, Sept. 1, 1824, 
Maria Brinkerhofi', who was born Feb. 18, 1806. Her 
father was Ralph Brinkerhoff, born May 31, 1780, and 
died June 20, 1849. Her paternal grandfather was 
Richard Brinkerhoff, born Feb. 1, 1747, and died 
Nov. 5, 1833. The Brinkerhoff homestead was at 
Ridgefield Park, formerly in Hackensack township. 

Peter R. Terhune settled in the neighborhood of his 
birth, in the township of Saddle River, where he 
owned some two hundred acres of land, and carried 
on farming during his active business life. In early 
life he was a teacher, and had received more than an 
ordinary education. In his ways he was plain and 
unassuming, and never sought public place. He was 
a liberal supporter of church and educational inter- 
ests, and was for many years deacon and elder of the 
First Reformed Church at Hackensack. His death 
occurred Jan. 18, 1879, and his wife's, Oct. 16, 1858. 
Their children are Margaret, wife of Garret Oldis, of 
Hackensack, Richard P., and Albert B., who was born 
Feb. 24, 1830, and died Nov. 16, 1876. 

Richard P. Terhune was born in Saddle River 
township, April 4, 1828. His boyhood was spent on 
the farm, and his early education from books confined 
to the common school. He married, July 26, 1849, 
Sophia E., daughter of Henry L. Ackerman and Lydia 
Schoonmaker, of Corona, in Lodi township. Both 
the Schoonmakers and Ackermans were old-settled 
families of Corona and PoUifly. 

After his marriage Mr. Terhune settled on the 
Brinkerhoff homestead, in Ridgefield, where he re- 
mained until 1857, when he came to Hackensack and 
opened a grocery-store, which he carried on until 
1860, and the same year established the hardware 
business he now carries on in Main Street. In 1880 
this business was incorporated, and is known as the 



R. P. Terhune Manufacturing Company of Hacken- 
sack, manufacturing agricultural implements. 

Mr. Terhune was one of the incorporators of the 
Bergen County Bank and of the gas company, of 
which he is a stockholder and director. He was one 
of the promoters and a director of the New Jersey 
Midland Railroad, and was treasurer of the road the 
last year before it went into the hands of a receiver. 
He is also a stockholder of the Hackensack Academy, 
and has been interested in the various local enterprises 
of the village tending to its improvement. Mr. Ter- 
hune was a staff-officer of the Bergen County bat- 
talion from its organization until it w.ns disbanded, 
about 1862. 

His children are Maria E. ; Adelia Z., wife of D. 
P. Morse, a member of the boot and shoe firm of Ben- 
edict Hull & Co., New York ; Anna B. ; Henry A., 
born Dec. 30, 1862, and died Jan. 21, 1868; Alida S., 
and Charles Wesley. 

Rev. Samuel D. Westervelt. -The earliest settlers 
bearing the name of Westervelt in America were Lub- 
bert Lubbertsen and Willem Lubbertsen Van West- 
ervelt (brothers), who, with their families, came from 
Meppel, province Drenthe, Holland, in the ship 
"Hope," in April, 1662, and settled on Long Island. 
A descendant of Lubbert (Cornelius) subsequently 
removed to Bergen County, N. J., and from him are 
descended numerous members of the Westervelt 
family, whose names are so intimately as.<!ociated 
with the history of the county. 

The subject of this sketch. Rev. Samuel D. Wester- 
velt, was born April 13, 1813, and was a direct de- 
scendant of this branch of the family. At an early 
age he displayed unusual fondness for study, and 
after his father's death entered upon a preparatory 
course of instruction, under the auspices of the Re- 
formed Dutch Church. After graduating at the Uni- 
versity of the City of New York in 1838, he pursued 
his theological studies with the Rev. C. T. Demarest, 
of the Reformed Church, and in December, 1839, was 
ordained pastor of the King Street Reformed Dutch 
Church in New York City, where for twelve years he 
labored successfully in his chosen calling. For two 
years following he prepared young men for college 
in connection with a private classical school, and on 
the 18th of July, 1853, assumed the pastorate of the 
Presbyterian Church at Yorktown, Westchester Co., 
I N. Y., where he labored for another twelve years, 
winning the respect and love of a large circle of 
friends and many souls for the Master. Failing 
1 health compelled a resignation of this charge in Oc- 
tober, 1865, and a removal to Hackensack, N. J., 
where death closed an earnest Christian life on Nov 
15, 1865. 

During his active life, as pastor and teacher, he was 
encouraged and supported by his devoted wife, Cath- 
erine Earle, whom he married in 1839. She was an 
active. Christian woman, whose superior character 
1 and rare kindliness of heart made her influence felt 



19-2 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



and recognized by all with whom she came in con- 
tact. In the lioine circle she was tlie guide as well 
as loving mother to a large family, of whom three 
sons and two daughters still survive to keep dear her 
memory. She died Oct. 26, 1860. 

In November, 1861, he married his second wife, 
Eliz;i niireiiius, wlin still survives him. 

Robert Campbell.— The progenitor of the Camp- 
bell family in Hergen County, N. J., wji-s .Vrchibald 
Campbell, born on the Isle of Man, and who came to 
America and settled in Hackensack in 1765. He 
owned and kept an inn on the site of the present 
Bergen County Bank, where, as the hospitable land- 
lord of "nlden time," he had the honor of entertain- 
ing the men of Revolutionary times, and made his 
house the headquarters of Gen. Washington while 
stationed here. He was known iis an honest man, 
generous, companionable, and hospitable, and died 
where he had settled Dec. 28, 1798, in the sixty- 
eighth year of his age. 

His wife Catherine, born in the north of Ireland, 
followed him in 1768 to their new home, accompanied 
by her only child, Robert, who afterwards became 
one of the most eminent lawyers in New Jersey, and 
who practiced his profession at Hackensack for many 
years before his deatli, which occurred July 5, 184(;, 
at the age of eiglity-two years. She was a member 
of the First Reformed Church at Hackensack, a de- 
voted Christian woman, and had three children after 
arriving in this country, viz.: John, George, and 
Hannah. Of the children, Robert and Hannah 
were never married. John was a physician in 
Hackensack during his active business life, and died 
here at the age of forty-five years. He had a .son, 
Adolphus W., father of Mrs. Dr. Charles Hasbrouck, 
now residing in Hackensack, who was a tnerchant 
here for many years. 

George was father of our subject, born .June 24, 
1772, and died .March 11, 1864. His second wife, 
Margaret Kingsland, bore him seven children, all of 
whom are deceased (in 1881) except Helen, widow of 
the late .Vmos Munn, of New York, anil Robert. 

George Camjibell was a man of good business abil- 
ity, and for many years earricfl on the dry-goods trade 
in New York, where he aceurnulated a good compe- 
tency. He afterwards settled in Hackensack, where 
he resided until his death. He was a man of liberal 
ideas, friink, sociable, and a contributor to local en- 
terprises more than commensurate with his means, \ 

Margaret Kingsland wa.s a daughter of Henry 
Kingslaixl an<l Helen Van Vorst, and Henry Kings- 
land was third in line of descent from Nathaniel 
Kingsland, a native of Barbadoes, West Indies, who 
settled at New Barbadoes Neck, in Bergen County, 
during the reign of t^ueen Anne, and gave the name 
of New Barbadoes to this section of Bergen County. 
He owned srmic three thousand acres of hind where 
he settled, extending from the Pa.s,saic to the Hack- 
ensack River, and built a stone house at the "Neck," '■ 



in which he resided the remainder of his life, the 
property still remaining in possession of his de- 
scendants. 

Helen Van Vorst was a daughter of Cornelius Van 
Vorst, who owned a large tract of land across the 
Hudson from New York, and sold the land, now the 
site of Jersey City, for sixty thousand dollars, to Col. 
Varick, then the mayor of New York City. 




Hobert, son of George and Margaret Kingsland 
Campbell, was born at New Barbadoes Neck, in the 
township of lyodi. May 21, 181o. At the age of nine 
years he came to Hackensack, and tor three years re- 
sided with his uncle, Robert Campbell. At the age 
of twelve he became a clerk in the store of Adolphus 
W. Can\pbell, of the same ])lace, whose store wiw lo- 
cated on the corner "on the (ireen," where he re- 
mained for three years, and then went on a salary :is 
clerk for Sila.s H. Kitchell, a merchant of Newark, 
who gave him full charge of another store before the 
close of the first year. Here he remained for some 
three years, and sold goods on commission for Mr. 
Kitchell, during which time he saved money enough 
to set up business for himself. He then went to 
Brooklyn, and engaged in the wooden-ware business 
on his own account, but, after two years, purchased a 
grocery-store on the corner of Hudson and Morton 
Streets, in New York City, where he carried on a 
successful trade until 1841, and then exchanged his 
store for the one in Hackensack, "on the Green," 
where he had formerly served as clerk. After carry- 
ing on a general trade here for three years, he retired 







Z^^^-ci^ (^zC^^^^i^ 



His paternal grandfather was a farmer iu Wurtera- 
berg, Germany, and died in 1819, aged about fifty 
years. His father, born iu Striimilbacb, Wurtem- 
berg, Germany, was a cabinet-maker by trade, and 
died in 1818, at the age of tbirtj'. His mother, 
Magdalen Rohling, after the death of her liusband, 
was again married, to Mr. Baueh, and died in 1849. 

His uncle, Daniel Ri'diling, served in the French 
war under Napoleon after the invasion of Ru.ssia. 
The children born of this union were Frederick, 
Christian, Godlib, John, Dorathy, and Mary. 

Frederick Steinle was born in Striimilbach, Ger- 
many, Feb. 24, 1814. His early years were spent in 
school. At the age of twelve years he was sent for 
by his uncle, Jacob Riihling, of New York ; and 
leaving home with eleven others, he made his way 
on foot to Hamburgh, a distance of six hundred 
miles, from whence he set sail for America in the 
brig "Neptune,"' under the command of Capt. Knight, 
reaching Philadelphia after a voyage of seven weeks. 
He remained with his uncle in New York for two 
years, and then apprenticed himself to a baker on 
Gold Street in that city, with whom he remained 
three years, and for two years following worked as a 
journeyman. Having accumulated some two hun- 
dred dollars, in 1833 he started business for himself 
on Charles Street as a baker, where he continued for 
six years. 



In 1839 he purchased a house on Greenwich Street, 
between Charles and Amos Streets, and there remained 
in business until 1856, when he settled on Main Street, 
near the Fairmount Depot, in Hackensack, N. J., and 
retired from the more active duties of life. 

Mr. Steinles career is one worthy of emulation 
by those starting out in life without pecuniary assist- 
ance, and early thrown upon their own resources. 
Industry, perseverance, and self-reliance were the lead- 
ing characteristics that marked his success, which, 
followed by economy, judicious management, and in- 
tegrity in his business relations, secured him a com- 
petency. 

Mr. Steinle married Susannah, daughter of John 
Christian Frederick Brockner and Jane Yerks, who 
was born in Tarrytown, March 12, 1810. Her 
parents removed to Little Falls, Passaic Co., and 
subsequently to New York, where they died. 

Her father, born in Frankfort-on-the-Main, Ger- 
many, was pressed into the Hessian service, but after 
reaching America deserted, joined Gen. Washington's 
army, and served until the close of the war. He 
spent his last days with his daughter, Mrs. Steinle, 
and died April 16, 1851, at the advanced age of 
ninety-four. Her mother died Sept. 29, 1824, aged 
forty-nine. Their children are Frederick, a grocer in 
New York ; Susannah ; and Charlotte, wife of John 
H. T. Banta, a merchant of Hackensack. 




The paternal j;rcat-gTandfather of Samuel Taylor 
einij;ratcd from Kiiglaml and settled at Hempstead, 
Uocklaiid Co., N. y. His grandfather, Samuel Taylor, 
was born May H, \1T.\ and is the supposed pro- 
genitor of llie family in Bergen County, lie resided 
in Washington township, where he was engaged in 
farming, and also carried on the business of a tanner 
and currier. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. 
He was united in marriage, July 10, 1802, to Sarah 
Doremus, of Preakncss, Passaic Co., N. J., who was 
bom Sept. 7, 1783, and died Aug. 7, 1843. He died 
Dec. 11, 1S51. at the age of seventy-two years. 

Cornelius I). Taylor, .son of Samuel Taylor, and 
the father of our subject, during his early life learned 
the raanufaclure of chemicals, for dyeing and print- 
ing calico goods, at Lodi. X. J., and afterwards the 
trade of a shoemaker, wliiili he followed for a short 
time. 

In 1842 he built a hotel at I'aramus, which he 
kept until 1855. From that dale until 1S60 he was 
the hospitable landlord of the Mansion House at 
Ilackensack. He then returned to I'aramus, and 
after continuing the hotel business on the old homc- 
.Htead for six years retired from active business. 

For thirty years he was .severely afflicted with 
rheumatism, which finally resulted in his death, Aug. 
24, 187r>, having spent the last few years of his life 
in Hackensack. 

Ills wife, Hannah, born Aug. 15, 1815, was a 
daughter of ("apt. Harney Waldron, of New York 
City, and Matilda Van Dicn, whoso family were old i 



residents of Paramus. Her mother died in 1865, 
aged eighty-two years. The children of this union 
are Matilda, wife uf William Cronkright, of Hacken- 
sack, Samuel, and Richard. 

Of these children, Samuel Taylor was born Jan. 
24, 1838. Ho received his early education at the 
common .school at Paramus. At the age of fifteen he 
accepted a position as clerk in the grocery and lumber 
store of Henry A. Berry, at Hackensack, where he 
remained for two and a half years. He afterwards 
entered the office of Lewis Becker, a broker in New 
York, where he remained for one year. Mr. Becker, 
in company with others, in 185(1 founded the Bergen 
County Bank, located where a part of the Mansion 
House now stands, and selected Mr. Taylor as cashier, 
which position he creditably filled until the bank sus- 
pended payment during the panic in 1857. Mr. 
Taylor managed the Mansion House for his father-in- 
law from 1860 for .several years. 

In 1866 he began the manufacture of mineral 
waters and bottling of malt liquors on Union Street, 
in Hackensack. N. J., which he continue.^ successfully 
at the pre.sent time. 

Mr. Taylor .served as collector of taxes for New 
Barbadoes township for the term ending the spring of 
1878, was elected county clerk in 1880, and is tlie 
present incumbent of that office. 

He was united in marriage, in 1859, to Sarah L., 
daughter of John Ijovett, of Hackensack, N. J. The 
children ol' lhi> union are Fannie ami M.iria E. L. 
Taylor. 



NEW BARBADOES. 



193 



from the mercantile business, and has since been en- 
gaged iu dealing in real estate and farming at Schraa- 
lenburgh. He purchased his present residence on 
Main Street, in Hackensack, in 1854, where he has 
since resided. 

Mr. Campbell's life has been one of great activity 
and industry, and, unassisted pecuniarily when start- 
ing out in life, he has secured a fair competency. 
He is a man of sound judgment, quick perception, 
decided opinions, self-reliant, careful, and possessed 
of more than ordinary business ability, and another 
example of the self-made business men of the times. 
He has ever been interested in all that pertains to 
the interests of the people where he resides, was one 
of the founders of Washington Institute, and a trustee 
for many years. He has been one of the board of di- 
rectors of the Bergen Turnpike Company for about 
thirty years, of which his uncle Robert was one of 
the founders in 1804, and has held the office of presi- 
dent of the board for the past fifteen years. He was 
the first justice of the peace elected by the people that 
held office in Hackensack. Mr. Campbell is identi- 
fied with the First Reformed Church and a contribu- 
tor to its interests. 

He married, in November, 1S41, Jane Ann, daugh- 
ter of William C. Kingsland, of Union township, who 
was born March 10, 1812, and died Oct. 15, 1875, 
leaving a daughter, Sarah, wife of Rev. Truman 
Weed, of New Durham, N. J., and a son, William 
Henry, who died in his thirty-seventh year, Dec. 20, 

1879. His present wife, whom he married July 7, 

1880, is Maria Louisa, daughter of Henry B. Zabris- 
kie, of Hackensack. 

Hazen W. Adams.— The Adamses are of English 
origin, and were among the earliest settlers of New 
England. Members of this large family have been " 
chosen to fill the highest positions in the gift of the 
American people, distinguished as legislators and 
educators, and have been numbered among the 
stanch defenders of republican institutions in this 
country. 

Thomas Adams, the grandfather of Hazen W., was 
a native of Massachusetts, and served in the Revolu- 
tionary war. He was a resident of Gilmanton, N. H., 
for a number of years, and died there in 1836, aged 
about eighty years, leaving a large family of chil- 
dren. 

His father, Thomas Adams, a native also of Massa- 
chusetts, spent most of his active life in Gilmanton as 
a contractor and builder and in farming, where he was 
somewhat of a public man. He took great care in the 
education of his children, and spent the latter part of 
his life in retirement. 

He died in Gilmanton in 1873, aged eighty-three 
years. His wife, Sophia Kimball, a native also of 
Gilmanton, died in 1875 at the age of eighty years. 

The children of this union are Sophia, wife of E. 
C. Cogswell, of Northwood, N. H. ; Hazen W., the 
subject of our sketch ; Martha, wife of the late G. C. 



Neally, of Burlington, Iowa; and Mary F., wife of 
the late Dr. Gilliam C. Terhune, of Hackensack, 
N.J. 

Hazen W. Adams was born in Gilmanton, N. H., 
July 24, 1824. He received his preparatory educa- 
tion in the academy at Gilmanton, entered Dartmouth 
College in 1844, and graduated in 1847. After his 




graduation he turned his attention to the study ot 
medicine, but in 1849 went to California, and en- 
gaged in mining until 1851, when he took a tour to 
Granada, Central America, where he remained about 
one year. 

Returning to California he engaged in the drug 
business and in mining at lone City, which he con- 
tinued until 1858, when he left California, and the 
following year settled in Hackensack, N. J., and here 
opened a drug-store in the building where the post- 
office is now located, since which time, with the ex- 
ception of the years from 1872 to 1875, Mr. Adams, 
has continued the business of a druggist in Hacken- 
sack. Mr. Adams is a student of his business, and 
well read as a pharmacist. His knowledge of medi- 
cines and their proper administration have led people 
to regard his medical counsel of value in cases of ill- 
ness, and he is familiarly known by the title of " doc- 
tor." 

Dr. Adams was united in marriage in 1861 to Jane, 
daughter of the late Adolphus W. Campbell, for many 
years a merchant of Hackensack, and a great-grand- 
daughter of Archibald Campbell, the progenitor of 
the family in Bergen County. Their children are 
Harriet, Martha, Ellen, and Charles. 



194 



IllSTOKV OV BEKGKN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



George W. Conklin. — His grandfather, John ' 
Conklin, was of Eiifrlisli origin, and was engaged in 
sailing sloops between Alliany and New York City 
during his aetive business career. He died in Jersey 
CityMn 1837, aged about fifty-nine years. His wife 
was Julia Bond, who bore him eleven cliildren, five 
SODS and six daughters. 




His father, Robert Conklin, was born in Jersey 
City, March 24, 1821, and at the age of fourteen 
came to Hackctisack, where he learned the blacksmith 
trade. He was united in marriage in 1844 to Cathe- 
rine, daughter of James and Kllen Ingles, of Glasgow, 
Scotland, where she was born Nov. 14, 1825. She 
was one in a family of twelve children, and came 
with luT parents to .\merica in 1827, and settled in 
New York (Jity, where her father and mother both | 
died, the former in 18;{(;, the latter in 1848. ' 

Aflcrhis marriage Mr. (,'onklin followed the bhiek- 
smith business in Haekensack, with the exception of 
one year, until I8(!0, and for live years following lie 
wiw engaged in the scwing-maeliine business there. 
From 18(;.'> until his death, Oct. 22, 1K77, he joined 
his wife in the millinery, fancy, and dry-goods busi- 
ness, whicli they had eMtablished soon after their 
marriage in Hackcnsack, and which Mrs. (Tonklin 
has successfully carried on from its establishment in 
1H,'>(» until the present time. The children of this ' 



union are George W., the subject of this sketch ; John, 
a farmer in Tioga County, N. Y. ; Robert, a clerk in 
a dry-goods store in New York City ; and Charles, at 
liome in the store with his mother. Mr. Conklin was 
a man of i|uiet and unostentatious habit.x, and devoted 
his life chieHy to business pursuits. He was a mem- 
ber and deacon of the First Reformed Church at 
Hackensack. 

George W. Conklin was born-at Hackensack, N. J., 
Jan. 24, 1846. His education from books was re- 
ceived in the old Washington Institute, and in the 
private classical school of Prof William Williams. 
In March, 1861, he entered the office of Hon. Charles 
H. Voorhis as a student-at-law. After remaining in 
this office one year, he concluded to lead a business 
instead of a |)rofessional life, and in 1862 obtained a 
position its clerk in the Mechanics' and Traders' Bank 
of Jersey City, and gradually rose in position to as- 
sistant book-keeper. This bank closed its business 
in January, 1865, and Mr. Conklin at once became 
assistant book-keeper in the First National liank of 
.lersey City, which had been organize<l as a banking- 
house in the same building in February, 1864. He 
continued iissistant book-keeper until February, 1871, 
when he was appointed general book-keejier, and 
filled the duties of this office so creditably that in 
April, 1874, he was chosen assistant cashier, and in 
1870 was elected cashier, which position he still 
holds. 

The ])residents of this liank since its organization 
have been .lohn S. Fox, Alexander H. Wallace, and 
E. F. C. Young. Mr. Conklin is president of the 
board of trustees of the Second Presbyterian Church 
of Jersey City, and Senior Wanlen of Bergen Lodge, 
No. 47, A. F.and A. M. 

He is another example of the self-made young men 
of the present day who have obtained position by 
their own self-reliance and perseverance. He was 
united in marriage .\pril 14. 186!1. to Martha, daughter 
of Peter and .lane \'. Doremus, of Jersey City. 

The children of this union are Ella H. and Char- 
lotte L. Conklin. 

Hon. Adam Boyd. — It is presumed that the name 
of Mr. Boyd's lallur was John. He came from Scot- 
land, and settled in Succasunna about 1716. Adam 
Boyd was born at Mendhain. N. J., March 21, 1746. 
About 1770, he, with his family, settled on the Bar- 
tram farm, now in Bergen County, on the cast side 
of the Kamapo River, nearly opposite the l^chuyler 
mansion. He moved to Hackensack a few years 
before the Revolution. During all of his active life 
he was engaged in various business pursuits when 
not immersed in public ein|iloyment. After the 
evacuation of Fort Lee, -Mr. lioyd's wife, whose 
maiden name was Elsie Van Cleve, awakened her 
husband at night, while in bed, at thoir home in 
Hackensack, saying, " Do you hear the boys at the 
door'.'" The husband (piickly arose from his bed, 
and went through the hall to the front door, at once 



SADDLE RIVER. 



195 



asking, "What is the matter, boys?" thinking those 
night-time callers were his companions and friends. 
Their first salute discovered to the anxious house- 
holder and husband his mistake. They sharply re- 
plied, " You damned rebel! we will show you what 
the matter is." He had, meantime, opened the upper 
part of the double-shutting front door, when he was 
immediately fired upon by a party of Hessians. Re- 
treating through the hall-way, and jumping over the 
lower part of a like double-opening back door, the 
same was instantly thrust through with six of the 
bayonets of his angry assailants, some of which, in 
their spent force, reached tlie person of Mr. Boyd 
while fleeing for his life. In the darkness of the 
night, the ground covered with snow and ice, with 
no garment on except the shirt to his back, and thus 
set upon by a band of marauders, he had no way of 
escape except in flight, and so, with hurrying but 
lacerated feet, and with footsteps stained in blood, he 
made his escape across the fields and through the 
country for many a weary mile to Paramus, the snow 
and ice like piercing spikes beneath his flying feet. 
On his way thither he was able to find only a trusty 
negro. With the helj) of this faithful cmnpanion he 
obtained axes, broke open some barns, took horses, 
gave the alarm, aroused a band of patriots, and, at 
the head of this little party, returned to Hackensack 
to defend his fireside and his home, but only to find 
it laid in ashes; and the Hessians had retreated, after 
such a victory over a brave but unfortunate man. 

Mr. Boyd now found himself without house and 
home and furniture, except an old brass kettle, long 
kept in the family afterwards as a relic of those dis- 
astrous days. 

In 1778, in face of the enemy, who lay at Brower's 
Hill, near the new bridge, on the Hackensack River, 
an election was held by a little band of patriots, who 
came to the poll at the risk of a rope around their 
necks, when Peter Wilson, John Outwater, and Isaac 
Blanch were elected members of the Legislature, 
with Peter Haring to the Council, and Adam Boyd 
was elected sheritT of the county of Bergen. While 
sherifl' the courts were held at the Ponds, but Mr. 
Boyd then rebuilt his house on Main Street, in 
Hackensack, which is now standing on the memor- 
able spot of the one destroyed by the Hessians. After 
1778, Mr. Boyd passed through a long succession of 
honorable official positions. He was judge of the 
Court of Common Pleas in 1803, and by successive 
appointments to 1833, and for five years from that 
date. He was a member of the Legislature in 1795, 
and was elected a member of the Eighth Congress of 
the United States, beginning March 4, 1803, in the 
days of Thomas Jefl^erson. He was a member of the 
Eleventh Congress, to fill the vacancy occasioned by 
the death of Ezra Darby. Mr. Boyd was also a mem- 
ber of the Twelfth Congress. His speeches appear in 
Benton's " Abridgment of Debates in Congress," vols, 
iii. and iv. ; mention is also made of Mr. Boyd in 



Lanman's " Dictionary of Congress," and in Ben 
Perley Poore's " Political Register." He always took 
an active and prominent part in the political discus- 
sions of that day, and his public career bears evi- 
dence to the sterling patriotism, great ability, and 
marked character of the man, who liad been educated 
in the school of hardshiji and strife into a love of 
country and the maintenance of free institutions. 
When Lafayette revisited this country in 1824, and 
a dinner was given in his honor at Campbell's tavern, 
at Hackensack, Adam Boyd presided on that occasion, 
and afterwards the illustrious Frenchman was his guest 
at Mr. Boyd's residence. Mr. Boyd stood over six feet 
in height, was possessed of great physical strength and 
a commanding presence. Mr. Boyd's death occurred 
on the 15th of August, 1835. 

Adam Boyd had two children, — John A. and Cath- 
arine. The son graduated with high honors at Prince- 
ton in 1795, and afterwards studied and practiced law, 
and became surrogate of Bergen County for three 
terms, and died Feb. 21, 1828, aged fifty-three years. 
Catharine died May 14, 1846, aged seventy-four. 
The present Adam and Adonijah Schuyler Boyd, 
both most worthy and honored citizens in Bergen 
County, and the latter a prominent and prosperous 
lawyer, are sons of John A., the son of Adam Boyd. 
Their mother was Elizabeth Schuyler, daughter of 
Adonijah, third son of Arent, son of Philip, a lineal 
descendant of the renowned Philip Pieterson Schuyler. 



CHAPTER XXXV. 

SADDLE RIVER. 

Boundaries and General Description. — The 

township of Saddle River was named from its fancied 
resemblance to a saddle before its boundaries were 
changed. It is bounded on the north by Ridgcwood, 
south by Lodi, east by the Saddle River (named from 
the township), and west by the Passaic River. It is 
among the oldest of the townships of Bergen County 
in point of organization, and although its lands are 
in many instances still occupied as inherited estates 
by the owners, numbers of the older families have 
become extinct or removed from the county and passed 
from the recollection of present residents. The 
people are essentially agricultural in their pursuits, 
manufacturing interests do not flourish, and nowhere 
within the township is there a collection of buildings 
sufficiently numerous to be called a village, unless 
East Passaic is excepted. 

This is a settlement in the southern border, on the 
Passaic River, and is intended its a place of residence 
for operatives in the Passaic factories, with which it 
is connected by a substantial bridge. The location is 
pleasant and the lands desirable in situation, but no 
evidence of business enterprise has yet appeared. 



196 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



The revenue of Saddle River township is derived 

priiici pally from the culture of fruit and vegetables, to 
which both soil and eliniate are admirably adapted, 
and for which New York and neighboring cities afford 
a ready market. 

The New Jersey Midland Railroad passes through 
the township, with .stations atRoelielle Park and Dun- 
dee Lake, while the Erie Railroad traverses the north- 
ern corner, with the nearest station at Ridgewood. 

The Bergen County Short-cut, a branch of the Erie 
Railroad, forming a junction near Ridgewood, and 
connecting again at Rutherford Park, is now in pro- 
cess of construction, its length being twelve mile.s. 

Natural Features. — The township possesses many 
natural beauties peculiar to itself. On the west flow 
the clear waters of the Passaic, whose banks are lined 
with verdure, while its eastern border is watered by 
the Saddle River. The townshij) has no lakes, but is 
moistened by small streams which flow into the above 
rivers. The soil of the township varies in quality. 
Sand prevails quite generally, especially along the 
borders of the rivers. This is well adapted to certain 
classes of vegetation, but for the more staple grains 
requires enriching. 

Streaks of clay abound in the central and southern 
portions, and a tract of marshy land is found in the 
west. In picturcsqueness and beauty of scenery 
Saddle River compares favorably with other portions 
of the county. 

Early Settlements.— The township of Saddle River 
was at an early day settled by a few fainilie-s, who in- 
termarried, and whose descendants purchitsedor had 
bequeathed to them property in the vicinity of their 
ancestral homes. For this rea.son the old names are 
often repeated, and various branches of the same 
family will be found located within the township 
limits. Many of the early settlers have i>a.ssed away, 
and the later generations removed to localities afford- 
ing a wider scope for their business activities. This 
fact is apparent in the Post and Van Home families, 
not a single representative of whom remains, and 
whose early history has passed from the recollection 
of the present inhabitants of the township. 

.Vmong the earliest settlers in Saddle River was the 
Doreinus family, the |)rogcnitor of whom was John 
Doremus, who in 1740 purchased the original property 
near Areola. He was in 1747 united in marriage to 
Miss Maria Lutkins, and on his death in 1784 left a 
son and daughter. Mr. Doremus was during the 
Revolutionary war taken prisoner by the British, and 
confined in the old Sugar-House i>rison in New York 
City with many other victims. On his release he re- 
turned to his home, where the remainder of his life 
was spent. His son George occupied the homestead 
until his death in ISriO, leaving five .sons, — Richard, 
Allien, (Jeorge, John H., and Peter, — and one daugh- 
ter, who became the wife of Andrew H. Hopper, well 
known as a general of the Kergen County militia, 
.lolin It. occupied the farm for a period of half a 



century after the death of his father, and subsequently 
removed to Paterson, his present residence. His son 
Jacob is the occupant of the homestead. 

The Berdan family are of Holland extraction, the 
first member of whom was Rinear. He emigrated 
from his native land at a very early date, and choos- 
ing Bergen County as a favorable point of location 
made Hackensack his residence. His sons were si.\ 
in number, of whom two, John and Rinear, settled 
on farms now occupied by Rinear J. and G. V. H. 
Berdan respectively. The former was married to 
Miss Ann Romaine, and had one son, John, whose 
wife was Miss Henrietta Van Dicn. Their son, Rinear, 
was united in marriage to Charity Ryerson, and be- 
came the parent of two children, John and a daughter 
Ann. The former married Miss Mary Van Houten, 
and had two sons — Rinear and Garrebrant — and a 
daughter, Mrs. Daniel Romaine. Both of these .sons 
are now living on the original property. 

John, the second son of the first Rinear, the pro- 
genitor of the family, had three sons — John, Richard, 
and Stephen — and one daughter. John, who served 
with credit in the war of 1812, is represented by a 
son, Cornelius '/,., who resides in the township. 

The Hopper family are also among the oldest fami- 
lies in Saddle River. One branch is descended from 
Andrew Hopjier, who emigrated from Holland and 
had children, among whom were Peter and Andrew. 
Andrew joined the army during the Revolutionary 
conflict, and fell in one of the engagements. Peter 
settled in the township on lainl still in the family 
and owned by Henry A. Hopper. Peter had three 
.sons, Garret, .\ndrew, and Henry, all of whom re- 
mained in Saddle River. Andrew married and be- 
came the father of twelve children, of whom two, 
John A. and Henry A., reside in the township, the 
latter on the homestead which was the birthplace of 
his father. 'Another representative of this family 
was Henry Ho])per, who resided in the present 
Franklin township and had four children, — two sons 
and two daughters. The sons were John H. and An- 
drew H., the latter of whom married Maria Doremns 
and had seven chihlreii, of whom Henry A. now oc- 
cupies the homestead, and a daughter, .Mrs. Rinear J. 
Berdan, also resides in the township. This family are 
largely represented in other portions of the county. 

The ancestor of the Garretsons (the name being 
spelled Garretson or Garrison by members of the 
same family) was Peter, who was a native of Holland, 
and left his native land in lli(!4 and settled in Bergen 
County, where he purclia-sed an extensive tract of 
land, a portion of which is now embraced in the farm 
of Ralph G. (larretson. Among his sons was John 
i'., who married a Miss Ryorson and had children, — 
John, Jacob, Garret, and one daughter. John P. 
spent his life upon the homestead, and here his death 
occurred. His sons .lolin Jind fiarret remained in 
the township, the latter having married a daughter 
of Ralph Romaine and had eight children, among 



SADDLE RIVER. 



197 



whom were three sons, John G., Ralph, and Abram, 
the two latter of whom remained upon the homestead. 

Two branches of the Van Riper family claim Saddle 
River as their residence. Jeremiah resided on the 
Passaic River, above the Dundee Bridge, and early 
purchased land of a very old resident named Van 
Horn. His sous were Simeon, Stephen, and Nicholas, 
all of whom remained in the township. The latter 
branch is represented by John N. Van Riper, who is 
the only member of the family now in the township. 

George Van Riper resided upon the homestead now 
occupied by his son George G., and is the earliest 
representative of another family of the name in the 
township. Among his children were George G., an 
extensive farmer, and living on ancestral land ; John 
G., also residing in Saddle River; Cornelius, deceased, 
and Harry. 

The Doremus family, who are of Huguenot ances- 
try and have been already spoken of, also located on 
the western border of the township. Two brothers, 
Cornelius and Henry, on their arrival in America 
first repaired to the South, but not being favorably 
imjiressed with the land repaired to New Jersey, 
one having located in Passaic and the other in Morris 
County. Cornelius died in the latter county, leaving 
a grandson, Henry, who removed to Saddle River, on 
the homestead now occupied by William Doremus, 
the deed of conveyance bearing date July 12, 1782.. 
Among his large family of children was Peter, who 
inherited the farm and was united in marriage to a 
Miss Berry, of Carlstad, to whom were born children, 
— Henry, William, and Cornelius, all of whom located 
in the township. William and Cornelius still survive 
and reside upon their land. 

Philip Van Bussom early settled in Saddle River, 
having purchased land of Dominie Marinus. He 
had children, — John, Andrew, Peter, and two daugh- 
ters. The sons located in Saddle River, Peter having 
retained the homestead and married. He had three 
children, of whom Philip P. Van Bussom now resides 
on the homestead. 

The Cadmus family are of Hollandish lineage. The 
traditions with regard to the origin of the family in 
New Jersey are somewhat conflicting. One relates 
that three brothers settled in Bergen County on their 
arrival in America, while a fourth sought the prairies 
of the far West. Another states that but one of the 
number came to Bergen County, and had among his 
sons one John, who located on the Passaic River, in 
the township. He had two sons, Andrew and Corne- 
lius, and five daughters. The land of John Cadmus 
was divided equally between his two sons, who settled 
upon their inheritance. The home of John was much 
exposed to the depredations of British soldiers during 
the Revolution. Horses and grain were frequently 
confiscated, and on one occasion the house was be- 
sieged while the family had fled to it for shelter. 
After a stern resistance, in which Mrs. Cadmus mani- 
fested great daring, the occupants were forced to sur- 



render. Mr. Cadmus was carried to New York, and 
confined with others in the old Sugar-House prison, 
where captivity and suffering impaired his health and 
occasioned his death two weeks after his release. His 
son Andrew married Katariila Doremus, and has no 
descendants now residing in the township. 

Cornelius was united to Jane Van Riper, and had 
six sons, — John, Garrett, David, Andrew, James, and 
Cornelius, — all of whom, with the exception of Cor- 
nelius, settled in Saddle River. David located on the 
homestead where his widow and two sons now reside, 
and the widow of James resides with her son, James 
G. Cadmus, on the banks of the Passaic. The family 
is elsewhere represented in the county. 

The name of Zabriskie appears in Saddle River 
as in other parts of the county. This branch is de- 
scended from Andrew Zabriskie, whose son Chris- 
tian had three sons, — Andrew, Cornelius, and Abram. 
Abram married Maria Zabriskie, of New Bridge, and 
had one son. Christian A., who now occupies the 
homestead in Saddle River. The daughters are Mrs. 
Cornelius Van Houten and Mrs. Henry Demarest. 
In the history of Midland township the early pres- 
ence of the family in the county is more fully treated. 

The pioneer of the branch of the Berdan family 
represented by Cornelius Z. was Johannes Berdan, 
whose homestead is now the residence of James Jora- 
lemon. He had two children, .John and Anna, the 
latter having become Mrs. George Doremus. John 
married Mary De Gray. Their children were Rich- 
ard, John, Jr., Stephen, and Mary. John remained 
on the homestead and married Sarah Zabriskie, to 
whom were born four children, of whom Cornelius 
Z. is the only survivor. 

Stephen Terhune originally located in Midland 
township, and had four sons and two daughters. His 
son Garrett removed to Saddle River in 1813, on 
ground now owned by Stephen G. and John G. Ter- 
hune, who are merchants near Areola and also own 
land in the township. 

The Ackerman family are early settlers in the town- 
ship, the grandfather of Gilbert B., the present occu- 
pant of the land, having purchased it before the war 
of the Revolution. It fell by inheritance to his son 
Peter, who married a daughter of Gilbert Banta and 
had six children. One son, Gilbert B., and a daugh- 
ter now reside in the township. 

The Romaine family were early settlers at May- 
wood, and descended from John, whose children were 
John and Martin. The latter removed to Lodi, mar- 
ried and had children, — Lucas, Daniel, Richard, and 
a daughter. Of this number Daniel resides upon 
the homestead, and Richard removed during early life 
to Saddle River, where he has been for years identi- 
fied with the interests of the township. 

A branch of the Demarest family, whose early his- 
tory is given elsewhere in this volume, were early 
residents of Saddle River, and are represented by P. 
J. Demarest. 



198 



HISTORY OF BKIIGEN AND I'ASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



During the beginning of the present century Lud- 
wick Young came to the township and purchased 
land which is now occupied by John L. Young. 

Of other old families who have become extinct in 
flic triwnsliip it is impossible to gain autlientic facts. 

Schools. — The school territory of the township is 
divided into tlirce districts, — Dundee, No. 42, Duiulee 
Lalce, No. 42A, and Small Lots, No. 43. The Dundee 
District occupies tlie southwestern portion of the 
township, and is bounded on the north by District 
42], on the east by District 3'), on the south by Dis- 
trict 3(5, and on the west by Passaic County. The 
present school building is pleasantly located in a rich 
farming community, on the Slauter Dam road, near 
the banks of the Passaic River. It is an unpreten- 
tious structure, one story high, and may justly be 
regarded as a relic of bygone days. It is simply 
furnished, and devoid of most of tlie modern aids to 
the teacher. This .school has never attained a high 
standard. The present teacher is Joel Horton. 

Dundee Lake occupies the central and western 
portion of the township, and is of recent formation. 
It is bounded on the north by No. 43, on the east by 
No. 27, on the south by No. 42, and on the west by 
Piussaic County. The old school building wsis located 
in Passaic County, on the west bank of the Passaic 
River, the district being partly in Pa.ssaic and partly 
in Bergen Counties. When Paterson extended its 
city liniiti- to the Passaic River it was unable to draw 
public money for the support of the school, and ap- 
plication was made for a new district, which was 
granted in 1874. The jiresent building, located on 
the Passaic River near the Midland Railroad, was 
then erected. 

It is a frame building, twenty-two by thirty-six feet 
in dimensions, one story high, with cupola, and an L 
built upon the south side. It is ecpiipped with a 
globe, modern desks, and has an extensive surface of 
blackboard. The present school property is valued 
at eigiiteen hundred dollars. The teacher is Miss 
Fanny A. Porter. 

The district of Small Lots occupie-s the northern 
and western jiortion of the townshi|), and is bounded 
on the north by District No. 44, on the east by Dis- 
tricts Nos. 26, 27, and 44, on the south by Districts 
Nos. 27 and 42A, and on the west by Passaic County. 
It is impossible to learn the origin of the first school, 
as the earliest records arc not preserved, though it is 
probable a school existe<l at least sixty years ago. 
The building used was a stone structure, with winilows 
of exceedingly limited dimensions, and furnished 
with desks of the old fashion. The room is said to 
have been decoratefl with a stout birch rod in eacli 
corner. • )ne James Thorn p.^on was the earliest teacher, 
and taught the common English branches. He as- 
signed a task to each pupil, which, if not perfectly 
committe<l, would be followed by an application of 
the rod. His metluxl, though summary, produced a 
salutary effect. The old building gave place in ISAS 



to the present frame structure, located on land donated 
by Mr. George A. Hopper for school purposes. This 
building was in 1873 thoroughly repaired and refur- 
nished. The property is valued at nine hundred 
dollars, the building having a seating capacity of 
fifty children. The jiresent instructor is Miss L. A. 
Cuniming. 

The total number of children in the various dis- 
tricts of the township during the past year was 259. 
Saddle River received as her share of the surplus 
revenue fund $44.20, of the State appropriation of 
$100,000 the sum of $78.32, and of the State school 
Uix $1I20.3(;. 

Hig'hways. — One of the oldest if not the oldest 
road in the township was known as the Slauter Dam 
road, and is now designated as the Passaic Valley 
road. It lies on the western border of the township, 
and follows the course of the Pa.s.saie River. The 
northern portion of this highway was known by the 
Indians as the Wagara road, and the southern division 
as the Slauter Dam road, which appellation still ad- 
heres to it. This thoroughfare was in use long before 
the Revolutionary war, and was constantly traveled 
at that period. 

Another road followed the course of the Saddle 
River .stream on the western side of the township, and 
although a highway of early date does not e<pial the 
former in antiquity. 

Another very old road is known as the Small Lots 
road, which extends from east to west across the 
township. 

South of it is the Broadway road, formerly known 
as Garrison's Lane, and extending from the Pas.saic 
to the Saddle River through the centre of the town- 
ship. It was narrow in its dimensions when first 
surveyed, but was widened under the direction of 
Cornelius (iarrison, after which its present name was 
given. 

Other roads were laid out as llie convenience of 
residents demanded. 

The road territory of Saddle River is divided into 

nineteen districts, over whom the following overseers 

are appointed : 

nistricl. 

No. I Daniel Vnn Winkli.. 

" 2 1.iliii R™1. 

" 3 J. W. l>on>niUH. 

" 4 J. 11. Vhii .Sniiii. 

" 5 0. B, AckiTniiiii. 

" 6 J'lliri Ocli». 

" 7 A. II. Il.-M.li.m.n. 

" 8 (ieorm. NAiiglf. 

'* 9 Fnliir!! IC»l>liii«in. 

*' In Albert KourIi. 



Pislricl. 

No. 11 K. J. Berdan. 

" 12 Jiicolt W. ItiirpmuB. 

" 13 A<Um llopp*r. 

" 14 Anilionv Thimlon. 

•• U. P. II. Van M,n.ll»c. 

" Ifi J.ihii Tili'i». 

•' 17 J. II Cnlilwell. 

•• IS II..|ir.\ St-lhl. 

" I» Ili'tir.v Vmi IUp«r. 



Orgaoization. — It is difficult to learn the exact 
date of the erection of Saddle River as an inde- 
pendent township. In the list of freeholders imme- 
diately following the first of these officials served in 
the year 1704. It may therefore be a.-^snmed that 
Saddle River was erected as an independent township 
either in thai or the previous year. 

It was formerly a part of New Barbadoes, which 
embraced all that territory lying between the Hack- 



SADDLE KIVER. 



199 



ensack River on the east and the Passaic River on the ] 
west up to the province line. It was then emhraced I 
in Essex County, but beean;e a portion of Bergen in 
1709. Saddle River township when iirst set oft" com- 
prised all the former territorj- of Xew Barbadoes 
lying between the Saddle River and the Passaic '■ 
River to the province line, embracing nearly half the 
township of Xew Barbadoes. About 1772 Franklin 
township was erected, its boundary including tlie 
present townships of Hohokus, Ridgewood, and 
Franklin, leaving Saddle River with its present 
dimensions. 

Civil List— The list of freeholders it is jjossible to 
give complete since 1794. The remaining more im- 
portant township officers cannot be secured for tiie 
period prior to 18(52, as the records are not obtainable. 
The freeholders are as follows: 

1794, Jacob B«rdan, Martin Ryerson ; 1796, Samuel Van Zaen, John C. 
Bogert; 1797-1801,1809-15, George Doremus; 1797, John Benson, 
Jr.; 1798-lSOl, John Dey ; 18C12-6, Henry Mead, John Gariison; 
1807-11, Jacob Aekerman; 1807, Richard Degray ; 1808, Wilhani 
Colfax ; 1812, Isaac Van Satin ; 1813-14, Bobeit Van Houten ; ISl.'i- 
18, Martinins Hogencamp; 1810-18, John J. Berdan ; 1819-20, Isaac 
Van Saun ; 1820-25, Garret P. Hopper; 1822-25, 1830-:il, Martinins 
Hogencamp; 1820, Jacob Berclan; 1826-27, Richard Ackerman; 
1827, Adrian R. Van Honten ; 1828-29, Andrew H. Hopper, Richard 
Doremu«; 1830-34, Samuel C. Deiuarest; 1832-35, 1843-45, Andrew 
P. Hopper; 183.T-36, Perigan Sanford; 1830. Henry Doremus; 1837- 
39, Henry P. Hopper; 1837-38. Tnrnier Van Idcrstine; 18:!9-42, 
Henry C. Van Houten ; 1840-12, foinelins Post, Jr. ; 1843, 1845-^6, 
Andrew B. Van Bussum; 1S44, Henry P. Doremns; 1846-48, John 
B. Doremus; 1847-48, Henry Cole; 1849-51, Peter A. Hopper; 1849- 
51, 1857-61, .Andrew C. Cadmus ; 1852, Simeon G. Garrison ; 1852-^. 
William Doremus; 1853-54, John .\. Hopper; 1856, Cornelius P. 
Doremus; 1856-57, David Alyea; 1858-61, Peter I. Demarest; 1862- 
64, Richai-d Van Winkle; 1862-67,1808, Henry A. Hopper; 1803- 
64, 1866, John Vreeland ; 1866-67, James G. Cadmu'^ ; 1868-70, Cor- 
nelius R. Van Houten; 1869-71, John G. Garrison ; 1872-74, J. W. 
Doremus; 1875-77, John B. Schooniuaker ; 1878, James V. Jorale- 
mon; 1879-81, Martin Roraaine. 

The remaining important officers are : 

1862. — Township Clerk, James V. Joralemon ; Collector, James C. Post; 
.\8sessor, Jacob %V. Doremus ; Township Committee, -\ugustus Has- 
brouck, William P. Doremus, A. C. Cadmus, George Doremus, John 
A. Hopper. 

1863. — Township Clerk, James V. Joralemon ; Collector, Gustavus A. 
De Groot; Township Committee. Andrew C. Cadmus, Augustus 
Hasbrouck, George Doremus, Wui. P. Doremus, Wm. A. Van Hou- 
ten ; Assessor, Jacob W. Doremus. 

1864. — Township Clerk, James V. Joralemon ; Collector, Gustarus A. 
De Groot; Assessor, Jacob W. Doremus; Township Committee, 
.\ndrew C. Cadmus, Augustus Hasbrouck, George Doremus, Wm. 
Doremus, Wm. A. Van Houten. 

1865.— Township Clerk, Isaac A. Hopper; Collector, Gustavus A. De 
Groot; Township Committee, .Augustus Hasbrouck, Wm. Doremns, 
Henry P. Doremus, John A. Hopper, John C. Post. 

1866. — Township Clerk, Isaac \. Hopper; Collector, John C. Post; As- 
sessor, Jacob W. Doremus; Township Committee, Henry P. Dore- 
mus, C. C. Post, John B. Schoonmaker, Garret H. Hopper, Andrew 
C. Cadmus. 

1867.— Township Clerk, Isaac A. Hopper; Collector, Andrew C.Cadmus; 
Assessor, J.ames V. Joralemon; Township Committee, Henry P. 
Doremus, C. C. Post. J. B. Schoonmaker, Garret H. Hopper, G. V. 
H. Beidan. 

1868.— Township Clerk, John B. Schoonmaker ; Collector, Cornelius Z. 
Berdan ; Assessor, James V. Joralemon ; Township Committee, Wil- 
liam Doremus, G. H. Hopper, Henry P. Doremus, G. V. H. Berdan, 
Cornelius C. Post. 

1869. — Township Clerk-, John B. Schoonmaker ; Collector, Cornelius Z. 
Berdan ; Assessor, James V. Joralemon ; Township Committee, Wm 



Doremus, G. Y. H. Berdan, Andrew Cadmus, Henry A. Hopper, 
Frank Henry. 

1870. — Township Clerk, John B. Schoonmaker ; Collector, Cornelius Z. 
Berdan ; Assessor, James V. Joralemon ; Township Committee, Wm. 
Doremns, Rinear J. Berdan, Peter H. Doremus, Albert Alyea, Frank 
Henrj'. 

1871. — Township Clerk, David P. Alyea; Collector, Jacob W. Doremus; 
Assessor, James V. Joralemon ; Township Committee, Cornelius G. 
Cadmus, John F. Barclay, Ralph G. Garrison, Albert Alyea, Frank 
Alyea. 

1872. — Tiiwnship Clerk, David P. Alyea; Collector, Jacob W. Doremns; 
Assessor, James V. Joralemon; Township Committee, C. G. Cad- 
mus, Ralph G. Garrison, Wm. Doremus, R. T. Snyder, Frederick 
Baker. 

1873.— Township Clerk, David P. Alyea; Collector, Jacob W. Doremus; 
Assessor, Isaac A. Hopper'; Township Committee, Cornelius G. 
Cadmus, K. G. Garrison, Wm. Doremus, Richard T. Snyder, Fred- 
erick Baker. 

1874— Township Clerk, David P. Alyea; Collector, Jacob W. Doremus; 
Assessor, Isaac A. Hopper; Township Committee, A. E. Miller, R, 
G. Garrison, William Doremus, R. T. Snyder. 

1875 —Township Clerk, David P. Alyea; Collector, Jacob W. Doremns; 
Assessor, Isaac A. Hopper; Township Committee, Tunis W. Vree- 
land, John Madden, R. T. Snyder, John G. Garrison, George Hub- 
schmitt. 

1876— Township Clerk, John E. Kipp; Collector, Jacob W. Doremus; 
Assessor, Isaac A. Hopper; Township Committee, Tunis W. Vree- 
land, John Madden, John G. Garrison, George Hubschmitt, P. H. 
Van Iderstine. 

1877, — Township Clerk, John E. Kipp; Collector, James G. Cadmus; 
Assessor, Isaac A. Hopper; Township Committee, John G. Garret- 
son, George Hubschmitt, T. W. Vreeland. .\diim Hopper, John W. 
Doremus. 

1878.— Township Clerk, John E. Kipp ; Collector, J. H. Van Saun ; As- 
sessor, Isnnc A. Hopper; Township Committee, Adam Hopper, 
John W. Doremns, Andrew Ochs, John G. Garretson, William H. 
Gill. 

1879.— Township Clerk, William H. Cadmus; Collector, J. H. Van Saun; 
Assessor, J. H. Kipp; Township Committee, Adam Hopper, John 
W'. Doremus, William H. Gill. 

1880.— Township Clerk, William H. Cadmus; Collector, John B. Cald- 
well; Assessor, John E. Kipp; Township Committee, William H. 
Gill, Henry Stiehl. John B. Schoonmaker. 

1881.— Township Clerk, W. H. Cadmus; Collector, John B. Caldwell; 
Assessor, John K. Kipp; Township Committee, John B. Schoon- 
maker, Henry Stiehl, William H. Gill. 

Churches. — The only church organization within 
the township is known as the Passaic Valley Union 
Chapel, which originated in a small gathering for re- 
ligious instruction at the house of Mrs. Henry Van 
Riper. It numbered at first but three scliolars, but at 
the expiration of one year twenty names appeared 
upon the roll, when it was deemed expedient to erect 
a building. For this purpose a board of trustees was 
appointed, consisting of Ralph G. Garrison, Henry 
A. Hopper, and Peter D. Henderson. Subscriptions 
were then solicited, and the enterprise received much 
encouragement from the churches of Paterson. The 
laud was donated by Henry Van Riper, to be devoted 
for forty years to the uses of a union chapel. The 
edifice was begun in 1873, and on the first Sunday in 
December of the same year, having been meanwhile 
completed, was dedicated. Dr. John Steele, of Pat- 
erson, delivered the dedicatory address, who was as- 
sisted by Rev. Dr. Banvard and Rev. Mr. Dunn, of 
Paterson. Afternoon services were afterwards regu- 
larly conducted by clergymen from Paterson on al- 
ternate Sabbaths. In 1876 a change occurred in the 
board of trustees, John E. Kipp and William Cad- 



200 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



mus having been chosen in place of J. R. Berdan, 
deceased, aud Ralph Garrison, resigned. On the 
20th of May, 18S0, the ehapcl was destroyed by fire, 
but with stout hearts and willing hands the congre- 
gation at once began the work of rebuilding, and the 
new edifice wsus dedicated May 22, 1881, the exercises 
having been conducted by Rev. Dr. Magie, assisted 
by Rev. E. A. Woods, of Paterson, and Rev. W. M. 
Johnson, of Areola. 

A Sabbath-school is held each Sunday, with Mrs. 
Henry Van Riper iis superintendent, John E. Kipp 
as secretary, Miss M. Deniarest as treasurer, and 
W. H. Cadmus, librarian. The chapel is nearly free 
of incumbrance. 

Burial-PIaces. — The oldest, and in fact the only, 
burial-place of importance in the township is located 
in the west portion of the township, near the resi- 
dence of John N. Van Riper. It was in use fully a 
century ago, and many of the tablets are so defaced 
by age as to render the inscriptions unintelligiltle. 
Here are buried the Van Horns, Harrises, Van 
Ripers, Garret.sons, Van Wageners, Berdans, and 
other equally familiar township names, .\mong tlie 
legends the following were deciphered : 

In memury of John, son uf Garret nud Mary Garreutuii, who deptirtcd 
this life S<*pt. 11, 1^19. Rgetl 6 years, *2 niontlis, and S days. 
Fret not ft>r me, niy i)arcnt8 dear, 
1 am not dead hot sleeping here; 
My debt is paid, the grave is free. 
Prepare yoiir«elve< and follow me. 

Id memory of Jacob HarrfB, born July 20, 1786, who died .\pril 17, 
1831 ; also his gon, John Harris, bum Feb. 2, 1 823, dlad Sept. 22, 1834. 

All ! is he guile, such lovely flower, 
A victim to the grave? 
None could oppose the lianii of Death, 
Nor could his lieaiity save. 

The remains of Ilnnnuh Barcoe, the widow of a Carolina soldier 
during the war of American iiidepeiiilenco. 
1S)0. 

In memory of C«ty Van Horn, who depart«<t this life Nov. 17, 1800, 
■god 59 years, wife of John D, Berdan. 

In memory of J. dm 1. Benlan, who dle<l May 6, 1816, aged 81 years, 
10 months, and l.'> days. 

In memory of Maritche BlenkerholT, wife of Halwagh Van Wagoner, 
who died July 21, 1793, aged 86 yean, 4 months, and 21 days. 

In memory of Garret P. Van Waggoner, who departttd Uiis life May 
1st, In the year 1806, aged 68 years, 5 months, and 2.'> days. 

Near the residence of Henry A. Hopper, on the 
Small Lots road, is hicated the family burial-ground 
of the Hopper family. No special antiquity is a.>iso- 
ciatcd with it, the first interment having occurred less 
than half a century since. 

Historical Notes.— The following description of 
Sadiile River t<iwnship nearly half a century since, 
before its boundaries were materially changed, may 
he of interest: 

" It Is centrally dIsUnt nortliwiml from Ilai kennack Town figlit miles. 
Its greatest length east and weal lM.|ng ten nillea, itn breiidth north nnd 
•outh eight milea, Ita area 4I,IK» acres, of which alioul 17,01)0 are iiii. 
proved. The surface is genemlly hilly, the Fimt ami Second Mountains 
of Eawi County cnieslng the PasMlc and continuing through II. On the 
eoat, however. Iietween the I'assali- and Sa'Idle Itlvera, there Is a neck of 
low and level laud, the soli red shale and loiim the viUle}a fertile and 



well cultivated, and the hills well wooded. Through the valleys flow 
several Hmiill brooks, such asSingack, Preakuess, Kitikaevall, Goffle, and 
AckemianV Brooks. 

" Goffle and New Slauchester, a piirt of Patenion, are the chief villages 
of the township. The population in IKtO was 'Si91. In 18-'12 there were 
741 laxablee, 496 bousehulders whose ratablr-s did not exceed S30 in value, 
8u single men, 7 storeK, S grisl-uiills, 1 cotton manufactory, 1 furnace, 10 
saw. mills, 13 lan-vata, 2 distilleries, 1 wool-factory, ^i06 horses and millee, 
and 1324 neat cattle over three years of age. The township paid a State 
tax of 5)64.10, and a county tax of S690.26." 

George Van Riper. — His father, Garret I. Van 
Riper, was a farmer at IJergeu, in old Rergen County, 
N. J. In 181i> he removed to Saddle River township, 
where he died Feb. 24, 1821, aged eighty-two years. 
He had one son, Jeremiah, by his first wife, who in- 
herited the homestead at Bergen, and resided there 
during his life. His second wife was Antlena Vree- 
land, who died Sept. 2.5, 1819, aged sixty-three years, 
leaving one son, George, subject of this sketch. 

Garret Van Riper and his second wife were buried 
in the graveyard at Passaic. 

George Van Riper was born June 3, 1787, and 
during his minority received a good education from 
books. He was well learned in civil engineering and 
surveying, which, however, he gave little attention to 
after his marriage, but he had a natural taste for 
mathematics, as books now in possession of the 
family, used by him, show much system.and neatness. 
He was united in marriage, July 23. 1814, to Clarisjia, 
daughter of George and Jane ( Hrinkerliotri Vreeland, 
wliii wits born at I'amrapo, near Bergen, Dec. 25, 17!t4, 
and who survives and resides in Paterson in 1881. 
She is a woman of very retentive memory consider- 
ing her age, well preserved in body »nd mind, and 
still entertains socially and hospitably, as has always 
been her custom, her many friends and relatives. Mr. 
Van Riper and wife, the year following their mar- 
riage, settled at Slaughter Dam, in Saddle River town- 
ship, on a farm of some three hundred acres, a prop- 
erty which his grandfather George had owned, and 
which his father had inherited and given to his sis- 
ters, Grietje and .\lche. 

Mr. Van Riper, who was familiarly known as 
"I'ncle George," resided nil this farm until his death, 
May 23, 18.'>7. He and his wife attended the Ac- 
i|uackanonk Church, where at dilferent times he 
served as elder and deacon. The children of this 
union are Garret, born Oct. 16, 181."), died July 2ii, 
l.S(i4. He was a larmer in Passaic County, and mar- 
ried Martha Maria Komaine, who ilied, leaving chil- 
dren, — Richard and Daniel H. Van Riper, Jane, wife 
of Garret Newkirk, of Bergen ; Cornelius, born Nov. 
6, 1819, resided on a |)art of the homestead, and died 
June 3, 1877, whose wife was Catharine Jane Marce- 
lis, who died Nov. 14, 187."), leaving children, — Clara 
Jane and ICdo ; Helen; John G., born .lanuary, 1824, 
married Maria Ann Romaine, of Lodi, and has tliree 
chihlren, — (ieorgianna, Romaine, and Louis P. The 
other children of George Van Riper are Hartman 
Vreeland, George G., Eliza .\nn, and Henry. 

Mrs. Van Riper's paternal grandfather, Vreeland, 



I 




Jacob W. Doremcs, son of John B. Doremus, 
whose portrait and sketcli appear elsiiwlicre in 
this work, was horn Doc. .'5, 18;55. 1 Ic suceeoilcd 
to the lionu'.stead, partly by purchase and partly 
l)y iniicritance. Mis great-grandt'athcr, (Jwirge, 
built tiie stone house where he now resides, on 
Broadway Street, near Saddle Kiver, in 1805, 
and tliere lie has s|)ent ins active business lite. 
He is a man of great industry, judicious in his 
business allliii-s, aixl aiiiiiiii; the rcpresentat-ive 
agriculturists <>l" the township. He has been 
particularly interested in the edneatidu of his 
children, and in the support of church, .school, 
and kindred iutcrests in the viejuity where he 
resides. 

His ancestors were connecti-d with the old 
I'aranins Church, but Mr. Doremus and his 
wife are nieinbcrs of the Methodist ('Imnh al 
A itdIu. 



He h:us served as assessor of Saddle River 
township for six yeare, and for six yeare fol- 
lowing as collector. He was united in marriage 
Oct. 12, 1S.").S, to Sophie, only daughter of Cor- 
nelius (J. and Susan (Smith) Van Dien, grand- 
daughter of Garret C. Van Dien and Sophie 
Post, and great-granddaughter of Cornelius ^'an 
Dien and Margaret Dcniarest. Her paternal 
greiit-gnindfather, Cornelius \'an Dien, wits 
Imin in 171(), and died March 8, 182!t. The 
homestead of the Van Diens comprised what 
is now tiie village of Ridgewood, and for sev- 
eral gi'uerations the family of \':in Dien re- 
sided there. 

The children of Jacob W. antl Sophie Dor- 
emus are Walter J., in business in New York ; 
Cornelius, a .student at law with Everett D. 
Barlow, Esi|., of \ew York: Anna I'.; and 
Willie U. 



SADDLE RIVER. 



201 



resided at Pamrapo, X. J. The Van Ripers, Vree- 
lands, and Briiikeihotfs are among ihe families who 
trace their descent from an honorable ancestry, who 
left their native country (Holland) to avoid persecu- 
tion, and settled in this county, where their succeed- 
ing generations have contributed to the development 
of its various industries, and ranked among the 
founders of all the cherished institutions of a free 
country. 

John B. Doremus. — His paternal grandfather, 
John, was born Sept. 1, 1720, and died July 22, 1784. 
He resided on and owned the homestead now owned 
and occupied by Jacob W. Doremus, in Saddle River 
town.ship, then containing several hundred acres of 
laud. Besides this he owned other real estate in the 
vicinitv. 




He married, April 1, 1747, Maria Lutkins, who was 
born Feb. 25, 1730, and died Dec. 20, 1777. Their 
children were Marretje, born Dec. 24, 1750, and 
George, born Aug. 28, 1754. John Doremus was 
taken prisoner by Tories from Xew York during the 
Revolutionary war, and confined in the old Sugar- 
House for six mouths, contracting a disease, from the 
eftects of which he died. 

George, only son of John Doremus, succeeded to 
the home property, and married, in 1777, Anna, 
daughter of John and Catharine Berden, by whom he j 
had the following children : John, born July, 1779, 
died May 9, 179G ; Maria, born Nov. 12, 1783, and 
became the wife of Gen. Andrew H. Hopper ; Rich- 
ard, born June 16, 1786, was a farmer at Preakness, 



N. J. ; Albert, born April 25, 1790, spent most of his 
business life in stage-driving and carrying the mail 
between Hoboken and Hackensack and on the Albany 
mail route ; George, born Nov. 13, 1794, was a black- 
smith, farmer, and inn-keeper; John B., born June 
26, 1799; and Peter, born 1801, was a blacksmith by 
occupation, for many years was a teacher, and served 
as justice of the peace in Saddle River township for 
several terms. 

Of these children John B. succeeded to the home- 
stead, where he resided until Sept. 8, 1809, when he 
retired from active business pursuits and removed to 
Paterson, wliere he resides in 1881. He was a repre- 
sentative farmer through life, a substantial citizen, 
and dealt largely in real estate. He was a member 
and deacon of the Dutch Reformed Church at Hack- 
ensack during his residence in Saddle River, and after 
his removal to Paterson served as elder in the Second 
Reformed Church of that city. During his active life 
he was somewhat of a public man, serving as one of 
the town committee and as freeholder for many years. 
He was united in marriage on May 5, 1821, to Mar- 
garet, daughter of Albert A. and Elizabeth (Lydecker) 
Westervelt, who was born in 1803. The children of 
this union were Elizabeth, deceased, wife of John 
B. Van Dien ; Anna M., wife of John V. Rathbone, 
of Parkersburg, W. Va. ; Lydia, widow of the late 
John G. Van Dien ; Sarah Jane and John, died 
young ; Peter, an ex-alderman and merchant in Pat- 
erson ; Jacob W., and Richard, who died at the age 
of six years. Seventeen grandchildren and fifteen 
great-grandchildren are now living. 

Henry A. Hooper. — The Hopper family are of 
Holland origin, and were among tlie earliest settlers 
in Bergen County and Saddle River township. 

The paternal grandfather, Peter Hopper, owned 
some three hundred acres of land, and was the first 
of the family that settled the homestead where Slieriff 
Hopper now resides. 

As far as is known, he was a quiet, unostentatious 
farmer and a good citizen. He died in 1818, at an 
advanced age. His wife was Anna Doremus, who 
died at the age of eighty-eight, and bore him the fol- 
lowing children : Keziah, wife of Jacob Demarest ; 
Mrs. Voorhis, Garret, Andrew P., and Henry ; all of 
them were married and reared families, excepting 
Garret. 

Of these children .\ndrew P. Hopper, the father of 
our subject, was born on the homestead in 1777, which 
he afterwards inherited, and resided there during his 
life, engaged in farming. He also took an influential 
part in politics, representing his townsliip in the 
board of chosen freeholders, and for two terms served 
as county collector. He served as sheriff' of Bergen 
County for one term, and for one terra represented his 
Assembly district in the State Legislature. 

Andrew P. Hopper was a representative man, and 
possessed that sterling integritj' and purity of motive 
found in the men of olden time. His wife Anna, 



202 HISTORY or BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 




daughter of Albort Voorliis, of Miilliiiui townshii), 
wa« born in 1780, anil died in her eighty-eighth year. 
Both of tlieni were members of tiie Old Paramus 
Church iluring their early history. The latter part of 
their lives they attended the Second I{eformcd Church 
at I'aterson. She was a devoted Christian woman, 
and reared her children under tlie best moral and 
Christian influences, teaching them all that makes 
true manhood and womanhood. 

Mr. Hopper was for many years, at ditlerent times, 
a deacon and elder in the church. 

Tlic <'hildren of this union are Albert, Anna, wife 
of William S. Hogancainp, I'eter A., John, Martha, 
wife of Jacob Ackerman, Catharine, wife of John H. 
Dorcmus, (Jarret, .Vndrew, Polly, wife of Thomas 
Blauvelt, Henry A., Kc/.iah, wife of (icorge C. Brink- 
erliotf. .\ll>ert (2), Kllen, wife of .Vbram W. Haring. 

Henry \. Hopper, .son of Andrew P. Hojipcr, wiw 
born -Vug. S, ISIJI; came into jmssi-ssion of tlie home- 
steail, partly by purchase and |>artly by inheritance, 
and has resided thereduring liis life. Inlieriting from 
his father a pride in public matters, Mr. Hopper be- 
gan to take an active interest in township ami county 
alfairs while a young man. He has scrve<l three years 
as freeholder of Saddle Uiver township; wa-s electetl 
sheriff of Bergen County on the Democratic ticket 
in the fall of 1862, and served one term. In 1870-71 
he represented Bergen County in the Stale Legisla- 
ture. Sheriff Hopper, its he is fiimiliarly known, is 
one of the niiwt active and enterprising men of the 



county, and always among the foremost in the pro- 
motion of its interests. His first wife was Helen 
Ackerman, who bore him the following children : 
Isaac, Andrew, and Peter. His second wife, Jane 
Vreelami, died witliout issue. 

His third wife was Catharine, daughter of Henry 
Van Iderstinc and Gertrude Bogert, by whom he has 
one surviving child, Henry. 

His present wife, p:iiza, is sister of his third wife, 
anil has borne him three children, viz.: John, .\lbert, 
and Garret. 

David Depeyster Acker was bom near Fair 
Lawn, his present country resilience, June 13, 1822. 
His paternal grandfather, David, came from Holland 
before the Ilevolutionary war, and was a farmer in 
Bergen County, N. J. His maternal ancestors came 
from Hollaml ami Scotland. Tliat worthy and most 
excellent man, .lohn C. Stagg, ot whom mention has 
alrea<ly been nunle in the history of Franklin town- 
ship, in this volume, was liis grandfather on his 
mother's side, and his grandmother on that side was 
a grandilaughter of James Cairns, of Scotland, who 
was one of the first woolen manufacturers in this 
country. Though born to no rank or titles, he can 
justly claim in such an ancestry an ornament and 
guard. His father, David Acker, died in 18,3o, when 
his son wiLs only eight years old. His mother, 
Sarah Stagg, survived till 18">0, living long enough 
to see her son a successful and ])rosperous merchant 
in the city of New York. She was a sterling. 






' ™z 



GJL^ 



M 




(TiUue-^ J^ ^^^'"^ 



His great-great-grandfather was son of the emigrant of the 
Berdan family who came from Holland during the early part 
of the seventeenth century, and settled on something over two 
hundred acres of land where the subject of this sketch now 
resides; hence the Berdan homestead in Saddle River township 
has successively passed down through six generations, and its 
members, who have followed mostly agricultural pursuits, have 
been numbered among the substantial citizens of Bergen 
County, and have contributed to the development of its inter- 
ests in clearing off the forest, preparing the virgin soil for 
crops, building first the log and afterwards the framed school- 
house, erecting churches, and all other improvements tending 
to lift the country, inhabited by savages, from an unbroken 
wilderness to its present condition and high state of civili- 
zation. 

A Bible now in possession of Mr. Berdan was published in 
16S7, whose text is printed in Dutch ; also an earthcrn water- 
pitcher, of unique pattern, is still treasured among the relics 
which have been handed down through the successive genera- 
tions of the family in America. 

Rinear Berdan came into the wilderness with only a spade 
and an axe, nnd by industry and long years of toil, meeting 
the obstacles incident to pioneer life, in time hewed out a com- 
petency for himself. No railroads or telegraphs, no steamboats, 
no machines ti> lessen labor, or even wagons greeted his eyes; 
but everything was done in its rudest way and by actual manual 
labor. He had six sons, whom in due course of time he set- 
tled as follows : Rinear and John, where the homestead now is, 
in Saddle River township, two others in New Barbadoes, one 
at Saddle River, and one at Preakness. All were married and 
reared families, and their descendants, by intermarriage, are 
connected with the most influential and prominent families in 
the county, 

John R., father of our subject, was son of Rinear, grandson 
of John, and great-grandson of Rinear Berdan, son of the 
emigrant. This line of descent have all successively owned the 
homestead now owned by Rinear J. Berdan. His father, John 



R. Berdan, died Aug. 22, 1871, at the age of eight^'-one years; 
and his grandfather, Rinear, also lived to be eighty years of 
age, dying Jan. 2S, 1843. The ages of this line of the Berdans 
have been past eighty years each, and their longevity remark- 
able. 

Charity Ryerson, his grandmother, was born in 1760 and died 
in 1848. She was a descendant of Joris Ryerson, a native of 
Amsterdam, who settled first on Long Island, and afterwards, 
in 1701, in Bergen County, with his two sons. The children of 
Rinear and Charity Berdan were John R. and Ann, wife of 
Richard Berdan. 

Mary Van Houten, born June 22, 1791, was the wife of John 
R. Berdan, and died Jan. 12, 1862, leaving three children, — 
Rinear, G. V. H., and Ann, wife of Daniel Romaine, of Lodi. 

The family have been supporters of church interests, mem- 
bers of the Reformed Dutch Church at Paterson, and were 
among the founders of that Christian body in Bergen County. 
They have never sought political place or the emolument of 
office, but led quiet and industrious lives as farmer?, always 
known by their integrity in all their business relations. 

Rinear J. Berdan was born on the homestead, June 28, 1S09. 
and married. March 7, 1833. Catherine, daughter of Gen. An- 
drew H. Hopper and Maria Doremus, of Saddle River town- 
ship. Both the Hoppers and Doremuses were among the ear- 
liest .'fettled families in Bergen County, and sketches of (hem 
will be found in another part of this work. 

Mrs. Berdan was born Dec. 22, 1816, and by this union they 
have one son and one daughter, vix. : John, married Christina 
M. Berry ; both are dead. The former died July 20, 1876, the 
latter Feb. 19, 1881, leaving one son, — Walter H. Berdan. 
The daughter is Mary Ann, wife of William H. Cadmus, of 
Saddle River township. 

Mr. Berdan owns one hundred and forty-four acres of the 
original land purchased by the first settlers of the family, and 
his residence is on the site of the Berdan homestead of over 
two hundred years ago. A part of his residence was built in 
1834. 








V^-<?'-^^' 



I 



^qU^^- 



SADDLE RIVER. 



20H 



energetic woman, and her neighbors in Sicomac, 
where she was born, still hold her in kindly remem- 
brance. The mother bore the heat and burden 
of the day in raising her family with all that ma- 
ternal i)atience and fondness which deserved its 
richest reward. 

David D. Acker went to New York in 18.31, a boy 
of nine years, entering the Public School No. 3, 
which he left late in 1834 at the head of the ninth 
cla-ss, and entered the store of T. & A. S. Hope, April 
18, 1835, on the corner of Chambers Street and West 
Broadway. Here he was a clerk for nine years, then 
a partner for twelve years in the firm of Thomas Hope 
& Co., and then from 1856 to the present time the 
head of the firm of Acker, Merrall & Condit. That 
store of moderate proportions in 185<) has been mul- 
tiplied into four, — the old store on Chambers Street, 
the one on Broadway and 42d Street, the one at oTth 
Street and Sixth Avenue, and the one at Yonkers, under 
the firm-name of Acker, Edgar & Co. These stores 
represent the largest retail grocery and wine business 
in this country, and in elegance and general propor- 
tions they excel anything of the kind in the world. 
Thus the boy, left fatherless at nine, and with only 
the inheritance of a good name, has become one of 
those successful and honorable merchants of a great 
city, of which the home of his origin and the whole 
country may be proud. He has often been a member 
and has been foreman of the grand inquest of his 
county, but he is one of those men whom fidelity to 
business has always prevented from participating in 
public afl'airs, neither seeking nor courting the paths 
of ambition. Such men nevertheless stand the pil- 
lars of the republic. 

Not forgetting the poor or the humble, Mr. Acker 
has for years spent more than half his annual income 
in acts of charity, though, beyond the direct recipi- 
ents, the world has known but little of that benevo- 
lence which he has striven to bestow quietly and 
without parade. For ten years he has been one of 
the vestrymen in St. Paul's Episcopal Church in the 
city of Paterson. 

The station on the Erie Railroad Short-Cut near his 
residence, in Saddle River township, Bergen County, 
has been named Fair Lawn. 

Gilbert D. Bogart.— The Bogarts are of Holland 
ancestry, and originally settled in Bergen County. 
where Carinus Bogart, the grandfather of Gilbert D., 
resided. He married Maria, daughter of Rev. Dr. 
Froeligh, of Hackensack, and later of Schraalen- 
burgh, and had three children, among whom was Sol- 
omon F., born at New Bridge, Bergen Co., born Aug. 
13, 1813, and married to Maria Van Bussom, born 
April 13, 1813, to whom were born eleven children in 
the following order: Jane, Mary Elizabeth, Andrew 
B., Gilbert D., Matilda, Arabella, Carinus, Naomi, 
Catherine Ann, Rachel, and Ida. Mr. Bogart wiia 
for a period of thirty years engaged in the produce 
and commission business in New York City. He 



lived to see his children married and established in 
life, and at his death this circle — eleven in number — 
remained unbroken, though four have since died. 
His son, Gilbert D., was born in New York City, 
March 19, 1840, and at the age of four years removed 
to Bergen County, where he pursued his studies until 
his twelfth year. He then in varied ways became 
useful to his father, both upon the farm and in New 
York City. Being ambitious at the age of seventeen 
for a more independent career than was offered at 
home, he with limited capital embarked in the trade 
of a butcher at Passaic, N. J. On reaching his ma- 
jority in 1861, he enlisted during the late war for a 
period of three months' service in the Second New 
Jersey Volunteers, and in September of 1862 re-en- 
listed in the Twenty -second Regiment New Jersey 
Volunteers of Bergen County. Though a private at 
the beginning of his military career, he held the rank 
of first lieutenant on his discharge in 1863. Mr. Bo- 
gart was married Aug. 14, 1862, to Agnes W., daugh- 
ter of C. C. Jerolemon, the ship-builder, of North 
Belleville (now Rutherford). To this marriage were 
born children, — Cornelius J., Agnes W. (deceased), 
Willard, Blanche, Grace, and Bessie. Mr. Bogart's 
life, though still a young man, has been both active 
and eventful. He in 1864 became foreman for C. 
McK. Paulison, of Passaic, in the improvement of his 
real estate. This led at a subsequent date to his en- 
gaging himself in real estate operations, and also to 
the erection of numerous stores and dwellings. Mr. 
Bogart very soon became one of the most enterprising 
operators in the county and amassed a fortune, when 
the panic of 1873 seriously embarrassed his opera- 
tions. After a severe financial struggle of four years 
he succumbed to the pressure and went into bank- 
ruptcy. He was the founder of the East Passaic 
Land Company, in which enterprise a large amount 
had been invested, and in which many prominent 
citizens of Passaic were interested. His transfers of 
property had been immense, and his energy and enter- 
prise untiring. 

After his embarrassment he removed to Somerset 
County, and engaged until 1881 in agricultural pur- 
suits. His active spirit found little to satisfy it in 
this monotonous life, and the same year found him 
again in Passaic, and the owner for a second time of 
his landed property in Bergen County. He is now 
pursuing with vigor his former scheme of building a 
city, and is daily engaged in extensive transfers of 
property. Although of Democratic stock, Mr. Bo- 
gart's convictions led him to affiliate with the Repub- 
lican party. He has been for three successive terms 
a member of the City Council of Passaic. 

Though not an active churchman, his sympathies 
are with the Reformed Church, which represents the 
faith of his ancestors. 



L'OJ 



IlISTOKY OF BKRGEN AND PASSAIC COUiNTIKS, NEW JERSEY. 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 

FRANKLIN. 

Name, Situation, and Boundaries. — Franklin is 
one of till- oldest townshijis in liergen County. It 
took its name from Governor William Franklin, the 
natural son of Dr. Benjamin Franklin. He was born 
about 1730. Who his mother was is not known. In 
1762 he was appointed by Lord Bute Governor of the 
province of New Jersey. He entered upon the duties 
of his office Feb. 28, 1763. 

The townshii) is in the northwesterly corner of the 
county, and is bounded on the north by Passaic 
County, on the east by the townships of Hohokus 
and Ridgewood in Bergen County, and south by 
Ridgewooil, and on the west by Passaic County. 

Physical Features. — The township is nearly in 
the shape of a parallelogram, and is about ten miles 
long from north to .south by about four miles wide. 
From tide-water this section of country begins rapidly 
to rise into hills and lofty mountains. The .southern 
part of the township is hilly, and the northern is 
mountainous. It is well watered with lakes and 
streams, and the Ramapo River runs through its 
entire width near the northern boundary. The soil 
is generally of a sandy loam, but admits of the high- 
est cultivation. The rich irops of grain in this sec- 
tion fifty or sixty years ago produced the best flour 
in the markets. All kinds of fruits can be grown 
here in great abundance. The hills and valleys and 
mountains all'ord some of the most picturesque views 
in the county. The Ramapo Valley from Pompton, 
near the line of Franklin township, to Hohokus town- 
ship, and for miles beyond, flanked as it is by the 
Ramapo Mountains on the north and long stretches 
of meadow-land and the undulating hills on the 
south, ad'ords .some of the most delightful views to be 
found in the State. Some of the old residences here 
go back to a period before the Revolution. Rodman 
M. Price, one of the honored ex-Governors of New 
Jersey, hits a beautiful and spacious residence in this 
valley, in Franklin township, near the Hohokus line. 
The swift-running Rama|>o is only a few feet from 
the front of his residence. Visitors from Europe to 
this retired .ipot have often admired the rare beauty 
of those mountains and the river running at tlieir 
feet. Farther u|i this valley was once the country 
residence of that famous lawyer, Hugh Maxwell, dis- 
trict attorney of New York ('ity, and at Darlington 
and still farther up the valley the wealth and refine- 
ment of the great metropolis still find desirable 
plai-es for i-onnlry ri'siilencc. 

Early Settlements. — Cornelius Schuyler, son of 
Areiit Schuyler, was one of the earliest settlers in 
Franklin township in 17.'!0. The (iarret-sons from 
liergen Town came and settled near where the Ponds 
Church now stands. The Van Aliens owned six 
hundred acrcjt on the Ponil Flats. (Jeorge Ryerson 



and Urie Westervelt (170ii) purchased an extensive 
tract of the Indians, excepting the land at Sicamac 
and land on the present farm of Isaac D. Van Blarcom, 
as it was an Indian burial-ground. The Berdan family 
settled at Preakness, in this vicinity, in 1720. John 
Stek, now Stagg, "settled back of Knickies' Pond" 
in 1711. This is undoubtedly j)art of the Judge Mil- 
liard farm at Sicamac. Stagg and his descendants lived 
on this farm till about forty years ago. Van Romaine, 
yeoman of Hackensack, purchased six hundred acres, 
located in this vicinity, from the Willcox & .lohnson 
patent, May 1!>, 1724, and sold two hundred acres to 
Rulef C. Van Houten, March 17, 1737, for seventy 
pounds. This property in modern times has been 
occupied by John V. Hennion, William De Baun, 
and John Ackernian. Simeon Van Winkle came in 
1733 and settled on the |)roperty lately belonging to 
Tennis Van Slyke. For four or five generations the 
Van Winkles honored the consistory of the Ponds 
Church. Aug. 17, 1720, found John and William 
Van Voor Haze, yeomen of the county of Bergen, 
buying of John Barberie, Peter Fanconiere, and An- 
drew Fresnear, merchants of New York City, five 
hundred and fifty jicresof land at Wikhoof (so spelled 
and said to be of Indian origin i, present Wyckoff. 
The fifty odd acres were allowed for roads. William 
Van Voor Haze was married first to Susanah Lame, 
May 17, 1717, and second to Maria Van Gildee, Jan. 
2, 172'!, and died .luly 17, 1744, leaving five sons and 
four daughters. .\n extract from his will says, " I 
give and bequeath unto my eldest son. Jacobus Van 
Voorhees, thebigbybel, for his first birthright, as being 
my heir-at-law. I will that my youngest dater, which 
I have by myn dear beloving wife, which is named 
Marytie Van Voor Ha/.e, that she shall have for her 
poorshon the sum of t'19." To his other daughters 
he gave twelve pounds each. His son entered the 
king's service and died in 1767. His son Albert lived 
on the present Uriah Ciuackinbush farm, and .\braham 
lived on the Lewis Qoumans' farm. He died Feb. .'), 
1830,aged ninety-four. Nearhisdwelling. at twilight, 
shortly before his death, seeing a light upon tlie knoll, 
he chose that spot a.s his resting-|dace, and there he 
slumbers; and beside him sleeps his wife, .Margaret 
Hinter, who followed him to the grave in the May 
following his own death. John lived on the Henry 
lUauvelt farm. 

The Alliurtises were also early settlers here, near 
the Van Voor Haze property. The Winters, Cour- 
tins, Youngs, Storms, Ackermans, and tiuacken- 
bushes all came before 1760, and the Van Gilders 
about 1730. The Pulisfeltii (now Pules) lived on the 
Peter Ward farm, and the Hogerls on the Henry Van- 
denlioll' property, going into Yaupongh \'alley. Van- 
denhotr is said to have lived in a cave for some time 
about 1760. These are the names of many of the early 
settlers in what is now Franklin township. Many 
more there may have been, but their names are lost 
or forgotten. 



FRANKLIN. 



205 



Early in the eighteenth century purchases were ' 
made of the Indians of tracts of land lying to the 
southward of the " Wilcox and Johnson patent." 
Arent Schuyler, of Albany, and Anthony Brockholst, 
of New York City, were interested in these lands. 
The Garretsons from Bergen, the Van Aliens, the 
Berdans, the Staggs, the Romaines, the Van Winkles, 
and the Van Voorhises were purchasers of extensive ; 
tracts in this section forty, fifty, or sixty years before 
the Revolution. One hundred years ago in the pres- 
ent township of Franklin the lauds were generally 
taken up, although the territory was sparsely inhab- 
ited. Extensive tracts were under limited cultivation. 
Then there was scarcely a manufacturer in the town- 
ship. Old Cornelius Wortendyke, it is true, was 
manufacturing about one hundred years ago at New- 
town, but nearly all the industry was confined to the 
raising of corn, wheat, and potatoes. These same 
abundant crops to-day at present prices would make 
any economical farmer rich in a few years. 

This township in the Revolutionary period became 
important as a place of refuge and retreat. The courts 
of Bergen County were driven hither from Hacken- 
sack. Washington and his army were hovering in 
the vicinity, keeping an eye on the British invader; 
a British Tory was hung by Sheriff' Manning near 
Oakland, in this township, as is recited elsewhere 
in this history. Cornelius Schuyler, son of Arent I 
Schuyler, was one of the earliest settlers in Franklin 
township in 1780. The Garretsons from Bergen Town 
were also early settlers. 

Civil Organization. — Franklin became a township 
separate from Saddle River township about 1772. 
May 13th of that year it is named in the book of the 
board of freeholders as the township of Franklin, and 
for the first time is represented in that body by Ja- 
cobus Bertolf only, though most of the other town- 
ships were repre-sented by two freeholders at that 
time. At the January session of the Court of Ses- 
sions for that year, David Van Norden, Isaac Bogert, 
and Abraham Rutan were appointed constables for 
Franklin township. Before 1772 Franklin belonged 
to Saddle River township, and before that township 
was organized it belonged to the ancient township of 
New Barbadoes. 

We give below a list of the chosen freeholders of 
the township since 1794, the date at w^hich the free- 
holders became a board separate from the justices. 
The justices and freeholders who preceded the change 
made in 1794 are named in the general county his- 
tory, as they are not found in the records identified 
with the townships which they re.spectively repre- 
sented : 

1794, Joseph Board; 1794, Peter Slutt; 1795, Henry Wniimaker; 1795, 
IJarretW. Hopper; 1796-97, Peter Wend ; 1796-1800, Andrew Hop- 
per; 1798-1813, Garret Lydecker; 1801,1803,1806, 1812, John Hopper; 
1801-2, David P. Harring; 1802-», Abram A. Quaokenbush ; 1803, 
Albert Wilson; ISlH, 1813-18, Abram Forshee; 18U5, John Van Blar- 
com; 1805, 1812, 1814, C.Stor; 1806-8, .\brni. Harring; 1807-11, Peter 
Ward; 1809-11, Henry Van Emburgh ; 1815-18, Daniel Gero, Jr.; 
14 



1819-20, John A. Van Voorbis ; 1819, John Hopper ; 1820-24, 1826-27, 
William Hopper; 1821-24, Henry Van Emburgh; 1825, David I. 
Christie; 1825-27,1834-35, John Ward; 1828-30, Martin Van Houten ; 
1828-30, John INIandijo; 1831, 1833, John Willis; 1831, Christian A. 
Wanniaker; 18.32, David I. Ackerman; 1832-33, Isaac I. Bogert; 
1834-35, Garret Van Dien ; 1836-38, William G. Hopper; 1836-38, 
John H. Hopper; 1839-40, Henry B. Hagerman ; 1839-41, Henry A. 
Hopper; 1841-13, Simeon Van Winkle; 1842-44, Henry I. Spear; 
1844.46, Anthony Crowter; 1845, 1849-51, John K. Post ; 1846-48, 
William P. Van Blarcom; 1847-48, James S. Wanmaker; 1849, 
1853-54. James ^■an Houten; 1850-52, Stephen D. Bartholf; 1852-54, 
Abm. Wortendyke ; 1856, Garret Hopper ; 1857-60, John D. Marinns ; 
1859-61, John Halsted ; 1861-63, Garret D. Ackerman ; 1862-64, David 
C. Bush ; 1864, Daniel Ackerman ; 1866-67, 1871, Garret J. Hopper ; 
1866 67, Samuel P. Demarest; 1868-70, Garret A. Hopper, John H. 
Speer; 1872-75, Peter H. Pulis; 1876, Daniel D. Depew; 1877-78, 
Charles White ; 1879-80, Abram 0. Wortendyke. 

Villages and Hamlets. — There are no large vil- 
lages in this township ; the people generally are de- 
voted to agricultural pursuits in raising hay, corn, 
potatoes, oat^, and nearly all the other products 
grown in this section. Abundant crops of grapes, 
both wild and cultivated, are grown in this township. 
In the good apple years the crop is so abundant that 
thousands of bushels rot upon the ground, while 
thousands more find their way to the mill for cider, 
vinegar, and brandy. Here much of the famous 
Jersey cider and " apple-jack" are manufactured. 
The New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad, 
formerly the Midland, and before that the New Jer- 
sey Western, which had its first inception in this 
township through the energy and enterprise of Cor- 
nelius A. Wortendyke some ten years since, gave a 
sudden impetus and excited the highest hopes for the 
future growth of this township. This road enters 
Franklin from Ridgewood township, about one mile 
below Midland Park, and passing nearly midway 
through it till confronted by the Ramapo Mountains. 
In crossing the river near Oakland it runs along the 
foot-hills of these mountains, leaving the township 
for Pompton about one mile from Oakland. Thus 
it runs about ten miles through this township. 

The villages and hamlets locally named as such 
in the township are Midland Park, Wortendyke, 
Wyckoflf, Campgaw, Crystal Lake, and Oakland. 

Nestling among the hills, some dozen miles from 
Hackensack, is the growing village of Wortendyke. 
Its ancient name, a hundred years ago, was New- 
town, and then Godwinville. When called Godwin- 
ville, a few years since, it did not exceed a population 
of two hundred. No town in the vicinity is beginning 
to make equal strides with it at present. In 187.5, in 
the midst of financial depression and disaster all over 
the country, everybody was surprised to learn that the 
proprietors of the cotton-mills in this place had re- 
solved upon an extensive enlargement of that branch 
of their business ; but when it was reported that a 
silk-mill was to be added very many were astonished 
at such an unexpected enterprise. The whole, how- 
ever, was fulfilled to the letter, and not only a large 
cotton-mill but a larger silk-mill are now under the 
supervision of the same company. These mills have 



206 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



been enlarged and re-enlarged, giving employment 
in and out of them to at least five liundred people. 
The hum of a new industry soon broke in upon the 
hard times of 1875, and the doleful silence of many 
an anxious laborer and lover of toil. Within two 
years fifty new houses were constructed, and now 
about two hundred more are needed to meet the 
wants of the hilioring people seeking suitable accom- 
modations. Cornelius A. Wortendyke stands at the 
head of this enterprise. Old Cornelius Wortendyke, 
his grandfather, about one hundred years ago was 
manufacturing on the same spot where the present 
mill stands ; then Abram, his son, followed ; and now 
the present Cornelius, and for about twenty years 
past; and now his son, Abram C, is falling into the 
line as the great-grandson of a manufacturing family 
for a century. They seem to partake of .something of 
that old firmness of the dykes of Holland maintain- 
ing itself iigainst the sea, from whence they get their 
name and from whence they came. 

Wortendyke and its immediate environs has a 
population of about one thousand. A small stream 
aflfording a very limited water-power runs through the 
place, em|)tying into the Passaic a few miles below. 
It is a rapid-running stream, and has been largely 
utili/.ed iis a water-power almost to its mouth. But 
the mills at Wortendyke, many years since, demanded 
much more power, and their machinery to-day is 
driven by a splendid Huckeye steam-engine of at 
least one hundred and fifty horse-power. The shops 
of the New York, Susquehanna and Western Rail- 
road are located at Wortendyke, giving eini)loyment 
Ui about fifty men. 

The other towns we have mentioned are railroad 
stations, deriving their importance only as depots for 
the surrounding country. Midland Park, Wyckofl", 
and Oakland are picturesque, with much beautiful 
scenery surrounding them. Crystal Luke, a station 
on the railroail, is near a stream of water, the outlet 
of Franklin Lake. This beautiful lake was called 
by the Indians Crystal Drop, owing to the wonderful 
purity and transparency of its waters. 

The mills of Wortendyke have called thither within 
the last ten years many native llollandcrs. Their 
immigration to these parts has been extensive within 
the hist five years. Nearly all of them are profe.ssing 
Christians and members of the old Holland Reformed 
Church. They have lately erected a small but most 
comely church in the central part of Wortendyke, 
and the neighlxiring ministers assisted their own in 
the dedication a few weeks since. Of course their 
services will be conducted in the Dutch language at 
least for a generation. 

We have already referred to Wortendyke as a man- 
ufacturing town. The first mill at this place, then 
called Newton, was built in 1812 by Cornelius Wor- 
tendyke, who had already been a farmer here and 
manufacturing some from 17%. He was succeeiled 
by his descendunts, as we have already stated. The 



manufacture of chandlers' and lamp-wicks has he- 
come very extensive, with a sale of these goods all 
over this country, in Europe, and in Japan. A large 
silk manufactory of silk organzine and all kinds of 
silk fabrics has been in operation here for the last six 
to seven years. Albert D. Bogert has a type-factory 
on the Ramapo, in this township, which has been in 
operation for at lejvst ten years, and is doing a consid- 
erable business. 

Schools. — ^The township is divided into eleven 
school districts, wholly or partly in this township. 
Twenty years ago the schools in this section were in 
a very backward condition. Most of the school- 
houses were old, and showed signs of long neglect. 
But within that period great progress. and improve- 
ment are manifest all over the township. Many of 
the districts have shown much taste in the selection 
of the sites for their school-houses, and in the neat- 
ness, convenience, and, in some instances, the ele- 
gance of these structures. The school-house lately 
erected at Wortendyke is probably the largest in the 
townshij), constructed into two apartments for the 
older and younger scholars, and will probably accom- 
modate from five to six hundred scholars. An inter- 
esting item of history concerning the school in this 
district over seventy years ago will be found in the 
following. 

In 1811, Cornelius Wortendyke leased for school 
purposes a twenty-three feet square lot to Isaac Blau- 
velt and Jacob (.Juackenbush, near where the Metho- 
dist Church now stands, for twenty-five years, on 
whicli was erected a school-liouse, probably the first 
in this locality. The funds to build the school-bouse 
were subscribed lus follows: 
i •. 

Cornelius WorU'iidjfke 6 

Luke WeKtervoU .'» 

Garret Jjirlc 1 4 

Joliil J. I>iillianiiis 10 

ConioIliiH l.ozior ft 

Giirri.t A. Lydi-ikcr 4 10 

Jacob Qiiurkctiliiiflh 1 10 

Gnrri't giiackonliuih 2 U 

Isiuic Ulauvpll, Jr I 10 

J. .hit Brlnnl U 10 

Andrew SiiyJer 1 4 

George Snyder 1 4 

Richard Snyder 1 10 

Qcorge A. Snyder 1 10 

In 1822 this structure was destroyed by fire, wheu 
a new one was erected, and this was abandoneil more 
than twenty years :igo for aimdier, a brick structure, 
not far south of the old school-house at the foot of 
the hill in going to Ridgewood ; and this also was 
abandoned for the new school-house we have men- 
tioned, built about two years since at a cost of not 
less than two thousand five hundred dollars. This is 
probably one of the best ami most advanced schools 
in the township. It has a membership of three to 
four hundred scholars. In the old school of 1822 
Henry Westervelt was the teacher. Succeeding him 
came Tunis Crum, Isaac Sherr, Richard F.llsworth, 
.\saliel Abbott. .)i>hn Turner, Rev. Matthew Mallin- 
son, Amos B. Ilowland, and Asa W. Roatli. The 
brick house at the foot of the hill was erccle<l in 1869. 



£ •. 

Henry A. .Maaker 1 

Julin L. Marker 1 

Darld l.ozior 10 

JIartin MeKrofT _.. 10 

I.awn*ncn Ix>zier 10 

John A. I...iier 8 

Lodowick Miuker U 2 

Wjlliani Van lllarcom 8 

I':<l«ard btrle 10 

Hiinnah l.oiler 8 

James 1. HIauvelt 

Lodowlck ItuMh 

TlieodorUH Pnlhaniiia 



FRANKLIN. 



207 



Churches. — The oldest church organization in this 
township is known as the Ponds Church, or more cor- 
rectly the Reformed (Dutch) Church at the Ponds, 
there being a small pond of water in the vicinity, and 
a grist-mill near the church. This old mill, or one near 
by, served the people in all the surrounding country 
long before the Revolution. This ancient church 
claims a history dating back to the close of the seven- 
teenth century. No reliable records, however, can be 
found to establish the precise year of its organization. 
A log church may have gathered its occasional wor- 
shipers on or near the site of the present church 
edifice as early as 1710. We have no authentic infor- 
mation prior to that time. Rev. Guilliam Bertholf, 
from Holland, is claimed as its founder and first pas- 
tor. He combined and exercised at the same time 
the three congenial vocations of catechiser, vorleser (or 
reader), and schoolmaster, living near Hackensack. 
As will be seen in the history of the church at Hack- 
ensack, young Betolf had early led in the services 
there, and was sent to Holland to complete his edu- 
cation through the kindly aid of that church, and 
subsequently in an extra session of the Classis at Mid- 
dleburg, Sept. 13, 1(596, the future pastor preached 
from Matthew ii. 28: "Come unto me all that labor 
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." In 
many a wilderness and solitary place the voice of the 
young preacher was heard in words like these to sanc- 
tify and to exalt. He became the pastor of the 
churches at Hackensack and Aequackanonk, where 
he labored thirty years subsequent to 1694. Diligent 
and laborious, he became the founder and co-worker 
in the organization of many churches at Tarrytown, 
in New York, at Raritan, in New Jersey, and else- 
where. At one time he was the only Reformed min- 
ister in the province. Two hundred and forty-two 
members crowned his labors at Hackensack. Like 
Paul he also worked with his hands, having owned a 
small farm of thirty-seven acres, purchased of Capt. 
.John Berry, May 4, 1697, near Hackensack, and here 
probably the devout pastor lived independently on his 
own acres. He died in 1724, leaving many children, 
some of whom settled in the townshij) of Franklin, 
wliose descendants, living there to-day, nuxy justly be 
proud of their honored ancestor. Rev. Henry Coens 
became the next pastor of the Ponds Church, and re- 
mained there probably till his death in 1735. The next 
pastor. Rev. Johannes Van Deiessen, came Sept. 10, 
1735. He received his education, license, and ordi- 
nation in New England, and afterwards preached at 
Claverack and Kinderhook. He was also at one time 
minister in ordinary (as then called) at Aequackanonk 
and extraordinary at Pompton. In his pastorate the 
old log church began to crumble to decay, when 
a new church was erected on land afterwards owned 
by John M. Ryerson, in Pompton, near a ford, and 
was dedicated by their pastor April 7, 1736. This 
church stood near the present steel-works. But the 
people around the old log church were unwilling 



to give up that place of worship, and so between 
1740-48 they erected a six-sided or hexagonal edifice 
there, which was then considered a far more elegant 
and pretentious structure than the one at Pompton. 

In 1748 this church received Rev. Benjamin Van- 
derlinde. It may be of interest to the supporters of 
the church to-day to know that the annual salary at 
that period was just one hundred and twenty-five dol- 
lars. That sum, however, was in excess of the salary 
paid to some pastors of to-day, relative values consid- 
ered. Dominie Vanderlinde is said to have been a 
man of learning and ability, of large and command- 
ing appearance, and punctilious in dres^s, having mar- 
ried into the aristocratic family of the Schuylers of 
Pompton. The church then had to provide the " ge- 
fraw's stole," or stool or seat for the dominie's wife, 
at an expense of 4.s. 2d. This, of course, was done, 
and rightly, to honor their pastor. This pastorate 
brings us down to the stormy days of the Revolution, 
when war and conflict at Paramus, at Fort Lee, and 
in the surrounding country compelled this church 
edifice at one time to be turned into a jail, as was also 
at one time the Church on the Green at Hackensack, 
for the confinement of British prisoners, and at other 
times both of these churches for brief periods were 
made to serve the county for judicial purposes also. 

In the Revolution the altar on the Sabbath-day 
often became the judgment-seat on the next, and thus 
righteousness and justice were compelled to seek 
shelter in the same sanctuary. At tliis interesting 
period it is said that Washington, having his head- 
quarters a little farther up the valley of the Ramapo, 
had often been found to retire into a .solitary place 
in the neighboring wood to engage in silent prayer. 
A poor slave, in the native curiosity of his race, 
often followed the commander-in-chief to discover 
the cause of his retirement. This was during the 
summer of 1780, while the American army was quar- 
tered in the Ramapo Valley. Defenses on the moun- 
tains, in case pi necessary retreat, with ways of refuge 
thither made ready to be blockaded at any moment 
after our army had passed, indicate the stratagem and 
watchfulness of Washington. Like the Scythians 
the Americans were not only ready to fight, but also 
to flee to the mountains, if need be, at any moment. 
In course of time, however, they met the enemy front 
to front on numy a well-fought battlefield and con- 
quered. The prayers and prowess of Washington 
and his army in the valley of the Ramapo ui)lield 
our cause in all the dark and gloomy days of that 
historic period. 

Rev. G. H. Kuypers was the assistant of Vander- 
linde for the short period ot fifteen months, when he 
was dismissed, April 15, 1789, to become one of the 
pastors of the Collegiate Churches in the city of New 
York, where he remained till his death in 1833. 
Dominie Vanderlinde survived till July 8, 1789, 
when he died at the age of seventy. In 1787, Benja- 
min Romeyn was appointed " naerlaser," or head 



208 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



singer, in the Ponds Cliurch, where he continued to ■ 
sing the songs of Zion in his native tongue till 1824. 
There was occiisional preaching in English from 1800. 
After Romeyn, Johanus C. Stagg sang there in Eng- 
lish, but by the side of Crystal Lake, where the old 
Dutoh chorister lived till 1832, on many a Sabbath- 
day he .still continued to sing the same sacred songs 
he had learned in the land of his fathers. 

Col. Bell, who lived at New Prospect, in this town- 
ship, aflbrded the Methodists, soon after the Revolu- 
tion, a place of worship in his residence, and the first 
Methodist Epi.scopal Church wiis erected there in 
1795. It was reconstructed from a house belonging to 
Bell, fitted up tor that |)urpose. In 1820 this struc- 
ture was removed and a new church took its place. 
At this period this denomination was numerous in 
that locality, but was greatly decreased by the great 
emigration of more than half of its membership to 
the West in 1821. It still survives, however, in its 
strength in and about New Prospect, and now wor- 
ships in its new church there, erected in 18G7 at a 
cost of thirteen thousand dollars. 

In this township the Methodists also liave a church 
at Wortendyke, which was organiz-ed Dec. 14, 1805. 
Mark McCracken, Aaron Ackerman, James Dods, 
John Van Blarcom, Cornelius Lo/.ier, James Stagg, 
Morris Sharpenstine, William Van Blarcom, and 
Alexander McCall were its first trustees, and David 
Bartine was the moderator. John Morrow, lately 
deceased, a worthy and most saintly man, during a 
long and useful life was most active and efficient in 
the erection of a new Methodist Church here in 1830. 
In 18()8 another church was erected and the old one 
removed. This new edifice, standing prominently 
in the town to-day, was greatly aided in its erection 
through the means and efforts of Cornelius A. Wor- 
tendyke, but Mr. Morrow never ceased to be an active 
and efficient su|>porter of this church according to his 
means, and was a most exemplary member of this 
Methodist Churcli to the day of his death. 

The Methodists al.so have quite a prosperous society 
at Campgaw, and a church edifice erected in 1856. 

Peterus Leydt succeeded Vanderlinde a.s pastor in 
178'.t. His father was Rev. Johannes Light, fur thirty- 
five years p;istor of the chunli at New Brunswick. 
Peter Leydt wils a graduate of Cineen's (now Rutgers) 
College^ and became an able theologian. His pastor- 
ate wiv* a brief one. He died in 17113. He wiis suc- 
ceeded, alter the church had been several years with- 
out a pastor, by Rev. Peter De Wilt, a graduate of 
Princeton College in 17<>".t, and came to the Ponds 
Church in 1789, or perhai)s a few years earlier. He 
was pastor till 1809, and is said to have been a learned 
and able preacher. In 1803 a movement was made 
or a new church, and out of this grew the project of 
building a church at Wyckoff. Many of the niem- 
bers of the Ponds Church lived near Wyckotf. 

The Reformed i Dutch) Cliurch at Wycknll' wius es- 
tablished aboutseventy-six years ago. It has a largo ' 



and conTenient structure, built of stone on founda- 
tions solid enough to last for centuries. 

The old church had stood for sixty years, and a 
new edifice seemed necessary. Judge J. A. Van 
Voorhees, A. Stevenson, and others of WyckofT and 
vicinity prevailed, when the old church was i)artly 
taken down and a new <ine erected at Wyckotf, but 
in 1840 to 1845 the old hexagonal church w:is re4>tored 
and reconstructed, much in the shape of the structure 
as it is at present, a parallelogram or oblong square. 
The deed for the Wyckoff Church is dated Sept. 27, 
1805, to William Pulisfelt, Conrad Stur, Lawrence 
Ackerman, and James L. Ackernuin, the consistory 
of the Ponds Church, with Judge Van Voorhees as 
trciusurer and general adviser or director. The stee- 
ple, a very high one, was struck by lightning in 1829. 
In 1811, Rev. John Demarest became pastor of the 
church or society at the Ponds and of the Wyckotf 
Church. Mr. Demarest was born and educated in 
Hackensack, at the famous school of Dr. Wilson, and 
studied theology uiuler Dr. Eroeligh. Jlr. Demarest 
subsequently became a member of the True Reformed 
Dutch Church, and at one time owned the farm on 
which Maj. Andr^> was executed at Tajipan. He 
died .\pril 8, 1837. The two congregations of the 
churches at the Ponds and Wyckoff were divided May 
10, 1822, and the Ponds Church wsls reorganized. 
The two churches were incorporated in 1824. The 
division line between them commenced at the house 
of Garret Post, near High Mountain, thence to John 
Ackerman's house, thence to .\l)raham Winter's 
house, and thence to Voupough. Rev. /achariah H. 
Kuypers, son of the pastor of that name of the 
Church on the Green at Hackensack, in April, 1825, 
became pastor of the Ponds and Wyckoff Churches. 
He was also educated under Dr. Wilson. He wius 
succeeded by Rev. W..I. Thompson in 1842. Thomj)- 
son was a gniduateof Rutgers in 1834, and appointed 
tutor of ancient languages there in 183.S, and filled 
that position with great credit. These churches now 
entered upon a new and brighter day of activity and 
success. He remained pastor of these churches till 
1845. From this time the two churches have had 
separate pastors. Rev. B. V. Collins became p:L*tor 
of the Ponds Cliurch, November, 1845, and remainiMl 
there to Janiniry, 18(;8. Rev. A. G. Ryerson became 
pa-stor of the Wyckoff Church April 7, 1846, and n - 
maincil till .May 24, 18(!4, and the church prospered 
under his ministry. He was succeedeil by Rev. Wil- 
liam B. Van Bensehoten, .\pril 11,1865. Van Ben- 
schoten was a graduate of Rutgers College and Tln'- 
ological Seminary. He remained there about six 
years, and died about one year since while pastor of 
a Reformed Church at Ephrata, in the .State of New 
York. He was succeeded at Wyckoff by Rev. S. T. 
Searles about ten years since, who is the jiresent pas- 
tor. He is a graduate of I'nion ('ollege, and is a 
most faithful and efficient servant of his Master, and 
the church is prospering under his labors. He is the 




^^;,^^^ 



FRANKLIN. 



209 



son of a Reformed minister, he has several brothers 

who are ministers, and Rev. Preston Searles, his son, 
is also a minister in the Reformed Church. Since 
1868, Rev. Albertus Vandewater, educated at Prince- 
ton College and Seminary, becoming pastor of this 
church in 1809, and Rev. Theodore F. Chambers, son 
of Dr. Chambers, of the Collegiate Church of New 
York City, and educated at the Union Theologieal 
Seminary, and becoming pastor here in 1872, and 
Rev. Peter L. Wilson complete the long line of pas- 
tors of the Ponds Church who have come and gone. 
Rev. Mr. King, the present pastor of the church, is 
most faithful in his work, and the church is prosper- 
ing under his ministry. These two churches, coming 
down to us from the past, are on firm foundations, 
and bid fair to stand fast for the future. 

" Long be their fathers' temples theiin. 
Woe to the band by which one falls; 
A thousand spirits watch their towers, 
X cloud of iingels tiuard their walls." 

Burial-Places. — One of the oldest burial-places in 
this township is at Sicamac, about one mile southwest 
from Wortendyke. This was undoubtedly a reserva- 
tion for burials by the Indians long before civilization 
came here. This old burial-place is i)ointed out to- 
day as being situated on the Pond road, the road 
leading from tlie Ponds Church to Paterson, over the 
Goffle, on the land at present owned by Isaac Van 
Blarcom. In plowing and cultivating there he 
has discovered in past years many implements and 
tokens of Indian burial. The largest burial-place in 
the township is in the churchyard at Wyckof}', at- 
tached to the Reformed Church. 

Industries. — Already, in giving the history of the 
township and of certain villages in it, and in the 
general description of its physical features, we have 
mentioned all or nearly all of its various industries. 
It is more agricultural and less manufacturing than 
many other townships in the county. Most of its 
manufacturing interests, as the reader is already in- 
formed, are in and around the village of Wortendyke. 
That is a most thriving place, and promises to become j 
a large manufacturing town. The water-power on ■ 
the Ramapo within the limits of this township is yet ' 
to be developed, and may yet call for a larger manu- 
facturing town in that locality. 

Probably no township in the county affords more , 
numerous and healthy places for comfortable homes, j 
With its pure springs and elevated atmosphere it is 
the very home of health when other places are af- 
flicted with miasma and disease. Many new-comers 
have sought homes here. 

There is but one polling district in the township, 
and the elections for years past have been held at 
Wyckofi'. In the general march of improvement, and 
in the increase of population which must continue at 
least for the next century in these environs of the 
great metropolis of New York, Franklin township 



will always be sought for the health and comfort of 

its abiding-places and its homes. 

Cornelius A. Wortendyke. — The name of Worten- 
dyke is associated no less with the primitive history 
than with the enterprise of the county. 

The early settlement of the family at Pascack en- 
titles them to a prominent place among the older 
families of Bergen County, while the energy and suc- 
cess developed in commercial pursuits places them in 
the foremost rank of manufacturers. They are of 
Holland extraction, and emigrated to New York as 
early as 1711. Tradition recalls the fact that two 
brothers, having been attracted by the varied advan- 
tages offered by a residence in New Jersey, located at 
Pascack, then in the township of Harrington. From 
thence Cornelius, the grandfather of the subject of 
this biographical sketch, removed in the year 1796 
to Franklin township, and founded the hamlet of 
Wortendyke, which he then christened Newtown. 
Through his energy was established the nucleus of 
what has since developed into an extended man- 
ufacturing centre, and where, in 1812, a wool- 
carding-mill was erected for the immediate country 
trade. 

He was succeeded by his son, Abraham Worten- 
dyke, a man of much influence in his day, who in 
1832 changed the business from wool to cotton, and 
successfully conducted it until his death in 1857. He 
was in turn succeeded by Cornelius A., a brief review 
of whose life is here given, and whose birth occurred 
at the ancestral home, March 9, 1820, — this inherited 
estate being still his own. His early years were not 
especially eventful, having been passed in study until 
the age of fourteen with such advantages as were 
offered by the public schools of the day. His am- 
bition to begin a career of independence induced 
him, with the consent of his parents, to accept a 
position as clerk in the city of New York, where he 
remained for five years, and manifested the same in- 
tegrity and fidelity to business interests that have 
since characterized his career and enabled him to 
achieve success. 

His early association with manufacturing interests 
had directed his tastes, and influenced him at the age 
of nineteen to return to his home, where his undi- 
vided attention was given to business. This naturally 
developed an inventive genius, and in 1852 he ob- 
tained a patent for making a continuous wick for 
candles, whose utility was at once recognized, and 
speedily obtained for it an extended reputation on 
both sides of the Atlantic. This was followed by 
other patents of equal merit, and embodying princi- 
ples and results of still greater utility. 

His business during a long period of years has 
been conducted with marked success, and this fact 
was especially noticeable during the financial em- 
barrassments of 1857, when he not only happily 
weathered the storm, but greatly aided those having 
business relations with him. Extensions have from 



210 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



time to time been made in the large silk-works of 
which he is the head, and during the present year 
tlie increasing demand has rendered very iiiip'irtant 
building operations necessary. These will contribute 
greatly both to the convenience and capacity of the 1 
works. 

In matters wherein the public weal is involved Mr. 
Wortendyke has ever manifested much interest. He i 
])rocured the original charter of tlie New Jersey ' 
Western Railroad Company, and in IXIJT was elected 
its president. In 1870 this road wjls consolidated with 

the New Jersey, Hudson and Delaware and the Sussex 

• ' I 

Valley Railroad, under the name of the New Jersey 
Midland Railway Company, of which Mr. Worten- 
dyke also held the office of president. He hjui, in i 
politics, always been iiientified with the Democratic 
party, though oHicial honors have never lured him 
from the fields of commercial enterprise. He may be 
regarded as a sagacious and successful business man, | 
whose prosperity is the reward of his own self-reliance 
and indomitable jierscverance. Mr. Wortendyke was 
married in 1842 to Miss Rachel, daughter of James 
Hopper, of Wiushington township. They have three 
children, — Abram C, Christina L., and Hester. 



CHAPTER XXX VII. 
II.VRRINGTON. 

General Description.— In the " Historical Collec- 
tions of the State of New Jersey" this townshi[) is 
l)rieHy described as follows: 

" This towiiflliip waa reduced In 184(t nlH>ul one-half by the lorniatiun 
of Waj«htngt4)n from the weHtcrn i>orlion. It appronchoR in fomi to a 
•quure, and nieoHiires acrosN It ench way about ft niilea. It is U^nndetl N. 
by Itotrltland f'^», (New Yorlt), E. by Hudson Klver, S. by llaclfeiittack, 
and W. by Wiulitngton. The Hull la fertile, and the townithip proilncoa 
large quantiliea of orchard fruit. The t«iwnahip contahiH 3 Atoroa, 4 
grlst-nilllp, 4 saw-niilla; capital in manufucturea, 8A200; C schools, IM 
Kholare. Population, 11:10," 

This meagre description is of no importance to the 
reader of history to-day except to indicate the pro- 
gress of the townshi]) during the la.st forty years. A 
panoramic view of this townshi|> i)re.sent.s a rolling 
country betwecM two rivers, allbrding some of the 
most delightful views and se(juestcreil spot.s anywhere 
to be found within the same distance from the great 
nietropolis. The soil is generally well watered with 
small streams, many of which find their pure sources 
in the Palisades range bordering the Hudson, and 
running westward and southward till they make their 
way into the HackiMisack. They seem to pay no tri- 
bute to the great river, a« if it had enough and to 
spare, and since ita lofty western range has kindly 
turned their courses to fertili/.e the blooming land 
within. The mountains of Rockland also send down 
their fountains, so that the whole township is well 
watered, and the soil is capable of the highest culti- 
vation. The Indian found here his deliglitl'ul hunt- 



ing-grounds before the white man broke in upon his 
solitude. The Northern Railroad of New Jersey and 
the New York and Albany Railroad run through the 
township from south to north. These roads at pres- 
ent run only a short distance across the iState line, 
but their projectors look for longer connections with 
the great trade and traffic of the North and West. 
Thus two railroads aflbrd facilities to many business 
men in the city of New York, who long tor the pure 
air ami quiet repose of country homes. Morning and 
evening they iiurry to and fro in crowded cars like 
anxious school-boys, willing to go, but more willing 
to return, to find their homes of content in these 
pleasant regions of Old Harrington. The numerous 
farmers in this section rely chiefly upon the small 
crops and fruits, which find a ready market at their 
own doors or in the great city. The number of acres 
is fourteen thousand two hundred and thirty-one, 
with a valuation of nearly two millions. A valuation 
of one million would probably approach nearer to the 
low condition of real estate in the country to-day ; 
but in the gradual increase in real estate values, in 
spite of all fluctuations, which liistory demonstrates 
from the earliest settlement of America, the people of 
Harrington may yet look with scorn upon any present 
valuation. 

Early Settlements and History. -.\in'>ng the 
first scltlcrs ill tliis towrisliip were the Havings, or 
Harrings, as the name is variously spelled, the latter 
giving name to the township upon its organization in 
1775. 

Peter Harring was born in North Holland, and 
came to America early in the seventeenth century. 
His son John was born Dec. 2«i, 1C3I5, and married 
Margaret Cozine and had two sons, Frederick and 
John. John married Jemima, daughter of Francis 
Blauvelt, and had two sons, Frederick and Francis. 
The latter, the ex-sheriff of Bergen County, was born 
Sept. 7, 1787, and died Oct. IS, l.S.Sl. 

John Peter Benjamin Weatcrvelt, who resides in 
this townshii", is the son of Peter Benjamin Wester- 
velt, the son of Peter, the original ancestor, who set- 
tled here early in the seventeenth century. 

The Blauvelts, .\ckermans, and Ferdons also settled 
here at that early day, and Herrings, as they then 
spelled the name, as well as now, were early settlers 
here and in the vicinity. Its first chosen freeholders 
were Johnson Hoskirk and .Jacob Cole. 

Benjamin Blackliiige settled as doctor in Harring- 
ton township in the latter part of the eighteenth cen- 
tury, and married Caroline Tallinan, and followed 
teaching school. He was the first Hnglish sehool- 
teacher in liergen County. His children were Hcn- 
jamin, Jr., Cornelius, Maria, Sarah, Peter, Jacobus, 
Jacob, Henry, Elizabeth. 

1. Benjamin, Jr., married. His children were Ben- 
jamin, Deborah. Benjamin married ,\nna White and 
moved to Rockland County, N. Y. Deborah married 
Cornelius Westervelt anil left the county. 



HARRINGTON. 



211 



2. Cornelius married Rachel Powles and settled in 
New York City. 

3. Maria married Daniel Van Sciven and located 
near Closter. 

4. Sarah married Seba Bogert and located at Clos- 
ter. Their children were Peter Benjamin, Mathew, 
Cornelius, Elizabeth, Rachel, Samuel, and Jacobus. 
Peter Benjamin, Samuel, Mathew, and Cornelius are 
dead. Elizabeth and Rachel reside in New York. 
Jacobus resides in Palisades township. 

5. Peter married Elizabeth Naugle and located at 
Closter. His sons were James, David, Benjamin. 
James married Maria Van Home and resides at Clos- 
ter. David married Jennie Acker and moved to New 
York City. Benjamin married Elizabeth Hooper and 
resides in New York City. 

<;. Jacobus died a young man. 

7. Jacob married and moved to New York and 
died. 

8. Henry married Catherine Manning and settled 
in New York. 

9. Elizabeth married Cornelius Van Valen and 
settled in New York. 

Civil Organizatioa. — Harrington became a separate 
township from Old Hackensack in 1775. The ancient 
boundaries probably did not differ much from the pres- 
ent ones, to wit : all the territory north of Palisades 
township to the State line lying between the Hudson 
and Hackensack Rivers. Prior to 1836 the present 
township of Washington was also included in Har- 
rington.' We have no record of this court, however. 
The civil powers of the township at that early day 
were largely vested in the county board of ju.stices 
and freeholders. The first chosen freeholders of the 
township were Johnson Boskirk and Jacob Cole. 
From that time to 1794 the records are indefinite, but 
from the year last named the freeholders, with the 
respective years in which they served, will be found 
as follows : 

1794, Capt. Abr. Haring; 1794-96, 1798-99, Abrm. G. Haring; 1795-96, 
Henry Harring; 1797, David Durie; 1797-1800, John I. Baota; 
18()0-.5, Peter Harring; 1801-2, 1808-13, Jacob I. Bauta; 1803-5, 
Cornelius Blanvelt; 1806-9, John D. Harring; 1806-7, 1810-11, Gar- 
ret A. Ackemian; 1812-17, John W. Ferdou ; 1814-17, James G. 
Demarest; 1818, David A, Deraarest; 1818, Garret A. Zabriskie; 1819- ' 
21, David A. Demarest; 1819, Garret A. Zabriskie; 1820-21, Jacob | 
Al. Terhune; 1822-25, John W. Ferdon ; 1822, 1826-28, John R. j 
Blauvelt; 1823-25, 1830, Samuel O. Demarest; 1826-28, 1831-33, ! 
Garret Aikersou ; 1829-30, Jacob I. Blanvelt; 1829, Peter Worten- j 
dyke, 1831-33, Stephen Powles; 1834-36, Matthew S. Bogert; 1834- j 
36, 1840-48, John I, Blauvelt; 1837-40, John H. Zabriskie; 1837-39, ' 
Aaron H. Westervelt; 1840-42, William V. D. Harring; 1841^1, I 
Samuel R. Demarest; 1843^5, Tunis Harring; 1844, John I. Acker- 
man, Jr.; 1845-47, Beujaniin Bogert; 1848-50, Jacob J. Ferdon; 
1849-51. David D. Earring; 1851-53, David Doremus; 1852-54, Gar- 
ret A. Ackerson; 1864-56, Ralph S. Demarest; 1856, Peter D. Har- 
ring; 1867-61, Garret I. Auryansen; 1867-59, Henry G. Zabriskie; 
1860-62, John T. Harring; 1862-64, John S- Powles; 1863-64, 1866, 
Abraham C. Eckerson ; 1866, Barney N. Ferdon ; 1867-G8, Cornelius 
Eckerson, Jr.; 1868-70, Ralph S. Demarest; 1869-70, Abraham Har- 
ring; 1871, John Van Buskirk; 1872-74, James P. Blackledge; 1875- 
77, Peter S. Yeury ; 1878-80, Peter A. Demarest. 



^ See Legislature of 1844 and of 1845, when the two townships were 
finally separated. 



In this list of freeholders the frequent occurrence 
of the names of the Earrings, the Zabriskies, and the 
Demarests indicate very clearly who were the early 
settlers in this township. 

Assessors, 1871, Charles Tanner; 1872-77, Tunis A. Harring; 1878-80, 
Cornelius N. Durie. 

Collectors, 1871-73, John H. Stephens; 1876-78, Cornelius J. Demarest; 
1879-80, Abram C. Eckerson. ' 

Town Clerks, 1871-73. Jacob J. Demarest; 1874-76, Cornelius A. Ecker- 
son ; 1877-79, William J. Demarest; 1880, Charles C. Dubois. 

Justices of the Peace, 1872, Barney A. Ferdon ; 1875, Henry G. Zabriskie ; 

1876, Cornelius Eckerson, Jr., John C. Ackel-sou, Moses J. Taylor; 

1877, John B. Kipp; 1878, James T. Tan Orden ; 1880, Martin De 
Wolf, Albert B. Eckerson. 

Places of Historical Interest.— Just over the 
boundary of this township, near the little village of 
Tappan, is the scene of the execution of Maj. John 
Andr6 on the 2d of October, 1780. The events lead- 
ing to this execution and the details of it will be 
given in the Revolutionary liistory embraced in this 
volume. We only speak of it here in its relation to 
the township of Harrington. The execution took 
place on an eminence just between the little village 
of Tappan and the State line, and not over two liun- 
dred feet from the northern boundary line of Har- 
rington township. A portion of the military guard 
and many of the spectators on that eventful occasion 
must have stood within the township line, as the ele- 
vation in that direction commanded a better view of 
the place of execution. Outside the village of Tap- 
pan, near by, a larger population at that early period 
inhabited that section of New Jersey than the neigh- 
boring section of New York. The spot on which 
Andre was executed is indicated to-day by a massive 
monument or block of granite, about five feet high 
by four feet in width, facing the cardinal points of the 
compass, standing about two feet above the ground 
on solid masonry. 

The inscription on the western face of the monu- 
ment is as follows : 

" Here died Oct. 2, 1780, Maj. John Andre, of the British army, who 
entering the .\merican lines on a secret mission to Benedict .\rnold for 
the surrender of West Point, was taken prisoner, tried, and condemned 
as a spy. His death, though according to the stem code of war, moved 
even his enemies to pity, and both annies mourned the fate of one so 
young and so brave. In 1821 his remains were removed to Westminster 
Abbey. A hundred years after his execution this stone was placed 
above the spot where he lay by a citizen of the States against which he 
fought, not to perpetuate the record of strife, but in token ol those belter 
feelings which have since united two nations, one in race, in language, 
and in religion, with the earnest hope that the friendly union will never 
be broken. 

*' Arthur Penryhn Stanley, Dean of Westminster." 

The inscription on the north side is, — 

" He was more unfortunate than criminal. An accomplished man 
and a gallant oflficer. — George Washington." 

And the south side bears the Latin inscription, — 

"Sunt lacrymffi et rerum et meutem mortJtlia tangunt. — Virgil, 
.Snetd, I., 462." 

o'er such events tears of sorrow fall. 
Tears which deeply move the hearts of all. 

The monument is surrounded by a massive circular 
iron picket- fence about five feet high, and about one 



212 



HISTORY OF BKK(;KN and PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



hundred and twenty-six feet in circumference. This I 
monument stands in the centre of thirteen acres of | 
land, purchased and set apart as grounds adjacent to 
the indosure. James Bartliolf, Esq., owns the land in I 
the immediate vicinity and in Harrington townsliip, 
wliere liis comfortable and elegant residence stands, 
some five or six hundred feet from tlie monument. 
The view from tliis place is most commanding and 
beautiful, and when the more unfortunate than crim- 
inal Andre, while walking back and forth on his own 
coffin, but upriglitly and with majestic bearing, and 
casting his eyes upon the gallows-tree over his head 
and then upon the whole scenery by which he was 
surrounded, he must have tliought quick as lightning, 
and perhaps it wiis the last passing thought of his 
imaginative and poetic mind, " This is indeed a beau- 
tiful world, however sad its ending to me." \ 
It is said that under Andre's signature to the MS. j 
copy of his song of " The Cow-Chase" are written I 
these lines : 

** Wlit'ii tlie epic strain was flung 
Tlif {K>ct l>y the neck whm luing; 
Anil to liiscost lie finOtt tiK> latu 
The iliitnl>-l>orn trihes lieclilt' his fate.** 

The unfortunate but gallant youtli may or may not 
have written tlie.se humorous lines in sight of the 
gallows, but when such men of early years, giving 
promise of .so much in their future, as Nathan Hale, 
and John AndrC-, and Robert Emmett are so suddenly 
cut off, and at the hands of the executioner, the 
imperial banner may wave proudly over the si>ot, but 
it might better be fnrled and shroudeil in mourning, 
if not in disgrace. 

Nathan Hale was hung as a spy, and so in retalia- 
tion Andre suffered the same fate, and perhaps be- 
cause the stern code of war demanded it ; but what 
banners or monumental inscriptions, even in West- 
minster Abbey, can cover up or obscure that op- 
probrium which silenced in death the noble but 
intemi)erate valor of Robert Emmett ? Perhaps a 
monument may yet be erected on that spot also to 
commemorate the better feelings of two nations. The 
American people, anil especially those of them living 
in the township of Harrington, while they will never 
deface nor mar the iiinnument so near their borders, 
will never object to the erection of that other monu- 
ment also. 

About two years before the executimi of Andrf I 
there occurred in the same vicinity one of those 
bloody transactions in the war of the Revolution 
which will not soon be forgotten, anil the recollection 
of which must have been fresh in the minds of many 
of the spectators from Harringt<m at that execution. 
The nia.s.sacrc of Col. Haylor's troop is said to have 1 
taken place in October, 177S, about two and one-half 
miles HoulhwesI of Tai>pan, in a barn then standing 
near the Hackensack River. That would locate the 
spot in the township of Harrington.' A small force | 

> For a full arcininl of thli traEntjr, aer l^hapter XIII.. L; AdJI.-aeD. 
SUyker, In th« UeTi>luttonar>' hlator; In Ihlf ivork. 



under Lieut.-Col. Baylor, detached from the main 
army, was employed to watch and intercept a British 
foraging-party. The Americans had taken lodgings 
for the night in the barn near the Hackensack. Maj.- 
Gen. Grey commanded the British force. Owing to 
his frequent order to his men to remove the flints 
from their muskets in those impending skirmishes 
and hand-to-hand contests where he desired to con- 
line them to the exclusive use of their bayonets, he 
had acquired the distinctive title of the " No-flint 
General." A party of our militia stjitioned on the 
road to resist the advancing march of the British 
abandoned their posts, leaving Col. Baylor in ignor- 
ance of their disorderly escape. In the silence of the 
night the British stole in upon our lines, even cutting 
off a sergeant's patrol, and with noiseless speed sur- 
rounded the old town of Tappan in their undiscov- 
ered march. In the deep slumbers of that hour, in- 
capable of resistance or defense, at the mercy of the 
enemy more completely than is the driven and con- 
quered lion in his lair, they were stripped of even the 
poor boon of giving up their lives at the cost of a 
single one of their foes ; twenty-seven out of a force 
of one hundred and four perished on the spot from 
the bayonet-wounils of the "No-flint (ieneral," and 
forty were made prisoners. Some fortunate ones, 
after having received from five to eleven bayonet- 
wounds, escaped with their lives, and are said to have 
been restored to health again. Grey's captains are 
said to have spared the lives of the prisoners even in 
the face of the orders of their superior officers. This 
may have all been according to the stern code of war, 
which Dean Stanley writes on Andre's monument 
near by, but the law of humanity will never strike 
down a brave but defensele-ss man, enemy though he 
be, when in safety his life can be spared. Even in 
our encounters with wild beasts we scorn all those 
foul advantages which are taken of them, stripping 
them of all opportunities which nature has thrown in 
their way for their escape. Who would fire upon the 
caged eagle when he can no longer soar upon his 
pinions upwards to the sun'.' The perpetrators of this 
cowardly or needle.ss massacre may have received the 
applause of barbarous ages, but they could only re- 
ceive the condemnation of their own and of modern 
times. The darkness of the night covered them in 
the act, and let us be willing that the darkness of ob- 
livion shall cover them in their infamy. This place 
of massacre is .said to be about half a mile frmn the 
State line, in a barn which belonged to the Herring 
family. The progenitors of that family, it will be re- 
membered, were among the earliest settlers in the 
township. The barn stood till a few years since, and 
some of the posts and beams still bore the marks of 
flmt liliH.ily tragedy. 

Villages and Hamlets. — Buvy and Norwood, 
Rivervalc and Kandall, C'loster and Erankfort, De- 
marcst and .Vlpine arc the only places which relieve 
Harrington from being one of the most rural town- 



HARRINGTON. 



213 



ships fronting on the Palisades. But it is well sup- 
plied with roads and cross-roads, affording ready com- 
munication in every direction all over the township, 
and is so filled with pleasant farm-houses and spacious 
abodes that in many places it has assumed already the 
appearance of one long country village. 

The population in 1881 was about 2600. At the 
last census it was 2570; in 1875, 2676 ; in 1870, 2666 ; 
in 1865, 1748; and in 1860, 1602. 

Closter, the largest village in the township, is very 
pleasantly situated on the Northern Railroad of New 
Jersey, embracing about one hundred houses, not com- 
pactly thrust in together, but with spacious yards and 
grounds surrounding them. Many of the housewives 
in this rural village can talk with each other across 
their lawns without fear of ever being disturbed in 
the quiet seclusion of their own abodes. Previous (o 
the building of the Northern Railroad " Closter" was 
the designation of the entire territory from Liberty 
Pole to Tappan. John H. Stephens, an agent of this 
road, caused a station to be established in the present 
village. It has become an active town of over two 
thousand people. Collignon & Brothers established 
here an extensive folding-chair manufactory. There 
are three churches in the village, — the Reformed, the 
Methodist, and the Episcopal, — with a flourishing 
public and many private schools. Miss Belle E. Ham- 
mond's school, with an able corps of teachers, divided 
into primary, intermediate, and academic departments, 
was established here more than ten years ago. 

The village of Demarest was named after Hon. 
Ralph S. Demarest, whose family is there. Alderman 
John A. Taylor, of New York City, George D. Ly- 
man, founder of the New York Clearing-House and 
president of the Automatic Signal Fire Telegraph, 
and Crammon Kennedy, of " Brook Farm," and editor 
of the Chrktian Union, have established pleasant 
homes in this locality. 

The Murray Hill House, formerly the Harrington 
House, delightfully situated on a sloping eminence 
near the village, and jiurchased by John B. Murray, 
of New York, with eight acres of lawn laid out in 
terraces, affords a pleasant summer resort. The depot 
in this village is an elaborate work of art, designed 
by J. Cleveland Cady, and is built of freestone with 
trimmings of lighter tint, quarried in the vicinity from 
the Palisades slope. The stained-glass windows and ! 
the receiition-rooms ornamented with panel-work 
and the lofty towers bespeak the cultured taste and 
enterprise of its projectors. This structure is said to 
have cost six thousand dollars. A beautiful artificial 
lake, the work of the Demarest Land Improvement 
Company, under the presidency of Jlr. Kennedy, and 
fronting the depot and fed from the cool spring-water 
of the Terrakill, adds its charm to the place. There 
is a Bajitist Chapel in the village, with Rev. J. H. An- 
drews as its pastor. There is a large summer hotel at 
Norwood, with churches and schools and pleasant 
homes. 



Schools. — "The oldest school-house of which we 
have any account in this township stood on the lot 
now (1876) owned by Mrs. Eliza Cam[)bell, and partly 
by Albert Anderson. It was a stone structure, one 
story high, with two rooms, one for the school and 
the other for a dwelling-place for the teacher. The 
school-house was built by subscription, one hundred 
and twenty-five or one hundred and fifty years ago. 
The land was given by one Abraham Ackerman, on 
condition that it should always be used as a school 
lot. The deed was written in Dutch, but never re- 
corded, and about twenty-five years ago a special 
act was passed by the Legislature authorizing the 
trustees of the Closter, Demarest, and Schraalenburgh 
Districts to sell the several school-houses and such of 
the lots as they had titles for and appropriate the 
money towards building a new school-house. The 
three districts, or such parts of them as lay in this 
township, were united to form one ; the old Closter and 
Schraalenburgh lots were sold, and the new school- 
house was built at Demarest. 

" The oldest teacher of whom we have any account 
was Benjamin Blacklidge, grandfather of James P. 
Blacklidge, Esq., of Closter. It is said that he was 
the first teacher of the English language in Bergen 
County. He taught in Closter about one hundred 
and seven years ago, living in one part of the school- 
house, where he commenced housekeeping with his 
young wife, who was then only sixteen years old. 
He taught both English and Dutch, the teaching of 
the latter having been abandoned, probably, at that 
time, as no man now living in the township ever 
studied the Dutch language in school. No ' free 
schools' have ever been taught in the township until 
recently, when they were made such by the State. 

" Demarest District, No. 14, is located in the south- 
ern portion of the township, in a beautiful section of 
country. The school-house is on the road leading 
from Schraalenburgh to Demarest, and about one- 
fourth of a mile west of the railroad station. . . . The 
first school-house in the district of which we can gain 
any infornuition was constructed of stone, and stood 
upon lands of Samuel R. Demarest. It was twenty- 
two feet square, one story high, and had but one room. 
. . . This school-house was used for a number of years, 
with various changes of teachers. It was carried on 
by the old way of rate-bills, and if the teacher was a 
single man he boarded around the neighborhood. . . . 
This school-house has become somewhat notorious in 
the county from an incident which took place within 
its walls a short time since. Goods of difi'erent kinds 
began to disappear from the different farmyards in 
the community, houses were broken open and pil- 
laged, daring robberies were committed almost daily, 
and the people became highly alarmed. For a time 
no traces of the thieves could be found, but through 
some circumstances which I cannot name the rendez- 
vous was finally discovered in the upper part of this 
school-house. They would go out at night and do 



2U 



HISTORY OF BERGEN' AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



their work around the neighborhood, and then during 
the day rest upon their spoils, while school was being 
taught below. . . . 

" Closter City District, No. 15, is of recent forma- 
tion, and is located in a thickly-settled comnmnity. 
. . . The first school in the district was a private 
school, opened in the ba.sement of the church in the 
year 1864 by Miss Belle E. Hammond, a young lady 
of rare talents. It is still (1876) in existence, and in 
a very flourishing condition. It now occupies a build- 
ing put up especially for its use, and paid for by the 
industry of the young lady in question. This school 
averages from sixty to eighty pupils, employs three 
teachers, and is doing good educational work at Clos- 
ter City. 

"The first public school in this district was held in 
the year 1S70, in a barn that wiis rented for that |)iir- 
pose, but during tliat year the present school building 
was erected for its use. It is a two-story brick build- 
ing, thirty by seventy-one feet, with a cupola, and 
displaying a good degree of architectural beauty. It 
is furnished with all the modern school improvements, 
and capalile of doing good work. . . . The propertv 
is valued at nine thousand dollars, and the building 
is capable of seating two hundred and forty pupils. 
Mr. John H. West is principal (1876), having Miss 
Josie Felter as a.s9i9tant. 

".Vlpine District, Xo. 16, is located on the top of the 
Pali.sades, in the southeastern part of the township. 
The school-house Is situated near the brow of the 
montitain, overlooking Yonkers and nearly all of 
Westchester County, Long Island Sound, and many 
miles up and down the Hudson. . . . This locality 
previous to the year 184.') had no s<-hoi)l, onlv, as I 
have been told, held in some one's kitchen, and (the 
school children were) compelled to travel two and a 
half miles to the old stone school-liouse at Demarest. 
In the commencement of the year 1845 a meeting 
was called by O. Cosine, D. Vervalen, Thomas and 
Jacob Dubois, and William Gaeox, for the purpose 
of consulting about the formation of a school dis- 
trict and the bulbling of a school-liouse. ... As 
the meeting wius favorable to the above project, an 
application was unanimously made and granted, 
and T. R. Dubois, James Dubois, and D. Verva- ' 
len were elected trustees. A lot of ground twenty- 
five by fifty feet was ibmated by J). Vervalen for 
the use of the schoul, and by means of subscrip- 
tions of money, labor, and nniterials they erected a 
building thereon sevent<'en by twenty feet, one story 
high, at a cost of one hundred and twenty-five dollars. ! 
It is said that Mr. Charles Howell, the first teacher, 
helped to build the selio(d-house. ... In IH.'tl this 
building became too small, and an addition of twelve 
feci was put on the main liuilding. In 1807 the trus- 
tees purchased enough of the adjoining property to 
make their lot one hundred by two hundred feel, and 
erected thereon the present school building. The 
property is valued at two thousand five liun<ired dol- 



lars, and the building has a seating capacity for eighty 
pupils. 

"Old Closter District, No. 17, is located in the 
northeastern part of the township. The first school 
building in the district, according to the recollections 
of the oldest inhabitant, was a stone building located 
near the house of Moses Taylor ; the date of its erec- 
tion could not be ascertained. It was used by dif- 
ferent teachers until the year 1830, when a new one 
was built on the farm of Moses Taylor, the lot being 
held by a lease as long as it was used for school pur- 
poses. Martin I'owlls taught in these schools a num- 
ber of years, and was considered a first-chiss teacher. 

" Mr. Taylor was the first man in the township who 
proposed to use the surplus revenue for school pur- 
poses. He was defeated in this project two or three 
years, but finally carried his point, and it has been 
used in that way ever since, .\fler the passage of 
the school law in 1846, Mr. Taylor was elected town 
superintendent, which office he filled with credit for 
a number of years. In the year 1858 the building of 
18.S(i was sui)planted by one of modern date, and is 
also the present school building. It is a frame, with 
cupola, twenty-eight by tbrty feet, and furnislied in 
modern style. It has been kept in good repair from 
time to time, and is now (1876) in a good condition. 

"Old Tappan District, No. 19, occupies historic 
ground; it was within the boundaries of this district 
that the lamented and ill-fated Maj. .\udre wius exe- 
cuted as a spy. . . The first school-house in Old Tap- 
pan W!is built over ninety years ago, so says the ven- 
erable Tunis Haring. Mr. Ilaring further says, 
' Tlie first school I ever heard of was kept in my 
father's kitchen when I was about two years old. 
About this time a little .school-house was built near 
my father's house, and at this place I first went to 
school. The building was a small atlair, having no 
ceiling, and the chimney built of sticks and mud, 
wliicli often took fire, and then the boys had a fine 
frolic climbing up and puttinir it out. 

"'After school was out the teacher used to watch 
us to see if we went immediately home, and if be 
caught us playing by the way he would settle with 
us the next morning. 

"' The present is tlie fourth school-house we ha\' 
hail, but it does not stand on the original site. The 
district used to extend into Wiishington township 
before the last school-house was built. I em|iloyeil 
surveyors and ran out the district, and ,u.scd all my 
influence to get it divided and the new school-houM 
located in its present central position. In the first 
place the town superintendents eoulil not agree upon 
dividing the district, and I got an act piLsseil by the 
Legislature leaving it to be clecideil by the superin- 
tendents of the three adjoining towns; they met in 
the district and agreed that it ought to he divided,' 

"The present school building was erected in ISi'ii;. 
and oeeupied by .1. Madison Ken, a first-class teachiT. 
In the year 1871 an adililioii oftwelve by twenty Iim' 



( 



HARRINGTON. 



215 



feet was attached to the main part of the building, 
making it thirty-two by twenty-five feet, and capable 
of seating seventy-five children. The present prop- 
erty is valued at two thousand five hundred dollars. 

" The teachers in the township up to 1846 were 
paid so much per scholar for their services, but after 
that time they were hired regularly by the quarter." 

Harrington embraces six entire school districts, 
with parts of others merging into the neigliboring 
townships, to wit: Nos. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19, 
with a school census of seven hundred and one chil- 
dren. The largest district in number of children is 
No. 15, with two hundred and four children, embrace 
ing the village of Closter. The smallest district is 
No. 14, embracing sixty scholars. Harrington town- 
ship forty years ago is described as having contained 
three stores, four grist-mills, four saw-mills, and capi- 
tal in manufactures of five thousand two hundred 
dollars, with six schools and one hundred and fifty- 
four scholars, and a population of 1130. 

The progress of this township has been, and will be, 
largely due to the many sites it aiTords for pleasant 
and beautiful homes along the Pali.sades. 

Churches. — Rev. E. S. Hammond commenced 
preaching at Closter in the fall of 1860, and in Feb- 
ruary, 1861, it was resolved at a public meeting held at 
the house of Peter Maxon that an effort be made to 
secure a church edifice for the better and permanent 
accommodation of the county, and in 1862 a plot of 
ground was deeded to the congregation by Thomas 
W. Demarest and wife, and a church was erected 
under the supervision of Da,niel Blauvelt, Nicholas 
Duree, Garret J. Demarest, John H. Stevens, and 
Mathew S. Bogert. The church was completed, and 
dedicated Oct. 7, 1862, by Rev. Isaac W. Cole, of Tap- 
pan, N. Y., who ottered prayer, and Rev. C. L. Wells, 
of Jersey City, preaching the sermon from Hebrews 
xii. 22 and 23, 1st Corinthians xii. 13. The church 
was organized Sept. 30, 1862, by Rev. W. B. Mabon, 
Rev. W. R. Gordon, Rev. James Demarest, Jr., and 
William Williams. The sermon was preached by 
Rev. W. B. Mabon, and the following persons pre- 
sented for membership : Garret J. Demarest, Agnes 
Westervelt, Peter A. Blauvelt, Eliza Herring, Robert 
D. Huyler, Mrs. R. D. Huyler, John H. Stephens, 
David D. Blauvelt, George H. French, Phebe W. 
Peck, Gideon Peck, Lydia Coddington, Isabella Per- 
cell, Margaret H. Hammond, Peter J. White, Sarah 
Zabriskie, and Abraham J. Hopper. The first elders 
were Gideon Peck, Daniel Blauvelt, Garret Demarest; 
Deacons, Peter Blauvelt, Abraham J. Hopper, Peter 
White. 

The church is located on the hill, and is built of 
wood, forty by sixty feet, and cost ten thousand dol- 
lars. The pastors have been Cornelius Blauvelt, 
1865, who continued until April 27, 1868, as a supply, 
and was succeeded by Rev. P. E. Vanbuskirk, May, 
1869, who still presides over the congregation. 

The present elders are John B. Kipp, Conrad N. 



Durie, James P. Blackledge, Richard J. Blauvelt; 
Deacons, W. C. Herring, Isaac Quackenbush, Henry 
Gerben, Mathew J. Bogert; present membership, one 
hundred and fifteen. 

The parsonage was erected in 1870, at a cost of four 
thousand five hundred dollars ; is of wood, two stories 
high. The Sunday-school was organized in 1865. 
The present superintendent is Jacob Van Ostrand ; 
present membership, one hundred and thirty-five; 
volumes in library, four hundred. 

The Norwood Presbyterian Church was established 
in the fall of 1868, and meetings were first held in 
the hotel parlors for about one year, when a lot was 
donated to the church by Mr. J. Wyman, and a 
church was erected during the year 1868 and dedi- 
cated. This church was first located near where it 
stands now, and owing to its being an inconvenient 
structure, it was deemed best to remodel it and move 
it so as to face the street. It is now located within a 
few hundred feet of where it first stood, and is con- 
veniently arranged and stands facing Main Street, on 
the hill, and is built of wood, thirty by fifty feet. 
The present value of the church is five thousand dol- 
lars. The church was organized May 18, 1869, by 
Rev. John Spaulding, D.D., of New York City, and 
Rev. Henry M. Booth, of England. Twenty-one 
were received by letter and four on profession of 
faith, which consisted of Paul Powless, John Powless, 
Margretta Powless, Mrs. M. A. Kline, William Ham- 
mell, Mrs. Elizabeth Hammell, Mary Atwale, George 
H. French, Mrs. Phoebe French, Lydia Coddington, 
E. R. Houghton, Mrs. Louisa S. Houghton, Mathew 
H. Houghton, Mrs. Sarah S. Houghton, Peter A. 
Blauvelt, Mrs. Eliza Blauvelt, John H. Serviss, 
Mrs. Mary E. Serviss, Curtiss N. White, Mrs. Delia 
D. White, C. M. Buck, W. J. Demarest, Leah De- 
marest, Mathew Powless, and Maggie Powless. 

The first elders were Paul Powless, William Ham- 
mell, and George H. French. 

The first deacons were Peter A. Blauvelt, Mathew 
Houghton, John H. Serviss. The first pastor was 
Rev. William P. Fisher, who was installed Novem- 
ber, 1871 ; Rev. L. F. Stevens, Oct. 14, 1873 ; Rev. S. 
M. Jackson, May 30, 1876 ; Rev. J. E. Abbott, stated 
supply for 1880 ; Rev. Charles B. Chapin, Sept. 13, 
1881, the present pastor. 

The present trustees are N. C. White, George H. 
French, W. J. Demarest; deacons, Mathew Powless, 
T. J. Haring, B. Y. Frost ; present membership, 
thirty-five. 

The First Congregational Church of Closter was or- 
ganized in 1877, and services were held in Closter In- 
stitute until 1881, when a church was erected at a cost 
of five thousand five hundred dollars, and completed 
in the spring of 1882, and on December 8th it was 
dedicated by Rev. Dr. Storrs, of New York, preach- 
ing the sermon, and Rev. H. B. Turner offered prayer, 
and Dr. W. B. Brown delivered an address. This 
church is a wooden structure, and located on Main 



21ti 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Street, on the hill. The biiildinp committee consisted 
of J. H. Serviss, Charles Tanner, and G. D. Efkerson. 

Till- present deacons are S. E. Darlinj:, J. H. Veene, 
and Ci. D. Efkerson. First deacons, W. II. Morrow, 
G. D. Eckerson. Trustees, S. E. Darling, jiresident; 
R. L. Van Arsdale, secretary ; G. D. Eckerson, trea.s- 
urer; O. W. Valentine, Walter Stillman, J. H. Veene, 
and J. H. Serviss. 

The tirst pastors of this church were supplies until 
Rev. H. U. Turner wa-s appointed, on Dec. 22, 1878. 
The corner-stone was laid by the Kev. Mr. Turner 
with appropriate services in November, 1880. 

The Baptist Church at Demarest was organized in 
the spring of 1874, with seventeen members, as fol- 
lows : William M. Wliitiiiore, Mrs. W. M. Whitinore, 
William U. Whilmore, Mrs. W. R. Whitmore. Miss 
G. P. Whitmore, Miss Amelia C. Rlacklidge, H. S. 
Downs, Mrs. H. S. Downs, George Allen, Mrs. George 
Allen, Mis.s Annie Rich, Miss Nellie Rich, Mrs. Mary 
F. Rieh, William H. Westervelt, Miss Anna Randall, 
W. F. Laroehe, Mrs. W. F. Laroche. 

Meetings were first held in the seliool-house until a 
church edifice could be erected. Mr. Ral[>li Demar- 
est donated a plot of ground, and the erection of a 
chapel was commenced, and completed in the fall of 
1874. On the 17th of December, 1874, the chapel 
was dedicated by Dr. Pattoii, of New York, Rev. Mr. 
Geddes, of TenaHy, Rev. Mr. .Stephens, of Norwood, 
and Rev. James II. Andrews, of Englewood. Rev. 
James H. Andrews preached the first sermon in the 
church. The church is a small wooden structure 
pleitsantly located on the hill. 

In response to an invitation extended to the dificr- 
ent ehurehes by the above members, a meeting was 
held at the chapel, and alter a full di.«cussion of the 
subject the seventeen members were recognized a-s an 
independent Baptist Church, and Rev. James H. An- 
drews was called February, 187.'), and remained until 
the time of his tleath, whieh occurred Oet. 17, 1S7">, 
and on (Jet. 1, 187ti, Rev. B. F. Me.Mithael wius eallcd, 
and installed Oct. 11, lH7tl, who jiresided over this 
congregation until 1879. 

The first deacons were W. J. Laroche and William 
M. Whitmore ; trustees, Williani M. Wliil re. Wil- 
liam H. We.stervelt. 

The jiresent trustees are William M. Whitmore, 
George Allen, ("harles E. Dodge. 

There has been no regular services hehl in the 
chapel since 1879. 

In the year 1841 one Sturr, a local preacher from 
the Bedford Chnrch in New York, eame to this neigh- 
b<jrhood anil held meetings. At the meetings several 
persons were converted. The meetings were con- 
tinued by 8turr, Jacob Dubois, and other persons 
from the Bedford Street Church. 

Soon after. Rev. Mr. Archer, n local preacher from 
the Wesleyan soeiety in New York, eame here and 
held meetings, and was determined to liuild a ehureh. 

But Rev. Mr. Sturr, Henry Didjois, of New York, 



and Jacob Dubois were also determined to erect a 
Methodist E|»iseopal Church, and they got hel[) from 
a few friends, and went to work with great zeal, and 
their building was so (|uiekly eompleted that the 
Wesleyans abandoned their design. This was the 
beginning of the Methodist society at this place, and 
from that day in 1841, for thirty ycjirs, there has been 
regular preaching on what is known as the nillto)), 
in the building then erected. It still stands opposite 
the new chureli. This small edifice cost five hundred 
dollars. 
The first board of trustees consisted of Henry Du- 

I bois, Jacob Dubois, Thomas Dubois, Jacob .Jordan, 
and William Jordan. 

Before the pioneer ehureh was built ehurcli-going 
was almost impracticable on the mountain, as it is 
termed. The mother of Jacob Dubois was the only 
regular attendant upon religious service. She used 
to walk four miles to a Reformed Dutch Church in 
the valley. At that time there was no village on the 
cliff; there were a few houses, but most of the people 
lived on the river-bank under the hill. Tradition 
relates that they were a rude people, boisterous on 
Sunday, and apt to persecute those who tried to se- 

I cure the proper observance of that day. Among the 
early members of this church were Oliver Cosine, 
Henry Dubois, Jacob Dubois, Thomas Dubois, Mrs. 
Thomas Dubois, Jacob Jordan, William .lordan. Wil- 
liam Geco.x, Mrs. William Gecox, Mrs. Springsted, 

, and Mrs. Older. 

I Services were held in the old ehureh until tliecom- 

' pletion of the new ehureh edifice, whieh was begun 
in 1867. It was intended at first to jiut up a wooden 
building, but the belief that the region would in- 
erease in population, and the feeling that the beauti- 
ful hard blucstone so abundant on the Palisades was 
the fittest mat<?rial, caused a change in the design. 
Mrs. Nordhoff offered the congregation to defray the 
architeet's charges if they would build of stone and 
according to a plan pre|iared by Mr. J. C. Cady. The 
building ha-s been constructed. It is sixty feet long 
and thirty feet wide, and has a transept or wing on 
the west, twenty-eight feet by twenty. This wing is 
intended to be used for prayer and other evening 
meetings. The church cost, with lot on whieh it 
staiiils, fourteen thousand dollars. The oorner-slone 
was laid Oct. 2, 18(;7, and the church was completed 
in 18G8, and services held here since. The present 
stewards are Chaa. Nordhotf, .S. Miles, Mathias Koh- 
ler, Lewis H. Fanconier, and John H. Conkling. 

Present piustor is Rev. O. B. Coit ; membership, 
eighty-threp. 

Abram B. Haring. -Peter Daring, of North Hol- 
land, came to ,\niirii'a during the early part of the 
seventeenth century. He had a son John, born Dec. 
26, 1(!33, who married, in 1662, Margaret Cozine, to 
whom was born a son named Cozine, who had a son 
John, who had a son Frederick, born in 1729. Fred- 

' erick had a sou John, born June 14, 1760, who nnir- 




tiy^^/t^O-^^i^ pSf^ ;>^^^^Vi:yr^^J' 







-^/i/t/fv^^- psAA. ('//"^''^J'^' 



HARRINGTON. 



J17 



ried, November, 1781, Jeiiiinia, daughter of Tenuis 
Blauvelt, who bore him sons, Frederick and Teunis, 
the latter of whom was born Sept. 7, 1787, and died 
Oct. 18, 1881. Teunis Haring married Elizabeth 
Perry, who died Nov. 13, 18-58, leaving four chil- 
dren, — Abram B., .Jane, wife of R. S. Demarest, Peter 
T., and John T., all of whom survive except Peter T. 
On Nov. 22, 1859, he married for his second wife 
Mrs. Leah Blauvelt, who died Aug. 6, 1872, leaving j 
no issue. Three children, twenty-four grandchildren, | 
and forty great-grandchildren survive him. He was a 
farmer by occupation, and through life took an active 
interest in public aflairs, serving as chosen freeholder 
for three years, and member of the town committee 
for a time. 

Abram B., son of Teunis Haring, was born on the 
Haring homestead. May 20, 1811, and has there spent 
his life as a farmer. During his active business 
career he took an interest in political matters, and 
was influential in the councils of the Democratic 
party, of which he was a member. He has been hon- 
ored by his townsmen by a position in the board of 
chosen freeholders and as surveyor, and by the citi- 
zens of Bergen County as sherift' from 1853 to 1856, 
and with two terms of service representing them in 
the State Legislature. In all these public places of 
trust his con.stituents have always felt a pride in his 
integrity and efficiency. As an officer Sherifi' Haring 
was prompt, energetic, and honest, and as a legislator 
he was always found with his vote and influence sup- 
porting measures of reform, retrenchment, and for 
the public weal. 

Like his father before him, he devotedly adheres to 
and supports the Reformed Dutch Church at Old 
Tappan, of which both in turn have been deacon and 
elder. 

By his first marriage, April 6, 1825, to Ann Eliza, 
daughter of John Haring, he had three children, — 
Elizabeth, widow of Richard Ackerman, Ann, wife 
of John Cole, of Teaneck, and John. His wife died 
April 9, 1841. 

By his second marriage, March 8, 1842, to Polly, 
daughter of Andrew P. Hopper, he has four children, 
— Teunis A., Martha, wife of Daniel Smith, Catherine, 
wife of Calvin Haring, and Andrew. The mother of 
these children died May 31, 1855. 

Sheritf Haring's present wife, whom he married 
May 31, 1857, is Margaret, daughter of Cornelius J. 
Demarest. 

This branch of the Haring family have been con- 
nected with the history of Harrington township from 
its earliest records, and have ranked among the sub- 
stantial citizens, not only of that loqality but al.so of 
Bergen County. They have been tillers of the soil 
in their general occupation, identified with the found- 
ing and development of school and church interests, 
and among the foremost in the promotion of all en- 
terprises tending to the prosperity and general welfare 
of the people. 



Capt. Elisha Ruckman was born in Somerset 
County, N. J., near Basking Ridge, Nov. 15, 1812. 
Early in life he chose the business of a sailor, and 
began as cabin-boy on a coasting vessel sailing from 
New York to Virginia. By strict economy he soon 
accumulated sufficient capital to invest in a vessel, 
making his first investment when he was about fif- 
teen years of age. He began to deal largely in fish, 
oysters, and fruit, and his business proved so success- 
ful that at the age of twenty he commanded a vessel 
of his own, named "Trimmer." He also owned and 
sailed a beautiful yacht, " Massena," and during his 
career as a sailor built forty-seven sailing-vessels. 
Capt. Ruckman continued this business of sailing ves- 
sels until 1867, when he came ashore and purchased 
a farm in Harrington township, Bergen Co., N. J., 
and dealt quite largely in real estate until 1873. In 
1875 he removed to Tappan, Rockland Co., N. Y., 
where he had previously erected a handsome palatial 
residence, and where he has since resided. The 
grounds on which his house is located were the 
camping-grounds of Washington's army in 1780, and 
adjoin the grounds where Maj. Andre was executed. 

Capt. Ruckman has devoted his life wholly to busi- 
ness pursuits. In politics he was always a Demecrat 
until the second election of President Lincoln, since 
which time he has been a Republican. He is now 
seventy years old, and enjoying a competency. 

Capt. Ruckman is a man of decided opinions, per- 
severing in his eftbrts to carry forward to a successful 
completion whatever he undertakes, sagacious and 
far-seeing, and possessed of superior business ability. 
Claudius 0. Collignon, — John Collignon,thegrand- 
father of the subject of this biographical sketch, was 
a native of Reught, France, and born in the year 
1754. At a later period he emigrated to America, and 
chose Bergen Countj', N. J., as a place of residence. 
Mr. Collignon, after a sojourn of some years in the latter 
State, returned to his native place, where his death 
occurred. His only son, Peter C, was born in Reught, 
France, on the 22d of September, 1799, and having 
been attracted by the enterprise of the New World, 
embarked in 1825 for New York City. Here he re- 
sided for five years, and subsequently removed to 
Bergen County, where he engaged in willow-basket 
making, and also in farming pursuits. He was united 
in marriage to Miss Mary Perrine, a native of France, 
to whom were born children, — Catherine, whose birth 
occurred in France, Nicholas, born in Hudson Street, 
New York City, and Claudius O., Elizabeth, James 

Peter, August, Adam, Perrine, Jane Ellen, and 

, all born in New Jersey. 

The death of Mr. Collignon occurred March 16 
1879. Mrs. Collignon survives her husband, and is 
still in robust health. Claudius O. was born Dec. 8, 
1830, in Harrington township, where the principal 
portion of his life has been spent. His boyhood after 
a period at school was occupied in labor on the farm 
or in acquiring the trade of basket-making. At the 



218 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 





^, O^ ^.^cr^L^^y^.X^-J'^-^ 



age of seventeen he learned the s;ush and blind mak- 
ing business, and followed it for eight years, after 
which he returned to New Jersey. 

He wa.s married Jan. 24, ISM, to Miss Sarah Cleve- 
land, of Washington townsiiip, who is the niotlier of 
five children,— Peter C, Sarah Louisa (Mrs. Tures), 
Kvelina, Catherine Delia, and Isaac. Mr. Collignon 
on his return to New Jersey engaged in chair-turning 
and Unnbcring, and in 18r)7 established at Old Tap- 
pan, in Harrington townsiiip, an extensive cliair-fac- 
tory. The mechanical genius and sl<ill of tiie foun- 
ders of this enterprise at once insured its success, and 
the quality of the work produced has created a de- 
mand which hasrenilered an extension of their estab- 
lishment a necensity. They have made ii spcciiilty of 
folding-chairs, which are |)rotected by ten ditlerent 
patents. They are also the makers of the lir-.t f(dd- 
ing-rf)cker in the United States, which now enjoys a 
great popularity. 

Mr. ('ollignon is in politics a Republican, but in no 
sense a party man, voting rather in the cause of right 
and good govern uicMl than for the advancement of 
personal or parly interests. He was reared from in- 
fancy in the Roman Catholic Church, but is liberal in 
liis views and a cordial supporter of all worthy cliurch 
and school enterprises. 

Nicholas Collignon, tlu- subject of this biographi- 
cal -.kclib, niav wilb propriety be spf)ken of as one 
of the foremost citizens of the townsiiip of Harring- 
ton, both in point of energy and integrity. He was 
the grandson of John Collignon, who wius a iialivi' of 



Reught, France, where he was born in 1754, and em- 
igrated to the inviting shores of America. At a later 
date he resided in Hergen County for some years, but 
ultimately returned to his birthplace, where the de- 
clining years of liis life were sp)ent. He had one son, 
Peter C, born Sept. 22, 1779, who also made the 
United States his residence in 1825. In 1831 he re- 
moved to Bergen County, where he engaged in busi- 
ness pursuits. He married Mary Perrin, also of 
France, and had children, — Catherine, Nicholas, 
Claudius t )., Elizabeth, .lames, Peter, August, .Vdam, 
Jane Ellen, and Victor. Of this number Nicholas, 
the subject of this biography, was born in Hudson 
Street, New York City, Sept. 10, 1829. His boyhood 
was s|)ent in Hergen County at school, and at a later 
date in the city of New York, where he acipiired the 
trad<' of a ship-carpenter with Me.^srs. Hell iV Itrown, 
of that city. In IS.')2 he went to the gold-lields of 
California to seek his fortune, but not liking the 
rough life of gold-digging, he left the mines and went 
to San Francisco, where he laiil the foundation of a 
ship-yard, and built the first American ves.sel ever 
built on the Pacific coast. He named it the "Maria 
.Malilila," and ii was the fiustest sailing-vessel of llie 
co:i8t. 

In 1855 he returned to the home of his childhood, 
and was nuirried to Miss Catherine Demarest. There 
were born to ihem seven children, — Nicholas, Ma- 
tilda, Peter, George W., Emma B., Alice .lane, and 
Cecelia, of whom died Nicholas, Peter, .Mice J., and 
ICniiiia in early childhood. He llicii purchased a 




^cd/X ^ ^.ey>^.a^^/^ 



His paternal great-grandTather, Samuel Demiires^t. \va;^ horn 
June 0, 1724, and died March 14. 1S08. He wa.-- iuiprisoued in 
New York City during the RevoIuMonary war for being a 
rebel. His wife, Margaret Brinckerhoff, born Oct. 4, 17211, 
died March 21, 1802, and bore him the following children: 
Peter, Henry, Cornelius, Roelof, Maria, and Ann. All of his 
sons served in the llevolutionary war. 

Of these children, Roelof, the grandfather of our t^ubject, was 
born Aug. 23, 1756, and died Sept. 4, \^\\. His wife was Maria 
Dcninrcst, by whom he had three children. — Samuel li.. the 
fa I her of our subject, John R., and Margaret. 

Samuel R. Demarest was born in the town of Old Hackensack, 
now Palisade, Feb. 5, 1783. He was a blacksmith by trade, 
and was also engaged in farming and distilling. He was active 
in polities as a Democrat, served as freeholder of his township, 
and represented Bergen County in both branches of the State 
Legislature. 

Mr. Demarest was a member and officer of the True Reformed 
Church at Schraalenburgh, and active and enterpri.'^ing in all 
that pertained to the prosjierity of the people and the develop- 
ment of the various interests of the county, and may safely 
be classed among the representative men of the past. 

He was united in marriage Dec. 22, 1S08, to Elizabeth Za- 
briskie, who was born Feb. 13, 1789, and died May 14, 1873. 
He died Feb. 24, 1872. Their children were John Zabriskie, 
Ralph S., Cornelia, John S., Maria, Samuel S., Margaret, 
Catharine, Garret Zabriskie, and Ann Eliza. 

Of these children, Ralph S. Demarest was born nt what is 
now Demarest Station, in Harrington townshiji. July 1, 1811. 
His education was obtained in the common schools of his town, 



and in a private school in Xew York City, under the tuition of 
Joseph Nelson. He was a schoolmate of Dr. Jas. C. Forrester, 
Hamilton Fish, and John Jay. At the age of seventeen he 
turned his attention to farming, and has since been a repre- 
sentative agriculturist. He was one of the projectors of the 
Northern Railroad of New Jersey, which was built about 1S58, 
and was for many years one of its directors. He is at present 
one of the directors of the Bergen County Farmers' Mutual 
Fire Insurnnoe Company. 

In politics he is a Democrat, and has been chosen many 
times to positions of trust, tirst as township collector and ne.xt 
as town clerk. About the year 1853 he was elected as freeholder 
of his township and served two consecutive terms, acting as 
director of the board both terms. He was a member of the 
Assembly from Bergen County in 1854-55, and in 1859-61 he 
was a member of the State Senate. In 186S, Mr. Demarest 
was one of the Presidential electors for New Jersey, and cast 
his vote for Hon. Horatio Seymour and Francis P. Blair for 
President and Vice-President of the United States. 

He is a member of the True Reformed Church at Schraalen- 
burgh, and has officiated at different times as both elder and 
deacon. 

He was married Oct. IS, 1832, to Jane, daughter of Tunis 
Haring, of Harrington township, by whom he has eight sur- 
viving children, — Elizabeth A., wife of C. A. Herring; Rachel, 
wife of Wm. Lydecker: John F. H. ; Maria J., wife of Jefferson 
Tilt; Samuel R, ; Jemima, wife of A. G. Herring; Catherine; 
and Emma, wife of C. J. Cole. 

The Demarests are of French origin, and were among the 
early settlors of Bergen County. 





v^/^O^W7^^^^c^i^^e^^ 



His paternal grandfather, Peter V. Deniarest, 
was born Nov. 19, 1764, and married. May ^iO, 
179U, Leah Deniarest, who bore Iiini one child, 
—Daniel P. 

Daniel P. Dcmarest, the father of the .subject 
of our sketch, was born May 16, 17!)1. His 
wife was Leaii Bogert, by whom he had five 
ciiildren, — Leah, Isaac D., Peter, David D., 
who is identified with the Theological Seminary 
at New Brunswicl<, N. J., and Garret D. 

Mr. Deniarest took an active part in the True 
Reformed ('hurch at Schraalenburgh, of which 
he and his wife were both members. He died 
Nov. 17, 1822. Garret D., son of Daniel P. 
Deniarest, was born on the Demarest homestead, 
in the town of Harrington, Bergen Co., N. J., 
Aug. 23, 1821. He succeeded to the homestead 
property by iidieritance, where he spent his 
active business life as a farmer. He was a 



member of the True Reformed Church at 
Schraalenburgh, and was one of its oflicers. 
Mr. Demarest was a Republican in politics, but 
never sought for official place. He died A])ril 
23, 1877. 

He was united in marriage, May 19, 1853, to 
Maria, daughter of John D. Demarest, who has 
borne him seven children, — -Leah (wife of David 
Van Wagoner), Daniel, Margaretta, John (de- 
ceased), Kittle, John (2d), and Milton Demarest. 

The Demarest family in Bergen County are 
of French origin, and honorably trace their line 
of descent from the Huguenots who were driven 
from France by religious persecution, first seek- 
ing homes in Holland, and afterwards on Long 
Island and in counties bordering on the Hudson. 
According to the oldest records they appear to 
have been among the first settlers in Bergen 
County. 






£^^yu.-6^<^ V/S 



His fatlier, Jacob Herring, Ava.s a native of 
Bergen County, and resided at Sclira;ilcnl)urjili, 
where lie was engaged in fanning. He was 
one of tlie prime niovei-s in tlie erection of the 
Reformed (hnnh edifice at Scliraalenburgli, 
and was one of its meinl)ers and earnest sup- 
porters. His first wife was Wilniina Banta, 
who bore him one (;hild, — Henry. 

His .second wife wils Susiin Livingston, who 
bore him tliree chiUIren, — Wilmiria, tlie wife of 
.Matthew Bogert ; Daniel (dcceji.s«l) ; and Cor- 
nelius J., the subject of this sketch. 

Cornelius .1. Hi-rring was born in the town 
of Harrington, Bergen Co., N. .1., April 5, 17i^»7, 
where lie has 8i>ent most of his active business 




C^/^Z^T^-r^ 



/-O 



life as a farmer. He acquired a limited educa- 
tion, and in early life learned the trade of a 
tailor. He is one of the substiintial citizens of 
his township, and has always l>een identified 
witli all worthy local enterprises. He is a 
member of the Reformed Church at Schraal 
enburgb, and has .served as deacon of that 
church. 

Mr. Herring was united in marriage, Nov. 
27, 1817, to Ann D. Riker, of New York 
City, who was born Dec. 2.'^, 1706, and bore 
him eight children, — Henry; James; Jacob; 
Su.sau Ann, wife of John De Voe; Daniel C; 
John Riker; .Mary .lane, wile of John L. 
Turnnre ; and William C. Herring. 



LODI. 



219 



large mill property on the Hackensack River two 
miles east of Westwood, with his brother Claudius. 
They have built up a large and prosperous business, 
consisting of saw-mills, wheelwright material, and 




extensive chair-factories, and were the owners and 
inventors of several patents for folding-chairs. Mr. 
Collignon was beloved by all who knew him. He 
was a man of sterling integrity, kind and generous to 
all. He was during the war of the Rebellion an offi- 
cer of the Twenty-second Regiment New Jersey Vol- 
unteers, and served with credit during the period of 
nine months. He then returned home and continued 
the business with his brother. He was in politics a 
Republican, and on repeated occasions a member of 
the township committee of Harrington. In his re- 
ligious faith he was a Disciple of Christ, with a kindly 
feeling to all Christian denominations. During the 
last three years of his life he surtercd terribly with a 
cancer tumor in his windjiipe, and went through six 
painful operations. The death of Mr. Collignon oc- 
curred June 25, 1879, and caused profound sorrow in 
all circles, where his broad sympathies, his genial 
nature, and his noble traits of character have caused 
him to be ereatlv beloved. 



CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

LODI. 

Situation and General Description.— The town- 
ship of Lodi is located in the southwestern part of 
Bergen County, and is bounded as follows: North- 
easterly and northerly, New Barbadoes and Midland ; 
westerly, Saddle River and Passaic River; southerly 
and southwesterly, Union ; easterly and southeasterly, 
Hacken.sack River. 

The present township of Lodi comprises only a 
portion of the territory originally included within its 
boundaries in 1825, the date of its organization, the 
township of Union having been set otf from it since 
that date. As it may prove interesting to readers to 
have a description of the township as it appeared soon 
after its organization, the following is appended, taken 
from the " New Jersey Gazetteer," published in 1833: 

" Lodi, t-ship, Bergen Co., bounded N, by New Barbadoes t-sliip, E. and 
S.K. by Hackensack river, which separates it from Bergen t-ship, and 
W. and S. by the Passaic river, dividing it from Essex co. CentraHy dis- 
tant, S.W. from Hackensack-town, 6 miles. Greatest length 10, greatest 
breadth E. and \V. 5 miles; area 22,000 acres ; surface level. More than 
half the t-ship consists of salt marsh and cedar swamp. On the N.E. 
there are about 4000 acres of aralde huid, and on Ihe west a strip run- 
ning the whole length of the t-sbi|i, and varying from 1 to 2 miles in 
width. These are of red shale, with a margin of alluvial on the Passaic, 
well cultivated and productive. Along the latter river are strewed' 
many handsome country seats, and about a mile S.E. of Belleville lies 
the well known Schuyler copper mine. Population of t-ship in 1830, 
135C. In 1S32 it contained 527 taxables, 57 householders whose ratables 
did not e.\ceed $:iU; 21 single men, 1 store, 6 grist mills, 4 saw mills, 2 
toll bridges, and 291 horses and mules, and 931 neat cattle above the 
age of 3 years. And it paid state tax,S20S.87; county, S427.C9; poor, 
S400; road, 8500. There are several creeks through the marsh, such as 
Berry's, Kirkland'a, and Saw-mill creeks." 

The assessed valuation of the property in Lodi 
township for 1880 was i5i700,nOO. Of this $500,000 
represents real estate assessed at about one-third its 
actual value, and the rest personal property. The 
tax rates for 1880 were about two per cent, on the 
above valuation, apportioned as follows, viz. : Poor 
tax, 16 cents on $100; road tax, 24 cents on .§100; 
and special school tax, about one per cent. 

The total area of the township is 7771 acres in- 
cluding creeks, and the number of its inhabitant's for 
1881, 4371. The fact that the township has to support 
at public expense only four of its inhabitants during 
the present year is indicative of the tlirift and econ- 
omy of the people. 

Natural Features.— The townshij) of Lodi is di- 
vided into two regions, an eastern and a western, by 
an undulating plateau running north and south 
through the centre of the town. This is traversed 
through its whole length by an excellent thoroughfare 
known as the Pollifly road, the term Pollifly signifying 
bog meadow, having reference to its location. The 
eastern region of the township is mainly a track of 
swamp and marsh called the Reiser, of little use for 
agricultural purposes. A large part of this was for- 
merly covered with valuable cedar timber, but now its 



•zio 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



vegetation consists principally of tall weeds, wild 
morning-glories, roses, and coarse swale grass, the 
lattiT being cut and stacked on the ground during the 
suninuT, and carted ott' during tiie winter when the 
frozen ground will support horses and wagons. Be- 
neath the surface there is a stratum of muck in some 
places twelve feet in thickness, and underneath that 
red shale, a geological formation found in nearly all 
parts of Lodi. This muck, conij)osed as it is of vege- 
table matter, is combustible, and in very dry seasons 
catches fire and burns to a great depth. Over the 
e:isteru section of this region, bordering on tlie llaek- 
ensack River, there is a thick bed of clay, which fur- 
nishes the raw material for the well-known Hacken- 
sack brick. The Hackensack River is the natural 
highway for commcrec with tliis ])artof the township, 
while the Midhiiul Railroad, reached by a bridge across 
the river, transports piLssengers to and from the large 
cities of the seaboard. 

Between the western and eastern regions of the 
township there is a marked difference. West of the 
I'ollifly road we find nothing but upland. In the 
southwestern corner of tiiis section tlie soil is a light 
sandv loam, requiring constant fertilizing to make it 
productive; elsewhere the soil is thick and heavy. 
The leading productions of this part of the township 
are melons, cabbages, beets, wheat, rye, and corn. The 
best farms produce ])er acre lot) barrels of melons, 35 
bushels of wheat, 41) buslicls of corn. Two crops of 
hay are cut annually. The varieties of timber are 
chestnut, hickory, maple, gray oak, and white oak. 
Of the latter variety there are some of the finest trees 
in the State. 

Lodi's i)roximity to Saddle River make.s the western 
portion of it a manufacturing centre. The water 
privileges here are ex(ee<lingly valuable, and furnish 
power for two grist- and saw-mills, the bleaching and 
dyeing-factory, and the Lodi Chemical Works. The 
land in this part of the township, on account of its 
arableness, its healthy situation, and location on a 
railroad within convenient ilistance from New York, 
is held at a higli i>rice. Ten years ago |)ortions of it 
were sold for from one to two thousand dollars per 
acre, and even now it is valued at from one to four 
hundred dollars per acre. There are no lakes or ponds 
in this township, and but a few small streams, the 
most prominent lieing Berry's Creek, which rises at a 
point not far from Miilland township, (lows in a south- 
erly direction, anil finally empties into tlie llacken- 
gack in the township of I'nion. 

Early Settlements. — The pioneers in the settle- 
ment <il the township of Lodi were mainly of Dutch 
ileseent. Many of them came here directly from 
Holland, while others were descendant-s of families 
located in various part.s of New .Jersey and New York. 
Tlicy brought with them that spirit of integrity and 
hone«ty which has placed the credit of their native 
land high above that of all other nations. The early 
settlers were nearly all farmers, anil to this day their 



i descendants who live in Lodi are engaged generally 
in the same occupation. 

As is stated under another head, the first owner ot 
all the land in the townslii]) of Lodi was Capt. John 
Berry. He disposed of much of the land himsell', 
and transmitted the remnant of his grant to his only 
son, John W. Berry. The male branch of the Berry 
family in Lodi has been extinct for many years, and 
it has been found impossible to secure anything more 
than a mere statement of the names of the members 
of this family who have lived in Lodi during the 
I i)ast hundred years. They occupied the land in the 
region of the site of Carlstadt. The names of the 
Berrys who are known to have lived in Lodi since 
the death of John W. Berry are Philip Berry, who 
died in 1793; Catherine Berry, who died in 18ii3 ; 
I'hili]) Berry, whose death occurred in IS.'id; John 
A. Berry, Henry Berry, Hendrick Berry, Stephen 
Berry, John I. Berry, and William Berry. 

The first representative of the Brinkerhotf family 
in the township of Lodi was George Brinkerhoff, who 
emigrated from Holland with three brothers in the 
latter part of the seventeenth century. One of their 
number settled in New York, another in the We-st, 
and two in Now Jersey. George Brinkerhoff pur- 
cha.sed a farm of two hundred acres for twenty pounds 
in what is tlie present village of Wordridge. This 
farm has remained in the possession of his descend- 
ants ever since. George Brinkerhoff was the father 
of four sons, — Henry, Jacob, James, and Cornelius. 
Two of the sons only, Henry am! Jacob, settleil in 
Lodi. They divided their father's farm, each taking 
one hundred acres. Henry married Rachel Vreeland, 
and became the parent of two sons, (icorge and Enoch. 
Enoch was one of the leading men in the township 
at that time, and was its representative in the Legis- 
lature. He was united in marriage to Mary Berry. 
' His children were Henry E., who occupies the home- 
stead ; Mary E., deceased; and Sarah Catherine. 
Sarah Catherine married George C. Gale, and lives 
on the Pollifly road, ,iust across the way from the 
Brinkerholf farm. Henry E. was united in marriage 
to Sarah Terhune, and has three children, all of whom 
live at home, — Mary E., Ella W., and Harry. 

George Brinkerhoff, the brother of Enoch, nnirried 
Susan Froeghly. Their children were Rachel, Peter, 
Ditmus, Henry Matilda, Catherine, Enoch, Richard, 
John, anil .\nna, none of whom live in the town- 
ship. 

Jacob Brinkerholf, the other son of the i>ioncer, 
who settled in this township, was united in marriage 
to a Mis.s Van Bussani,and became the parent of four 
sons, — Henry, George, Philip, and .fames. James oc- 
cupies the homestead, and is the only one living, the 
others having emigrated to the West and since died. 
He hiis taken a prominent part in the politics of the 
county, and has held the offices of sheriff and senator. 

.Fames Brinkerhoff ha.s been twice married, his first 
wife being Maria Schoonnuiker, his second Sarah 



LODI. 



221 



Parsons. The names of his children who are living 
are Jacob, Henry, James, Abraham, Margaret, Delia, 
Catherine, Helena, Ida, and Emma. Margaret mar- 
ried Isaac Schoonmaker, Delia married Henry Ros- 
ter, and Helena married Charles Acker. Jacob was 
united in marriage to Levina Alyea, and after her 
decease to Harriet Kipp. His children are George, 
Levina, Walter, and Harriet, all of whom are living 
at their home across the way from the Brinkerhoff 
homestead. Abraham married Mary Darling and 
lives at Rutherford. 

One of the most prominent families in the town- 
ship of Lodi is that of the Terhunes. The first one 
who settled in the township was Nicholas Terhune. 
He purchased and lived on the farm at present occu- 
jiied by John Van Bussam. The date of his settle- 
ment here is not known. He was the parent of two 
daughters, the names of whom are also unknown. 
Their children, or the children of one of them, it is 
uncertain which, were Peter, Paul, and Richard. 
Peter occupied the old homestead, Paul lived at the 
corner of Pollifly road and the road leading to 
Knowles' Mills. He had three children, — Paul, 
Nicholas, and Nellie. Paul is no longer living. Nich- 
olas occupies a farm on the road leading from Saddle 
Eiver to Pollifly, not far from Knowles' Mills, and 
Nellie Terhune lives in Hackensack. 

Peter Terhune was married and became the parent 
of a son, Nicholas, who died some years ago, leaving 
four daughters. None of these are at present living 
in the township. 

Richard Terhune had five sons, — Nicholas, Albert, 
Paul, Garret, and Peter, — of whom the only one living 
is Garret, who is married and has three sons residing 
in Passaic. Albert left no children. Nicholas has 
one son, Albert, living in Passaic. 

Paul was the father of the |)resent Richard Ter- 
hune. Paul Terhune died when his son was an in- 
fant, and the latter was adopted by his uncle Peter, 
who lived on a farm on Saddle River road, not far 
from the present village of Lodi. Peter Terhune had 
also three other children, one of whom lives in Pas- 
saic, and the other two in California. Richard Ter- 
hune purchased a farm of about one hundred acres 
just south of his uncle's, and about twelve years ago 
erected a costly house upon it, the finest in the neigh- 
borhood. He was married and has four children liv- 
ing, — Paul, Herman V. D., Alice, and Sarah. Sarah 
is the wife of William S. Anderson, the lumber mer- 
chant of Passaic. The other children occupy the 
homestead with their father. Mr. Richard Terhune 
owns a tract of about eighty acres of land at Corona 
which is very valuable. Mr. Terhune has in his pos- 
session a Dutch Bible, published in 1734, which it is 
probable was brought from Holland by the ancestor 
of the Terhunes in this country. It contains the 
dates of deaths occurring in the family since 1754. 
Its covers are oaken boards covered with leather and 
fastened together with brazen clasps. It is a very 
15 



antique affair and much prized by members of the 
family. 

Jacob Hopper was the first ancestor of the Hopper 
family who lived in the township of Lodi. He pur- 
chased a farm of four hundred acres for two hundred 
pounds, extending from the Pollifly road back to the 
Saddle River, and including the farm of Jacob I. 
Hopper. His children were Garret, Cornelius, Henry 
J., and Jennie. Garret was married and had four 
children, — Jemima, Catherine, Jacob, and David. 
Jemima married Dr. Garrison, of Dundee Lake ; 
Catherine married James Demarest; Jacob was 
united in nuirriage to Gertrude Vreeland. They have 
two children, unmarried and living at home. Jacob 
received his grandfather's homestead on Pollifly road, 
and this he still occupies. David Hopper married 
Charity Blauvelt, and lived near Godwinville. 

Henry J. Hopper, the brother of Garret Hopper, 
married and had six children, — Cornelia, Cornelius, 
Catherine, Sarah, Enoch, and Jacob. These are all 
dead except Jacob, whose home is on his father's es- 
tate in the village of Lodi. 

Walling Van Winkle, the progenitor of the numer- 
ous families of this name who have lived in the town- 
ship, was of Dutch extraction, and owned a farm of 
five hundred acres in the southwestern part of the 
township, near the city of Passaic. The deed grant- 
ing him his land bears date 1734, and is signed in 
Holland script. The deed begins with these words : 
"To all Christian people to whom these presents 
shall come, Greeting," etc. The sons of Walling 
Van Winkle were John, Cornelius, Walling, and 
Halmagh. John was married and had one child, 
who lived in Passaic, and who became the parent of 
three children, none of whom are living. Cornelius 
lived in Paterson, and had two daughters, both of 
whom are dead. Walling and Halmagh inherited 
their father's farm, and in 1785 divided it, each 
taking two hundred and fifty acres. Walling was 
united in marriage to Petrina Van Riper. Their 
children were Walling, Clarissa, and Jane. The 
latter became the wife of John Kipp, of Passaic. 
Walling left two sons and five daughters, — Nicholas, 
Richard, Sophia, Rachel Ann, Petrina, Clarissa, Cath- 
erine Jane, of whom only three survive. Rachel Ann 
became the wife of Philip A. Van Riper, of Passaic ; 
Catherine lives in Jersey City, and is the wife of 
Jacob Wirth. 

Halmagh Van Winkle had seven children, — Wall- 
ing, Adrian, John, Michael, Jane, Gertrude, and 
Elizabeth. Of these Michael is the only one left. 
When his father died the homestead was willed to 
him, and this he now occupies, at the advanced age 
of eighty years. Walling lived at Clifton, and died 
before the decease of his father, leaving three children. 
The Van Winkle homestead is just across the river 
from Passaic, and much of it has been sold for build- 
ing lots, so that Michael Van Winkle at present has 
less than a hundred of the original five hundred acres 



222 



HISTORY OF BKRGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



contained in the farm. Michael Van Winkle had 

three children, — ^larisi, Clarissa, and Wilhelniiis. 
Maria became the wile of Henry Outwater ; Clarissa 
married Henry H. Yearance and became the parent 
of six children ; Wilhelmus lives at home and is 
unmarried. 

In the year Ui'i'i, Ilendriek Kipp came to this 
country from Holland, Tiic Kipps, or De Kypes, as 
they were formerly called, are said to have originated 
in France, whence they were driven by religious per- 
secution to Holland. On Feb. 19, 1660, Hendrick 
Kipp was united in marriage to Anna Desilis, and 
soon after moved to the prej^ent township of Ijodi, and 
purchased two luuulrcd acres of land on PoUifly 
road. This farm extended back to tlie Saddle River, 
and included the site of the village of Lodi. As to 
the immediate offspring of Hendrick Kipp, it is only 
known that he had a son, Nieasias. The latter pur- 
chased an adjoining farm of two liiiiidrcd and twenty 
acres from Garret Lydecker, and bouglit a large tract 
of Reise land for a fatted calf It is probable that 
Nieasias Kipp was an only child, and on his father's 
death inherited all his property. Nieasias was mar- 
ried, and had five sons, — Hendrick, Cornelius, Isaac, 
Jacob, and Peter. Cornelius located not far from 
Paterson, and Isaac bought a farm on tlie west side 
of the Saddle Kiver, just below Robert Rennie's farm. 
Hendrick and Peter remained on the homestead, 
Hendrick taking the south part, and Peter the north. 
Peter Kipp was married, and had two sons, Abraham 
and Henry. The latter located at Rutherford, and 
owned nearly all the land embraced in the site of 
Rutliirford. .\braham received the homestead, and 
wa» the parent of two children, a son and a daughter. 
The son Peter inherited the farm. His children were 
Abram, Peter, Henry, John, and Mary. Henry is at 
present the only Kipp living on the old homestead. 

During the voyage of a family by the name of Van 
Schank from Holland to this country a child was 
born. The officers being French christened it " Ro- 
maine," after the name of a distinguished French- 
man. Thus was named the progenitor of the many 
Romaine families in Bergen County. The first repre- 
sentative of this family in Lodi township was Daniel 
Romaine, who came here from New Harbailoes about 
one hundred years ago. lie purchased the mill-site, 
water privileges, and nearly one liundred acres of 
land on the Saddle River, not far from the Paterson 
and Hackensack road, for five thoiisaml dollars. His 
two sons were .lobn anil Martin, .loliii married 
Barali Van (liesen. anfl had two ilanghtcrs, neither of 
whom arc living. Martin settled on his father's 
homestead, and was united in marriage to Maria 
Van 8aun, and afler her decease to Aletta Acker- 
man. His throe children were Daniel, Richard, and 
Maria. Kii-hard built a house just across the Saddle 
River, and married ('harity Sip. They have one 
child, Ilelma-ss, who married Eve Van Winkle and 
lives in Paterson. 



Maria married Garret Van Riper, of Dundee Lake, 

and became the parent of two children, Daniel and 
Richard, of whom the latter lives at Dundee Lake 
and the former at Paterson. Daniel Romaine, the 
second son of Martin Romaine, was united in mar- 
riage to Ann Berdan. Their children are Martin, 
who lives at Passaic Valley, Henry, who lives in Col- 
orado, and John, who is at home in business with his 
father. John married Margaret Oldis, and has two 
daughters, Annie and May. He was educated at the 
commercial school in Osnabruck, Germany, and is a 
fluent German scholar, Henry Romaine was in the 
navy three years during the civil war, and was one of 
the sullerers at Fort Fisher. During 1873-78, Mr. 
Daniel Romaine was in the lumber and coal business 
near Bennington, Vt., and during that time became 
a member of the Vermont Legislature. In 1852-55 
he was engaged in the grain business in New Y'ork, 
on the corner of Murray and Washington Streets, in 
the firm of Esty A: Romaine. In the early part of 
his life Mr. Romaine was the leading director in the 
Paterson Plank-Road Corporation, paying out during 
his connection with it over ninety thousand dollars. 

The ancestor of all the Cutwaters in this country 
immigrated from Holland during the latter jiart of 
the seventeenth century, and located at Saugerties, 
N. Y. He died when his two sons were (piite young, 
and his wife was remarried. The cruelty of their 
stepfather is said to have compelled the two boys to 
flee from home. One, Thoniiis Francis Outwaler, 
came t+) the present township of Lodi, and in time, 
together with Messrs. Hrinkcrhotf and Ki[ip, pnr- 
cha-sed the island of Moiiachie. His father's death 
having occurred .so early in his youth that he had 
forgotten his name, he assumed the name "Out- 
water," having heard his father say he had come 
from Outwater, in Holland. Mr. t)utwater received 
the upland of this region as his portion of the pur- 
' chase, and the other buyers the lowland. In the 
I corner-stone of a house occupied till recently by his 
j descendants is the following inscription : " A. D. 1718. 
[ F. OW. M. R.B. 1816," which appears to mean that 
I Francis Cutwater erected a house on his land in 171S. 
and that this wa.s rebuilt in ISIO. Thomas Krain i- 
Outwater married and bad four sons, — John, Peter, 
Daniel, and Jacob, — of whom only one, .lacob, re- 
I mained in Monachia. His children were John, Gil- 
ham, Matilda, and Elizabeth. Gilliam moved t" 
Bergen Point, and .John inlieriled the farm. He \v:i^ 
married, and became the parent of six sons and one 
daughter, — Jacob, Nicholas, Peter, Richard, John, 
Abraham, and Elizabeth. Johti, Jacob, and Peter 
received the land lus their portion, and the others per- 
I sonal property. Peter Outwater was the father of the 
present John P. Outwater. lie had also two daugh- 
ters, — Sarah and Maria. 

The progenitors of the Schoonnuikers in this coun- 
try were four brothers, who emigrated from Holland. 
Three settled in New York State, and the other in 



LODI. 



223 



New Jersey. The first member of this family who 
located in Lodi townsliip was Isaac Schoonmaker, the 
son of a Passaic minister, who married Eva Vreeland, 
a descendant of Peter Vreeland, one of the earliest 
settlers in the township. Tlieir children were Henry, 
John, Peter, Sydney, and Maria. John married 
Helen Paulison, and occupied an estate adjoining 
that of the Brinlierhoff family. They had three cliil- 
dren, of whom one only, Isaac, is living. Mr. Isaac 
Schoonmaker occupies the old Vreeland homestead, 
and has in his possession the deed granting it to 
Peter Vreeland, written on parchment, and dated 
1698. Mr. Sclioonmaker has taken an active interest 
in tlie public aftairs of the township, and has held 
the office of town clerk for many years. He was 
united in marriage to Margaret Brinkerhoff, and has 
six children, — Gertrude, Henry, May, James, Frank, 
and John, — all of whom live at home. John Schoon- 
maker, another son of the pioneer, married Aletta 
Van Riper, and located at Paterson. Peter, his 
brotlier, married Eliza Terhune. They live at Pater- 
son, and have four children. Lydia Schoonmaker, 
one of the daughters of the pioneer, was united in 
marriage to Henry L. Ackerman, of Hackensack. 
They have one child, Sophia. Maria, the other 
daughter, married Andrew Voorhis, of Maywood, and 
has two children. 

Theodore Van Idestine, who came from Holland 
about 1700, appears to have been the first of the Van 
Idestines in this country. He had a son, Peter, who 
came to the township of Lodi, and purchased a farm 
of one hundred acres on the Pa.ssaic River. Here his 
descendants have lived until quite recently, when the 
estate was sold to Capt. Rynders. Peter Van Idestine 
was married to Mary Tyce, and became the parent of 
four children, — Peter, John, Henry, and Catherine. 
Peter settled in the neighborliood, and was never 
married. John was married, and had five children, — 
Peter, John, Michael, and two daughters. Catherine 
married Clhristoi>her Jerrolman, and located at North 
Belleville. Their chiklren were Peter, John, Corne- 
lius, Ellen, and Mary Ann. Henry Van Idestine, 
who is still living at the advanced age of seventy-nine 
years, was united in marriage to Gertrude Vreeland, 
of Bloomflcld. Their chiklren are Peter, John, 
Henry, Garret, Eliza, Margaret Ann, Jane, Ellen, 
Gertrude, and Matilda. Ellen married, and lives in 
Jersey City. Jane and Gertrude live at Peru. Eliza 
married ex-Sheriif Henry Hopper. Their home is at 
Small Lots. 

The ancestor of the Demarest family in Lodi town- 
ship made his advent here a short time before the be- 
ginning of the present century, and located on the 
present homestead of the family, at the junction of 
the Pollifly road with the Hackensack and Paterson 
road. The farm originally comprised about two hun- 
dred acres, for which Mr. Stephen Demarest paid 
$.3000. Stephen Demarest was twice married, one of 
his wives being Margaret Ackerman. The names of 



his children were Peter, Helmagh, Martha, and Rich- 
ard. Peter iniierited the homestead, and was united 
in marriage to Jane Bartholf Their children were 
Margarette, Stephen, Garret, Richard, Cornelius, and 
Jennie. Stephen was united in marriage to Libbie 
Vreeland. Margarette married Walter H. Dodd, of 
Bloomfield. They have one child, Edith Dodd. The 
other children reside at home. Mr. Garret Demarest 
is engaged in tlie grocery business with Ids brother 
in Hackensack. 

Lawrence Ackerman, the ancestor of the many 
families of that name in New Jersey, is said to have 
come from Holland about the middle of the last cen- 
tury. He had a son, Abraham Ackerman, who pur- 
chased a farm in Lodi township, on the Polliily road. 
He was married, and had four children, — Abraham 
K., Lawrence, Sophia, and Hester. Lawrence mar- 
ried Cecilia Van Bussam. Sophia was united in mar- 
riage to Edo Vreeland. Hester was married to Peter 
Garrabrant, of Peru, and became the parent of four 
children, — Sophia, Abraham, Sarah Jane, and Emma. 
Abraham K. Ackerman married, and had one child, 
Abraham, who married Sarah Van Riper, of Passaic. 
They live on the Ackerman homestead, and have two 
children, — Abraham K. and Ella. 

The first of tlie Van Bussam family of whom there 
is any authentic account was David. He lived on 
the Van Bussam homestead, in the township of Lodi, 
during the Revolution, and is said to have taken an 
active part in that struggle. He had three sons and 
one daughter. Two of the sons died young without 
issue. David Van Bussam inherited tlie homestead, 
and lived to a great age. He left three sons, — Garret, 
James, and John. The two last are now living in 
the township. Mr. John Van Bussam is at present 
the representative of his district in the Legislature. 
During his short experience he has shown himself 
capable and efficient, and is quite ])opular with his 
constituents. 

Schools. — In the year 1840 this township contained 
but two schools and fifty-two scholars, and to-day it 
has five well-constructed public schools and a seating 
capacity of twelve hundred children, with property 
estimated to be worth thirty-six thousand five hun- 
dred dolhus. District No. 32.1 is of recent formation, 
and but little can be said of it. The first meeting for 
educational purposes was held in 1875, and a new dis- 
trict was formed from District No. 33, to be called 
Little Ferry District, No. 32.]. A board of trustees 
were appointed, who were authorized to raise the sum 
of two thousand dollars, and later an additional five 
hundred dollars, and secure an eligible plot of ground 
upon which to erect a substantial brick building. 
This they did, and the building having been com- 
pleted the services of Miss Brinkerhoff', of Hacken- 
sack, were secured, who opened the school Nov. 29, 
1875, with thirty-two scholars. This numbei has 
since doubled, and the school is very prosperous. 

District No. 34 is known as the Moonachie District, 



224 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



the first school having been opened in the kitchen of i 
Peter Allen by one Thomas Stephenson, who taught 
the ordinary branches for the usual compensation of 
those days. This school was conducted during the 
winter montlis only, and in summer the children were 
compelled to travel a long distance through an almost 
impassable swamp known as the " Risus" to PoUifly. 
It is related that they were often lost in this marsh, 
and were compelled to climb trees in order to ascer- 
tain tlicir location with reference to the school or 
their own homes. In the year 1832 a building was 
erected by subscription and donation in the district. 
It was furnished in a primitive manner with old- 
fashioned long desks and slab seats. This structure i 
did service until 1872, when another of modern archi- 
tecture was reared in its stead which reflects much 
credit upon the district. The school was for years 
maintained by tuition fees, but is now entirely free. 

District No. 35, known as the Lodi District, is lo- 
cated at Lodi. The inhabitants of what was then a 
neighborhood, and is now a village, feeling the need of 
a school, called a meeting for the ])urpose of maturing 
a place to meet this general want. A donation of 
land, lumber, and stone was made, and soon a build- 
ing was reared on land of Mr. Jacob H. Hopper. It [ 
was a primitive structure, seventeen by twenty feet 
in dimensions, furnished with long desks on three 
sides of the room, and with slab benches for seats. 
Mr. Nicholas Terhune was employed to teach reading, 
writing, grammar, and arithmetic at one dollar and 
fifty cents per scholar. The school opened with 
twelve scholars, and soon doubled its number. 

More extensive (juarters soon became a necessity, ! 
and in 18.">H, at a meeting of this distri<-t, one thtmsand 
dollars was voted to be raised by ta.x for the erection 
of a new structure, Robert Rennie, Esq., having 
donated ground for the purpose. 1 

The school was opened by a Mr. Merritt as teacher, ' 
with a salary of five hundred dollars jier annum. 
This sum was raised partly by tax and partly l>y 
tuition tee, but at a later date became entirely free. 
It is now one of the most flourishing schools of the 
township. I 

District No. 3(5 is located in the .southwestern por- 
tion of the township, and known a-s the Woodridge 
District. It embraces the village of Woodridge and 
a portion of Carlstadt. i 

The earliest school building was erected in the year 
1801, on lands of John W. Berry, and known as the 
Mount Plea-sant School. The structure was of stone, 
twcnty-tive feet front by twenty deep, one story high, 
and built by subscription in shares of eight dollars 
each. 

Patrick Dillon, the first teacher, was employed at 
a salary of seventy-two pounds a year, to be paid ' 
quarterly. A resolution wsus passed by the trustees 
that all pu[>ils entering the school, either for a quar- 
ter or a year, shall pay the sum of one dollar and . 
seventy-five cents and their priq>ortion of firewood. 



The district then embraced what is now known as 
Rutherford Park, Carlstadt, Woodridge, Corona, Moo- 
nachie, and East PiLssaic. and was nearly four and a 
half miles in length and three in breadth. In 1845 
a new building was erected under the auspices of the 
" Mount Pleasant New School Association," upon 
land purchased of Philip Berry, Jr., which was used 
until 1873, when more commodious quarters were 
needed, and a larger edifice responded to the want. 
One of the earlier teachers in the old stone building 
was Charles Finney, the founder of Oberlin College, 
Ohio, its popular president, and an eminent divine. 
Through the eflbrts of one of the teachers a library 
of one hundred and eighty volumes has been secured. 

The present school building is of brick, two stories 
high, and contains (bur chiss-rooms. It wius erected 
at a cost of ten thousand six hundred dollars. 

District No. 37 is the most southerly district in the 
township, and embraces a portion of the village of Carl- 
stadt. It may here be proper to revert to the period, 
nearly thirty years since, when a number of Oerman 
settlers bought the tract on which Carlstadt is now 
situated. The only school then existing in the dis- 
trict was half a mile above the present village, on the 
Pollifly road. This w:is frequented by all the chil- 
dren of the neighborhood, some of whom walked a 
distance of two miles. The new settlement gradually 
increased in dimensions, and in 18(j."> the old building 
became too limited in its dimensions. The villagers 
then made an efl'ort to have an etiifice erected sufli- 
ciently large to supply the demand for comfortable 
space, but diflerences arose in selecting the ground, 
and as a consequence the then existing district was 
divided, leaving Carlstadt a district by itself, to build 
as it desired. To accomjilish this the trustees in 
1865 purcha.sed four lots in the village, and received 
authority to erect a two-story brick building, thirty- 
five feet front and thirty-two feet deep, with an addi- 
tion of ten by sixteen feet to be used as a hall. The 
corner-stone wivs laid Oct. 4, 1805, and the building 
was completed in the summer of 18()ti, at a cost of 
four thousand three hundred and five dollars. 

Both the English and German languages were 
taught. The school increaseii so steadily in numbers 
that more space was required, and the trustees wiie 
forced to the conclusion that to enlarge or build again 
was a necessity. They accordingly built an addition 
sixty- two by thirty-two feet, which was ready for ii-c 
in February, 1874, and cost eight thousand two hun- 
dred and forty-three dollars. They have now mv 
rooms furnished with modern improvements and 
heated by steam. 

The biL-iemeiit in 1875 was devoted to the uses of 
a " Kindergarten,'" which has become very p<qmlar. 
Several years ago a school of industry for young girls 
was inaugurated in the building by the ladles of the 
district, the expenses being paid by private subscrii'- 
tion. The pupils of the Carlstadt school have in 
many Instances attained a high degree of scholarship. 



I 



LODl. 



226 



The total number of children now in the various 
8chool districts of Lodi is 1158, and the amount re- 
ceived from all sources for educational purposes 
four thousand eight hundred and thirty-five dollars 
and eighty-five cents. 

Early Hig'hways. — All parts of the township have 
been supplied with good roads for nearly a hundred 
years. As has been stated in another place, the first 
road built within the limits of the present township 
of Lodi was the PoUifly road. This must have been 
opened nearly two hundred years ago. Many of the 
other roads in the township are tributary to this. The 
Saddle River road, affording communication with 
Passaic, was in existence before the beginning of the 
present century. The Paterson and Jersey Citj- plank- 
road was completed about 1820, the Hackensack and 
Paterson road in 1826, and the road leading from 
Hackensack to Little Ferry not many years later. 
The road from Passaic to Carlstadt was finished about 
1816, and its continuation to Monachie during the 
same year. It was not till 1850, however, that the 
road leading from Lodi Village to the Pollifly road 
was opened. Before that people coming to Hacken- 
sack followed a zigzag cross-lot path opening upon 
the Pollifly road not far from the Demarest home- 
stead. 

The first inhabitants of Lodi thus manifested their 
eagerness to engage in commerce with the rest of the 
world by building good roads, and it is needless to 
state that their representatives of to-day are not lack- 
ing in the spirit of their ancestors. 

The surveyors of highways for the township of Lodi 
for 1881 are Martin Klein, John N. Rasmus, Joseph 
Hermann. 

Organization. — The township of Lodi was set off 
from that of New Barbadoes in the year 1825. The 
session laws for that year are not extant, and hence it 
has been found impossible to give the act of organiza- 
tion. A description of the natural features, bounda- 
ries, etc., is given under another head. 

Civil List. — There are no records of elections pre- 
vious to 1862, with the exception of freeholders, which 
are given since the organization of the township. 

1827, Henry W. Kingsland, Joseph Budd; 1828, Wm. C. Kingsland ; 
1828-29, Samuel H. Berry; 1829-:i0, Henry P. Kipp; 1830, Abraham 
I. Berry ; 1831-32, Cornelius G. Brinkerhoff; 1831-32, 1837, Michael 
Van Winkle; 1833-34, 18;)8-39, George Kingsland, Peter H. Kipp ; 
1835, John A. Berry; 183o-:)6, Richard Cutwater; ]83n, Martin Ro- 
meyn ; 1837. Peter A. Kipp; 1840-43, David D. Van Bussum ; 1840-42, 
Jacob J. Brinkerhoff; 1843-45, 1854-56, Richard Berdan; 1844-46, 
Jacob H. Hopper; 1846^8, Enoch I. Vreeland; 1847^0,1852-53, 
John Huyler; 1849-51, 1856-58, David .^ckerman; 1850-51, James 
L. Van Winkle; 1852-54, Enoch Hopper; 1857-59, James J. Brink- 
erhoff; 1859-61, 1864, Daniel Eomaine; 1860-62, Abraham K. Acker- 
man; 1862-6,3, Abraham Kipp; 1863, John P. Outwater; 1864-66, 
Geo. W. Conklin ; 1866. Richard Terhune ; 1867, Walling Kipp ; 1868, 
Richard Vreeland; 1868-69, Isaac H. Schoonmaker; 1869-74, Johu 
Van Bussum; 1870, Henry Kipp; 1875-77, Theo. F. Muehliug; 1878 
-81, John F. Fectner. 

Judges of Elections, 1862-63, David D. Van Bussum; 1864, Wm. Chif- 
fendale; 1865-«7, Wm. Dieu ; 1867, Richard Vau Winkle, Halmagh 
G. Howard; 1868-81, John Hagerty. 

Town Clerks, 1862, David Knowles ; 1863, 1872-76, Isaac H. Schoonimiker ; 



1864, Abraham Ackerman ; 1865, John Van Saun; 1866, Albert 
Concklin ; 18fi7, Albert B. C.mcklin ; 1808-71, John H. Berdan ; 1877 
-78, Patrick M. Gram; 1879-81, Geo. Zimmerman. 

Assessors, 1862-64, Lawrence Ackerman; 1865-67, 1871-72, Richard Ter- 
hune; 1868, Reuben Rynders; 1809, 1873-75, Peter D. Brinkerhoff; 
1870, Garret Van Ck-eve ; 1876-81, John Van Bussum. 

Collectors, 1862, Garret R. Brinkerhoff; 1863, Henry E. Brinkerhoff; 
1864-68, Richard Outwater; 1869-71, David Knowles; 1872, John P. 
Slater; 1873. John H. Brokius; 1874-81, Charles Mathe. 

Commissioners of Appeal for 1881, John Cook, Frank Ummenmaclier. 

Constables for 18S1, Joseph Hermann, Adam Smith, Charles Wedell. 

Surveyors of Highways for 1881, Martin Klein, John N. Rasmus, Joseph 
Hermann. 

Township Committee. 1862, David I. .Vckerman; 1863, 1876-77, 1879-80, 
James Vau Bussum ; 1864-66, F. W. Mess ; 1804-65, John 11. Van Ider- 
stine ; 1864, Benjamin B. Goffer; 1864, 1875-76, John Henry Outwater; 
1864, John H. Ackerman ; 1.865-66, Charles Concklin ; 1865, 1870, Wm. 
Drew; 1865-66, Henry Kipp; 1866-67, Johu W. Berry; 1867, Hal- 
magh Howard, James I. Brinkerhoff; 1868-70, Peter Zimmerman ; 
1868, Abraham Kipp, Peter D. Brinkerhoff, George H. Brinkerhoff; 
1869-70, Garret Van Cleeve ; 1869-70, 1874, 1878-81, John B. Snidle ; 
1869-71, 1873, Francis A. Gunz; 1862-63, Isaac I. Brinkerhoff, John 
P. Van Iderstine, Johu D. Anderson ; 1862-63, 1867-69, Ferdinand 
Meyer; 1871, Richard Van Winkle; 1871, 1876, John B. Romaine; 
1871-73, Theodore Muehling; 1872, .\dam Ruetlinger, Patrick 
McMahon, Ferdinand Brunner; 1872-73, Richard Vreeland; 1873- 
75, E. Chas. Gaus ; 1874, 1877-81, Peter Mehrohf ; 1874, George Kiel ; 
1874-75, 1877, John F. Feitner; 1875, 1878, Joseph Fortenbach ; 
1875, Herman Foth ; 1876, 1881, Andrew Egert; 1876, Adam Tink; 
1877-78, David Knowles; 1877-78, James Young. 

Villages and Hamlets. — The village of Lodi is 
located in the northwestern part of the township, on 
Saddle River. Its history begins with the date of the 
organization of the township. In 1828 only three 
families occupied the site of this village, whose popu- 
lation for 1881 is 1000. To the Messrs. Rennie be- 
longs the credit of establishing and maintaining a 
business which has given employment to the inhabit- 
ants of Lodi for fifty years. Preceding their advent 
here the only use made of the enormous water-power 
was in running a small grist-mill owned by Messrs. 
Hopper and Zabriskie. To-day the mills and store- 
houses cover several acres. The village is by no 
means compact, the houses being scattered for half 
a mile or so back from the river towards the Pollifly 
road. The Saddle River road is lined with thrifty 
trees, which give this street an attractive appearance 
during the spring and summer months. There are 
five church edifices in the town, and as several of 
these have been built quite recently, they are sugges- 
tive of vigor and prosperity on the part of the people. 
One of the most conspicuous buildings is the depot 
of the Lodi Railroad. Many of the private residences 
are fine, those of Mr. Robert Rennie and Mr. Richard 
Terhune particularly. That of the latter was erected 
at a cost of twenty-five thousand dollars. It is a 
three-story wooden .structure of an imposing appear- 
ance. From its tower a full view of Passaic, Pater- 
son, and other points of interest can be had. Mr. 
Robert Rennie's home is just across Saddle River. 
His house stands on one side of a park embellished 
with statues, fountains, flowers, and shrubbery. Large 
elms planted by Mr. Rennie many years ago shade 
the approaches to his residence. 

A library of four thousand volumes was purchased 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



and opened to the public in Lodi some years ago, also a 

read in<r- room, in which the leiulinf; papers and ])eri- 
odii-als were kept on tile. A billiard parlor and room 
for games were connected witli this. Though the fees 
for the use of all were small, little interest was mani- 
fested, and they were consequently closed not long 
since. Lodi is connected with the Now York and 
New Jersey Railroad by a branch railroad built by 
Mr. Robert Reniiie. This serves to place the inhabit- 
ants of this section within ea-sy reach of New York 
City, and thus vastly increases the value of property 
hereabouts. George Mercer is the postmaster. 

In the southern part of the townshij) of Lodi, ex- 
tending across the line into the township of Union, is 
the village of Carlstadt. It is one of the largest in 
the county, having a i)<)pulation of IGOO. The land 
on which it stands is laid out in rectangles bounded 
by streets. The village is built quite compactly, all 
parts of it being within ten minutes' walk of the 
depot of the New York and New Jersey Railroad. 
It-i site was purchttsed in 1851 of .John Earl by a 
society of two hundred and forty German workmen, 
mainly mechanics, known as the " German Democratic 
Land Association." They paid for the land (one hun- 
dred and forty acres in all) sixteen thousand dollars. 
The purpose was to procure comfortable, healthy 
homes for themselves and others of moderate moans 
at the least expense. The organizer of the society 
and projector of the village was Charles Klein, and 
in honor of him it was named Carlstadt. Other 
prominent founders were Lewis Foht, John Ruet- 
lingcr, and Daniel Mickol. The first president of the 
society was Charles Klein ; the first vice-president, 
Alexander Lang; and the first cashier a Mr. Kapi)ner. 
The latter was a Polish refugee, and accompanied Kos- 
suth from his home to Constantinople, and thence to 
this country. The land wasdivided into three sections, 
and each section siibilivided into lots. Each member 
received seven lots, two in the first section, two in the 
second, and three in the third, and paid for his share 
seventy dollars. Carlstadt is an incorporated village, 
governed by a board of trustees elected annually by 
the resident real estate owners who are legal voters. 
Their duties are to lay out streets, keep them and 
HJdewalks in repair, etc. The board of trustees for 
1881 are Henry Furrer, president ; Hermann Gieb- 
ner, secretary ; John Steinbruuner, collector ; >Simon 
Wink, superintendent of streets; John Engel, Peter 
Zimmerman, Andrew Eckert, Emmanuel Haug, and 
C'laus Dooscher. Formerly the village was called 
Tailor Town, from the circumstance that many of 
the iidiabitant.s, both men and women, were engaged 
in sewing for New York tailors. In 1853 there were 
only two stores, there are now over twenty-five. 
Since the organization of Carlstadt other a.ssocia- 
tions have |)urcha.sed adjoining tracts of land and 
laid them out in building lots with a view of specula- 
tion. They have generally failed in their object, and 
the laiiil has in most case-s reverted to its original 



owners. The village of Carlstadt is largely engaged 

in manufacturing, nearly half its population being 
emjiloyeil in its various factories, and the town pre- 
sents a thriving New England-like appearance. The 
names on the buildings, the hotel signs, and the ad- 
vertisements, however, are all in the German lan- 
guajre, and contrast strangely with the many pecu- 
liarly .\merican features of the town. The German 
language is used almost exclusively in the pulpit, the 
school, and the family, and this circumstance, in con- 
nection with the e.xternal characteristics mentioned 
above, has suggested the name " Germantown," now- 
used by many in designating it. The postmaster lor 
Carlstadt is Albert Hort'man. 

To the north of Carlstadt, about half a mile, is the 
hamlet of Woodridge, a name given to the place from 
the grove of trees on the crest of the ridge in its rear. 
A large farm was purchased here some fifteen years 
ago by Henry Gerecke, with a view of selling it out 
for building lots. The price agreed upon was five 
thousand dollars. The expectations of Mr. (ierecke 
were not realized; he failed, and the land reverted to 
its former owners. Woodridge is inhabited by a quiet, 
well-to-do farming community,' many of them de- 
scendants of Dutch families who settled here in the 
seventeenth century. Most of the houses here are 
located on the Pollifly road. They are the typical 
Dutch houses of New Jersey, of one story, and hav- 
ing walls of brownstone with a widely-projecting 
roof shading a porch extending around on three sides 
of the building. The )iopulation of the portion of 
the township comjirised in Woodridge is nearly 40(1. 
Jose|)h Hermann is the postmaster. 

Nearly a mile north of Woodridge, on the Pollifly 
road, is the village of Corona. Most of the houses 
here have been built quite recently, and contrast 
markedly with others located along this road. The 
land here was bought up about ten years ago by 
Messrs. Lord and Yan Cleeve, land speculators. 
Building lots in northern New •lei'sey were then in 
great demand, and as this locality was .situated on a 
railroad within ten miles of Jersey City, they ex- 
pected to realize large profits. The name Coroiuj was 
given to the place from its fanciful a.ssociation. .V 
costly ile|)ot was built, an avenue laid out to it fro?n 
the I'ollitly road, streets made, and trees ]danted along 
them, and the land divided into building lots. A land- 
olfice was opened, and New York auctioneers em- 
ployed to sell the lots. The panic of 187.S came, anil 
Messrs. l>ord .t Yan Cleeve having disposed of a few 
lots, abandoned the property to its original owners. 
Since that date things have remalnecl uficharified in 
Corona. The population is about the same as that of 
Woodridge. Christopher Tcrhune is the postmaster. 

The village of Little Ferry, like Corona, may be 
said to have sprung into existence and grown up 
during the last decade. It is the product of the 
brick-making industry of that section of the town- 
ship. The land here is valued at about thirty dollars 



LODI. 



227 



per acre. The present population is 300. The Hack- 
ensack River is broader here than above or below, and 
furnishes excellent opportunities for yachting in the 
summer, and ice-boating in the winter. The leading 
men here own some of the finest yachts and ice-boats 
to be seen anywhere. A detailed description of the 
brick-making industry is given under another head. 
The village has one store and a post-office. The 
present postmaster is James Pickens. 

To a district of excellent farming land, about one 
mile southeast of Little Ferry, and two miles to the 
west of Carlstadt, is given the name of Monachie. It 
was so named in memory of Monachie, the chief of a 
tribe of Indians, a branch of the Six Nations, who oc- 
cupied this region. Over two hundred years ago 
Thomas Francis Outwater, a Mr. Rrinkerhoft', and a 
Mr. Kipp bought the so-called island of Monachie of 
Capt. John Berry, paying seven hundred pounds for 
it. This " island" was comprised between Berry's 
Creek, Indian Path, Losing Creek, and the Hacken- 
sack River. The Indians who peopled it at that time 
weri' said to be very friendly to the whites. Tlie land 
here was covered with valuable cedar timber till 
within a few years. Monachie was for a time known 
as Peach Island, on account of the large quantities of 
peaches produced here. This name is no longer 
applicable, as scarcely a peach-tree can now be 
found in this region. Just at the junction of Mona- 
chie with the townsliip of Union is located a hotel, 
known as the Half- Way House. It has long marked 
the point of bisection of the Paterson plank-road 
from Paterson to Jersey City. The people of Mo- 
nachie are generally farmers, their principal produc- 
tion being garden products, which tliey sell in the 
markets of New York and Jersey City. The post- 
office for this district is at Little Ferry. 

Societies, Orders, Etc. —The people of Carlstadt 
have manifested their social spirit in the formation 
and maintenance of a variety of associations. About 
ten years ago a dramatic club was organized, to which 
the name Concordia was given. It has at present a 
membership of two hundred. German and English 
plays by well-known authors are represented semi- 
monthly. The society has a hall decorated with em- 
blems appropriate to the character of their exercises. 
The founders and first officers of this society were Jo- 
seph Fortenbach, president; Mr. Macher, treasurer; 
and Hermann Foht, secretary. 

About two years ago an (")dd-Fellows' lodge was 
organized, with Charles Fowald as the first N. G., and 
John Bedenkopf as secretary. It was named after the 
illustrious German poet, Wieland Lodge, and is No. 
113 in the Odd-Fellows' Lodge of New Jersey. Their 
membership numbers forty-two. A new hall has re- 
cently been fitted up at a large expense. The present 
officers of the lodge are Peter Dippel, N. G., and 
Mr. Shafer, secretary. 

A gymnastic association, called the Turn Halle 
Gymnastic Association, was established in 1857. Ath- 



letics thus received attention early in the history of 
Carlstadt. There are two hundred members, and they 
meet for exercise once per week. A gymnasium has 
been erected by the club and fitted with all the fix- 
tures appropriate to such an institution. 

Fire Department. — The village of Carlstadt has a 
fire department well equipped with engine, truck, and 
hose. It was organized in 1872, and has eighty-five 
members. The governing power is in a board of com- 
missioners, which meets every third Saturday in the 
month. The commissioners for the present year are 
Joseph Hermann, Theodore Muehling, George Klug, 
and Conrad Strippel. The board of trustees consists 
of Adam Hoechst, Chas. Hasselhuhn, Albert Hofl!inan. 
The officers of the administrative department are 
Charles Zimmerman, chief; Curtian Hasselhuhn, as- 
sistant chief; John Smith, foreman of the engine com- 
pany; Edward Heinrichs, assistant foreman; Richard 
Wirth, foreman of the truck company ; Conrad Uhr- 
spruch, assistant foreman; Christian Mueller, foreman 
of the hose company; George Merkel, assistant fore- 
man. 

A building for storing the engine, hose, truck, and 
paraphernalia is to be built immediately, at a cost of 
about three thousand dollars. 

Manufacturing Interests. — In manufacturing in- 
terests certainly the township of Lodi takes a leading 
rank in Bergen County. Brick-making, watch-mak- 
ing, shoe manufacturing, cabinet-making, manufacture 
of chemicals, bleaching and dyeing cotton are the 
most important industries. In these industries over 
twelve hundred people find employment, and are 
paid $150,000 annually in wages. 

Brick-making. — The first bricks were made in 
Lodi on the Hackensack River by the firm of Shower 
& Cole in 1872. It seems strange that the abundance 
of excellent clay in this section and its convenient 
location on the banks of a navigable river had not 
attracted business men previous to this date. This 
first attempt, however, did not prove successful. 
Messrs. Shower & Cole, either from lack of knowl- 
edge of the business or lack of necessary capital, 
failed, and the business passed into the hands of 
John Thume. He, too, continued it for but a short 
time, and was succeeded by the Mehrohfs in 1877. 
Since then this industry has thriven, the buildings 
in which the kilns are burnt have been enlarged, 
new appliances for making bricks have been added, 
until to-day the brickyard of the Mehrohfs is next to 
the largest in the United States. At the lower yard 
there are six pits for tempering the clay, each having 
a capacity for clay sufficient for 35,000 brick. This 
is owned by the Mehrohf Brothers, consisting of 
Nicliolas Mehrohf, Peter Mehrohf, and Philip Meh- 
rohf. They employ about seventy men for six months 
in the year, and manufacture 70,000 bricks per day, 
or 1,500,000 bricks per year. At the upper yard, 
worked by N. Mehrohf & Co., about thirty-five men 
are employed, and 35,000 bricks per day are manufac- 



228 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES. NEW JERSEY. 



tured, or 850,000 bricks per year. The process of 

making bricks liere is essentially as follows, viz.: the 
clay is removed from the bed and placed in an arti- 
ficial pit or vat; it is then mixed with sand, water, and 
coal-dust, and "tempered;" next it is carried to the 
moulding-machine, and from that passes into the 
moulds, which are properly sanded to prevent the 
adhesion of the clay ; the clay is now in the form of 
bricks, and these are placed on a level, sanded sur- 
face for the sunlight to act upon ; they are then 
"spattered" or leveled: the next process is "edging," 
or setting them up on their sides ; they are then spat- 
tered again, and aftersvards " hacked" for two days, 
the term "hacking" meaning placing them in loose 
tiers for the wind to act upon and dry them ; the clay 
has now attained considerable firmness, and the bricks 
are "set," or placed in the kiln. The bricks at this 
yard are burnt with wood, rocpiiring about one cord 
per eight thousand; a slow fire is kept up for the first 
thirty-six hours, and a brisk fire during the next five 
days and nights. The bricks from this region are 
sold in Paterson, Newark, New York, and Providence, 
and are known as Hackensack bricks. The price at 
which they sell in the market is not quit^' so high as ' 
that of the Haverstraw bricks, though they are said 
to be fully us durable as the latter. The Mehrohfs 
employ four large schooners in transporting the bricks 
to market, and during the brick-making sea.son keep 
these in constant use. The clay is found conve- 
niently near the surface, and hence, as the beds re- 
main dry through the .season, when once the water 
is pumped from them in the spring the raw material 
for this industry costs but little. 

Watch-making.— In the village of Carlstadt is 
located a watch-case factory, probably the largest in ' 
the State. Sixteen years ago John 15. Fortenbach, a 
watch-maker of New York, with his brothers, Jacob 
and .Joseph, came to Carlstadt and began to manu- 
lacture silver watch-case.«i at the rate of three per 
day. A company was afterwards organized by these 
gentlemen, and the business increased, until to-day 
the ilaily production is over (500. Their employ^'-s at 
present number 600, and the individual earnings [ 
average over $1 1 per week. 

SiiOKMAKlNo. — In the same village is the shoe- 
factory of Justus Nchler. The building itself is a 
two-story brick structure, forty by fifty feet, and is 
fitted throughout with new machinery of the most 
ai)proved type, the whole involving an outlay of 
six thousand dollars. The factory has been in oper- 
tion for a period of five years. In it may be seen 
every detail of shoemaking, from cutting the leather 
to putting on the last polish. Three thousand pairs 
of ladies' shoc-s are manufactured here per month. 
They are disposed of at retail stores, anil sold to cus- 
tomers for from $1.50 U> $2 per pair. About 40 
bands are employed, and the wages paid average $10 
per week. 

Cabinet-makinh. — In Carlstadt there ia also a 



cabinet-manufactory, where about 20 men are em- 
ployed. This is owne<J by Herman Giebner. Tables, 
desks, bars, and chairs are a few of the articles manu- 
factured. The fixtures in the banking-room of the 
Bank of Bergen County at Hackensack are a speci- 
men of the work done in the factory of Mr. Giebner. 

Bleac'hino ami Dvkish-Works.— By far the 
oldest factories located in the township of Lodi are 
those in the village of Lodi, on Saddle River. In 
1829 the only buildings on the site of the present 
village of Lodi were three small dwe\ling-houses and 
a saw-mill. This was owned and run by Henry 
Hopper and Abraham Zabriskie. James Kennie was 
at that time operating a handkerchief-factory, located 
on the Passaic River, at a place called Nightingale 
Mills. Wishing to extend his business, he came to 
Ijodi, examined the water privileges there, and in 
1831 leased a new factory which had been built for 
his use by Mr. Hopper, the latter having purchased 
his partner's interest in the water-rights and adjacent 
lands. In 1S:50, Robert Rennie,the brother of James 
Rennie, came to this country from Scotland and be- 
gan business as foreman in the latter's factory on the 
Passaic. A year later he came to Lodi and continued 
business in the new factory in the same capacity. In 
18315 the mill leased by James Rennie was burnt, the 
latter failed, and young Robert Rennie, having bought 
up all the water-rights, etc., erected new mills for 
printing calicoes. His factory became famous. The 
capacity of the factory was largely increased as time 
went on, and in 187.'>, Mr. Itennie sold out his inter- 
est for ^3.30,000. While the business wius in Mr. Ren- 
nie's hands he paid out annually in wages over 
$50,000. Since 1875, Messrs. Burns & Smith have 
occupied the premises, and are engaged in bleaching 
and dyeing. Their work is the conversion of cotton 
cloth, manufactured in Eiistern mills, into hollands, 
lawns, etc. They employ 300 hands, and pay out in 
wages probably about $25,000 per annum. 

Lodi Chemical Works. — In 1855, Mr. Robert 
Rennie established the Lodi Chemical Works, at a cost 
of one hundred thousand dollars, on land adjoining his 
calico-printing mills, and of these works he is still in 
charge. Filty men are employed here, and twenty 
thousand dollars paid them yearly. A variety of 
chemicals are manufactured, the most import^int 
being oil of vitriol, nitric acid, muriatic acid, and tin 
crystals. The raw materials u.sed in their manufac- 
ture arc obtained from foreign countries, the salt 
being brought from France, the sulphur from Sicily, 
and nitrate of soda from Chili. The Lodi Chemical 
Works arc one of the oldest of their kind in the 
United States, and have an established reputation in 
the market which insures a ready sale for their pro- 
ducts. 

Standard (IilComi'any'k Works. — In the south- 
east corner of Lxii township, not far from Pa-ssaic, is 
locate<l one of the pumping stations on the Standard 
Uil Company's line of pipes from their oil-works in 



LODI. 



229 



Pennsylvania to the seaboard at Bayonne. This is 
the eleventh and last station on the line. The oil is 
forced through cylinders of iron tubing buried in the 
ground to the depth of sixteen inches, and as these 
follow the lay of the surface, through level, rolling, 
and hilly country, great pressure is required in 
forcing the oil through. As the danger of bursting 
the pipes would be very great in case it was forced 
directly to Bayonne, pumping stations are located at 
intervals of a score of miles, where the oil is received 
in reservoirs, and then puuiped on to the next station. 
Four large iron tanks, with a capacity of 37,000 bar- 
rels each, and two large brick buildings, one with a 
chimney one hundred and fifteen feet high, constitute 
the leading features of the station at Lodi. Usually 
only two of these tanks are found at a station, but 
here there are extra ones for storing oil received by 
railroad from the oil-wells. Two hundred cars of one 
hundred barrels each are unloaded here daily, and 
preparations are being made for unloading four hun- 
dred cars per day. One of the buildings, forty by 
fifty feet, contains the engines and ])umps, two of 
each. The other, forty by sixty feet, contains the 
telegraph-office and steam boilers, four in number. 
Only three boilers are used at a time, the other 
being kept in reserve. The engines are compound in 
their construction, direct in their action, and duplex 
in their connection. They run like a clock, twenty- 
four hours in a day, and three hundred and .sixty-five 
days in a year. The steam boilers are subjected to a 
pressure of eighty pounds per square inch. For fuel 
egg anthracite is used. The furnaces run by natural 
draft, unaided by blower or exhaust, and consume 
about four tons per twenty-four hours. Each station 
is provided with a mercury pressure-gauge, showing 
how much pressure the oil pipes are subjected to, and 
this also shows when a burst or break occurs along 
the line. A small leak of from one to five barrels 
per hour the gauge would give indications of, hence 
there are line-walkers, the same as track-walkers on a 
railroad, who pass over the line every day. The force 
of men at the station consists of two engineers at 
$75 per month, four firemen at $50 per month, one 
coal-heaver at $40 per month, and two telegraph 
operators at $50 per month. The Standard Oil Com- 
pany received no charter from the Legislature grant- 
ing them a right of way, and hence they had to buy 
the right to lay their pipes from the property-owners 
along the line. Generally they bought the right for 
a merely nominal sum. By the deeds the Standard 
Oil Company is entitled to use the land for the pur- 
pose specified for a period of twenty years. 

Saw- and Grist-Mills of David Knowles. — 
The extensive saw- and grist-mills of David Knowles, 
Esq., are located on the Saddle River road, about 
half a mile from the village of Lodi. They are the 
largest in the township, and in operating them a 
force of several men are employed constantly. The 
grist-mill has three run of stone, and does the grind- 



ing not only for Lodi, but to a large extent for the 
neighboring townships. At a short distance from the 
mills is the handsome brownstone residence of Mr. 
Knowles. The place presents an attractive appear- 
ance, and is known under the name of " Millbank." 

Churches. — It can hardly be said that there are 
any old churches in the township of Lodi, all of them 
having been organized since 1845. For the number 
of church-members, however, the denominations are 
quite varied, there being a.s many as eight distinct 
denominations for a church membership of less than 
seven hundred. The Sunday-schools are generally 
largely attended, the number of pupils aggregating 
five hundred. The church property in the township 
is valued at over twenty-five thousand dollars. In 
three of the churches the preaching is in the Holland 
language. Many of the inhabitants of Lodi are mem- 
bers of churches in Hackensack, and these are not 
included in the above estimate. 

In 1845 was organized the Lodi Congregational 
Church in the village of Lodi. Services were regu- 
larly held according to the creed of the Congrega- 
tional Church at various places in this village until 
the year 1872, when a plot of ground was purchased 
and the present edifice erected at a cost of three thou- 
sand dollars. This has been entirely paid for, so that 
no debt on the church exists at present. The build- 
ing is well fitted with all appropriate fixtures, inclu- 
j ding a pipe-organ. A library of several thousand 
volumes, formerly belonging to the Lodi Reading- 
room Association, has recently been purchased by 
the church. The ministers in succession since 1871 
are Revs. Frank A. Johnson, F. Y. Lum, and Wil- 
liam H. Broadhead. Since 1878 the pulpit has been 
supplied from a theological seminary in New York. 
The number of members at present is one hundred. 
There is a Sunday-school connected with this church, 
of which William Rennie is the superintendent, at- 
tended by about sixty pupils. The trustees for the 
present year are Ambrose Kennedy, David Hunter, 
and Andrew Morrison ; Deacons, David Hunter, Wil- 
liam Rennie, and Christian Creiger; Clerk, Frank D. 
Hunter. 

In 1878 the founders of the Second Reformed 
Church of Lodi Village seceded from the Congrega- 
tional Church. They were accompanied in their 
movement by the former pastor of the Congregational 
Church, Rev. R. M. Otferd. The secession from the 
Congregational Church was due to a dispute as to the 
regularity of the ordination of Mr. Oflerd. On the 
17th of September, 1878, he was admitted to the 
Classis of Paramus, and on the 10th of October of 
the same year was installed as pastor of the Second 
Reformed Church. The first sermon was preached 
in the edifice of the First Reformed Church on the 
17th of March, 1878. Since then a house of worship 
has been erected at a cost of three thousand dollars, 
all of which has been paid except four hundred dol- 
lars. The present membership numbers sixty-five. 



230 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Services are held twice every Sunday, morning and j 
evening. The elders of this church for the present 
year are Dugald McNaie, William L. Mercer, and 
James A. Demarest. The names of the deacons are 
Isaac C. Dowling, Abraham Vreeland, and George C. 
Mercer. A Sunday-school numbering seventy pupils 
is connected with the church. The superintendent is \ 
George C. Mercer. ; 

The First (Holhind) Reformed Church was organ- 
ized in 1859. A house of worship was erected in the 
village of Lodi, at a cost of about two thousand five 
hundred dollars, during the same year. In ISliS the 
General Synod of the Holland Reformed Church in 
America directed that the term Holland be dropped 
from the name of the church, or placed iu bracket.s. , 
A majority of the members of this church in Lodi, ; 
with their pastor, Rev. W. C. Wust, disapproved of 1 
the change, and refused to comply with the direction. 
A minority, on the other hand, conceiled the right of 
the General Synod to modify the name of the church, 
and were ready to carry out the direction. .V ques- 
tion arose as to which party should have the church 
edifice. A long course of litigation followed, which 
terminated in favor of the minority. The ministers 
since the organization have been Rev. James Hys- 
soon, 18.'J9-C4; Rev. W. C. Wust, 1804-7'); Rev. Wil- 
liam F. Betz, 1875-78. Since then the pastor of this 
church has been Louis G. Jongeneel. The preaching ' 
is in the Holland language. There are sixty mem- 
bers. The first officers were : Deacons, Aart Jonscii 
Brun, Nic'holas Hoogartman, P. Vande Vreede; El- 
ders, H. II. Smith, Christian Van Heest, Pieter Van 
Hecst, Cornelius Vande Vreede, G. W. Hurclikeyser. 
The officers of this church for the present year are : 
Elders, Jacob Cruson, Hendrick We.sdyke ; Deacons, ' 
Dirk Stark, Lodowick Miller. 

The body which seceded from the First (Holland) 
Reformed Church in IXfiS assumed the name " Nether- 
land Reformed Church." The piustor, Rev.W. C.Wust, 
under whose leadership the .secession was consum- 
mated, in 1870 gave a plot of ground to the .society, 
on which an edifice was erected at a cost of two thou- 
sand dollars. Since that date their pastor accepted a 
call to preach in his native Holland. He remained 
tliere two years, and has recently returned. During 
Ills absence the services were conducted by one of the 
leading members, Mr. Daniel Cook. There are one 
huiidreil an<l fifty members of this church. The 
preaching is in the Hollaixl language. The first offi- 
cers of this church were Daniel Cook. Garret Buller, 
Peter Ney, I'eter De Vrie-s, M.Sacker, and A. Vogle- 
8on. The elections occur every two years. The pres- 
ent elders are the same lus those in 1876. The dea- 
cons for present year are Peter Verhove, Peter De 
Vries, and Henry R. Proll. The superinlendcnt of 
the Sunilny -school, numbering forty-five pupils, is A. 
Voglc-son. 

The African Episcopal Zion Church of Lodi was 
organized about ten years ago. The society liiis a 



church edifice, located on the Saddle River road, cost- 
ing about eight hundred dollars, all of which is paid 
for except fifty dollars. There are only seven mem- 
bers. The pastor for a time was Henry Dumsou. 
At present the pulpit is supplied, and service's are 
held only every other Sunday. The trustees are 
Samuel Scudder and Thomas Hillgrove. 

St. Francis of Sales' Roman Catholic Church of 
Lodi Village enjoys the distinction of being the old- 
est Catholic Church in Bergen County, and the only 
Catholic Church in New Jersey free of debt. It was 
organized in 1855. The present edifice wiis erected 
during that year at a cost of four thousand dollars, 
and Wius dedicated by Mishop J. Roosevelt liayley, late 
Archbishop of Baltimore. It has always been, and 
still is, a mission church, its pulpit having been sup- 
plied in turn by pastors from Paterson, Hackensack, 
Fort Lee, and Carlstadt. The first pjistor was L. 1). 
Senez, and the present one is J. G. Funcke, of Carl- 
stadt. The number of members is at present four 
hundred. Services alternate from nine to ten o'clock 
Sunday morning. Twice a week there is special in- 
struction for children in addition to that in the Sun- 
day-school. During Lent there is special instruction 
by the priest for all who choose to attend, besides the 
regular services. The lay trustees for the present year 
are James Hughes and Patrick MacMahon. The 
church will soon be consecrated. The Sunday-school 
numbers about forty. The baptisms average fourteen 
per year, and the communicants, eight. 

The first jtublic services of Prote.>itant Christians in 
the village of Carlstadt were held in a building owned 
by the late Mr. Schoeniuger, on May 23, 186il; the 
second on June 22(1 of the same year. Since that date 
services have been continued regularly every Sunday. 
A congregation was organized on August 18th of the 
sanu> year, which joined the Presbyterian Church of 
the l'nit<M| .'^lates as " The First (ierman Presbyte- 
rian Church of Carlstadt, N. J." Eighteen men and 
sixteen women joined the church on the day of its 
organization. The first sermon was preached from 
Luke xvii. 20-21. On the 4th of October, Rev. I. 
Winderick was installed as pasti>r of the congrega- 
tion. 

In 1S71 a plot wius bought on Division Avenue, 
and on July 4lh the corner-stt)ne laid of the present 
church edifice. This was furnished and detlicated 
to the worship of God on December 17th of the 
same year. In October of 1871, Rev. F. Vrem was 
installed as pastor of the congregation as successor ol 
Rev. I. Winderick. Rev. T. Vrem's pastorate lasted 
for four years, when the present minister, Ferdiiiaml 
O. Zesch, was installed. Rev. F. (). Zesch began bis 
studies in Gernniny, and completed them at the theo- 
logical seminary of Bloomfield, N. .1. In 187H a par- 
sonage was built. 

.Vt the side of thecburi-b edifice in Carlstadt stands 
the building of the First Evangelical Sunday-.school. 
This is attended by one hundred ami seventy pupils. 



LODI. 



231 



The German Christian Ladies' Society, consisting of 
seventy members, occupies the same building. 

In the district of Monachie there is a Baptist 
Cliapel. The church edifice was erected in 1871 at a 
cost of about eight liundred dollars. The pulpit was 
supplied for a time by Rev. Mr. Maclaine, of Ruther- 
ford. Since his death no regular services have been 
held. 

Burial-Places. — The township of Lodi has only 
two public Ijurial-grounds, one in Lodi and the other 
in Carlstadt, both of comparatively recent origin. 
The one at Lodi is a Catholic cemetery, and was 
opened in 1855, when the Catholic Church was built. 
It is quite extensive, having been used for several 
years as a burial-ground by all the Catholics in Ber- 
gen County. The cemetery at Carlstadt was opened 
soon after the organization of the village in 1851. 
The inscriptions are mainly in German. Some of the 
more notable ones are given below : 

Scliiim re sauft die gate 
Seele, deine Loideu Bind zu End. 
Mir liast du zurueckgelasseu 
Einen Sclimerz den oiemand Kind. 
Jacoli Jansen. — Geb. d. 7ten Dec, 1811, Gest. d. 31ten Jan., 1865. 
Konini Sterblicher betrachte mich ; 
Du lebst, icli lebtauf Erden, 
Was du jetzt I)ist das war auch ich, 
Was ich bin must du werden. 

Georg Blum.— Gest. d. V> Sept., 1868, alt 40 Jahre. 
Hiur in des Gi'abes dunkler Stille 
Rulit unsres bosten Vaters Huelle: 
Ewig folgt seinen treuen Herzen, 
Daa in reinster Liebebrach, 
Unser waermster Dauk mit Schmaerzen. 

Hier Kuht Frierich Scbule, geb. zu Hanover, 23 Jan., 1817, gest. zu 
Carlstadt d. 2 Juli, 1877. 

N-VCUBUF Dem Saenoer. 
Du folgst Innern Herzemlrang 
Die Muse dienen ihn zu lebeu, 
Man laiiscbte Deiner Toene Klang, 
Den Saenger nur die Welt ergeben. 
Duck Kaimi verloscb der Toene glanz 
War'n Fieund und Hoffnuug Dir entschwunden 
\\b£ nuetze Die des Rbunies Krauz: 
Belchnung hast du nicht gefunden. 

Directly north of the Carlstadt cemetery there is 
a very old private burial-ground, that of the Berry ! 
family. There are five stones here with the follow- 
ing inscriptions : 

In memory of Philip Berry, who departed this life September 25th, 
ITft'i, aged 72 years, 1 month, and 4 days. 

Remember, man, as thou goes by, 
As thou art now so once was I, 
As I am now so must tbou be : 
Prepare for death and follow me. 

In memory of Catherine Berry, who departed this life August 14, 1803, 
aged 78 years, 2 months, and 6 days, 

Hier Jut, Begraven, Hermanns Vogelsang, Cud :33: Jaar, Gestorven 
19: December: Aa 1797, Van : Holland. 

Philip Berry, born July 4, 1763, died December 22, 1850. 

In Memory of Eve Van Winkle, wife of Philip Berry, who departed 
this life April 16, 1843, .iged 70 years, 5 months, and 25 days. 

Historical Incidents and Reminiscences.— Early I 

in the history of New Jersey Capt. John Berry, gen- 
tleman, received a grant of all the land lying between ! 



the Boiling Spring at Rutherford, the Passaic River, 
Saddle River, Cherry Hill, and the Hackensack River. 
i This grant included the laud within the present town- 
ship of Lodi. It is probable that Capt. Berry built 
the PoUifly road, the oldest in the township, expect- 
ing to sell the land adjoining it for farms and build- 
ing lots. He parceled out his land on the west side of 
this road into sections, extending back to the Passaic 
River and Saddle River. The buyers of these were 
the ancestors of many of the present leading citizens 
of Lodi township. 

The proximity of Lodi township to the camping- 
ground of the Hessians during the Revolution ren- 
dered the inhabitants subject to many depredations 
on the part of the latter. The district of Monachie 
was nearly depopulated on account of the ravages of 
refugee bands of Hessians from New York. There 
; is scarcely a representative of an old family in Lodi 
township who cannot relate harrowing tales of hun- 
ger, flight by night, burying of valuables in the 
earth, told him by his grandsire from personal ex- 
perience during the struggle for independence one 
hundred years ago. 

At the old Hopper homestead on the PoUifly road 
a division of soldiers made themselves at home for a 
number of weeks, the oflicers sleeping in the house, 
and the common soldiers under the trees in the 
orchard immediately back of the house. One night 
Mrs. Hopper was awakened from her slumbers by 
noise among the pigs in the pig-pen. Jlrs. Hoi)per at 
once aroused the officers and requested them to in- 
vestigate the causes of the disturbance. They there- 
upon ran out into the darkness in the direction of the 
sounds and discovered one of their own men in the 
act of carrying off a struggling pig. Considering the 
miscreant as a poacher on their own preserves, the 
officers flogged him so severely that neither he nor 
any of his comrades ever afterwards repeated the ex- 
periment. It is not related whether Mrs. Hopper's 
pleasure at the rescue was of long duration, but it is 
probable that His Majesty's officers had as keen an 
appetite for pork as their subordinates, and that the 
pigs were soon a thing of the past. 

The Hessians made many expeditions into Mona- 
chie, and on such occasions were accustomed to fire 
into dwelling-houses regardless of the danger to the 
lives of women and children. On one of their raids 
they stabbed in the back and killed old Abraham 
Allen as he was trying to escape from them. A single 
incident worthy of note occurred here in the Revolu- 
tion. A party of Hessians had stolen all the cows 
for miles around, and were driving them to their boat 
on the Hackensack followed by a band of angry 
farmers. Arrived there they found to their dismay 
the tide low and their boat, on which they intended 
to embark, high and dry. The cattle were at once 
abandoned. Many of the Hessians were killed by 
shots from their pursuers, or drowned in attempting 
to swim the river. The ammunition of the farmers 



232 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



gave out after a few shote, or not one of the plun- 
derers would have escaped to tell the tale of their 
misfortune. 

During the Revolution Peter Kipp, who lived in 
the house at present occupied by Henry Kipp, Esq., 
on the PoUifly road, was one day away from home on 
a horseback ride. During his absence two men, 
whom it may be taken for grunted were in the ser- 
vice of his Majesty, called at his house and requested 
something to eat from Mrs. Kipp. She asked them 
to make themselves at home in her sitting-room while 
she prepared a luncheon. While the unsuspecting 
lady was out of the room the two men searched for 
valuables, and in a vacant space above the fireplace 
discovered an old teapot containing five hundred ' 
pounds in gold. This they concealed under their i 
clothing, and having eaten what was set before thera 
by Mrs. Kijip, paid her very liberally from their ill- 
gotten wealth, and set out from the house. When 
Mr. Kipp returned his wife greeted him at the door 
with " See here, Peter, see what I have got !" at the 
same time showing him the money which she had re- ; 
ceived. Mr. Kipp at once recognized it as some that i 
he had hidden away in the old teapot. " My teapot, 
my teapot," he cried, and sprang to the little cup- ! 
board above the fireplace. His worst fears were real- 
ized. He at once made inquiries, and learned which 
road the robbers had taken. Without informing his 
wife the reason for his action, he mounted his horse, 
and galloped in the direction the men had gone. 
They ha<l been too quick for him, for before he 
reached Jersey City they had taken a boat and rowed 
to New York. He gave up the race, and retracing 
his steps, entered his house. Mrs. Kipp is related to 
have locked the door after him, and having con- 
fronted him, demanded an explanation of his seem- 
ingly strunge action. The truth was soon made 
known to her, and it is said "she fainted stone dead 
away." 

In the village of Corona there lived some twelve 
years ago, on the farm at present occupied by Mr. L. 
Olmstead, a Mr. Duric, who lireamed that Capt. 
Kidd's treasure was buried on his land. The hallu- 
cination affected him so powerfully that he employed 
a number of laborers to dig from sunset till midnight 
for several weeks. No conversation was allowed 
among the workmen, from a superstition that the 
treasure would sink into the bowels of the earth if 
human voices were he4ird in its pro,\imily. A cavity 
some sixty feet in depth is visible to this day as the 
result of their labors. Of course nothing was ever 
found, and Mr. Durie in his chagrin resolved to vent 
his spite on his employ('>s by refusing to pay them for 
their work. \ suit was instituted by the men to re- 
cover their wages, which, the papers of that period 
say, proved very amusing to the public. 

As is state<l elsewhere, the marshy swani|)s of Lodi 
are very extensive. In the summer months mosqui- 
toes are generated here by myriads, and it is as much 



as a person's life is worth to pass through them after 
dusk. Many years ago these swamps, swarming with 
the pests above mentioned, were used as a place of 
torture for delinquent negroes. If a negro committed 
any offense, however slight, he was shackled and 
handcuffed and sent off to spend the night in the 
dreaded swamps of Lodi. It is stated that many of 
those treated in this manner died from a single 
night's exposure there, their bodies swelling enor- 
mously from the poison injected by the mosquitoes. 
Indeed, the negro race seems to have been subjected 
to exceedingly severe treatment, not only in Bergen 
but in other counties, as the following, copied from 
the freeholders' records in a neighboring county, 
shows: "June 4, 1741, Daniel Harrison .sent in his 
account of wood carted for burning two negroes, al- 
lowed £0 11^. Off.; Feb. 23, 1741, Joseph Hedden's 
account for wood to burn the negroes, allowed £0 7s. 

(hi:- 

John I. Berry is a lineal descendant from John 
Berry, who wa-s the progenitor of the family in Ber- 
gen County and one of the original patentees of a grant 
of some two thousand acres of land in Old Hackensack 
township, and made a petition on July 1, 1709, to the 
Governor-in-chief of the province of New Jersey and 
New York to have the claim of one David Dctiiarias 
for the same land set iuside. Rev. Theodore B. Ho- 
meyn says in his historical discourse, delivered upon 
the occasion of the reopening and dedication of the 
First Reformed (Dutch) t'hurch at Hackensack, May 
2, 18G9, "This John Berry, of such considerate and 
generous impulses, whose memory is precious because 
of his gifts, rather than because of his great posses- 
sions, originally in lG(i!>, together with certain associ- 
ates, became the owner, under the administration of 
Governor Carteret, of a tract of land extending from 
the Sandfbrd grant on the south "six miles into the 
country,' including thus the present village of Hack- 
ensack, running from the Hackensack River on the 
east to what is now called Saddle River on the west, 
and what is now calle<l Cole's Creek on the north." 
..." The present site of the church, together with 
adjoining lands, making about two acres and three- 
quarters, including a large portion of the 'Green,' or 
Park in the west, wius donated to the church .Vpril 20, 
l()!t6, by Captain John Berry." Thus it appears that 
the founder of the Berry family here was a man of 
large enterprise, and one of the foun<lers of the first 
institutions in what is now Hergen County. It seems 
certain also that he was a Christian, if the language 
used in his will is any indication of his character, — '"I 
commit my soul into the hands of God, my Creator, 
with a well-grounded persuasion that Jesus Christ, in 
his human nature, taken in his Divine, hath made full 
payment unto Divine Justice for all my sins and trans- 
gressions, and that his righteousness shall be imputed 
to me for my justification." 

William Berry, a descendant of John Berry, settled 
in the township of Lodi, near what is now the village 



LODI. 



233 



of Carlstadt, where he owned considerable real estate, 
and settled a homestead, which has been in the family 
since, a period of about one hundred and thirty years. 

His children were John, born in 1756; Albert, 
born in 1759; Mary, born in 1761; Jane, born in 
1763; Albert (2d), born in 1766; Elizabeth, born in 
1770 ; John W., born in 1772 ; Sarah, born in 1775 ; 
and Eleanor, born in 1776. 

Of these children, John W. Berry was father of 
our subject, and resided upon the homestead during 
his life, dying Feb. 9, 1859. He lived in the old 
house by the low lands until 1825, when he built on 
or near its site a stone house, which was burned in 
1873. His wife, whom he married Feb. 23, 1794, was 
Elizabeth Terhune, who was born Oct. 19, 1773, and 
died May 31, 1857. The children of this union were 
Elizabeth, wife of Cornelius Banta, William, Stephen, 
Albert, Sarah, wife of Nicholas Terhune, Stephen 
(2d), Letitia, wife of John H. Ackerman, Mary, wife 
of Enoch Blinkerhoff, and John I. 

The homestead property was divided between two 
of their sons, William and John I., the former taking 
that part on which was the old stone house, and the 
latter the part farther back, upon which his father 
erected a substantial house, in which he resided after 
his marriage until his death, located on the Pollifly 
road. John I. Berry, like his ancestors, followed 
agricultural pursuits, and was well known as a man 
of sterling integrity, correct habits, and strict morality. 
He was a supporter of all worthy local oly'ects, and 
sought in a quiet way to fulfill the full duties of a good 
citizen. He was born July 18, 1812, and died Feb. 
13, 1872. His wife, whom he married Oct. 12, 1833, 
is vSarah, daughter of Thomas Linford and Sarah 
Seigler, of Passaic, and granddaughter of James 
Linford, a native of England, who came to America 
while a young man to avoid being pressed into the 
English army. James Linford's wife was a Miss Van 
Riper, who bore him several children. 

Mrs. John 1. Berry was born July 27, 1808, is a 
woman of superior intelligence and Christian excel- 
lence, and while she has never had any children of 
her own, she has not forgotten the needy and unfor- 
tunate, inasmuch as she has reared several children 
to mature years, and has one adopted daughter, Lizzie, 
wife of David D. Vreeland, who resides with her and 
cares for her in her declining years. 

Mrs. Berry's brothers and sisters were John, 
Thomas, Margaret, Eunice, Mary, Christina, and 
Sarah, all of whom were married and reared families. 

Jacob I. Hopper. — It appears from the records of 
the First Reformed Dutch Church at Hackensack 
that William Hoppe (Hopper) was one of its mem- 
bers as early as 1686, that Mattys Hoppe and his wife, 
Antie Forkse, are recorded as inembers of the same 
church the following year, and that their daughter 
Christyna was baptized on confession of her faith also 
in 1686. 

The great-grandfather of our subject. Garret Hop- 



per, of Holland origin, purchased a large tract of land, 
extending from the Hackensack River to Slaughter 
Dam, some five hundred acres of which became the 
homestead of the family. He was also recorded a 
member of the same church as early as 1729. His son, 
Jacob Hopper, had his residence on the property on 
the Pollifly road, leading from the Paterson turnpike 
to Carlstadt. Jacob Hopper's wife was Cornelia, who 
bore him the following children : Katrina, wife of 
John Earle, who died in the beginning of the Revo- 
lutionary war; Henry Garret and John I. settled on 
the homestead, which was divided between them, the 
latter occupying the homestead part ; and Elizabeth, 
wife of Cornelius Terhune, grandson of John Ter- 
hune, the progenitor of the Terhune family, and who 
settled where Sheriff Jacob C. Terhune resides, in 
1881, upon coming to this country. Jacob Hopper 
died about 1815, aged eighty-eight. 

John I. Hopper, the father of our subject, was born 
in 1775, and died in 1833, on the homestead where he 
resided during his whole life. His wife was Maria, 
daughter of Albert Terhune, who died Jan. 1, 1857, 
aged seventy-six years. Their children were Cor- 
nelia, wife of John Terhune, a farmer and miller of 
New Barbadoes, who died in 1879, aged seventy-nine ; 
Altia, widow of Albert A. Brinkerhoff', now living in 
Hackensack at the age of eighty ; Catherine, wife of 
Jonathan Hopper, a merchant of Paterson ; Albert, 
died in 1833, aged twenty-four ; Jacob I. ; John, a 
lawyer of Paterson City ; Eliza ; Maria, wife of Henry 
Demarest, of New York; Jane, wife of Dr. Wilson, 
of New York, both of whom are deceased. 

John I. Hopper was drafted to serve in the war of 
1812, but furnished a substitute. He was a man of 
superior mind, and possessed ideas of business and 
enterprise in advance of those around him. He was 
a representative farmer, aud marketed his produce 
and butter in New York, the latter always being of 
the finest quality, for which he was frequently awarded 
a premium. He possessed more than ordinary book 
knowledge for his time, and had been educated in the 
private school of the well-known and highly-educated 
teacher. Dr. Wilson, of Hackensack. He is said to 
have used springs under his wagon and a top on it, 
the first of any one who carried his products to a New 
York market, and in 1818 he erected the fine and 
substantial brownstope house now standing on the 
premises, commanding a good view of the surround- 
ing country, and on what is known in 1881 as "Ter- 
race Avenue." In church matters he was zealous, 
well read, and officially served the First Reformed 
Church as an elder and deacon for many years, op- 
posing the movement of the seceders at first, but 
finally joining them. 

Jacob I. Hopper, his son, was born on the home- 
stead Dec. 21, 1810, and has there spent his life. He 
has given his active business life almost entirely to 
agricultural pursuits, stock-raisins:, and gardening. 
I As early as 1840 he began the cultivation of straw- 



234 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



berries for a New York market, which business he I returned to his home and engaged in the cultivation 



successfully carried on for many years, and even at 
first used to market some three thousand baskets daily. 
He has never sought political place or held office, but 
preferred ther|uiet and independence of the farm and 
the society of his friends. He is a man of sound 
judgment, judicious management and integrity in all 
the relations of life, and wiiile he has been blessed 
with a fair competence, he has always contributed to 
the various objects around him needing support and 
encouragement. In the stone house where lie resides 
stands the old cluck brought from Holland by liis an- 
cestors two hundred years ago, which still ticks the 
time away, while its owners in regular succession have 



and improvement of the farm. Upon the death of 
his father he was bequeathed two hundred and twenty- 
five acres, a portion of which is still retained and oc- 
cupied by him. He was, in July, 1822, married to 
Miss Agnes, daughter of Henry I. Kip, of Passaic 
County, to whom were born children, — Maria (Mrs. 
Henry Outwater), whose death occurred in 1864; 
Clarissa (Mrs. Henry H. Yereance), and Wilhelmus, 
of whom the latter resides upon and is manager of 
the paternal estate. Both Mr. Van Winkle and his 
son were formerly Old-Line Whigs, and are now firm 
advocates of the ]irincii)les of the Republican party. 
The former, though not an active politician, has 



in turn passed away. It is among the relics that point served as freeholder of the township of Lodi, and has 



to the past, and must have been among the luxuries, 
although a necessity, of those who centuries agfi 
sought a free country in the wilds of America. Mr. 
Hopper was united in marriage in 1835 to Ann, 
daughter of Garret Merselis and Lenah De Gray, of 
Preakness, Passaic Co., N. J. She was born Dec. 13, 
1812, was a woman of great devotion to her family, 
esteemed by all who knew her, and always made her 
house the welcome place of her many friends. She 
died in June, 1808. Their chilren are John, who was 
graduated at Rutgers College in the cla.ss of 1857, and 
Ellen. 

Michael Van Winkle. — The progenitor of t lie Van 
Winkle family, as is elsewhere sUited in this volume, 
was Walling Jacobs. He was of Holland lineage, 
and left a numerous descent, most of whom were resi- 
dents of Bergen, Passaic, and Hudson Counties in 
New Jersey. Walling Van Winkle, the grandfather 
of the subject of this biographical sketch, resided in 
Bergen County, upon the original tract of land, a por- 
tion of which his grandson now occupies. His chil- 
dren were five sons, — Jacob, Cornelius, John, Walling, 
Halmagli, and one daughter, Maretje, who became 
Mrs. Housman. Mr. Van Winkle spent his life upon 
the homestead, and there his death occurred. His i 
sons Jacob, Walling, and Halmagli, as also the daugh- 
ter, were residents of the same county. Halmagli was 
born .lune 22, I'lil, on the paternal estate, where his 
life was devoted to farming pursuits. He was united 
in marriage to Miss Maria, daughter of Adrian Post, 



been a member of the township committee, justice of 
the peace, and poor-master. He has also held the 
appointment of major of the Second Battalion New 
Jersey Militia from Bergen County. His religious 
affiliations are with the Reformed (Dutch i Church, 
both he and Mrs. Van W'inkle being members of the 
First Reformed Church of Passaic. Both Mr. and 
Mrs. Van Winkle, after a peaceful and happy nuir- 
ried life of sixty yeai^s, are still in the enjoyment of 
health and unusual mental vigor. 

Peter S. Demarest. — In the historical discourse of 
Rev. Theodore B. Romeyn, delivered at Hackensack, 
N. J., May 2, 1869, we find the Ibllowing : 

"One David Dcmarijis ( Desrnarctz I wjis another of 
the very early settlers of whom at least something is 
known. He emigrated from France in or about 1676, 
belonging to that large family of Huguenots which 
came to this country to escape the heretic's doom and 
enjoy 'freedom to worship God.' With him were 
three sons, — David, John, and Samuel. As far back 
iis 1820 one interested in this family found by search 
seven thousand names connected with it, branches of 
the original stalk. It is said that when Demaria.* 
came to this country he settled at first on Manhattan 
Island, where he purchased the whole of Harlem, 
but soon after he disposed of that property and moved 
within the present Hackensack township, where he 
purchased two thousand acres, extending along the 
easterly side of the river from New Bridge to a point 
beyond Old Bridge, and easterly so far a.s the line of 



who became the mother of seven children, — Walling, the Northern Railroad. We arc informed that he. 



A<irian, John, Michael, Jane (Mrs. Berry), (icrtrude 
(Mrs. Sip), and Klizalietli, who dieil in youth. 

The death of Mr. Van Winkle occurred in 1822, 
and that of his wife the year previous. The birth of 
Michael, their youngest child, took place at the an- 
cestral home of Lwli, Oct. 13, 1800, where he has, 
during a long and active life, resided, and which ha.s 
been the property of the family for succe.isive genera- 
tioN^■. During his early life he availed himself of the 
opportunities for educition atlorded at the schools in 
Ac<|uackanonk (now Piis-saic), and later entered the 
arena of mercantile life as a clerk in the store of 
Aliram Zabriskie. After three years thus spent he 



and others with him, were so harassed from time to 
time for half a century by dillerent iinliviiluals who 
laid claim to the land, that it was purchased by them 
no less than four times. The original deed on record 
at Andmy is dated June 8, 1677." 

From this progenitor of the family have sprang a 
numerous progeny, who by intermarriage with the 
di'scendanis of other old familie,-< have mingled the 
French blood with that of tlie (terman, F.nglish, and 
Scotch, until hardly a family in Bergen County can 
he found that cannot trace in some line of its relations 
back to the original Demarest. 

The grandfather c>f our subject was Peter Denm- 



WASHINGTON. 



235 



rest, who resided in old Eiifilish Neighborhood, where 
the family had been residents since their first settle- 
ment in Bergen County. His son Stephen, father of 
our subject, removed from English Neighborhood, 
now in Ridgefield township, and settled tlie home- 
stead at Pollifiy, now on Terrace Avenue and Pater- 
son turnpike, containing some one hundred acres of 
land. His first wife, a Miss De Mott, bore him one 




V^. 




ty ^. 



^/^^Mt^ 



son, John, who died at the age of twenty-one years. 
His second wife was Widow Van Winkle, formerly 
Margaret Ackerman, who was born May 11, 1788, and 
died Oct. 24, 1856, leaving an only child, Peter S. 
Demarest, subject of this sketch, who inherited the 
homestead. 

Peter S. Demarest was born on the homestead set- 
tled by his father at Pollifiy, April 15, 1817; there 
spent his life as a farmer, and died Jan. 17, 1867. 
He was a man of unostentatious ways, preferred the 
quiet life of an agriculturist to strife and contention 
in politics or seeking public place, and was esteemed 
by all who knew him for his integrity, honesty of 
purpose, and conscientious discharge of the full 
duties of a good citizen. He was a man of sterling 
moral principles, correct and temperate habits, and a 
member of, first, the Reformed Dutch Church, and 
subsequently of the Presbyterian Church at Hacken- 
sack. His wife, whom he married Oct. 20, 1841, is 
Jane, daughter of Garret Bertholf and Sally Myers, 
of Hackensack township, and who was born Jan. 2, 
1819, survives her husband and resides upon the 
homestead. The stone house erected by the family. 



situated on Terrace Avenue, commands a fine view of 
Hackensack and the surrounding country. 

The Bertholfs are recorded as members of the Re- 
formed Dutch Church at Hackensack as early as 
1696, and the progenitor of the family here was Rev. 
Guillaume Bertholf, who came from Holland in the 
capacity of catechizer, voorleser, and schoolmaster. 
With such acceptability and usefulness did he dis- 
charge his trust that the people desired him to be 
their minister, and at their expense he was sent to 
Holland to be educated in 1693. In 1694 he returned, 
and was the first regularly installed minister of the 
Reformed Dutch Church in New Jersey, and was 
licensed to i)reach by the Classis of Middleburg for 
the churches of Hackensack and Acquackanonk, Sept. 
16, 1693. 

Mrs. Demarest's fatlier was born Aug. 22, 1790, and 
died May 5, 1876. Her mother was born Dec. 20, 
1797, and died Feb. 26, 1840. The children of Garret 
Bertholf are Lydia, Jane, John, Margaret, and Cor- 
nelius. 

The children of Peter S. and Jane Demarest are 
Margaretta, wife of Walter H. Dodd ; Stephen, a 
farmer in Missouri ; Garret, a merchant in Hacken- 
sack ; Richard, a farmer on the homestead ; William, 
deceased ; Cornelius, associated with his brother Gar- 
ret in business ; and Jennie. 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 
WASHINGTON. 

The township of Washington lies on the northern 
boundary line of the county, and also forms a portion 
of the State boundary line. In its area it embraces 
19,525 acres, and is in extent much larger than many 
of the more southerly townships. It was formerly a 
portion of Harrington, and the proposition to divide 
this territory met with little favor from the larger 
proportion of the inhabitants of the latter township. 
It was, therefore, in the midst of the most strenuous 
opposition that the new organization was first ushered 
into existence. 

The fertility of the lands of the township and the 
wealth of its inhabitants afford it a commanding and 
influential position in the county, while its intimate 
association with the events of the Revolution renders 
the ground replete with historic interest. It may, 
therefore, readily be assumed that Washington, imme- 
diately on becoming a separate township, took a 
foremost rank in the afiairs of the county. Tliis she 
has ever since maintained, and at no time was her in- 
fluence and enterprise more conspicuous than in the 
service rendered during the late Rebellion. Tradition 
relates that the army of Gen. Washington was en- 
camped within the township limits during the Revo- 
lution, and in the district known as the " Overkill 
Neighborhood" occurred the surprise and slaughter of 



236 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Col. Baylor's light-horee on the night of Oct. 27, 

1778. The early settlers in this portion of the county 
were chiefly of Dutch descent, many of them having 
come directly from Holland. The lands are in nu- 
merous instances owned and cultivated by the de-scend- 
ants of these worthy pioneers. 

Washington may be geographically described as 
bounded on the north by Rockland (,'ounty, N. Y., 
south by Midland and Harrington, east by Harrington, 
and west by Hohokus and Kidgewood. The New 
Jersey and New Y'ork Railroad runs through the 
township in nearly a northerly directiozi, with stations 
at Westwood, Hillsdale, Pit-icack, Park Kidgc, and 
Mciiit Vale. 

Natural Features. — The surface of the township 
is greatly diversified, and this variety adds much to 
its natural beauty. Several ranges of hills extend 
north and south, with valleys of great fertility lying 
between them. The Saddle River Valley on the west 
and the Piiscack on the east are among tlie most at- 
tractive and luxuriant. The soil here is an especially 
rich gravelly loam, which produces abundant crops. 
The soil of Chestnut Ridge is a clay bottom combined 
with sandstone, while the land lying on the eiistcrn 
border of the Pascack Valley is a sandy loam, as in- 
deed is all the soil bordering the Hackensack River, 
and very fertile. Swampy land prevails to some ex- 
tent in Washington, a tract in the northwest portion, 
popularly known as the Bear's Nest, being especially 
noticeable. The staple product is fruit, the cultivation 
of which is attended with much [>rofit, since a ready 
market is afforded in the neighboring cities. Grain 
is also grown with success, the hiM<l Kcing well adapted 
to wheat, corn, oats, rye, and buckwheat. 

The ground is amply watered by the Hackensack 
River on the east and the Saddle River stream on the 
west, while numerous small brooks havingthcir source 
either in Rockland County or the north portion of 
the township pour their waters into the rivers al)ovc 
named. 

Of these the most prominent are the Pascack and 
Bear Creek. These rivulets afford ))ower for nu- 
merous saw- and grist-mills which ilo a thriving busi- 
ness. 

The real estate of the township is valued at $1,- 
273,81t.'), and the personal property at !!':W!»,87y. 

The taxes were for 1880 as follows: county tax, 
f.'>()09.4() ; bounty and interest, W377.48; poor and 
township tax, $-_'047.1H; State school tax, $2.V.M.!I4 ; 
special school tax, K;77.91 ; road tax, *;1128.48; dog 
tax, $7.h..'-)((. 

Early Settlements. — The township of Washington 
in its early history is associated with the ruunes of 
Wortcndyke, Hlauvelt, Eckerson, Hering, Demarcst, 
Holdruni, Storm, Brickell, Hopper, Westcrvell, Bo- 
gert, Van Kmbnrgh, ("ami>bell, Hanta, Perry, and 
others. Many if not all of these nanie-s are still rep- 
resented by later generations, a portion of whom 
have inherited the paternal estAtes. The traditions 



of the fathers have in a few instances been preserved, 

but with most of these families little of interest is 
remembered prior to the present century. The Wor- 
tendykes are among the earliest residents of the town- 
ship, the progenitor of whom was Jacob, who came 
from Holland at a period prior to the Revolution 
and settled in Harrington township. He had two 
sons, Rinear and Frederick, both of whom located in 
Washington. Rinear married, and had as descend- 
ants Cornelius, Rinear, Frederick, Albert, and Jacob. 
The latter was married to Elizabeth Campbell, and 
had children, Rinear and two daughters, the former of 
wlioni is still living in the townshi|) in his eighty- 
eighth year. Frederick, the son of Jacob first men- 
tioned, had sons, Frederick, Peter, and James, whose 
descendants still live in the township. 

Albert, the son of the first Rinear, married and had 
children, — David, Abram, Rinear, and a daughter, 
Jane. Rinear is the only one of this number who 
survives. He resides at Park Ridge, and h:ts attaineil 
his ninetieth year. Ahrani has two sons living, .Vhrani, 
residing in New York, and Albert A., who is engaged 
in manufacturing at Park Ridge. Frederick F. and 
Peter Wortendykc each represent otiier branches of 
the same family. 

The Hopper I'iiinily are of Holland descent, the 
earliest one reniembered in Washington being .Vbram, 
who had among his children one Jacob. He residcu 
at Kinderkamack, on property now occupied by John 
Smith, and which was formerly the homestead. Jacob 
had one son, .Xhram, who settled on ancestral land and 
had children, ^.Vbram, Garret, Isaac, John, James, 
and Jacob, and one daughter. Jacob located upon 
the farm now occujiied by his only son, Richard Hop- 
per, while a daughter, residing at Westvood, is Mrs. 
J. C. Westervelt. The son of Abram is James, now 
living in the township in his ninetieth year. Another 
branch was that of Nicholas Hopper, who resided in 
Hohokus, and had three sons, .John, Jacob, and .An- 
drew. The first is deceased, .\ndrew resides in Ho- 
hokus, and Jacob is still living in Washington with 
his son Garret in advanced years. 

The Brickell family were originally from Rockland 
County, the first member of whom was jjrobably 
George, who fell in the Kcvolutionary conflict. He 
had two sons, George and Thomas, the latter of whom 
came to the township of Washington (then Harring- 
ton) and pursued the weaver's craft. He was united 
in marriage to .\ltye, daughter of William Bogert, 
and had twelve children, of whom seven now reside 
in the township. The sons were George, John, iind 
David, of whom (teorge and David are in Wiushlng- 
ton, and John in Newark. Much of the land now 
embraced in the village of Westwood belonged to 
this family. 

Among the oldest liimllies in the township is that 
of Bogert, who are of Holland ancestry, and the pio- 
neer of whom was Isaac, who exchanged property in 
; New York Citv for a tide-mill near Hackensack. 



WASHINGTON. 



237 



This change of residence was deemed advisable from 
the impaired health of his son, who met with an ac- 
cident while pursuing his trade of carpenter. In the 
year 1765 he purchased property described in a deed 
now in possession of the family, bearing the above 
date, and located near Westwood, on the old Para- 
mus road. The former owner of this land was one 
John Maselius, who received for it the sura of one 
hundred pounds. Isaac Bogcrt had children. Jacobus 
and Albert, both of whom lived in the township, and 
the former of whom died during the war of the Rev- 
olution. The property of Albert was inherited by 
his son Isaac, who married ilargarct Durie, and had 
children, David and Leah. Hannah Ackerman be- 
came the wife of David and the mother of three 
children, of whom two, Isaac and Mrs. B. Z. Van 
Emburgh, reside in the township, the former on the 
land purchased in 1765. Of other branches of the 
family in Washington are John J., James K., and 
Stephen, sons of James Bogert, and the family of 
Jacob Bogert, who have until recently resided in the 
township. 

The origin of the Demarest family in Bergen 
County has been more fully given elsewhere in this 
volume. Of the members of the family in Washing- 
ton, Garret Demarest located on the mill-site now oc- 
cupied by Robert Yates, and had five sons, — Tunis, 
James, Abram, Samuel, and John, and three daugh- 
ters. All the sons were residents of the township. 
Tunis met death as the result of an accident, and 
Samuel live'don land now occupied by his son. Garret 
S. Demarest. A second son died in childhood, and a 
daughter became Mrs. John Hopper. Garret S. has 
spent his life on the family property, and been largely 
identified with the township surveys. Another branch 
of the family was represented by two brothers, John 
and Abram, the former of whom settled on the land 
now occupied by Paul Powless, in the southeast part 
of the township, and the latter in Harrington. Neither 
left descendants. Still another member of the family, 
Jacobus Demarest, was a resident of the township 
during the Revolutionary war, first at Old Hook, and 
later at Mont Vale. He had children, — David, Abram, 
and John, and two daughtei's. All the sons lived and 
died in the township. John had five children, of 
whom a son, James, and a daughter reside in the 
township. Abram left a son who has removed from 
Washington, and a daughter who is deceased. 

Another representative of the family, named John, 
had nine children, the sons being Garret, John, David, 
and James J. The latter and throe sisters reside in 
the township. 

Peter Perry was an early resident, and purchased a 
large tract in the northeast corner of the township. 
He had sons, Peter, Johannes, and Jacob, all of whom 
are deceased. Peter resided upon the State line, and 
Jacob and Johannes in Rockland County. They left 
descendants in the township, though not of the same 
name. 



The Ackerson family (formerly and at present 
spelled Eckerson) antedate the Revolution in the pe- 
riod of their settlement, the first of whom. Garret 
located at Old Tappan, in Harrington township, an I 
his eldest son, John, upon a tract of land purchased 
for him by his father at Pascack. Two younger sons, 
Cornelius and Abram, were ultimately left the home- 
stead at Tappan. John married Garritje Hogencamp, 
and had children, Garrit and one daughter, who be- 
came Mrs. Nicholas Zabriskie. 

Garrit, born in 1770, had four children, John G., 
Cornelius G., Garrit G., and James G., the only sur- 
vivor of whom is Garrit G., now residing at Hacken- 
sack. Cornelius, one of the sons of Garrit, the pro- 
genitor of the family, is represented in the township 
by Mrs. Jacob Banta, and the daughter of Cornelius 
G., who is Mrs. Nicholas B. Ackerman, with her sons, 
John and Garrit, also reside in Washington, on the 
homestead of her father. 

Jacob Eckerson was an early settler in Dutchess 
County. His son Thomas came to the township as early 
as 1820, and, as appears by old deeds of conveyance 
now in possession of his great-grandson, purchased 
the land still owned by the family. Thomas, afore- 
said, had nine children, of whom Edward married 
and also had nine children, his only son being Thomas, 
who was married to Reganah Hill. Their children 
were two in number, one of whom, Edward T., is in 
possession of the ancestral home. 

The Westervelt family are among the earliest, the 
first to arrive in Washington having been Casparus 
I., who had a son, John C, who was also the fiither of 
a son named Casparus I. John C. was married to 
Agnes Van Derbeck, and had children,— Casparus I., 
Sarah, and Martintie. Casparus I. was united in mar- 
riage to Maria Van Riper, and had one son, Capt. J. 
C. Westervelt, now residing at Westwocd, the home- 
stead, though still retained in the family, being at 
present occupied by tenants. The family names have 
been perpetuated in this instance through successive 
generations. 

The Alyea family were very early in their settlement 
in Washington, the first being Jacobus, who resided 
on the farm now occupied by James K. Bogert. He 
died during the latter jiart of the last century, and 
was buried in the Old Hook cemetery. None of the 
family remain in the township. 

The earliest member of the Banta family to settle 
in Washington was John, born Oct. 6, 1824, who re- 
sided at Pascack and married Margaret Duryea, to 
whom were born four children — Henry, John, Jacob, 
and Agnes. All of these sons remained in the town- 
ship and settled upon the original land, which was 
divided among them. The descendants of .John still 
reside in Bergen County. Henry was married to 
Margaret Demarest, and had sons, — John, Garret, Ja- 
cob, Henry, and Tunis, — all of whom located in the 
township. The descendants of Tunis and Henrv re- 
side at Hackensack. Garret lived upon the place now 



238 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



occupied by his son. Jacob remained at Pascack, on 
the homestead, and had two daughters, one of whom, 
Mrs. Peter Jersey, now resides at Piiscack. Mrs. 
James Demarcst, another daughter, remained upon 
the homestead iluring her lifetime. 

Tlie Blauvelt family are of Holland descent, and 
associated with some of the most stirring events of the 
Revolutionary period. Aniong a large family of 
brothers were Jacobus and Cornelius D., the former 
of whom settled near Mont Vale and had four sons 
— James, .John, David, and Tunis — and six daugh- 
ters. Among these sons his land, embracing a tract 
of two hundred acres, was divided. All but Tunis 
left descendants. John I., the son of John, resides in 
the township. Cornelius D., a soldier of the Revolu- 
tionary war, had a son, David C, who was the father 
of James D. and John D. Blauvelt, both residents of 
Washington. 

At the home of Cornelius D. Blauvelt, whose wife 
was a member of the Hering family, occurred one of 
the most heartless massacres of the Revolution, — the 
surprise and slaughter of a detachtiient of Col. Bay- 
lor's command. The spot upon which the Blauvelt 
home wiis located, as d&scribed to the historian by one 
of the descendants of the family, was at River Vale, 
on the west side of the river, on the site of the house 
more recently occupied by L. Cleveland, the original 
structure having long since been demolished. The 
night was severely cold, and the troops were (piar- 
tered in the barn, the ollicer in command with some 
of his subordinates having been more comfortably 
provided for at the house. Guards were stationed 
about the place, who at three successive times re- 
ported to the officer tlie inipossihility of longer 
enduring the terrible cold. He remarked to the 
troops that they nnist protect themselves as the 
guards were relieved. A party of Hessians sur- 
rounded the buildings, and at once directed their 
attention to the barn where most of the troops were 
quartered. The major an<l surgeon, who were in the 
house, were taken prisoners. The defenseless sol- 
diers found escape impo.ssihle. They were captured 
and slaughtered without i|uarter, and their bodies 
thrown into a neighboring tan-vat ; but three escaped 
by fleeing to an adjoining wood and secreting them- 
selves. 

The earliest member of the Campbell family in the 
township was named John, a native of New Jersey, 
who came to Washington soon after the do.se of the 
Revolution. He at once &<itablished a wampum-fac- 
t<(ry, and conducted an extensive business, supplying 
all th<? Indian agents and traders of thi' day with this 
commodity. Mr. ('arn|>bell had eight children, all of 
whom located in tlir township. The sons of Abram 
\., one of these children, are .lohn A., James A., 
David A., and Abram A., who now reside here and 
still conduct the business established by their fore- 
fathers. These wares, consisting of pipes, heads, 
moons, etc., made from conch-shells, and all known 



under the general name of wampum, are supplied to 
the Indian agents, and by them disposed of to the red 
men. 

Conrad Storms, of Holland descent, and probably 
the first representative of the family in the township, 
resided upon the property now occupied by Henry 
Storms. His children were a son, Henry, and a daugh- 
ter, the former of whom married Margaret Holdroni, 
and had children, — Conrad, Cornelius, and two daugh- 
ters. Conrad was married to He.ster Ackerman, of 
Hohokus, and had children, — Henry C, Albert C.,and 
one datighter. Both of these sons occupy portions of 
the original e-state. 

The Ackermans trace their descent to Mrs. Elenor 
Ackerman, who came to the township with a large 
family of sons, among whom were David, (iarret, and 
Johannes. The latter married a daughter of Corne- 
lius Demarest, and had lour children, — (iarret, Cor- 
nelius, and two daughters. Garret settled upon the 
Deinarest homestead and letV no family. The chil- 
dren of Cornelius Ackerman were John, Garret C, 
Henry, Cornelius, and two daughters, of whom the 
only survivors are t^arret and the daughters afore- 
said. 

The Van Eniburghs are of Holland descent, John, 
the progenitor of the family in New Jersey, having 
settled in Essex County, anil later removed to Frank- 
lin township. His son Henry, who lived and died in 
the latter township, w;us united in inarriagi' to Mary 
Vooliris, and became the lather of ten children, ot 
whom Albert settled in Wiushington. He nuirried 
Hannah, daughter of Nicholas Zabriskie, and had 
three children, — B. /., H. A., and Nicholas, all resi- 
dents of the township. 

The Van Wagoners are an early family, and located 
in the southern portion of Washington, .\lbert and 
John Van Wagoner are the present representatives iu 
the township. 

The Hering family are of Dutch descent, and inti- 
mately iussociated with the early history of the eoniily. 
Four brothers purchased a tract of one th<uisauil acres 
in New York .State, the deed bearing date 17l'!», and 
subsecpiently an additional six hundred in Washing- 
ton (then Harrington) township, upon which three 
cousins, sons of the original settlers, and all named 
Corm-lins, located, each of whom wius given a trail 
embracing two hundred acres. One portion of tlii- 
land was situated at Pascack, the descendants of tli. 
son who settled here being William, John, Corneliu-. 
and James. 

Oiu- of the four brothers at first named was Abram 
A. F. Hering, whose son, (Viriielins .Mtram, settled 
upon the farm now m-cupied by .\lirain ('. llrriu::. 
The children of (,'ornelius .\. were Ralph, .Mirarn, aiiW 
four daughters. Both sons located upon the family 
estate. The chililren of Ralph were Cornelius R. and 
David. David had two sons, Ralph D. and David, 
the former of whon\ resides in the township. Tin- 
earlier members of this family were identified with 



WASHINGTOl^. 



239 



many of the Revolutionary scenes which transpired 
in the township. 

The Hohlrum family are of Holland extraction, 
and very early in their settlement in Bergen County. 
Tiie earliest representatives now recalled were three 
brothers, — William, Nicholas, and a third, who is the 
ancestor of the present members of the family in the 
township. 

They settled respectively at Mont Vale, North Pas- 
cack, and what was known as the "Overkill" Neigh- 
borhood. William had one daughter, who became 
Mrs. Abram Deniarest. Nicholas had a son, William, 
who was the father of a son Nicholas and daughters. 

The third brother above mentioned had children — 
Cornelius C, James, and William, — the former of 
whom now resides on a part of the old homestead. 
Peter M., the son of William, is living at Westwood, 
and the children of James, witli the exception of 
Abram C. Holdrum, have all removed from the town- 
ship. 

Schools. — The township sustains six schools, with 
schcM^l property valued at eight thousand five hundred 
dollars, and having a seating capacity for four hun- 
dred and six children. This township, like many 
others, is devoid of records, and historical facts can 
only be gleaned from the oldest inhabitants residing 
within the territory. Previous to 1838 the school dis- 
tricts were marked out as the convenience of resi- 
dents dictated. Each parent sent his children where 
he chose and paid a tuition fee for the instruction re- 
ceived. 

The school-houses were built by contribution and 
voluntary labor. After 1838 a school committee 
elected at the annual township meeting controlled 
the matter, the districts not being materially altered. 
They remained thus until 1840, when by act of Legis- 
lature the school committee was discontinued, a town 
superintendent was placed in charge, and a regular 
division into districts effected. Various changes oc- 
curred from that date until 1867, when the township 
was superseded by a county superintendent, since 
which time no alterations have been made. The ter- 
ritory is now divided into six districts, the first of 
which is River Vale, No. 20. This is located in the 
northeastern part of the township, and formerly be- 
longed to District No. 19, now a part of Harrington. 
In the year 1857 a division was made, cutting off that 
portion lying on the west side of the Hackensack 
River, which was enlarged by annexing a portion of 
Washingtonville and Middletown, and is now known 
as above mentioned. 

In 1857 a building was erected at the expense of 
the district. This was the earliest school-house in the 
vicinity, and is still in use. It is constructed of wood, 
is one story high, and substantially furnished with 
many of the modern aids to the teacher. The school, 
however, has never attained a high standard, and 
rarely risen above the elementary coarse. The present 
teacher is James A. Coe. 



Westwood, No. 21, is in the southeastern part of the 
township, in a beautiful portion of the county. The 
thriving hamlet of Westwood is in this district, though 
the school is located at Old Hook, on the road from 
Closter to Kinderkamack. Tiiis district was formed 
prior to the year 1800, and its boundary lines have 
not been changed since that period. The old .school- 
house, a very unpretentious structure, stood near the 
location of the present one, and the pedagogue who 
held undisputed sway during the year 1807, a Mr. 
Fulton, was distinctly remembered by at least one of 
his pupils who survived until a late date. In 1840 
another building twenty by twenty-four feet in di- 
mensions, one story high and painted red, was erected, 
which in turn gave place in 1860 to the present struc- 
ture, built at the expense of the district. This has 
recently undergone thorough repairing, and is fitted 
with all the modern school-room improvements. The 
property is valued at eighteen hundred dollars, and 
can accommodate comfortably eighty children. The 
teachers are Miss Josephine Rhodes and Francis 
Bauer. 

Hillsdale, No. 22, occupies the central and southern 
portions of the township, and includes the hamlet of 
Hillsdale within its boundary. The first school-houses 
in this locality are not remembered. The present one 
was erected in 1856 by tax, and is located one mile 
west of Hillsdale, on the road from Pascack to Pater- 
son. It is a frame building, one story high, with cu- 
pola. The elementary Ijranches only are taught here, 
and no especial interest is manifested in educational 
matters by the residents of the district. The teacher 
is William W. Banta. 

Pascack, No. 23, occupies the northern part of the 
township, and embraces the hamlets of Pascack, Park 
Ridge, and Mont Vale within its limits. The year 
1808 witnessed tlie erection of the first school build- 
ing, located near the Reformed Church, a short dis- 
tance from the public road. The interior is described 
as very unpretentious, while in one end of the room 
was a unique heating apparatus, composed of logs, 
which were carted in and piled one upon another, 
after which fire was started at the base. In the roof 
was an opening protected by a so-called chimney, con- 
structed of mud and straw, which served as a passage- 
way for the smoke. The desks were placed around 
the room, the seats being a slab of oak resting upon 
legs and three feet from the floor. The children for 
six hours each day were compelled to mount these 
benches and endure the tortures which modern appli- 
ances have in a measure alleviated. The school-room 
having become crowded, a long table shaped like the 
roof of a house with a flat top was placed in the cen- 
tre to supply the needs of the later arrivals. Under 
the direction of a Mr. Leach, who taught in 1820, the 
arrangements were somewhat improved, and the [irim- 
itive method of heating gave place to a more modern 
stove. In 1855 the present building was erected on 
land purchased for the purpose. 



240 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



It is related that one of the early teachers often 
indulge<l in stimulants to "strengthen his nerves," 
and not being over cautious as to quantity, would oc- 
casionally be the worse for his convivial tendencies, 
when the scholars took to themselves a prolonged re- 
cess. Having slept ott" his debauch he would rush 
madly to the door and cry " School ! school !" The 
present building is located about half a mile from the 
old site, on the Pascack road, the i)roperty being val- 
ued at fifteen hundred dollars. The teachers are Miss 
M. Ward and .Miss S. Neer. 

Chestnut Ridge, No. 24, is of recent formation, and 
occupies the northern part of the township. As the 
name indicates, it is a hilly section, and not populous, 
the school building being located in the northwestern 
part of the territory. Before the tbrmation of this 
district the children attended school at Pascack, at 
the Lutheran and Reformed Churches in Saddle River, 
and at a small red school-house in New York State. 
The district was formed under many difficulties, and 
in 1850 a school-house was erected at Chestnut Ridge 
amid many discouragements. It was built by sub- 
scription and contributions of material and labor, and 
used until 1868, when it was consumed by fire. The 
present building was immediately erected by tax 
levied upon the inhabitants. The property is valued 
at fifteen hundred dollars. The teacher is Miss Adah 
Shafer. 

Saddle River Valley, No. 2'), is a union district, 
lying partly in llohokus and partly in Washington, 
the building being in the latter township. The first 
school-house was probably erected more than one 
hundred years ago by the old Dutch settlers of Saddle 
River, and located where the house of Garret Hopper 
Osborn now stands. It was built of stone, and for 
fifty years received within its walls the rising genera- 
tions of the valley. The building was eipiipped with 
a swinging |>artition, by which the dimensions of the 
room were increased or diminished at pleasure. In 
summer, the attendance being greater, the partition 
was hooked uji, thereby making the quarters more 
spacious by one-third. The heating apparatus was 
a large old-fashioned fireplace, which answered a 
double purpose. In winter it heated the room, and 
in summer serve<l as a place of confinement for unruly 
pupils. The edifice wa.s not modern in construction, 
and it is said that slate-l>encils dropped by careless 
scholars to the floor disappeared through the cracks 
an<l were never more seen. In l.H2o another building 
wiu* erected near the Lutheran Church, which did duty 
for thirty years, and was replaced in 1H.'>.5 by a more 
convenient structure, built by tax, and rebuilt in 18(58. 
It is constructed of brick, and with the ground is 
valued at $1400. The iireseni instructor is Charles 
Packer. The whole number of children in the various 
school districts of the township during the year 1881 
was y.')!, and the total amount received from all sources 
for iMluciitiotiiil purposes, $3164.(jri. 

Early Highways.— The earliest highways of the 



> townsliip were surveyed long before the war of the 
Revolution, the oldest known road, so far as the 
memory of the present generation is able to afford 
information, being the old Paramus road. It came 
from Closter, pjissed through the Old Hook to West- 
wood, and from thence southwest to Paramus. 

Another road had its beginning at the highway 
known as the Schraalenburgh road, which emanated 
in New York State, and which eventually intersected 
with the Old Hook road. 

A road following a direct course to Westwood also 
interjoined the Schraalenburgh road, and was a very 
early highway. 

The Pascack road began in New York State, and 
with .some variations followed a southeasterly direc- 
tion to HackensiH'k. This was not only a very early 
highway, but associated with many of the historic 
scenes of the hist century. 

A road beginning at River Vale, in Harrington 
township, had for its terminus the hamlet of Hills- 
dale, following first a southerly then a westerly 
course. 

The Wieremus road, so chri-tened by the Indians, 
who in early times followed it as a trail, ran through 
Pascack Ridge west of the Pascack road, having 
for its objective points New Y'ork State and Para- 
mus. 

The roa<l territory of Washington is at present 
divided into fifty-five districts, over whom preside the 
following overseers: 



..J. J. P.-rry. 
.A. J. .Mien. 
..G. I>. Van niiHoni. 
..Lewis \Vt>«t|iliall. 
..r. J. n.rlnit. 
.Jhiiim Kurkiuan, 
.J. I. Dom»r«sL 
.11. Vnndfrbilt. 
G. M. OKigiiou. 
.J. \V. Mo.-rr. 
.J. V«liderlN«ck. 
.A.C. H..ldron. 
.Juhu Fleumltoan. 
.J. J. Hogert. 
.\V. \. L>emarc*t. 
.John D. Smilli. 
.Abrnni Lulkliia. 
.n. C.iniiil»-ll. 
.IVIiT A. Jereoy. 
.Andrew Sinitli. 
.A. J. Arkorinan. 
-A. .\. Van Wagnnpr. 
.P Worlvn.ljki-. 
.J. S. lAickwuod. 
..A. A.CaniplxiU. 
.A. J. Hop|i«r. 
.P. P. Pullli. 



Burial-Places, — The cemetery connected with the 
Kclormid I Dutch) Church in the northwest portion 
of the township is among the oldest in Washington. 
.Many of tin- inscriptions are obliterated by age or 
rendered difficult to inter|)ret by the moss which 
covers them. Here are interred members of the Ter- 
hune, Ackerman, Blauvelt, Yeury, Dc Haun, Demar- 
est, Jersey, Ex'kerson, Hopper, and Zabriski families. 
The following inscriptions are copied, though not 
among the oldest : 



Dlrtricr 




District 


No. 1.. 


.Garret J. Ilofipor. 


No. 29.. 


•' 2.. 


.George Ilardwick. 


" :io.. 


" n. 


. John II. Uanta. 


" 31.. 


" 4. 


..Jolin 0. AckerniRii. 


" 32.. 


•' 6. 


..G. H. OM«.rn. 


" 33.. 


" 6.. 


..Thomas .Vckersou. 


'• 34. 


" 7. 


..J. J. ('arl.Kk, Jr. 


•• 36... 


'• 8.. 


.Albert Z. Ikigert. 


" 36.. 


•' 9.. 


..Peter Crunter. 


•• 37.. 


" 10. 


..Morgan l>ilnia|i. 


" 38.. 


" U. 


.Peler K. Wortendyke. 


•• 39.. 


•' 12. 


..Nelfctn Torhuni'. 


" 40.. 


" 13. 


..C. W. Jennint;. 


•■ 41.. 


" 14. 


..J. II. Ilnll. 


" 4i. 


" 15. 


..Staiitv SlormB. 


■■ 43.. 


" 16. 


..Ilermnn Stnmiii. 


•• 44.. 


'* 17. 


Abtiini Van Ki|>er. 


" 45.. 


" IS. 


..Ge«Mge GtMid. 


•• 46.. 


" 19. 


..Peler A. Pnlll». 


•• 47.. 


" 20.. 


.J. K. Wortciulyko. 


•• 4S.. 


•• 21. 


..Abrnm Garnee. 


•' 49. 


'• 22.. 


..Morris Garnee. 


" M.. 


'• 2;i. 


..George West. 


•■ 51.. 


" 24.. 


..Stephen 1. (tuetschhin. 


" 52.. 


" 25. 


.H. A. Van F.nibiirgh. 


•' M.. 


•• 26.. 


.J. F. Fontliea. 


" 54.. 


•■ 27.. 


Uwls tlill. 


•• 65... 


" 2S.. 


.0. F. Ilerlng. 





WASHINGTON. 



241 



In memory of Margaret Packer, who died November 13, 1844. 
In memory of Cliarity Hopjier, wife of Jobii H. Bacta, wlio died Oc- 
tober 10th, 1828, aged 19 years, 1 month, and 25 days. 
Come, welcome Deatli, tlie end of fear : 

Lord, wilt thou be nigh? 
My friends, forbear to weep, and dry your tears, 
For all must go as I. 

Farewell, my true and loving husbaud, 

My parents and my friends; 
I hope in heaven to see you all, 

When all things have their end. 

Ill memory of Caty Forshew, wife of Sauiuel Duryea, who died Sep- 
tember 11th, 1837, aged 77 yeiira, 8 months, and 17 days. 

Ill memory of Jacob De Baun, who departed this life October 23rd, a.D. 
1815, aged 48 years, 8 mouths, and 28 days. 

In memory of Maria, daughter of Garret and Elizabeth Van Riper, who 
departed this life March 28th, 1835, aged (J years and 12 days. 
My mother dear weep not for me 

When in this yard my grave you see ; 
My days were short, bnt blessed is He 
Who called me to eternity. 

The old Pascack cemetery, near the church, is also 
of much antiquity, several of the memorial stones 
bearing date 1745. These are engraved in rude 
fiishion, and are mostly in the Dutch language. 
Those erected at a later day bear date 1790, 179G, 
1800, 1813, etc. 

The following is the legend upon the tablet erected 
to the memory of one of the most eminent of the sons 
of Washington township : 

Here rest tiie remains of Hon. Jacob U. Wortendyke, born in Bergen 
County, N. J., November 27th, 1818, died at Jersey City, November 7th. 
1808. After he had served his own generation, by the will of God he 
fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers. 

The old burying-ground connected with the Pas- 
cack Church has been in use for years, and is still 
maintained as the place of interment for many of the 
families of the township. Among the inscriptions 
are these : 

In memory of Sarah Peack, wife of Jacobus Demarest, who died March 
17th, 1820, aged 80 yeare and 8 days. 

The voice of this alarming scene. 

May every heart obey ; 
Nor be the heavenly warning vain 
That calls to watcli and pray. 
In memory of Margaret Piilis, wife nf Jacob Post, who departed this 
life March ."ilst, 1826, aged 25 years, 3 months, and 22 days. 

Ill memory of David Wortendyke, who departed this Hfe August 2nd, 
1827, aged 19 yeiirs, 6 months, and 29 days. i 

In memory of Peter Campbell, who departed this life September 15th, ' 
1819, aged 1 year, I month, and 2 days. I 

In memory of Daniel Peck, who died November, 1819, aged 76 years, 9 
months, and 2 days. 

Daniel I. Hering, horn November 17th, 1775, died January 13, 1815, 
agfd 39 years, 7 montlis, and 29 days. 

In memory of Maria Ackerson, wife of Isaac Debaun, born October 27, 
17;J0, died April 18th, 1817, aged 86 years, 10 months, and 12 days. 

Tlie Old Hook cemetery lies in the southeastern 
portion of the township, and is intimately connected 
with the earlier deaths in the township. It is still 
used by many of the prominent families of Washing- 
ton, and is carefully maintained since its incorpora- 
tion by an act of the State Legislature. Among the 
families who have buried here are the Coopers, Al- 
yeas, Bogerts, Hoppers, etc. There are several other 
private burial-places within the township limits. 



Organization. — The following act erected Wash- 
ington as an independent township: 

"Section 1. Be it enacted by the Council and General Assembly of thU 
State, and U i$ hereby enacted by the authority of the same. That all that 
part of the township of Harrington in the county of Bergen that lies 
west of the Hackensack River shall be and the same hereby is estab- 
lished a separate townsliip, to be called the township of ' Wa.-*hington.' 
"Section 2. And be it enacted, That the inhabitants uf that part of 
Harrington that lies west of the Hackensack River be and they and 
their successors are hereby constituted a body politic and corporate by 
the name of 'the inhabitants of the township of Washington in the 
county of Bergen,' and that the inhabitants of that part of tho said 
township of Harrington that lies east of the Hackensack River be and 
they and their successors are hereby constituted a body politic and cor- 
porate by the name of ' the inhabitants of the town.ship of Harrington 
in the county of Bergen,' which said two townships in their corporate 
capacities respectively shall be entitled to all the rights, powers, privi- 
leges, aiul advantages, and subject to the same regulations, duties, and 
liabilities as the inhabitants of the other townships iu the said county of 
Bergen may be entitled or subject to. 

** Section 3. And be it enacted, That all paupers who may be chargeable 
to the township of Harrington in the county of Bergen at the time this 
act shall go into operation shall thereafter be chargeable to and sup- 
ported by that one of the said townships hereby erected within the 
bounds of which they have acquired their settlements respectively, or 
in which said paupers may have resided at the time of acquiring their 
respective settlements; and all persons whose present settlements are in 
the township of Harrington, and who ehall hereafter become chargeable 
as paupers, shall be supported by that one of the said new townships 
hereby erected within the bounds of which they resided at the time of 
acquiring their respective settlements. 

" Section i. And be it enacted, That the inhabituntsof the township of 
Washington hereby created shall huld tlieir first annual town-meeting 
on the second Monday of April next, at the house of Peter A. Jersey, 
inn-ket'per, within the bounds of said tuwnship hereby created ; and that 
the inhrthituTits uf tlie township uf Harringtun hereby created shall hold 
their first annual town-meeting on the second Monday in April next, at 
the house of Richard Blanch, inn-keoper, within the bounds of said town- 
ship of Harrington hereby created ; and afterward at such place in the 
respective townships as the inhabitants of each shall determine in the 
manner prescribed by hiw. 

Section .'>. And he it enacted. That the township committees of the 
townships of Harrington and Washington sliall meet on Saturday, the 
eighteenthday of April next, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, at the house 
of Richard Blanoli, iiiii-kee; er. l)efnro mentioned, and shall then and 
there proceed by writing, to be assigned by a majority of those present, 
to allot and divide between the said town.sliips all the property and 
money on hand or due. iu proportion to the taxable property and rata- 
bles, as valued and assessed by the assessor within the respective limita 
of the said two townships at the last assessment; and the township of 
Washington shall be liable to pay their just proportion of the debts, if 
any there be; and if any of the members of the said township commit 
tees shall neglect to meet as aforesaid, those present may proceed to 
make such division ; and their decision or the decision uf a msijority of 
them shall be linal and conclusive, procidet/, that it shall and maybe 
lawful to adjourn the above meeting to such time and i)lace as a majority 
of those jissembled as afun-said may think i)roi)er. 

"Section 6. And be it enacted. That this act shall take effect on the 
second Monday in April next. an<l not before." 

Passed Jan. 30, 1840. 

Civil List. — The following is the list of freeholders 
since the organization of the township: 

1840-42, Garret I. Demarest ; 1841, Thomas Achenback ; 1842-43,1845, 
1853, Henry Blauvelt; 1843, 1845-46, 1851, Cornelius R. Hariing ; 
1846, John Acheubach ; 1847^9, James I. Demarest ; 1847-50, Har- 
niau F. Van Rippr; 1850-51, John P. Duryea ; 1852-53, John I. 
Ackerman ; 1852, James D. Van Hurn ; 1854, 1856, Cornelius G. 
Ackerson ; 1854, Henry H. Kingsland ; 1856-58, Andrew M. Hopper; 
1857-59, Benjamin Z. Van Emburgh ; 1859-61, Peter R. Wortendyke; 
1860-62, James L. Ackerman ; 1862-64, Thomas Van Orden ; 186*- 
64, 1866, 1870, Jacob D, Van Emburgh ; 1866, Frederick F. Worten- 
dyke; 1867, Abraham Van Emburgh; 1867-69. James G. Harring; 
1868-69, John Christopher; 1870-72; Nicholas B. Ackerman ; 1873- 



242 



HISTORY 01' HKRGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



76, ThomM Pott : 1876-78, B. 8. DemirMt ; 1879, AbnihMn C. Rol- j 
dniDi; ISS<>-8|, Thomas Eckerson. i 

Townsliip ClurkB, I84IMI, Corneliui It. Haling; 1832-«^i. 1X45, lleary G. ' 
Bants : 184G-iS, l>. M. HoMruo ; l84U-ei, John C. WmttTV.'lt ; lSii2- 
M, lS56-r.!<, Fre.l.Tick Wortcnd>ke, Jr. ; 18,">,'i, Kreiiorick V. Van 
Riper, I8.'<9-CI, Henry G. Hcring ; 1862-63, Jatroli J. Storms ; 1865- 
67, Garret U. Ilnring; 1808-70, Garret J. Ljilocker; 1871-73, John 
P. Wortcndyko; 1874-7C, James A. Ackonnan; 1877-79, John J. 
Myers; 18SU-81, Garret J. Wortendyke. I 

AaseKOrs, 1840-12, Garret S. Demarest ; 1843-46, John A. Demarest ; 
1847-49, John I. nenmrent; 1850-51, James K. Bogert ; 1852-54, 
Georgg T. Brickell; 11-55-57, John P. J.dinson; 1858-6*1, Jamos G. 
Bering; 1861-63, Garret F. Hering; 1864-66,1873-78, Peter M.Hol- 
dron; 1307 -69, John H. Demurest ; 1870-72, Lonis M. Planck ; 1876- 
78. F. F. Wortendvke; 1679-81, Henry G. Hcring. 

Collectors, 1840-42, Casparus I. Zabriskie ; 184.3-46, Peter F. Van Riper; I 
1847-49, Henry Aihenl>ack ; 1S.'.0-51, John P. Westervelt; 1852, 
Jacob J. Storms; I8.W, 1855-50, 1866-OS, Peter R. Wortendyke; 
1854, Abniliam Bergen ; 1857-59, Abmbani Van Embnrgli ; 1860-62, 
Coriielins F. Crouler ; 1863-65, Henry G. Hering ; 1809-71, Albert Z. 
Ackermau; 1H72-74, John H. Ackermnil ; 1875-77, Garret J. Ly- 
decker; 1878-81, Jacob M. Blyers. 

Township Commilleex, 1840-12, John It. liliiuTelt; 1840-41, David Bo- 
gert ; 1840. Cornelius Ackerniau ; 1840-41. James I. Demarest ; 1840- 
43, 1S49-.M, John Flearoboam; 1841^3, 1845, Herman Van Itiper ; 
1842-43, 1845, 1849-51, J. A. L. Demorest ; 1842-13, 1845, John V. 
Perry : 1843, 184.5-46, l.,awrcnce Van Bnskirk ; 184.5-47, Garret S. 
Demarest; 1840-18. Peter A. Westencit, J. A. Lozier, Isaac Mabic; 
1847-49. Peter Cr.mter; 1848-49, Janiei P. Westervelt; 1849-51, 
Henry Pnllis ; 18.'>t>, Garret C. .\ckeriiiun, Cornelius It ilaring; 1851, 
J. Z. Van Blarcmi, William C. Hohlron; 18.52-,V1, A. H. Westervelt; 
1852-.'4. James L. .\ckerman. Garret J. Lydecker; 18.52, J. II. Van 
Emburgh; 1852-53, James A.Campbell; 18'>3-54, 1870-78, Thomas 
Van Orden ; 1854-,'>6, 1864-66, Alliert A. L. Denmrusl ; 18.54-55, An- 
drew 51. Hopper; 185.'>-5t^t, Benjamin 8. Demarest; 18.'i5-57, 1861-02, 
Frederick Cronter; I8.'>5, Jamea Deinuresl, Jr.; 1857-59, Peter J. 
Banta; ISiJO-SS, 1.S09-71, Henry Z, Ackernnin; 18.'i6-58, 1803-65,^ 
John A. .\ckemniu; l(«7-'>9, H. A. 1. D.nmrest ; 1858-60, Nicholas 
II. A>kerman; 18,i9-rsl, Jidin P. Juhiism; 1859-60, Jacob Z. Van 
Bhircom ; 1860-02, Thomas Post ; 1800-62, 187:1-75, Anthony C. TIce, 
1861-63, John I. Blauvelt, David A. Campbell; 1863-05, Wm. A. 
Demarest, Garret J. Hopper; 1K64-60, Thomas D. lllanch ; 1860, 
Nicholas A. Deinnreat ; 1860-68, David TIce, F. F. Wortendyke, Jr. ; 
1867-69, Garr»l F. Hering, Daniel J. Post, Jacob H. Van Derbeck ; 
1809, John W. Clirislle; 1870-72, John A. Felter, Abram J. Allen, 
John A. L, Blauvelt, Sleph.n J. Goetschius ; 1872-74, David Brick- 
ell; 187.1-7.5. KichanI Von Derbeck; 1873-14, John Messenger; 1S73- 
75, .Abram S. Van Horn; 1875-77, Garret D. Van Buasom, Iwiac On- 
derdoiik ; 1876-78, Samuel B. Demarest, John D. Durie; 1878-80, 
Abram A. Campbell; 1878-79, Mercelins Poat ; 1879-81, Abnlm 
Guruoe; 1880-81, Schuyler Bania ; 1881, John Henry Ackorman. 

Villages and Hamlets, — The townshi|), or .-it leii.st 
()(irti(Jiis 1)1' it, i.-- liesigniitod by districts, wliicli dis- 
tinction is made simply us a matter of convenience in 
de.scribinp certain localities. The tract on the west 
side, and hordering on the Saddle River, is known as 
Chestnut Uidj^o, wlille a ranj;c of liills in tlie centre 
of the townslii|) alonj; the 1'a.scack River, with fertile 
valleys on either side, is termed " Piuscack Ridge." In 
the Hontheiust corner is the jioint familiarly known as 
the Old Hook settlement. 

Aetna is the most southerly of the villagrs of the 
tflwnsliii), and is located on the New .lersey and New 
York Railroad. It was formerly known as Kinder- 
kamuck, the luime, in accordance with po|iular tratli- 
tion, bcinf; of Indian origin, and signifying " the place 
where the cock crowed." The red men were on one 
occa.sion warned of the approach of the enemy, and 
thus enabled to escape iiiimiiient danger, by the warn- 
ing voice of a neighboring cock. They perpetuated 



the event by the christening of the locality. Aetna 
boasts no commercial enterprise, but w;is formerly a 
point of some historic intcre-st. The lands adjait-nt 
to the depot are desirable, and have been much sought 
after as favorable sites for building. 

Old Kinderkamack was the scene of some of the 
most important incidents of the Revolutionary period. 
During the time the American army was encamped 
here occurred the death of Brig.-Oen. Poor, one of 
the bravest generals of the Revolution. His remains 
were interred in the old cemetery of the Reformed 
Dutch Church at Hackensack, his funeral obsequies 
having been attended by both Washington and Lafay- 
ette. His grave is marked by a plain slab, bearing 
the following inscription: "In memory of the Hon. 
Brigadier-General Enoch Poor, of the State of New 
Hampshire, who departed this life on the 8th day of 
September, 1780, aged forty-four years." 

Westwood is beautifully located on the New Jersey 
and New York Railroad, and the most enterprising 
of the railway stations in Wiishington township. It 
was an outgrowth of the railroad, and now nuiiihers 
about two hundred and lilty inhabit:ints. The land 
on which it is located was formerly owned by David 
I. Bogert, George T. Brickell, and David Brickell. 
These gentlemen caused a survey to be made, laid the 
ground out in <lesirable lots, upon a portion of which 
they erected buildings. Messrs. Van Emburgli :ind 
Bogert erected the first store, which was soon after 
followed by a hotel, and later by a chapel and many 
pretentious residences. There are now two markets, 
three stores, two hotels, and a post-office, Isaac D. 
Bogert being the postmaster. The growth of West- 
wood has been somewhat impeded by the financial 
embarrassments of the past few years. 

The hamlet of Hillsdale, though desirably located 
on the New .Jersey and New Y'ork Railroad, has made 
no decided advance in growth since its first inception. 

The point has many natural iidviintages, its conve- 
nience of location to the nietropolis and its beauty 
of situation being the levers which will eventually 
aid in its fuller development. It has now a store, kept 
by John U. Voorhis, who is also the postmaster; a 
hotel, of which John P. Wortemlyke is lanillord, and 
a picturcs(]Uc Methodist ICpiscopal Chapel. 

Paseack is a station on the line of the railroad, and 
located upon the Piiscack stream. It hits no com- 
mercial significance, anil may be regarded rather as » 
locality than a centre of population. 

Park Ridge is situated twenty-five miles from New 
York, on the railway above mentioned, and is the cen- 
tre of an enterprising ciiminunily. It has two stores, 
kept by Gurnee i^ Son and .lacob Hall, and a bobbin- 
factory, owned by Albert A. Wortendyke, which em- 
ploys both steam and water-power, and has a force of 
fifteen men engaged in its various departments. The 
bobbins are used in both fia.x- and silk-mill.s, and are 
shipped to Palerson and New York City, which fur- 
nishes a constant market. 



WASHINGTON. 



243 



The land on which the hamlet of Mont Vale is lo- 
cated was originally owned by Jacobus Demarest, 
and was later purchased and buildings erected by 
various parties from time to time. Tlie station is one 
of those located in Washington township along the 
line of the New Jersey and New York Railroad, and 
is in charge of J. I. Blauvelt, who is also postmaster. 
There are two stores, the proprietors of whom are L. 
Gurnee & Son and A. Gurnee, and a hotel kept by 
John A. L. Blauvelt. 

Churches.— The Reformed (Dutch) Church of Sad- 
dle River was organized as early as 1784. The earliest 
records of the church having been lost or destroyed 
renders much information regarding it at this period 
unobtainable. 

The first church edifice, a wood structure, octagonal 
in shape, was erected in 1787, but no pews were pro- 
vided, and those desiring seats brought chairs from 
their homes. Neither was any heating apparatus i 
furnished, and each worshiper brought a foot-stove 
as the only means of rendering the building comfort- 
able. 

This structure remained until 1819, the year of the 
incorporation of the General Synod, when it was su- 
perseded by the present large and substantial edifice, 
now known as " the Old Stone Church," and which 
is regarded as one of the early landmarks. The 
tearing down and building up is still fr&sh in the 
memory of the aged people of the neighborhood. 
The first pulpit, higli, barrel-shaped, and elaborately 
ornamented, is said to have been imported from Hol- 
land at great expense, and was regarded as a thing of 
beauty. It is still preserved as a relic. The seats were 
constructed with high, straight backs and correspond- 
ing doors, and but for the elevation of the pulpit the 
children of the congregation could not have seen the 
preacher. Some years ago the interior was completely 
remodeled. The pulpit was discarded for oue of more 
modern fashion, the pews were changed in shape and 
design (and more recently cushioned), and the floors 
neatly and thoroughly carpeted. In the rear an alcove 
was built, in which a spacious platlorm was constructed. 
The old custom of having a reader and precentor was 
nuiintained for years, these otficials standing in front 
of the pulpit, and one reading the chapter and the 
hymns, while the other had exclusive charge of the 
music. This cnurch and that of Paramus were 
united under one pastorate until 1812, when a sep- 
aration occurred, the list of pastors of the Paramus 
and Saddle River Churches previous to 1812 being 
identical. 

The first psistor of the Saddle River Church after 
the separation was Rev. Stephen Goetschius. He 
was installed in 1813, and resigned his pastorate in 
1833, the infirmities of years rendering further labor 
impossible. His descendants are found in various 
parts of the county. Rev. John Mauley succeeded 
in 1834, and resigned in 1866, having completed a 
pastorate of thirty-two years. He was followed by 



Rev. Abram H. Meyers, who was installed in 1867, 
and closed his ministry in 1873. The present pastor> 
Rev. \V. E. Bogardus, began his labors in April, 1874. 
The church has connected with it a flourishing 
Sunday-school, which is under the superintendence 
of Garret Z. Snider. 

The inhabitants of Pascack and vicinity desired 
for many years to organize a church in their neigh- 
borhood, but were prevented from various causes. 
Finally the Saddle River Church, being separated 
from that of Paramus, offered to join with the people 
of Pascack, and to assist them in l)uilding a house of 
worship. It was agreed to have two church build- 
ings, one consistory, and one congregation, and to 
hold services alternately in the two houses of worship. 

In the year 1814, Rev. Stephen Goetschius was 
called as pastor. The building of the church at Pas- 
cack was then begun, and was completed in one 
season. In the autumn of the same year (1814) it 
was dedicated, the sermon being preached by the 
pastor. 

On the 2d day of July, 1814, the committee ap- 
pointed by the Classis of Paramus met according to 
the order of the Classis, all the members — John Yury, 
Joseph Debaun, Jacob Debaun, and John Debaun — 
being present. They proceeded to the election of 
elders and deacons. The following persons were 
chosen elders : John J. Eckerson, John Gamble, Ger- 
ret Duryie, and Jacob Banta ; Deacons, Gerret J. 
Ackerman, Edward Eckerson, Hendric Storms, and 
John J. Demarest. The church was organized with 
fifty members. Rev. S. Goetschius continuing pastor 
of the two churches. Saddle River and Pascack, from 
the year 1814 to 1835. 

Rev. John Manley was called in the year 1835, and 
continued his relations until 1853 or 1854. About 
this time the two churches became separate organi- 
zations, and the Rev. John Manley remained as 
pastor of the Saddle River Church. Rev. John T. 
Demarest, D.D., accepted a call from the consistory 
of the church of Pascack. His pastorate extended 
over a period from 1854 to 1867. In the year 1855 
land was purchased and the parsonage erected. 

In the year 1867 Rev. J. T. Demarest, D.D., re- 
signed his charge, and the following year the Rev. B. 
A. Bartholf was called to the pastorate of the church, 
where he remained until 1873. 

During the years 1873 and 1874 the church and 
parsonage were remodeled, at an expense of about four 
thousand five hundred dollars, after which Rev. Alex- 
ander McKelvy was stated supply for three months. 

Rev. Edward Lodewick, the present pastor, accepted 
a call from the consistory in the year 1875. During 
the past six years seventy persons have been received 
into the communion of the church, which now re- 
ports eighty families and one hundred and twenty- 
I three members in full communion. 

The Sabbath -school numbers one hundred scholars. 
I The consistory of the church at present is a.s 



244 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



follows: Elders, Henry Smith, Peter M. Holdman, 
Frederick F. Wortendyke, John J. Storms; Deacons, 
Henry H. Peterson, John E. Terhune, John H. Aek- 
erman, James Duryea ; Pa-stor, Edward Lodewick. 

Among the early settlers of the up])er portion of 
Bergen County and the lower |)art of Rockland County, 
N. Y., were a number of Low Dutch and German 
families, who were, while in the fatherland, either 
members of the Lutheran Church or whose sympa- 
thies were strongly enlisted in behalf of this denomi- 
nation. These families were formed into a congrega- 
tion ;u* early as 174.J, under the jiastoral care of Rev. 
H. M. Mulilenl)erg, D.D. One of the congregations 
built a house of worship at a point called Ramapaugh, 
now Ramapo, N. J., near the State boundary line. 
The other congregation erected an edifice at New 
Bridge, now known as New Milford, in Midland 
township. For years other churches, rejirfesenting a 
variety of creeds, having meanwhile sprung u\> within 
the limits of the county, these two were neglected, and 
the latter was eventually consumed by fire about the 
year 1812. 

There seems to have been no organization at Sad- 
dle River until the year 1820, when Rev. H. L. Pohl- 
nian, a student of Hartwick Seminary, in New York 
State, was delegated as a home missionary to the long- 
neglected field. He laid the corner-stone of a church 
edifice, which was completed by his successor, Rev. 
David Hendricks, the Rev. H. L. Pohlnian having 
been meanwhile called to the New Gerniaiitown 
charge at German Valley. 

The following list embraces the names of the foun- 
ders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saddle 
River: John AckerMum, David Ackennaii, Rynard 
Achenback, Thomas Achoriback, Lawrence .Vclun- 
back, Andrew Essler, Thoniius Van Hiiskirk, .Inlin 
Van Huskirk, Lawrence Van Huskirk. 

The church, which hius had an existence of more 
than sixty years, has been under the care of the fol- 
lowing pastors: Revs. H. N. Pohlman, D. Hendricks, 
William Gibson, Prof. H. J. Smith, John Eisenlord, 

J. C. Day, (4. Nelf, M. Waltermire, N. Wert, 

Deyeo, Wells, Julica, J. E. Switzer, and 

the present incumbent. Rev. P. M. Rightmyer. Du- 
ring the ministry of the Rev. J. C. Day a convenient 
parsonage was purchased, which was enlarged while 
Rev. Mr. Deyeo w:us jiastor, whose service ext<>nded 
over a period of sixteen years. The chnrch has had 
its days of prosperity and of adversity, and through 
all has been lile.s.sed and sustained. It numbers one 
hundred and twenty members, and a flourishing Sun- 
day-school of ten ofticers and teachers and sixty-five 
scholars. 

Religious services were for a period held al a public 
hall in Westwood, when it was deemed advisable by 
various re^sidents of the place to erect a chapel. Sub- 
scriptions were received, those most active in the en- 
terprise being Messrs. Van End)urgh, Uogert, Brickell, 
and Wcstervelt. The building was completed in 



' 1872, at a cost of four thousand dollars, and at once 
, opened for u.se. Union services are regularly con- 
ducted by clergii'men from Closter, Nanuet, Schraa- 
lenburgh, and other adjacent villages. The board of 
trustees who superintended the erection of the edifice 
were Capt. J. C. Westervelt, 15. Z. Van Emburgh, I. 
D. Bogert, George T. Brickell, and Walter H. Rum- 
sey. The present board is the same, with the excep- 
tion of Walter H. Rumsey, who is superseded by 
Thomas G. Brickell. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church cif Hillsdale is 
coni|)osed mainly of residents of the township who 
formerly worshiped at Closter, Middletown, and else- 
where. A more convenient and accessible point was 
needed for these services, and, under the auspices of 
Rev. E. M. Garton, a society was organized in 187o, 
and the congregation gathered at the railroad depot, 
where a room was tendered them until other provision 
was made. 

During the year 1870 a lot was donated by D. P. 
I Patterson, upon which a church edifice was erected, a 
sufficient sum having been raised by sub.scripfion with 
which to carry on the work of building. Rev. E. M. 
Garton remove<l to Ilackcnsack in 1878, and was 
succeeded by Rev. J. H. Timbrell, whose p:istorate 
extended over a period of two years. He was followed 
by Rev. Samuel Sargent, and he by Rev. Henry M. 
Simpson. The society of the Hillsdale M. E. Church 
embraces also that of Middletown, or Pearl River, the 
two numbering about sixty members. 

The stewards are J. Ruckman, \. A. Post, S. Mead, 
J. J. Cole, D. J. Hering, an<l R. Boyd. 

The board of trustees embraces the following names : 
J. J. Cole, S. Mead, R. Boyd, \. A. Post, A. H(.|>per, 
and C. Marsh. 

.\ Siinrlay-school is maintained, numbering fifty 
scholars, of which L. B. Van Wagenen is superin- 
tendent. 

A Congregational Chapel has been erected at Pas- 
cack by the liberality of a private citizen. It has no 
settled pastor, services being conducted by ministers 
from neighboring villages. 

Friendship Lodge, No. 102. F. and A. M. This 
lodge is located at Pa-scack, in Washington township. 
' It was granted a dispensation Oct. 14, a.i>. 18<i".t, 
its warrant wils issued Jan. 20, A.n. 1870, and it was 
constituted a working lodge on the 17th of February 
of the same year. The warrant olficers were Henry 
C. Neer, W. M.; James G. Hering, S. W.; (larrct K. 
Hering, J. W. 

Its present officers are John F. Hering, W. M.; 
Abram S. Van Horn, S. W. ; David P. I'ulis, J. W. ; 
Abraham Wortendyke, Treas. ; Garret F". Hering, 
P. M., Sec; HenryC. Neer, P. M., S. D. ; Albert C. 
Kent, J. D.; John A. L. Blauvcit, .lohn II. .\ckcr- 
man, M. of C ; Geiiert M. Ottigiion, .Steward; Wil- 
liam English, Tyler. 

Historical Notes and Incidents.— The following 
account of the nnissucrc of Col. Baylor's troop, which 




The Hering family are of Holland ancestry. The 
progenitor of the branch to which the subject of this 
sketch belongs was Garret F., who resided at Pascack, 
and was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Campbell, to 
whom was born one daughter, — Rachel. She was mar- 
ried to David Hering, who had one son, — Kalph, born 
Feb. 28, 1809, on the homestead in Washington, formerly 
known as Harrington township. He passed the early 
portion of his life on the farm of his grandfather, whom 
he succeeded as owner and cultivator of the family estate, 
and was married to Gertrude, daughter of Judge John R. 
Blauvelt, of Old Hook, in the township before mentioned. 
They had children, — Garret R. and Rachel Ann (Mrs. 
Aaron Kider), of Schraalenburgh. The birtli of Garret 
R. occurred Feb. 26, 1831, at Tappan, in Washington 
township, where his early years were passed. His edu- 
cation was acquired first at the academy under the 
management of David I. Cole, and later at Hackensack, 
when Jacob Wortendyke filled the role of instructor. 
Mr. Hering then being desirous of a career of inde- 
pendence engaged in teaching, his earliest field of labor 
being Cumberland County, N. J., where he remained 



for two years, after which he repaired to Bergen County 
and followed the same vocation. The inherited love of 
agricultural pursuits led him eventually to adopt the 
calling of a farmer. He was, in September, 1842, united 
in marriage to Catharine A., daughter of Garret A. 
Eckerson, of Tappan, to whom two children were born, 
— John and Sarah, the latter of whom became Mrs. 
Charles Fornier, of Hackensack. 

The tastes of Mr. Hering prompted him in 1874 to em- 
bark on the restless waters of political life, when he was 
elected sheriff of Bergen County for one year. The State 
constitution having been modified during this period, 
he was re-elected, and served three additional years. On 
the expiration of this term he retired to and has since 
resided upon his farm. Mr. Hering being favorably 
impressed with the wealth of the ores of North Carolina, 
has engaged extensively in mining enterprises, in which 
he is now actively interested. He is in his political 
sympathies a Democrat, and has always labored for the 
maintenance of the principles of his party. The family 
of Mr. Hering worship at the Methodist Episcopal 
Church of Hillsdale, of which his wife is a member. 





r}2^y^YO 




/^i^i 



RIDGEFIELD. 



245 



is given as liaving occurred in October, 1778, is taken 
from "Ramsey's History of tlie American Revolu- 
tion." It differs in many respects materially from 
tlie brief sketcli given elsewhere, but will doubtless 
be of interest to the reader : " One of the most dis- 
astrous events which occurred during the campaign 
was the surprise and slaughter of an American regi- 
ment of light dragoons, commanded by Lieut.-Col. 
Baylor. While employed in a detached situation to 
intercept and watch a British foraging-party, they 
took up their lodging in a barn near Tappan. The 
officer who commanded the party which surprised 
them was Maj.-Gen. Grey. He acquired the name of 
the ' No-fllnt General' from his common practice of 
ordering his command to take the Hints out of their 
muskets, that they might be confined to the use of 
their bayonets. A party of militia which had been 
stationed on the road by which the British advanced 
quitted their post without giving notice to Col. Bay- 
lor. This disorderly conduct was the occasion of the 
disaster which followed. Grey's men proceeded with 
such silence and address that they cut oft' a sergeant's 
patrol without noise, and surrounded Old Tappan 
without being discovered. They then rushed in upon 
Baylor's regiment while they were in a profound 
sleep. Incapable of defense or resistance, cut off" 
from every i)rospect of selling their lives dearly, the 
surprised dragoons sued for quarter. Unmoved by 
their supplications, their adversaries applied the bay- 
onet, and continued its repeated thrusts while objects 
could be found in wliich any sign of life appeared. 
A few escaped, and others, after having received from 
five to eleveu bayonet-wounds in the trunk of the 
body, were restored ultimately to perfect health. 
Baylor himself was wounded, but not dangerously. 
He lost in killed, wounded, and taken sixty-seven 
privates out of one hundred and four. About forty 
were made prisoners, who were indebted for their 
lives to the humanity of one of Grey's officers, who 
gave quarter to the wliole fourth trooj), though con- 
trary to the orders of his superior officers." 

Abram C. Holdrum. — His paternal grandfather, 
James Holdrum, was born at Old Tappan, N. J., 
Dec. 21, 1785. He was in service at Sandy Hook 
during the war of 1812. He was a member of the 
Reformed Church at Schraalenburgh. 

He was united in marriage, Aug. 2G, 18^)4, to Mar- 
garet Demarest, by whom he had two children, — 
Cornelius J., the father of our subject, and Rachel, 
the wife of David I. Demarest, and afterwards of 
John E. Post. 

Cornelius J. Holdrum was born at Old Tappan, 
Bergen Co., N. J., March' 6, 1806, and spent his en- 
tire business life as a farmer. He married, June 16, 
1831, Elizabeth Depew, by whom he had five chil- 
dren, — Martha, wife of A. P. Jersey, of New York 
City ; James ; Catherine A., wife of John J. Dema- 
rest ; Abram C. ; and John C. 

Mr. Holdrum served at different times as both 



elder and deacon in the Reformed Church at Schraa- 
lenburgh, of which he and his wife were members. 

He died Sept. 10, 1871, and his wife died April 26, 
1881. 

Abram C, son of Cornelius J. Holdrum, was born 
at Orangeburgh, Rockland Co., N. Y., Sept. 23, 1837. 
His early years were passed in the common school 
and in assisting his father on the farm. After being 
with D. P. Demarest in the grocery business for a 
while, he went to Albany, and attended the State 
Normal School for a time. He then went to New 
York City, and became one of the employes of the 
United States Express Company for a period of six- 
teen years, when he removed to Bergen County, 
N. J., and engaged in farming, which he has since 
followed successfully. In politics he is a Republi- 
can, and held the office of freeholder of his township 
in 1879. He was appointed notary public by Gov- 
ernor Parker, and commissioner of deeds by Governor 
McClellan. He was also one of the enumerators of 
the tenth census of the United States. He has twice 
been nominated for Assemblyman, but, his party 
being largely in the minority, was defeated. 

He is a member, and has served as deacon, in the 
Reformed Church at Tappan, Rockland Co., N. Y. 
He was married, Jan. 24, 1872, to Mary L., daughter 
of John A. and Catherine (Demarest) Hopper, who 
has borne him tliree children, — Samuel Calvin (de- 
ceased), Bessie, and Garret A. 



CHAPTER XL. 



RIDGEl'IELD. 



Physical Features. — The whole range of the Pali- 
sades affords a wide, extensive panorama of beautiful 
scenery. From tlie summit of the ridge and along 
the edge of this far-reaching declivity for twenty 
miles from Jersey City the eye of the lover of natu- 
ral scenery is constantly enchanted with new and 
ever- varying views. 

Ridgefield is the first township in Bergen County 
which the traveler enters in passing up the Palisades. 
His first impressions are much like those of old Hen- 
drick Hudson in speaking of a wider extent of country : 
" A very good land to fall in with, and a pleasant land 
to see." The valley of the Hackensack invited early 
settlers in the seventeenth century, and the valley of 
the Overpeck Creek, a navigable arm of the Hacken- 
sack, also attracted settlers quite as early in this di- 
rection. Sloops and schooners can pass up this creek 
nearly to the northern boundary of the township. 
Ridgefield is bounded on the north by Englewood, 
on the east by the Hudson, on the south by Hudson 
County, and on the west by the Hackensack River. 
The southern boundary is less than two miles in ex- 
tent, and the northern less than four, and the length of 



246 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



the township from north to south does not exceed four '. 
miles. Bellman's Creek, forming part of the southern 
boundiiry, tlie Hackensaek, the Overpeck, the Hudson, 
with more than a dozen otlier smaller streams and riv- 
ulets, bountifully supply the whole township with 
water. From the western border of the Palisades the 
land descends to the Overpeck, forming a most beauti- 
ful valley, with the land again rising to a high ridge 
midway between tlie Overpeck and the Hackensack. 
From this long ridge, extending far to the north be- 
yond this township, it took its name of Kidgefield. 

The New York, Susquehanna and Western, for- 
merly the Midland Railroad, the Jersey City and Al- 
bany Railroad, and the Northern Railway of New Jer- 
sey — all running northward through the township — 
afford ample railroad accommodations. The Susque- 
hanna enters the township at Rellman's Creek, and 
the Northern at about one hundred feet south of the 
creek, and at a point north and east of the Sustiuc- 
hanna. The Albany road in this locality is not yet 
constructed, diverging at present from the track of 
the Susquehanna between Little Ferry and Bogota 
stations. It has, however, an independent line pro- 
jected and now under construction to New York j 
City. I 

Early Settlements. — Ridgefield embraces the earli- 
est settlements in the ancient township of Hackensack, 
antedating even the organization of that township in 
1693, and of the county of Bergen in 1675. There 
seems to have been no town or village compactly built, 
like the village of Bergen, but there were settlements ( 
both of Dutch and English in and about what was 
subsequently known as Knglish Nciglilxirhood jirior 
to 1675. The Westervclta, the Zimermaiis, the Ban- 
tas, and the Blauvclt^i, all coming from Holland, , 
settled in the middle of the seventeenth century in ■ 
that locality. The ancestors of Jacob P. Westervelt, ' 
now of Hackensack Village, with himself, were born 
in Fnglish .N'cigliborliood. His fatlier was born there 
in 177G,and was tlieson of Christopher Westervelt, who 
was born there certainly as early as 16!M), and he was 
the son of the original ancestor of this family, who 
came from Holland and settled on Overpeck Creek, 
within the present limitsof Ridgeficl<l tnwnslilp, ]>riib- 
ably about 1G7<I, 

The earliest mention of the name of Westervelt 
that can be ascertained in Holland is that of Dirck 
Van Westervelt, who was born between 147/> and 
1500, and married into the Van Wenkom family, and 
from them sprang a large and influential family now 
living in Holland. 

The earliest settlers hearing the name in America 
were Lubberl Lubhertson and Willem Van Wester- 
velt, who came from the town of Meppel, province of 
Drenthe, Holland, on the ship " Hoop," in April, 
l<i62, and settled on Long Island. The fact of .set- 
tlement is established from recorils, showing that a 
son of Willem purchaseil in 16!I7 considerable prop- 
ertv ill New I'trerlit, which he sold in 17'IM to An- 



thony Holsart, and also that Willem married Dericke 

, and lived for some time there, as Dericke Wil- 

lemse Van Westervelt names in her will her husband, 
Willem, and also her son, Abraham Willemse, whose 
wife was Margaret. Their children were Alltie, born 
in 1651 ; Abraham, 1653; Willemtie, 1654; Femmetie, 
1658; and Jan, 1660. 

Lubbert Lubbertson Van Westervelt had chil- 
dren: Lubbert, born in Meppel, and married Be- 
lilje lioulus^March 4, 1680; Roelof, also born in 
Meppel in 1659. Jumen, Jan, Margrictie, and Ma- 
ritie were born in this country. 

Deeds and papers in possession of their descend- 
ants show that the Van Westervelts were among the 
early settlers of old Bergen County, as Cornelius, son 
of Lubbert, settled at .Vcquackanonk, and was one of 
the original fourteen patentees who purchased the 
Acquackanonk patent in 1684, containing some thirty 
thousand acres. He did not remain long there, as 
there is only one conveyance afterwards, and then 
settled on the other side of the Pa.ssaic River, in what 
is now Bergen County, and hence originated the Van 
Westervelt name here. Like other families from 
Holland when first coming to America, they had no 
surname, but adde<l to their baptismal name the name 
of the |»lacc from whence they came in Holland. 
Hence Jan, from the west of Holland, — " wast valt," 
a west field, — would be "Jan Wast Valt,"' or John 
Westervelt. 

The grandfather of Samuel D. Westervelt lived 
at the Hoi)per grist-mill. The Hoppers settled in the 
valley of the Wagzaw in 1711, and owned nearly all 
the land in that section on the Passaic River. 

Of his children, Lucas, the youngest, was born in 
Ponipton, March 17, 1788, and upon the death of his 
mother, when he was only seven years old, he came 
to Teaneck, where at the proper age he learned the 
ma.son's trade. He married Belinda Deinarest, Nov. 
5, 1803, who was born Nov. 24, 1784, and died Jan. 6, 
18.58. After his marriage he settled at Tenally, where 
he built a stone house, in which he resided until his 
death, March 17, 1825. The house was standing in 
1881, and is one of the monuments left of "olden 
time," and showing his chosen occupation. 

His chililren were Simon, John, Cornelius, Samuel 
1)., Elizabeth, Eve. and .\nn, wife of Albert Winant, 
of Hackensack. 

Lourens Andrie.ssen Van Buskirk, signifying " from 
the church in the woods" (sometimes calling himself 
by the former and sometimes by the latter name, and 
whose name is fre<niently mentioned in the recital of 
early events in this history I Jointly with others pur- 
chased, Jan. 6, 1676, a large lra<-t of land, then known 
as New Hackensack. n|ion which he resided as early 
as 1688. 

The De Mott family were Huguenots, and settled 
in English Neiglibi>rhood in the seventeenth century. 
Malliias, the ancestor of this family, was born in 
France, and settkfl in Bergen County. His son Jacob 



KIDGEFIELD. 



247 



was father of Johu De Mott, who died in 1832, aged 
eighty-four. Jacob, the father of the present Jacob 
J. De Mott, was born March 11, 17114, and succeeded 
to the ancestral home on the Tenafly road. John De 
Mott, son of Jacob, lived in English Neighborhood. 

Richard Paulison was descended from an early set- 
tler in English Neighborhood. He wa.s born Oct. 1, 
1773, and lived all of his life in the present Ridgefield 
township, and died in 1873, at nearly one hundred 
years of age. He was the father of John R. and 
other children, who have left a large family of de- 
scendants, among whom was the late Judge Paulison 
and Paul Paulison, his brother, of Hackensack. 

The reader is referred to the account in this volume 
of the early settlements in Bergen County for further 
particulars of early settlements in this locality. 

Robert Earle, one of the pioneer settlers of Bergen 
County, located in Ridgefield township, and pur- 
cha.sed a large tract of land, beginning at the North 
River, from thence to the Hackensack, and running 
thence to Bull's Ferry, from thence to Five Corners 
(or Bergen), near Fort Lee, as early as 1650; and as 
there were no white inhabitants near Mr. Earle, he 
gave several acres of woodland to a number of white 
families to locate on, with a view of forming a set- 
tlement. The only descendant of whicli there is any 
knowledge was Robert, who married Mary Smith 
and located in Ridgefield township. His children 
were Daniel, Robert, Philip, Joseph, John, Charles, 
Edward, Elizabeth, Jennie, and-Mary. 

Daniel married Charlotte Nicholas, and lived near 
Seacaucus, and reared a family of five children, — 
Margaret, Robert, Charlotte, Edward, and Daniel. 

Margaret married John Dean, and lived at New 
Durham. 

Robert married Ann King, and moved to New 
York. 

Charlotte married Benjamin R. Still, and moved to 
Brooklyn, and had one child, Augusta. 

Edward married twice : his first wife was Harriet 
Daley ; second was Mary Ann Cozzens, and moved to 
Hudson County. 

Daniel married Hannah Sneath, and located in 
Hudson County, and had eight children, — Sarah 
Ann, Mary, Edward, Daniel, Charlotte, Gertrude, 
Anna, and Harriet. 

What became of Robert, Philip, Jose]ih, John, 
Charles, Edward, Elizabeth, Jennie, and Mary is not 
known, further than they all moved out of the county. 

Andrew Engle, a native of Germany, settled on 
Bull's Ferry Hill, Ridgefield township, in about 
1770, and purchased a large tract of land, and en- 
gaged in tilling the soil. His family consisted of 
John, Jennet, Sarah, Maria, Margaret, Andrew S., 
and James. 

John married Mary Day, and settled adjacent to 
his father. His children were Jennet, Andrew, Henry, 
Sarah, Catherine, John, Margaret, Eliza Ann, James, 
Wilmina, Louisa. 



Jennet married Charles Clark, and resides in the 

township. 

Andrew married Eliza Ann Cutwater, and lives 
near Fairview, and raised a large family. 

Henry married Hannah Craft, and located at Fair- 
view. 

Sarah married William Howell, and located at 
Fairview. 

Catherine married John S. Townsend, and lived in 
the township; both dead. 

John, out of county. 

Margaret married William Kelly, and lives at Fair- 
view. 

Eliza Ann married William Danelson, and located 
in Hudson County. 

James, single, resides in Fairview. 

Wilmina married John White, and resides at South 
Amboy. 

Louisa married Jeremiah Tracy, and resides at 
Fairview. 

Jennet married Michael Fisher, and moved to 
Hudson County. Their children were Maria, Jennet, 
Catlierine. 

Maria married Nathaniel Morris, and lives in New- 
ark, N. J. 

Jennet married William Odgen, and resides in East 
Newark, N. J. 

Catherine married Joseph Wragg, and located in 
Hudson County. 

Sarah married Cyrus Ward, and moved to New 
York City. 

Maria ; no trace of her. 

Margaret married Henry Miller, and located at 
New Dunham. 

Andrew S. married Wilmina Demarest, and located 
in Hudson County. 

James married Amelia Dykeman. and lived at 
Fairview ; both dead. 

Thomas McDonald, a native of Scotland, settled at 
Day's Point, on the Hudson River, Hudson County, 
which was formerly Bergen County, as early as 1776, 
and purchased a large tract of land and engaged in 
farming. His children were Thomas, Jr., Mathias, 
and John. 

Thomas, Jr., married Sarah Y'oumans, and located 
on Bull's Ferry road, Ridgefield township, in 1800, 
and engaged in farming. Their children were Thomas, 
Jr., Jeremiah, David, James, Sarah M., and Rudol- 
phus. 

Thomas, Jr., married Sarah Lee, and moved to 
New York. 

Jeremiah married Susan Whitchurch, and settled 
in New York. 

David married Mary Seddon, and settled at Fair- 
view, and reared a large family. 

James married Elizabeth Golden, moved to New 
York State. 

Sarah M. married James D. Demarest, and resides 
at Fairview. 



248 



HISTORY OF BERGKN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, x\EW JERSEY. 



Rudolphus married Sarah Gardner, and moved to 
Essex County. 

Mathiius married Haniiali M. Bortholts, and settled 
in Ridgefield townsliip; liis cliildren were .Saplironia, 
Tliomas, John, Eliza, Matliias, Jr., Abraham, and 
Hannah. 

Sophronia married Philip Tabbs, and moved to ' 
New York. 

Thomas married Susan Sturge, and settled in Hud- 
son County. 

John married and settled in Hudson County. 

Eliza married Samuel Earl, and lives on Bull's 
Ferry Hill, Ridgefield township. 

Mathias, Jr., married Eliza Holden, and lives in 
Hudson County. 

Abraham married and died in township. 

Hannah married Henry Dodd, and moved to Hud- 
son County. 

John married Maria Van Duscn, and located on 
Bull's Ferry Flill ; his children were .James, Jane, 
Hannah, John, Jr., William R., and Fanny. 

James married a Miss Berdett, and moved out of 
the county. 

Jane lives at Fairview. 

Hannah married and moved out of the State. 

John, Jr., married and settled at Jersey City. 

William 1{. ilioil young. 

Fanny married Henry Russell, and resides at Fair- 
view. 

Civil Organization. — The act of 1871, erecting llic 
township of Itidgelield from the southern part of Old 
Hackensack, defines its lines of boundary as follows: 

** DeginliitiK at h point on the llnckon^ack Ilivor whom tlio Cedar 
Lano rua<l Btrikuf« the samu, ninnini; thonco in an eiuturly direction 
along the Diidtlleof tlie aaIiI Cedar Lane roiid to the middle of the Over- 
peck Creek ; thonco in a northerly direetlon along the easterly branch 
of Nald creek to where the Name Birlkes the line of laniU formerly of 
John I. Deniott; thence eaatorly along the Houtberly lineof »ald Do- 
mott'fl land to the coBt lino of the towiiBhip of Hackensack." 

Edward Jardine became the first chosen freeholder 
under this la.st organization, and served for the year 
1871, and wa.s followeil by Hugh Brosnaham for 1872 
and 1873, who was followetl by Tlioina.s Goulard for 
1874, and by Isaac R. Vereland for 187.')-77, and by 
John Winterburne for 1878, anil by John ,1. Wood 
for 187!t and IfSSO, and Stephen H. V. Moore for 
1881. 

The a!«e.s.sorsof the townshiji since its organization 
are as fidlows: John V. H. Terhune, 1871-75; James 
Armett, 187(i-77 ; John Fletcher Burdett, Jr., 1877- 
79; William E. Taylor, 1880. 

The collectors. Nichohis T. Homaine, 1871-72; 
John H. Winant, 187;}-7o; William P. Degraw, 
1876-78; Jamas Christie, lS7!t-Hil. 

The justices of the peace, Charltjs W. Chamberlain, 
1872; James C. Ha7.clU)n, 1873 ; Thomas Dunn Eng- 
lish, 1870; Maurice Fitzgerald, 1877; Arthur J. A. 
Pollock and .Me.\ander CIcndinen, 1878; Samuel E. 
De (iroot, lH7it; James Day, 1880. 

The l<»wii clerks, .lames (."hristie, 1871-72; .\ndrew 



S. Engle, 1873-74; Arthur J. A. Pollock, 1875-76; 
John H. Mannix, 1877-79; Ch:irles H. Lozier, 1880. 

The population of Ridgefield in 187.'>, at the first cen- 
sus after its organization, was 351(5, and in 1880, 39.i2. 

Villages and Hamlets. — -Fort Lee, five miles south- 
east of Hackensack, and about nine above New York 
City, and English Neighborhood, now Ridgefield, are 
places of great historical interest. 

Fort Lee is the largest village in the township, and 
contains many ancient and cpiaint-looking residences, 
as it wiis quite an old place, and well known as a land- 
ing on the Hudson long before the Revolution. 
Forty years ago it was described as having about 
thirty dwellings, irregularly grouped in a nook at the 
foot of the Palisades. The population at that time 
could not have exceeded 150. .Vt the last census (1880) 
it had a population of 1424. Its old and new resi- 
dences, intermingled with each other, like its inhabi- 
tants, of native and foreign birth, give to it the ap- 
pearance of an old town with many new improvements 
to meet the wants of an increasing population. En- 
terprise and industry have greatly increased thegrowlh 
of the place during the last fifteen or twenty years. 
A large hotel and a most commodious landing on the 
Hud.son, with its nearness to New York City, make 
the village a convenient place of access for excursion- 
ists in summer, and thousands find their way hither 
for a day's tour of pleasure during the hot season. 
The old fort from which the town took it.s name, and 
at one time in the Revolution so important as a stra- 
tegic point on the Hudson, has quite disappeared, only 
a few stones above gnmnd being left to mark the in- 
teresting spot where Washington gazed with anxiety 
amiil the perils and uncertainties of that disastrous 
period of our history. The site of the fort is on the 
brow of the Palisades, fronting the town, and elevated 
about three hundred feet above the Hud.son. 

Bogota, on the Hacken.sack, opposite the county- 
scat, hiUM a population of 145; Coytesville, just above 
Fort liOe, of 424 ; Fairview, in the southern part of 
the township, on the Northern Railway, 41(t; Leonia. 
above Fairview, 2ti(i; Little Ferry, at the mouth of 
the Overpeck, 58 ; Riilgefield, between Fairview ami 
Leonia, 221 ; Ridgefielil Park, on the Hackensack, 
above Little Fen;y, 77; Shady Side, near the soutbcrn 
boundary of the township, on the Hmlson, 432 ; Tay- 
lorsville, west of Fort Lee, 257 ; anil Fenwick, on 
the northern line of the township, 238 ; Walton, on 
the Northern Railway, near Englewood, is a small 
manufacturing village. Outside of these villages, and 
all over the township, are many beautiful residence^ 
This part of the connlry in a few years will assuin. 
more of the suburban appearance than it now wear-, 
being contiguous to the great city. 

Schools.— The earliest school-house at Edgewater. 
in this township, of which there is any knowlinlge 
was built a1)out the year \7'JX, on the site now occu- 
pied by the residence of James 1). liradford. Est]., by 
Michael Vrceland, a wealtbv farmer ol' those times. 



RIDGEFIELD. 



249 



and who bore the expense of maintaining the school 
mostly alone. The Vreeland family had settled here 
about one hundred years previous to the date given 
above. This school, with the exception of the ".stone 
school" at English Neighborhood, was the only one 
for miles around. Pupils came from as fjxr north as 
what is now Taylorsville, and south from wliat is now 
Guttenburgh, an area now covered by five school dis- 
tricts. 

Ridgefield has seven school districts, known as Nos. 
1, 2, 3, 4, 4o, .5. and 6, with a school enumeration of 
1288 children. The largest district is No. 2, embracing 
the village of Fort Lee and vicinity, with 425 children. 
There is also a large parochial school connected with 
the Catholic Church in this village. The State school 
fund ajiportioued to this township amounts to nearly 
five thousand dollars. The school-houses, most of 
them, are a great credit to the enterprising spirit of 
the people. 

Edgewater Free School, No. 1, is located in the ex- 
treme southeastern portion of the county, on the banks 
of the Hudson. The district was created by a special 
act of the Legislature in 1868. 

Churches. — There were nine churches in the town- 
ship, according to the statistics of 1876, — three Episco- 
palian (one at Fort Lee, one at Edgewater, and one 
at Ridgefield), two Reformed (one at Coytesville and 
one at Ridgefield), the Catholic Church of the Ma- 
donna, one True Reformed at the same place, one 
Methodist at Fort Lee, and one Baptist at Fairview. 
The Catholic Cluirch seems to be quite near Fort Lee 
in approacliing that village from the west, and the 
church itself, from the foundation to the top of its 
lofty spire, wholly built of stone, stands on an ele- 
vated and commanding site on the western slope of 
the Palisades. 

The stone church just west of the Ridgefield depot, 
on the Northern Railway, is the oldest structure of 
the kind in this part of the country. All the locality 
in the vicinity at the date of its erection was called 
English Neighborhood. Many English people had 
settled there, as will appear from their names, to be 
mentioned in the history of this church, and hence 
the derivation of the title English Neighborhood. 
That designation was only abandoned upon the for- 
mation of the new township of Ridgefield, and is even 
frequently used at this day in speaking of the locality. 
Prior to 1768 the Cliurch on the Green, atthe present 
village of Hackensack, had been attended by the 
people in this locality and the .surrounding country, 
but on the 18th day of November, 1768, active steps 
were taken for the erection of s church at English 
Neighborhood. Under that date the records of the 
society contain the following entry : 

" English Neighbourhooii, in tlie County of Bergen uini Province of 
New .lersey. November IMtli, Anno. Dom. 1768. 

" As Mr. Tliomas Moore lias conveyed to us, the underwritten trus- 
tees, one acre of land, on purpose tliat we sliould erect a church on it 
agreealjle to the constitution of Tliirteenth Reformed Churcli of Hol- 
land, established by the National Synod of Ilort ; and as the minister, 



elders, and deacons, and also the members and all their successors, which 
shall be elected, appointed, and estiiMislied in the said church, now act- 
ually building in the English Neighbourliood, are to be conform to the 
doctrine, discipline, and worship established in the United Provinces by 
the National Synod of Dort aforesaid, we liritniiae acconiinp to engage- 
ment to endeavor that such ministel', elders, deacons, and menlbers shall 
now be called and appointed in said church ; we all promise that we will 
keep out of the debate that is now between Coetns and Conferentie as 
much as in us lies, and we will indeavour to live in Christian peace with 
both parties, as we have agreed from the first, on purpose that all the 
inhabitants of the English Neighbourhood and members of the said 
church may live in peace and love among themselves and others, for a 
divided house must fall, liut a well united house or church shall stand. 
" (Signed), 
"Abraham Montant, Michael Moorb, 

"Stephen Bourdett, Thomas Moore, 

"John Day, John Moore."' 

The history of this contest between Coetus and 
Conferentie will be found in the histories of the 
churches at Schraalenburgh and Hackensack. That 
fierce ecclesiastical strife was disturbing the peace of 
the people of God in 1768, and in the new church 
organization at the Neighborhood its members sought 
to avoid it as far as possible. 

The record then states that, — 

"The people of the English Neighbourhood, being unanimous, agreed 
to erect a congregation, and having thus accomplished their desire and 
intention, they proceeded by a free vote of the people to call Mr. Garret 
Lydecker. then Candidate of Divinity, who, having accepted their call, 
was ordained and installed in the congregation by Dominies Ilitznia and 
Vanderlinden, in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy, and 
in the said year the consistory, to wit, Abraham Montany and Michael 
Moore, elders, and John Day and John Lozier, deacons, were elected and 
constituted by Abraham Day, from Hackensack congregation, and Dora- 
inus Garret Lydecker."' 

Then follows, in the same record, the entry, to wit : 

" N.B. The above is a small statement of the building of the church 
and of organizing the congregatiou. The congregation being delicient, 
on account of Dominus Lydecker removing in the year one thousand 
seven hundred aud seventy-8i.\ from this congregation to New York, 
who at that time took with him all the papers and writings belonging 
to the congregation, from the time of his removal we were destitute of 
the preaching of the gospel, excepting some temporary 8ni)plies which 
different ministers favored us with, nnlil the year one thousand seveu 
hundred and ninety-two. The consistory, in behalf of the congregation, 
entered into a combination with the congregation of Bergen to call John 
Cornelinson, their present candidate, who accepted our call, and was or- 
dained and installed in the church of Bergen by Dominus Froeligh, 
Lansen, old Dominus Cooper, and son, W. Cooper, on the 2Gth day of 
I^Iay, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety- 
three." 

The Rev. Gerrardus Lydecker referred to in the 
foregoing record went with the Tories in the Revolu- 
tion. He ofliciated for a time in the Dutch Church in 
New York City, and thence went to England, and died 
at his son's house in Pentonville at the age of sixty- 
five. He is said to have abandoned affluence and his 
native land in his loyalty to a lost cause. Another 
record, dated July 1, 1770, says, — 

"Then were constituted uiembers of the Reformed Dutch Church in 
the congregation of the English Neighborhood the following persons 
after due examination, viz. : Michael Moore, Abraham Montany, John 
Lashier, John Day, David Day, Thomafl Moore, Edward Bylesteiid, 
Samuel Moore, Bepjamin Bourdette, John Cahy (and nine females). At 
the same time were nominated and chosen Michael Moore and Abraham 
Montany as elders, and John Day and John Lashier as deacons of the 
aforesaid congregation. Garret Lydecker, V.D.M., examined the above 
named persons and nominated the aforesaid members of the consistory, 



250 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Eldar Abnun Day, oftha Beformed Dutch Church of HackenMck, being 
present. The baIiI elders and deacons were coDflrmed July 22, 1770. 
Isaac DelanuittT became a member of the church July 27, 1770, and on 
the 29th the Holy Supper was celebrated." 

I>y tliese recorils it will be seen through what 
struggles the church was called to pa.ss in those early 
days of storm and strife. The British and American 
armies traversed and retraversed this .section of coun- 
try till at times it had almost become a wilderness 
and a land of desolation, and then the political strifes 
ini mediately following the Revolution left little or no 
place for the ministry of peace on earth and good will 
to men. Hence it is not to be wondered at, perhaps, 
that for sixteen years the church was without a pas- 
tor, and prayer and praise and song were only occa- 
sional within its walls. 

Rev. John Cornelison ( spelled Corneiinson in the 
church record) was called to this church Nov. 28, 
1792, and on the 26th of May following was ordained 
to the ministry and installed pastor of this church 
and of the church at Bergen by Revs. S. Warmoldus 
Kuypers, William Prcvoost Kuyj)ers, Nicholas Lan- 
sing, and Solomon Froeligh. But one-third of the 
time could Mr. Cornelison devote to this church, and 
preaching in Dutch was only occasional. In 1793 a 
new church edifice was erected, forty-five feet front 
by forty-two in length, under the charge of Cornelius 
Vreelandt, Garret Banta, .loliii Williams, John Day, 
Rynear Earle, and Samuel Kdsall. The old church 
structure disappeared, |)ursuant to the following docu- 
ment : "That Catharine, widow of Michael Moore, 
deceased, and Michael, Jacob, and Samuel Moore, 
his sons, gave full power to the elders and deacons 
for building up and pulling down or removing the 
(old) church without any intcrru[)tion or molestation 
from them or any person claiming under them." 

The subscription for this new church is yet extant 
in the church records, beginning with the large sub- 
scription for those times of " Abraham Montany, 
£2.'); John Day, XIO; Martman Brinkerlioof, CIO; 
Garret Banta, CHi; David Day, .£•>;" and followed by 
the names of Edsall, Vreelandt, ISritoii, Williams, 
Drove, Van Gizen, Smith, Ackerman, Earlc, Demot, 
Benson, Carolock, Laiibach, Covenhovon, Grecnlief, 
Stevens, Miller, Ingle, Bombgardner, and others, 
eighty-two subscribers in all, in money amoiintitig 
to the sum of t21;"i -m. The subscribers were to be 
credited pro /niilo in |)urchasing pews. 

Cornelius Vreelandt sold the land on which the 
new church was to be erected for ten pounds, '• being 
one-half acre, wherron the church is nr)w erected," 
and adjoining that whereon the obi church stood, 
thus enlarging the premises to that extent by the iieiv 
purchase. This church was completed in 1794, and 
on Jan. 8, 179r>, the ])ews were sold for £1292 It. 
Thirty persons were added on confession and eleven 
by certificate during Mr. t'ornclison's pastorate, a 
perioil of thirteen years, terminating November, \Hi>(>. 

The next piustor was the Rev. Henry I'ldhcMius, 



who came Feb. 17, 1809, and remained till February, 
1813. Twenty-six members were added to the cliurch 
I during his ministry. On the 29th day of December, 
' 1809, the church was incorporated, and on the same 
day Mr. Polhemus deeded to the church a desirable 
tract of land he had secured for a parsonage at a 
purchase price of eighteen hundred and thirty-two 
dollars. A commodious parsonage was then erected 
on the premises. Mr. Polhemus' successor was Rev. 
Cornelius T. Dcmarest, on April 2G, 1S13. His pas- 
torate continued undisturbed till the troublous times 
of 1822, when, as we have stated in the history of the 
churches at Schraalenburgh and Hackensack, began 
the contest which resulted in the formation of the 
True Dutch Reformed Church and the termination of 
Mr. Demarest's pastoral relations with the church of 
English Neighborhood in 1824. 

During the early years of his charge the church 
seemed to prosper. The minutes of the consistory in 
1814 mention the private devotions, the family wor- 
ship, the meetings for prayer ami godliness, and that 
some have been received into the church and others 
are hopeful, and these things evidenced the fidelity of 
the preacher and piustor. These pleasant relations 
were as undisturbed till 1819 lus the ebbing and flow- 
ing tides unvexed by boisterous winds andim|iending 
storms. Sym|>athi/.ing with Dr. Froeligh, who had 
received suspended members from other churches, 
following the doctor from conviction undoubtedly, 
exposed, nevertheless, to more conflict and strife than 
either of them at the outset had apprehended ; be- 
coming the victim afterwards of charges and crimina- 
tions which the bittcrne-ss of wounded or exasperated 
feelings rarely seem to ameliorate or modify, and 
over which, even if the mantle of charity had been 
attempted to have been thrown, it might have been 
rent asunder; and subjecteil at last to the accusa- 
tion that, as clerk of Classis, he had returnetl copies 
of minutes which were materially false and incorrect, 
of deliberate falsehood and prevarication, of abiKive 
and false slanders in public and private, and la.*lly 
of public schism ; and at length, on the 18tli day of 
February, 1824, the pastoral relation between Mr. 
Demarest and the church of English Neighborhood 
was dissolved. Some said he was like the withered 
fig-tree that was plucked up by the roots, and others 
.said he was like the fruitful vine when its ripening 
clusters had been blasted by .some untimely gale. 
There was, at all events, a smitten shepherd and .'i 
scattered flock, and there could be found, in heaven at 
least, no place id" rejoicing over such a calamity. 
j Mr. Dcmarest disregardeil the citalion to answer 
these accusations in the ecclt^iastical tribunal. Thc 
, trial proceede<l and judgment was entered by defaidt, 
j declaring him guilty, suspending him from the inin- 
I isterial oflice, and dis.solving the pastoral relation be- 
tween himself and his people. On the same day 
sixty-two members of the church and congregation 
joined in a complaint against the elders and deacons 



RIDGEFIELD. 



251 



who still adhered to the suspended pastor. They were 
tried, their seats declared vacant, and they were de- 
posed ; and the Classis ordered a new consistory to be 
chosen in their stead. At this juncture, and upon the 
issues growing out of it, a lawsuit was commenced 
to try the title to the property of the church. Two 
societies claimed it, and they stood in the tribunal 
like the two women contesting for the child before 
the king. This notable case came up for decision in 
the February term of the Supreme Court in New 
Jersey in 1S31, and will be found reported in 7th 
Halstead's New Jersey Reports, page 206, in the case 
of Day vs. Bolton. Chief Justice Ewing and Justices 
Ford and Drake sat in judgment, and Messrs. Horn- 
blower and Wood were the counsel for the plaintiffs, 
and Messrs. Vanarsdale and Frelinghuysen for the 
defendants. We have already given an account of 
these great lawyers in the judicial history of Bergen 
County. Joseph C. Hornblowcr the next year became 
chief justice of the Supreme Court for fourteen years. 
George Wood was the great lawyer who afterwards 
stood foremost in his profession in the city of New 
York as well as in New Jersey. Elias Vanarsdale, 
always astute and particular, was conspicuous as a 
lawyer, and Theodore Frelinghuysen was then adding 
lustre to a name already known to the nation. The 
bench and the bar were worthy of the occasion. The 
arguments of the counsel have not been preserved, 
but the opinions of the judges are given at length in 
the report of this case. They are too long and too 
minute for repetition here, but are well worth perusal 
in a close investigation of a great controversy between 
the Reformed Church and the True Reformed Church, 
as each society styles itself to-day. In this contest 
the Reformed Church established its title, and so the 
defendants, the True Reformed Church, were obliged 
to surrender the property ; that whether members 
might secede from a religious society, they could not 
certainly carry along with them by such act of seces- 
sion any of the property which was deemed to be 
vested in and belonging to the parent society. The 
court might have gone into a larger and broader dis- 
cussion of the questions incidental to those under dis- 
cussion, but perhaps it wisely confined itself to the 
precise issues in controversy before it. The case it- 
self has become famous along with this decision, and 
therefore less notice could not he taken of it here. 
The reader is also invited to the perusal of the case 
of Johnstone vs. Jones, in 8 C. E. Green New Jersey 
Reports, page 216, and the case of Doremus against 
the minister, elders, and deacons of the Dutch Re- 
formed Church in English Neighborhood, in 2 Green 
Chancery New Jersey Reports, page 332, decided in 
1835. Rev. Gustavus Abeel was the successor of Mr. 
Demarest in April, 1S25, and resigned in June, 1828, 
to be followed by Rev. Philip Duryee, who was in- 
stalled in December, 182S, and continued almost 
twenty years, till April 3, 1848, to be followed by Rev. 
James McFarlane in April of the next year, and who 



resigned April 18, 1855, when, on the 10th of October 
of that year, Rev. Andrew B. Taylor was installed, 
and continues in charge to this day. Mr. Taylor's 
pastorate is the longest, and that is the highest testi- 
mony to his worth and devotion and the attachment 
between himself and his people. The old church it- 
self has become a monument, not of old and vexing 
contests, but of that other contest, ever fresh, ever 
new, for the maintenance of the great cause of Chris- 
tianity itself. 

True Reformed Dutch Church in English Neigh- 
borhood. This church was formed during the eccle- 
siastical troubles of 1822. After the decision in the 
litigation, already mentioned in this history, this 
society first held service in a barn, then attached 
to the old parsonage, now the property of Mrs. 
James Cronkright, and afterwards in the parlor 
of the parsonage, till the erection of their present 
church on the old English Neighborhood road, near 
the Fort Lee turnpike, and were dependent on occa- 
sional supplies, having no stated ministers, till Rev. 
James G. Brinkerhofl' became pastor in 1824, and was 
succeeded the same year by Rev. Cornelius T. Demarest, 
who became stated pastor from 1824 to 1851, and was 
succeeded by Rev. Cornelius J. Blauvelt, who was 
pastor of this church and of the True Reformed 
Church at Hackensack, preaching in each place 
every alternate Sabbath, from 1852 to 1860. He was 
succeeded by Rev. John Y. De Baun in both churches. 
Mr. De Baun withdrew from the old True Reformed 
Church in Ridgefield a few years since, and still is 
pastor of the church at Hackensack. He was suc- 
ceeded in the former church by Rev. Abram Van 
Houten. The membership is less than one hundred. 

Episcopal services were first held in private houses 
by Rev. James Cameron, rector of the church at 
Edgewater. In June, 1868, a parish organization was 
perfected, and in 1871 steps were taken to build a 
church. Specifications were prepared by Mr. G. W. 
Ward at the request of the vestrymen. The lot was 
given by Charles Browu, and the erection of a church 
was commenced. The corner-stone was laid by Rev. 
James Cameron with appropriate services. The church 
was completed, and the first service was held on the 
twenty-second Sunday after Trinity (November 5th) 
by Bishop W. H. Odenheimer, D.D., and consecrated. 
The church is of wood, and pleasantly located on a 
high elevation near Edgewater Avenue. The value 
of church property is three thousand five hundred 
dollars. The first members were William Townseud 
and family, William Pollock and family, D. H. Wil- 
son and family, Hon. Orlando Stewart and family, 
Gabriel Barbey and family, Charles McMichael and 
family, James McFarland and family, Mrs. Deyett 
and family, George W. Ward and family, John Wilson 
and family, Mrs. Asten and family. Tlie present mem- 
bership is eighteen families. 

The present wardens, G. W. Ward, G. M. Richard- 
son ; vestrymen, S. Allaire, James McFarland, H. A. 



252 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Wilson. Services are held every Sunday by Rev. 
James Cameron, rector of the church at Edgcwater. 
Rev. James Cameron and G. W. Ward constituted 
the first board of vestrymen. 

Episcopal services were first held in the Church of 
the Mediator I Episcopal), at Edgewater, in 1862, al- 
tliough t'le edifii-e was erected in 18o9, and was at 
that time a union church. This church is of wood, 
twenty-five by fifty feet, and located on the river road 
at Edgewater, about a quarter-mile north from the ' 
dock ; was purchased by the Episcopal congregation 
in 1862, and consecrated by Bishop Odenheinier, Aug. 
7, 1864. There were present beside the bishop Rev. 
W. R. Earl, minister in charge, and Rev. Ralph Hoyt, 
pastor of the Episcopal Church at Fort Lee. The 
church was organized in 1862, with the following 
families: David T. Baldwin and family, Lucas S. 
Comstock and family, Joliii McMichael and family, 
Frederick Ggden, Christopher C. Rockwell, John 
Winterburn and family, Frank Van Woert, John llal- 
let and family, A. Oakey Hall and family, and Palmer 
Crary and family. 

The first wardens were D. T. Baldwin and Lucas 
S. Comstock. The first vestrymen were John Mc- 
Michael, Frederick Odgen, C. C. Rockwell, John 
Wintcrburn, Frank Van Woert. 

There are now twenty-eight families connected with 
the church and thirty-two communicants. The pres- 
ent wardens are James HoUyer and M. R. Brown ; 
vestrymen, J. W. Laird, X. G. Prickett, George 
Prindle, and R. T. Woodward. The present rector 
is James Cameron, who was installed May, 1866. 

The parsonage, which is of wood, two stories high, I 
was built in 1867 at a cost of four thousand <lollars. 

Catholic services were first held at Fort Lee, at the 
residence of Dr. H. .Vnderson, and in 18.">!> the present 
church was erected, principally by .Mr. Anderson. 
The church is of stone, and located on a high eleva- 
tion overlooking the Hudson River. The pastors 
that have supplied this church are Rev. J. Heymann, ' 
the first regular |)astor, and was succeeded in 186.'! by 
Rev. Patrick ("orrigan. Rev. H. A. Braun in 1866, 
Rev. I'atrick (Vly in IKi'iT. Rev. (). J. Sniits in 18611, 
Rev. G. Spicrings in 1H70, Rev. 1*. Daniels in 1876, 
Rev. P. Luke in 1«80, and Rev. D. Mersmann in 1881, 
the present pastor. Tliere are now one humlred and 
thirty families who belong to the church. The first 
trustees were Dr. H. Anderson and Patrick Leary. 
The present trustees are Michael Jennings and Jacoli 
Mickle. 

Rev. Ralph lloyl held Epi-scopal services at l^'ort 
Lee in I8r)2, and in ISTi.S he erected a small church at 
a cost of four hundred dollars, and continued to hold 
meetings for a number of yrarw, but the church wils 
never organized, and was tnorr of a society than a 
clnircli organi/jition. Owing to .Mr. Hoyt's ill health 
he aliandoned preaching in the little chapel, and since 
18K0 there has been no service helil in the church, 
and it is now in u dilapidateil state. It is culled the 



Church of the Good Shepherd, and is owned by the 
son of Rev. Mr. Hoyt. 

For some time previous to 1848 the people of Eng- 

I lish Neighborhood {now Fairview) felt the necessity 
of organizing a religious body, and a council of min- 
i.stering brethren and delegates from the following 
churches, namely — the Blooniingdalo Baptist Church, 
N. J., New Dunham Baptist Church, and the Bap- 
tist Church at Perth Amboy — assembled at English 

' Neighborhood to take into consideration the expe- 
diency of recognizing nineteen brethren and sisters 
into an independent Baptist Church, to be called the 
First Baptist Church of Christ at English Xeiglibi)r- 
hood, N. J. 

Rev. William U. Spencer, pastor of the Blooming- 
dale Church, was chosen moderator; Rev. George F. 
Hendrickson, pastor of the church at Perth Amboy, 
was chosen clerk of the council ; Rev. Richard 
Thompson, ])astor of New Duidiam Baj)tist Church, 
read a portion of Scripture from the second chapter 
of the Acts of the Apostles. The joint letter of dis- 
mission from the New Dunham Baptist Church, con- 
taining the names of nineteen members, as follows: 
James D. Demarest, David McDonald, Ephraim 
Tracy, William H. Tracy, David C Dyer, .Viulrcw 
Engle, Jr., Abraham Jackson, Sarah McDonald, Eliz- 
abeth Tracy, Francis Ebis, Sarah Frecland, Eliza- 
beth Coinpton, Mary JIcDonald, Mary Sedon, Wil- 
liam Engle, Catherine Townsend, Margaret Denni- 
rest, Sarah Engle. Elizabeth Jackson, who were dis- 
missed from the said church, was then read before the 
council. The articles of faith and church covenant were 
then read and examined by the council, which were 
approved. It was then voted to proceed to recognize 
them into an independent Baptist Church, and ser- 
vices were first held in private houses until 18(i4, 
when the membcrshiii increased and a church edifice 
deemed neci^ssary. In the fall of 1864 the present 
church was erected at a cost of two thousand dollars, 
which wasbuilt by subscription. Thisehurch isasmall 
wooden structure, twenty-four by thirty-five feet, and 
is located in the centre of the village. The building 
committee was David C. Dyer, James D. Demarest, 
David McDonald, W. II. Tracy, Andrew S. En le. 
The church was dedicated Dec. 13, 1864, by Rev. Mr. 
Dowlely, of New York. 

The first trustees were James D. Demarest, David 
C. Dyer, David McDomild W. H. Tracy, and An- 
drew S. Engle. First deacons, James D. Demarest 
and JOphraim Tracy. The present trustees arc David 
•McDowell, James D. Demarest, William Taylor, 
George Evans, and Augustus Dyer. Present mem- 
bership, twelve. The first pastor was Rev. fJeorge F. 
Hendrickson, who has presideil over this congre- 
gation at intervals since 1K48. The last |)Hstor was 
Kev. C. A. Harper, who wius called in 1878. There has 
been only one other piustor who has had charge of the 
above flock. What his name is and when he came 
and what time he left records don't show, and no one 





? 



;^/^ 




RIDGEFIELD. 



253 



knows. Rev. C. A. Harper took charge of the church 

in 1878, and in 1880 broke the church up. There is 
no preaching now. 

The stone church at Fort Lee was erected in 18(17, 
by Gen. Edward Jardine, John G. Cunningham, J. 
G. Brown, and others, at a cost of eight thousand 
tliree hundred dollars, for a Congregational Church, 
which was organized, and services were held for a 
short time. The first members consisted of a few, — 
J. G. Cunningham, Mrs. J. G. Cunningham, Edward 
Jardine, Mrs. Edward Jardine, Miss Marion Jardine, 
Miss Laura Federspill, Mi.ss Kate Federspill, Mrs. Jo- 
seph Prost, Harriet Prost, Mrs. J. G. Brown, Mrs. D. 
Veene, Miss Louisa Seek, James Ross, and a Mrs. 
Atkins. The first trustees were J. G. Brown, J. G. 
Cunningham, and Gen. Edward Jardine. This church 
since its erection has passed through many hands, 
and is now owned by R. H. Hoadley, of New York, 
who lets it out to all denominations for religious pur- 
poses for a small compensation. The church is of 
stone, pleasantly located on the hill. The sexton is 
Charles Wilson. 

Among the first religious services held at Fort Lee 
was by a Methodist minister, who carried on services 
in private houses, and in 1820 a church was erected 
by subscri]ition at a cost of five hundred dollars, size 
being twenty by thirty feet, and services were held in 
this church for a number of years, but, there being no 
regular pastor stationed at this place, the membership 
gradually decreased, until they could no longer main- 
tain a Methodist Episcopal Church at this place, and 
it was sold. This church was located under the liill, 
on the river road. 

Industries. — The manufacturing industries in this 
township are extensive, and generally in a very pros- 
perous condition. The chemical-works at Shady 
Side, the United States Dye-Works at Walton, Sem- 
mendinger's manufactory of photograph materials at 
Fort Lee, and Allen's flour-mill at Walton, and sev- 
eral lesser saw- and grist-mills in different parts of 
the township give employment to hundreds of opera- 
tives. Extensive quarries of Belgian blocks for city 
pavements are also to be found at Fort Lee. Huyler 
& Rutan have an extensive coal- and lumber-yard 
at Bogata, and, together with the lumber and coal in- 
terests of that firm just across the Hackensack River, 
in the village of that name, they represent the largest 
business in that branch of trade in the county. There 
are also extensive coal-yards at Walton, Leonia, and 
Fairview. Mr. Wales, of Leonia, is also extensively 
engaged in the manufacture of microscopic and tele- 
graphic lenses. As an expert in this mechanism he 
has no superiors in this country, and, with his world- 
wide reputation, probably very few excel him in 
Europe. Devoutly reverencing the great Master- 
Mechanic of the universe, this humble and patient 
student in the minutest calculations of microscopic 
power is revealing many of the minified and unseen 
wonders which seem beyond the limits of human in- 
17 



spection. Bounded by two navigable streams, and 
intersected by a third, and with two railroads already 
connecting the township with New York City, and 
with charters for several more, which the increasing 
trade and traftic between the great metropolis and the 
West will call into requisition, this township bids fair 
in a few years to become the adjunct of a great city. 

Hon. Thomas H. Herring was a lineal descendant 
from the Archbishop of Canterbury, England, and 
his great-grandfather, Thomas, a native of England, 
was the progenitor of the family in New England, 
and settled at Dedhani, Mass., where the family en- 
gaged in agricultural pursuits. 

Thomas had two sons, William and Thomas. The 
latter returned to England, but his whereabouts has 
never since been known by the family in this country. 
The former was grandfather of our subject, and also 
spent his life in Massachusetts. 

Thomas, son of William, born at Dedham, Mass., 
Jan. 8, 1775, went to Albany, N. Y., while a young 
man, and there engaged in mercantile pursuits and 
in shipping and trading interests between there and 
New York. The latter part of his life was spent 
mostly as a banker in Albany, where he became by 
his enterprise, superior business ability, and thrift one 
of the most influential and wealthy citizens of that 
city. He died June 3, 1827, leaving the following 
children: William Clark, born April 12, 1805, was a 
wholesale merchant in New York City for many 
years, and died in London, England ; Elizabeth 
Mary, born May 22, 1808, became the wife of Jonas 
Conkling, of New York ; Thomas Hughes, subject of 
this sketch ; and Lucy Ann, born March 9, 1814, be- 
came the wife of Hon. Elisha N. Pratt, of Greenbush, 
N. Y., who represented the city of Troy in the New 
York State Senate for two terms, was a man of good 
ability, and who died Feb. 25, 1856. His wife died 
Oct. 15, 1860. Their only child is Elisha Herring 
Pratt, who resides with his aunt, Mrs. Herring. The 
wife of Thomas Herring was Lucy Olds, born Oct. 1, 
1776, died June 8, 1849, and whom he married March 
15, 1804. 

Thomas H. Herring, son of Thomas and Lucy 
(Olds) Herring, was born in the city of Albany, Aug. 
7, 1812, and was graduated at the Albany Academy, 
then a school of the highest reputation in that State 
for thorough training and sclidlarsliip. For some 
time he was a clerk in the store of his brother and 
brother-in-law (Conkling & Herring) in New York, 
and upon reaching his majority he became a partner 
in the concern. This firm did a large jobbing busi- 
ness during its continuance in trade. In 1841, Mr. 
Herring retired from active business pursuits, and 
settled on some forty acres of land in English Neigh- 
borhood, midway between Ridgefield and Fairview, in 
Bergen County, N. J. On this beautiful location, 
called " Hillside Park," he erected in 1850 a fine 
brownstone ])alatial residence, where he resided until 
his death, which occurred July 1, 1874. 



254 



HISTORY OF BERGKN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Mr. Herring was a man of decided opinions, high 
intellectual ability, a logical reasoner, and frank and 
outspoken in his views upon the great political ques- 
tions of his time. Tlirougli life he took a deep in- 
terest in local and national legislation, was an active 
member of the Democratic party, but became a war 
Democrat in 1862, and during the latter part of his 
life was not allied to any party organization. Mr. 
Herring was president of the Republican State Con- 
vention of New Jersey in the fall of 18(54, that sup- 
ported Abraham Lincoln for a second term for the 
Presidency of the United States. From 1857 to 18o9 
he represented Bergen County in the State Senate, and 
during one session was president of the Senate. He 
was frequently solicited to be a candidate for member 
of Congress, and in ISliO declined the honor in a very 
able letter published at the time, principally upon the 
grounds of his full adoption of the principles enun- 
ciated in the Cincinnati platform, which was indorsed 
by the President, "that of non-intervention by Con- 
gress with slavery in the territories," believing as he 
firmly did that each State should regulate its own in- 
stitutions. He was at one time prominently nameil 
for Governor, and bad his private business not inter- 
fered, and had he not disclaimed any ambition for the 
high position, he undoubtedly would have been placed 
in nomination for gubernatorial honors. He was one 
of the founders and directors of the " Emporium Kire 
In>iiraMce t'onipany of New York." 

.Mr. Herring was the largest of the capitalists who 
projected and built the Northern New Jersey Rail- 
road, and was president of it from 18.59 to 1869. Dur- 
ing his incumbency of that office the management of 
the road was so efficient that of the several millions 
of passengers carried during the ten years, there was 
not the lo.ss of a single life. He was i)os,sessed of 
large property, and owned much valuable real estate 
at Englewood.TenaHy, Ilighlanil, and in other places 
along the Northern Road. 

In tlie decease of Mr. Herring Bergen County lost 
one of its representative men, and one (pialified to fill 
the highest place in the gift of the people. 

Mr. Herring was united in marriage July 10, 1834, 
to fSabina, daughter of Thomas Signear and Nancy 
Brown, of New Paltz, N. Y., who was born June 29, 
1819, ami survives lier husband. Her grandfather, 
Doris Signear, was a native of France, and liad an 
only son by his wife, Lois Wood, who was Mrs. 
Herring's father. Her mother was of English de- 
scent. Her maternal grandfather, Maj. Amos Brown, 
wa.s an officer in the Revolutionary war, and served 
as one of (Sen. Wiusbington's aide-de-camps. -Maj. 
Brown came with bis parents from ICngland, settled 
first at Fairfield, Conn., and subsequently a( New 
Pallz, N. \ .. wbere .Mrs. Herring's mother was born. 

Jacob C. Terhune. — The progenitor of this family 
in Bergen ("ounty wius .lohn Terhune. who emigrated 
from Holland while a young man ami .settlecl in Old 
Haekeiisack township about the year 1720. He mar- 



ried the widow of Ralph Vandalinda, who owned a 
large tract of land, extending from English Creek to 
the Hackensack River, and by this marriage obtained 
possession of some twenty acres, which with its ad- 
ditions hiis been the Terhune homestead since, a 
period of one hundred and sixty years. His son 
Albert succeeded to the possession of this property, 
which is situated just across the river from the pres- 
ent village of Hackensack, and married a Miss Van- 
derhofl', who bore him the ft)llowing children : John, 
Cornelius, Peter, Albert, Elizabeth, wife of Morris 
Earle, and Gertrude, wife of Samuel Vanderbeck, of 

I Hackensack. 

, Albert Terhune was a cooper by trade, but lived on 
the home-stead most of his life, dying at the age of 
eighty years about 1808. Of his children Cornelius 
was fatlier of our subject, was a shoemaker by trade, 
but spent most of his active business life as a farmer 
on the old homestead, residing there from 179') until 
his death. He lived through the period of the Revo- 
lutionary war, was a soldier under Capt. Cutwater, 
and after the close of the war received a pension. 

Cornelius Terhune was an influential and substan- 
tial citizen in Bergen County, and was chosen to fill 
many offices of trust and responsibility in Old Hack- 

I ensaek township. He was a member and elder of 

' the Reformed Dutch Church in Hackensack, and was 
an acting elder ami opposed strenuously the secession 
from that church in the council held in liis own 
house. He, however, yielded to the claims of the 
seceders, and afterwards remained a member of the 
new body of worshipers. He died in 1853, aged 
ninety-two years and six months. 

His wife, whom he married Oct. 24, 178ti, was Eliz- 
abeth, daughter of Jacob Hopper, of Pollitly, who 
was born Jlay 12, 1767, and died in 1833, leaving two 
children,— Jacob C. and Jane, wife of Abram Ber- 
tholf, of Hackensack. Mrs. Bertholf was born in 
1800, and survives in 1881. Jacob C. Terhune, only 
son of Ciirneliiis and Elizabeth Terhune, was born in 
Hackensack, Jan. 8, 1791, and removed with bis pa- 
rents to the old homestead in 179."), where liis minority 
was mostly spent. After his marriage, Nov. 24, 1810, 
to Elizabeth, daugiiter of Albert Van Voorhis, who 
was born in Ai)ril, 1791, he bought a small farm in 
the vicinity of tiie liomestead, where he resided for 
some ten years, when the age of his father recjuired 
him to look after the property at iiome, and he took 
uj) bis residence there, where, with the exception of 
one year, he has since resided, making his main busi- 
ness that of a farmer. His wife died April 18, 1832, 
leaving two ciiildren, John V. H. and Cornelius, who 
ilied the same year as his mother. 

His second wife was Martha Romaine, who wa^ 
born Sept. 26, 1837, and died in March, 1871. 
" Sherilf Terhune," a.s he is familiarly known. 

.seemingly inherited a spirit of interest in local mat- 
tem from his father, and soon after his marriage wa- 

elected and served on the board of chosen freeholder- 





.^^,6^.^^b^ 





^w, 





l^lt^.X ^tcc£^~A^SL^ 



RIDGEFIELD. 



255 



for several years. In 1836 he was elected sheriff of 
Bergen County, and by re-election, without oppo- 
sition, served for three consecutive years. He was 
elected on the Democratic ticket to the State Legis- 
lature, and served with honor for the years 1845 and 
1846. 

Sheriff Terhune is a man of the past generation, 
and has lived through the most interesting |)eriod of 
the world's history. Incidents of "olden time" are 
fresh in his memory, and his valuable store of in- 
formation in relation to the progress of the county, 
the establishment and foundation of churches, schools, 
neighborhoods, and villages, which he holds with a 
retentive memory even at the age of ninety-one years, 
is very remarkable. 

John V. H.Terhitne, only surviving son of Jacob 
C. Terhune and Elizabeth Van Voorhis, was born on 
the Terhune homestead, July 24, 1811. Following 
his school-days he learned the carpenter's trade, 
which, however, he has never followed. On Dec. 30, 
1830, lie was united in marriage to Ann, daughter of 
Jacob H. Brinkerhoff and Ann Lozier, of Hackensack 
township, both of whose families were among the 
early settlers of Bergen County. She was born May 
22, 1813, was a woman of untiring ambition, devoted 
to the interests of her children, and made home the 
ever-welcome place of her numerous friends. She 
died .luly 2, 1880, leaving three surviving sons, viz. : 
Jacob, who carries on the homestead for his grand- 
father ; Cornelius, who conducts his father's farm ; 
and John Henry, who is connected with the banking- 
house of Winslow, Lanier & Co., in New York City. 
After his marriage, Mr. Terhune settled on the 
farm of his father-in-law, formerly owned by John 
R. Bogert, and which Mr. Bogert had purchased as a 
part of the large Zabriskie estate, lying on Teaneck 
Ridge. 

On this property was located a saw-mill, erected by 
Mr. Bogert, to which, about 1840, Mr. Terhune and 
Mr. Brinkerhoff added a grist-mill. 

For some twenty years after his marriage Mr. Ter- 
hune was engaged in the wheelwright business here, 
with his father-in-law, and in farming, since which 
time his main business has been in conducting the 
mills, leaving, in 1875, the farming to his son. 

In early life Mr. Terhune began to take an interest 
in local politics, and served as constable and collector 
of Hackensack township for three years, while his 
father was sheriff. In 1850 he was elected sheriff of 
Bergen County, and by re-election held the office for 
three years. It was during his incumbency of that 
office that duty compelled him to hang the murderer 
William Rating. Sheriff John Terhune has served 
for three years as one of the chosen board of free- 
holders, and for one year as director of the board. 
He also served a second time as collector of Hacken- 
sack township, and was serving as one of its assessors 
when the new township of Ridgefleld was erected 
from a part of the old township of Hackensack. Fol- 



lowing the organization of the present township of 
Ridgefield, he served for five years as assessor, and in 
1876 was elected one of the six commissioners of 
roads, which office, by re-election every two years, 
he holds in 1881, having been president of the board 
since his first election. 

Sheriff John V. H. Terhune may safely be ranked 
among the influential and substantial citizens of his 
township and county, and is known as a man of strict 
integrity, good business ability, and sound judgment. 

John Mabie. — The Mabie family of Bergen County 
are descendants of the French Huguenots of the same 
same who, during the latter part of the seventeenth 
century, left their native country and found a home, 
first in Holland, and subsequently along the banks of 
the Hudson and on Long Island. 

His father, William Helimus Mabie, born at Tap- 
pan, Rockland Co., N. Y., was a mason by trade, 
and spent his active business career in New^ York 
City and Hoboken, where he followed his chosen 
avocation, and in the latter place he was engaged for 
many years, and did business for Robert L. Stevens. 

He died in 1828, aged thirty-nine years. His wife 
was Maria, daughter of Henry Verbrycke, a Revolu- 
tionary soldier, who was in Gen. Washington's army, 
and at the l^attle of Yorktown, and who resided near 
Ramapo, N. J. 

Their children were Ann, wife of Robert W. Higgs, 
of New York City, and John, subject of this sketch. 

John Mabie was born in New York City, June 19, 
1819. At the age of nine years, being thrown upon 
his own resources for support on account of the death 
of his father, he stnrted in life to carve out a fortune 
for himself Like many others who have attained 
opulence, but who when young met the obstacles in- 
cident to poverty, young Mabie had also these to con- 
tend with, but met them with that perseverance and 
resolution that have characterized his subsequent 
business career. He spent one year in the tobacco- 
factory of Mr. Lorillard, followed by two years' ser- 
vice in Mr. Booth's printing-office; the remainder of 
his minority, eight years and four months, being 
spent as an apprentice in the manufacture of gold- 
pencil cases with Thomas Addison, the first man to 
engage in that business in this country. For three 
years following he continued this business as a jour- 
neyman, then, with John H. Roanch, Patrick Kean, 
and Louis Baulman, journeymen, he, in 1843, estab- 
lished business for himself, and was one of the found- 
ers of the gold-pen and pencil-case house of Roanch 
& Co., which continued business until 1849, when the 
partnership was dissolved. 

That year Mr. Mabie purchased fifty-one acres of 

land at Fairview, in Bergen County, upon which in 

\ 1857 he built a substantial brownstone mansion, 

! which with its well laid out grounds has been his 

' homestead since. 

Restless under too much ease, Mr. Mabie remained 
' from business only a few months, and in 1850 estab- 



256 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY 



lished in New York City the world-renowned gold- 
pen and pencil-case house, first known ivs " Mabie, 
Knapp & Co.," afterwards as " Mabie, Smith & Co.," 
and for the past ten years as " Mabie, Todd & Bard," 
the sales of which extend to the most distant jiarts 
of the world. Their office is at 180 Broadway, and 
the manufactory at 13S Wooster Street. 

In 1871, Mr. Mabie retired from the business in 
favor of his sons, George Whitfield and John Henry, 
who have since represented the Mabie interest in the 
concern. 

His life has been wholly devoted to business, nor 
has political place or tlie emoluments of office ever 
been a part of his ambition. 

Mr. Mabie is naturally of an ingenious turn of 
mind, and besides inventing the screw-pencil, he in- 
vented a " car replacer," which has been successfully 
used on railroads. 

His wife, whom he married April i2, 1841, wa.- 
Eliza Jane, daughter of Samuel Smith and Eliza 
Ossa, of Westchester County, who died in 1870, and 
bore him children as follows: Ann Maria, wife of 
Charles Sageman, George Wliitfield, John Henry, 
Marv Kliza, wife of William Newcomb, and Charles 
Edgar, who died at the age of fourteen. His present 
wife is Emmagene, daughter of Samuel Sweetland, of 
Proviilonce. R. I. 

Stephen MartUng.— His grandfather, David Mart- 
ling, a descendant of the French Huguenots who fled 
from their native country to escape persecution and 
settleil on the Hudson, wiu* a soldier in the Revolu- 
tionary war, was taken prisoner and carried to Bor- 
dentown, where he was ill treated and woundeil, which 
marks he carried until his death. He resided at Tar- 
rytown, N. Y., and there carried on agricultural pur- 
suits. One member of the Martling family was cut in 
pieces by the Tories and put into a corn-basket. 

Abraham D., son of David Martling, was also a 
farmer at Tarrytown, and there spent his life. His 
wife was Esther, daughter of Ebenezer Whelply, | 
who was a cook for Gen. Washington, and resided in 
Westchester County, N. Y., where he lived to the 
great age of ninety-one years, always retaining in his 
family the pot which serveil to cook in for the great 
general. 

Stephen, son of Abram D. Martling, was born at 
Tarrytown, Oct. 11, 1809, and was engaged in agri- 
cultural pursuits on his grandfather's farm until he 
was twciilv-two years of age. He then went to New 
York Citv, anil for one year was a clerk in a grocery- 
store. The following year, in partnership with Daniel 
Archer, he e«tablishe<l the grocery business for him- 
self, which he continued for eight years. This firm 
of "Martling & Archer" afterwards engaged in the 
huilding-stouf business in New York, obtaining their 
supplies from Nyack and otiierpointi on the Hudson, 
and also in the lumber trade, which they continued 
until 184!t, when Mr. Martling pnrcha.seil one hundred 
and thirty acres of land on the Hackensack turnpikei 



in Old English Neighborhood, Bergen Co., N. J., near 
Ridgefield. On this property was a stone house 
which had been built prior to the Revolutionary war, 
and was the home of Capt. Banta. In this Mr. Mart- 
ling resided until 1865, when he erected a substantial 




L/^^Z^iic^-rxa' 



brick residence near by, and there resided until his 
death, Dec. 19, 1880. Stephen Martling was highly 
respected, both in his private and public relations. 
He took great interest in all matters of a public char- 
acter. an<l his services were always at command when 
re<iuired. He was elected a Justice of the peace, 
thus aciiuiring the familiar title of "Squire," was a 
prominent leader and elder in the Reformed Dutch 
Church, and held many other offices of trust among 
his fellow-townsmen. He was one of the projectors 
of the Northern Railroad, and continued his connec- 
tion with the roail under the management of President 
Herring, and when a reorgani7.atii>n took place, he 
enjoye<l the confi<lcnce of the late Charles Sisson, 
which was never shaken during his life. Mr. Mart- 
ling held the position of agent of the road at Ridge- 
field from its completion until his death, and was 
deservedly popular with all cliu'si's. 

His wife, who survivt«< liim, is Kli/.abeth, daughter 
of .\l)ram .\cker and Bella !?eckcr. of New York City, 
whom he married in 18m; she was bom .\pril 20, 
1810, and has the following children : Stephen H., 
Anna liella, wife of Peter Acker, and David. 



ENGLEWOOD. 



257 



Mrs. Martling's father was a native of Tappan, 
Rockland Co., N. Y., served in the war of 1812, and 
spent his active life as a contractor and builder in 
New York City; and her grandfather, David Acker, 
was a soldier in the war for independence. The 
Ackers were among the Holland families who settled 
along the Hudson. Her mother was a native of 
Bergen County, and her maternal grandfather, Becker, 
was a soldier also in the Revolutionary war, and re- 
sided at Rhinebeck, N. Y., which place took its name 
from his brother, Peter Becker. The Beckers are of 
German origin. 



CHAPTER XLI. 



ENGLEWOOD. 



Physical Features. — The physical features of the 
tow.iship of Englewood are somewhat varied. From 
the Palisades to the Hackensack the country is rolling 
and exceedingly picturesque. The soil is naturally 
fertile and generally well supplied with springs and 
streams of water. The Overpeck Creek and its tribu- 
taries water the whole middle section of the township, 
while its eastern and western borders are bounded by 
the Hudson and the Hackensack. Englewood is thus 
favored with natural advantages, and being only about 
ten miles from New York City it has in later years 
drawn a large population from that quarter. 

Organization. — Englewood, with its neighboring 
townships on the north and south, formerly belonged 
to the old township of Hackensack. It became a 
separate township by an act of the Legislature passed 
in 1871.' 

By virtue of this act Englewood took the territory 
described in the following boundaries, to wit : 

'* BegiuQiDg at the Hackeusack River, where the road leading from 
New Bridge to Schraaleuburgh intersects it^ and running thence easterly 
alung the middleof said road to the Schraalenburgh road; thence southerly 
along the middle of the Schraalenburgh road to the intersection thereof 
with the middle of Liberty road ; and thence southerly along the middle 
of Liberty road to the iuteraection thereof with the middle of the road 
leading to Cornelius Brinkerhoff's house; thence along the middle of 
the same to the Tenafly road; thence northerly along the middle of the 
Tenafly road to the south line of lands formerly of .lacob I. Demott; and 
thence southeasterly along the same to the east line of the township of 
Hackensack." 

The act provided that the first meeting for the elec- 
tion of township officers should be held at Stagg's 
Hall. The first chosen freeholder of the township 
was Joseph W. Stagg, who held office for the years 
1871-73, and was succeeded by James Vanderbeck for 
1874-76, who was followed by William Bennett for 
1877-79, when Henry West was elected for 1880, and 
still continues in office. 

The justices of the peace have been Ira W. Hover, 
1871-73 ; Hardy M. Banks, 1871-73 ; Joseph B. Mil- 
ler, 1872-74, 1877-79 ; Philip P. Class, 1876 ; George 
R. Dutton, 1878-80. 

^ Session Laws of New Jersey, 1871, page 691. 



The assessors : Daniel G. Bogert, 1871-76 ; Alex- 
ander Cass, 1877 ; John D. Cole, 1878-80. 

The collectors: Cornelius A. Herring, 1871-73; 
Charles Barr, Jr., 1874-76; Adriance Van Brunt, 
1877; Jacob A. Bogert, 1878-79; Thomas Russell, 
1880. 

Town clerks: Francis W. Van Brunt, 1871-73; 
Albert A. Coyte, 1874-76 ; Richard Demarest, 1877 ; 
Robert Wagner, 1878-79; Gilbert W. Chamberlain, 
1880. 

Early Settlement. — Among the pioneers of what 
is now Englewood was Richard Vreeland, who settled 
here previous to 1776, purchased a large tract of land, 
and engaged in farming. His children were Michael 
and Elizabeth. Michael married Margaret Terhune, 
remained on the old homestead, and had one son, 
Richard, who married Mary Sip, and succeeded to 
the estate of his father. His children were Michael, 
Jr., Margaret, and Isaac. 

Michael Vreeland, Jr., married Lavinia Brinker- 
hoff, and had two children,— Mary and Richard. He 
remained on the old homestead. Margaret married 
Henry D. Westervelt, and resides in Englewood. 
Their children were Henry, Peter, and Margaretta. 
Henry and Peter died young. Margaretta resides at 
the homestead in Englewood. Isaac married Gertrude 
Edsall, and located on a part of his father's place. 
Elizabeth married Peter Sip, who settled at Jersey 
City Heights, and had three children, one daughter 
(who died young) and two sons, Garret and Richard. 
The former married Margaret Newkirk, and had 
children,— Jane, Maria, and Peter. Jane died un- 
married ; Maria married Jacob Van Winkle, and 
had several children. They removed to Jersey City 
Heights. Peter married Ann Van Winkle, and had 
children, — Margaret, Mary E., Emma Louisa, Garret, 
and Richard, who reside at Jersey City. Richard 
married Sarah E. Wayland, and lived at Jersey City, 
where he reared a family. 

John De Mott settled at Walton, in Englewood 
I township, at an early date, and reared a family of 
j children, — Jacob, Henry, Martin, John, Jr., and 
I Soi)hia. 

Jacob married Rachel Bogert, and settled at Tena- 
fly, and had three children, — Jacob, Jr., John, and 
Fransiny. 
I Jacob, Jr., married a Miss Westervelt, and lived at 
Tenafly, and raised a family of five children, — Rachel, 
j John, Jacob, Henry, Garret W., and James B. 

Rachel resides in the township. John married a 
Miss Zabriskie, and resides at Tenafly. 

Jacob married Catherine Paulison, and settled at 
New Bridge. 

Henry married Rachel Demarest, and located at 
Tinack. 

Garret W. married Rachel J. Westervelt, and 
settled on the Tenafly road. 

James B. married a Miss G. Westervelt, and died 
at the homestead. 



2o8 



EIISTOUY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Henry married Margaret Demarest, and located at 
Englewood"; had one child, Fransiny, who married 
Peter Westervc-lt, and her cliildreii were Henry D. 
and Margaret. 

Henry D. married Marparet Vreeland, and remained 
on tlie old homestead, and had one child, Margaretta. 

Margaret married .John Van Hrunt, and had eiglit 
children, — Henry, Adriance, Frank, Peter, Stephen, 
Maria Jane, Margaretta, and John. All married e.t- 
cept John, who resides in Kansas City. 

Martin married and lived on the old homestead. 
His cliildren were John, Jacob, Fransiny, and Mar- 
garet A. 

John married Eliza Ann Vanderbeck, and located 
at Englewood. At her death he married Hannah 
Van Valen. 

Jacob moved to Hackensack, from there to Tappan, 
N. Y. 

Fransiny died unmarried. 

Margaret married William De Wolf, and settled at 
Hackensack. Their children were Euphemia, Fanny, 
William, and Margaretta. 

.Tohn married iLaria BrlnkerlioH', and settled adja- 
cent his father. His children were Henry and Fran- 
siny. 

Henry married Leo Moore, and resides on the old 
homestead. 

Fransiny married a Mr. Irwin, and settled on the 
old homestead. lie had no chiklreii. 

Sophia married Stephen Demarest, and moved to 
Hackensack. 

The first census after the organization of the town- 
ship in 1875 showed a population of 3932, and in 
1880 of 407G. In IHfiO the whole population of the 
then old township of Hackensack was r)4SS, only ex- 
ceeding the population of Englewood in 188(* by a 
little over 14(1(1. 

Places and Events of Historical Interest- 
Nearly the wliole territory of Englewood is interest- 
ing in the events of the Revolution. Owing to its 
nearness to New York, and being in the pathway to 
the West, its subjugation to British autlicuMty at one 
time seemed almost a military necessity, ami there- 
fore British forces .-(ought to invade its soil, while 
the little American army struggled hard to drive them 
back. On this middle ground, both of contention 
and defeat, many of the homes of the inlialiitanis 
were desolated ami the soil stained with blood in 
these destructive marches of invasion and retreat. 

The raid on Fort Lee in November, 177fi, brought 
terror and alarm to all the inhabitants in this section. 
Lord Cornwallis crossed the Hud.son to ("lostcr Land- 
ing on the IXth of November, 177('>, and from thence 
moved down the valley through the present territory 
of Englewood to Fort Lei'. Ballalinn al'liT ballallon 
of a subjugating army only left destruction and dis- 
aster in their path. 

Villages and Hamlets. —The whole township is 
HO densely oecupieil with habitations and adjoining 



buildings that much of its territory presents a vil- 
lage-like appearance. Along the Hackensack, from 
the country residence of Abram Collerd to the village 
of New Bridge, the extreme limits of the township 
from the southern boundary northward, it may be 
called one long-continued handet. 

The Teaneck road, beginning with the jiicturesque 
and spacious residence and grounds of William Wal' 
ter Phelps, near the southern boundary of the town- 
ship, and about one mile from Hackensack River, and 
running northward, is so thickly occupied with large 
and well-built houses as to form almost one continuous 
village for miles; and so the village of Englewood 
stretches nearly along the whole length of the Pali- 
sades range on the eastern border of the township. 
The Jersey City and .Mbany Railroad and the North- 
ern Railroad of New .lersey run through the town- 
ship parallel with each other, and about one mile 
apart, artbrding rapid and frequent connection with 
New York City. A Palisades Railroad is in contem- 
plation to accommodate the residents along the Pali- 
sades who desire to locate their houses near the edge 
of those preci|)itous heights, so as to enjoy that mag- 
nificent view of the great river. Englewood as a 
township seems to have a most promising future. The 
village proper justly deserves a more full and detailed 
account in this history. Probably to J. Wyman 
Jones, more than to any other one person, belongs 
the honor of being the founder of the town. The 
name of Englewood had previously been suggested 
by him for the i>ropcrty and place located by him 
between the Tcnady road and the Hudson River, and 
directly east of the old Liberty Pole Hotel. The 
early obstacles always in the way to try the faith and 
to conc|uer the patience, and endurance too, of every 
founder of a town have all been experienced by Mr. 
Jones in years long since |)ast and forgotten by many, 
but he still lives in Englewood, an honored citizen, 
and his name will justly hold a memorable place in 
its history. 

The ma]) of the property last mentioned was tiled in 
the clerks olViee of Bergen County on the l.'illi day 
of August, 18.'>i>, and covered six long, narrow farms 
and a lot on the top of the Palisades, then belonging 
to John Van Nest, of the city of New York. 

Two of these farms were on the south of Palisades 
Avenue (a.s afterwards laid out) and the other four on 
the north, together forming a solid body of land of 
six hundred and twenty-five acri-s. 

The farm next adjoining Palisades Avenue on the 
south, being a strip of land about five hundred and 
forty feet wide, extending from a line just west of the 
Northern Railroad track to high-watvr mark (»f the 
Hudson River, contained one hundred and ten acres, 
anil belonged in 18.18 to Cornelius J. Blauvelt and his 
son-in-law, IsiuKt .M. Dedercr, both of Piermont, Rock- 
land Co., N. Y. 

The farm adjoining this on the south, being about 
live hundred feet in width, an<l extending from Dwight 



ENGLEWOOD. 



259 



Place (as now laid down) to high-water mark of the 
Hudson, contained about eighty-eight acres, and be- 
longed in 1858 to George and Anderson Bloomer, the 
former of whom lived in the old stone house on the 
westerly side of the road, which with twenty acres of 
land was reserved out of said map. The latter re- 
sided at " Bloomer's Dock," so called, situated on the 
river under the Palisades. 

The farm lying next Palisades Avenue on the north, 
being about ten hundred and fifty feet iu widtli, and 
extending from a line west of the Tenafly Creek to 
the Hudson River, contained about two hundred and 
fifty acres, and was owned in 1858 by Thomas W. 
Demarest and Garret A. Lydecker, both still living in 
Englewood. This farm had a few years before been 
owned and occupied by the Rev. C. T. Demarest, 
father of Thomas W., who was regarded at that time 
as the head of the True Reformed Dutch Church of 
the State. The dwelling-house on this farm, in which 
" Dominie Demarest" had lived, was a handsome white 
house, quite modern and attractive in appearance. 
This house was subsequentl)' much enlarged for a 
young ladies' seminary. After being used as such 
for several years it was destroyed by fire. 

The next farm nortli of the latter, being a strip of 
land three hundred and thirty feet wide, and extend- 
ing from the Tenafly Creek to the Hudson River, and 
containing seventy-five acres, was owned by John J. 
Tyler, a lawyer of New York City. It had no dwell- 
ing-house on it. 

North of this the two farms of Jacob R. Demarest 
and Ralph J. Demarest, father and son, were located, 
the two together being about twelve hundred feet 
wide, containing one hundred and one acres, and ex- 
tending from the Tenafly road to the top of the slope 
east of Brayton Street (as now laid down). 

These parcels of land were called '" farms," but, 
with the exception of small patches near the road in 
the valley which were used for melons, market-gar- 
dens, and small pasture- or meadow-lands, they were 
uncultivated. 

Belts of shrubs and small trees, sometimes thirty or 
f»rty feet in width, had grown up along the division 
fences and stone walls on the western slopes where 
the forests had been cut down. Weeds and bushes 
were scattered over the fields, and an air of neglect 
pervaded the whole plot. In traversing these fields 
going towards the river it was no unusual thing to 
strike into a tangle of underbrush, vines, and bram- 
bles so thick as to absolutely force a return and a 
change of direction. On reaching the forest line all 
fences and division lines disappeared, and, with the 
exception of frequent wood-paths crossing each other 
at every angle and constantly misleading the ex- 
plorer, there was no road. It was one dense forest of 
magnificent trees, containing the finest specimens of 
oak and hickory to be found in the county. Most of 
these fine trees have been removed. 

This tract of laud was remarkably watered. Springs 



discharged at several places on the slopes on both sides 
I of the avenue, which have since been utilized for do- 
mestic purposes, and in many places wells sunk from 
fifteen to twenty feet would insure an abundance of 
excellent soft water. Even on the top of the Palisades 
some good wells have been obtained. At the foot of 
the slope near the " Englewood House" one of the 
most reliable and prolific springs in the country has 
always abundantly supplied the guests of that house. 
Another on the north side of Palisades Avenue, east 
of Brayton Street, has furnished the large place of 
the owner with an unfailing supply of water of the 
purest quality. 

The natural formation of the entire tract of laud 
was most suitable for human habitation. Terrace 
above terrace, from the valley to the very top of the 
ridge, presented equally inviting sites for building. 
From each plateau charming views were opened, 
varying in extent and variety, but vying sharply 
with each other for superiority ; and after twenty 
years of experience and study it is difficult to find an 
unqualified preference for one site over others, all 
things considered, among the most observing and 
competent judges who occupy them. For those who 
deemed water-life and motion essential to a fine land- 
scape, no situation could surpass the top of the Pali- 
sades, which command the Hudson and East Rivers 
and one of the most varied and charming panoramic 
views in the world. 

For those who planned to live all the year round in 
the country, and regarded water in winter too dreary 
and chilling, a more secluded and woody situation 
was at hand, with vistas through the great trees, af- 
fording glimpses of cultivated inland scenery. For 
those who liked water in the distance at all seasons 
of the year and found a quiet rest in a soft, southern 
landscape, a situation outside the wood and just be- 
low the line of heavy forest-trees, which looked down 
on the placid, ribbon-like stream of the Overpeck 
and far down to Newark Bay, was most prized ; while 
for them whose eyes could not be satisfied except with 
mountain-tops, equally grand sites were presented, 
commanding northern and northwestern views of 
the Orange Mountains and the range of the Ramapo 
hills ; and finally, the new-comers whose means or 
inclination led to locations convenient to the station 
found high and healthy building-sites with excellent 
lookouts within a short walk, while the business men 
of the town would naturally seek their business loca- 
tions near the railway. 

This tract of land, combining such unususrl advan- 
tages for residences (with the exception of one-half 
of one of the farms), was transferred, either by deed 
or by contract with the owners, to the control and 
management of Mr. Jones. He employed George P. 
Hopkins, an engineer of experience and skill (since 
deceased), and a number of iissistants, and spent 
several months in laying out, mapping, fixing bound- 
aries, numbering and naming the streets and lots, 



260 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



at the same time carrying forward the opening and 

grading of the streets with a large force of laborers. 
This work wa.« completed, and the map of " Engle- 
wood" was filed in the clerk's office of Bergen County 
on the 15th day of August, 1859, as before stated. 

Prior to this date the name of " Englewood," sug- 
gested by Mr. Jones, had been adopted at a meeting 
of those living in the neighborhood and interested in 
the subject. The name of " Englewood" is said to 
have originated in this way. In the spring of 1859 
a meeting was held in the carpenter-shop of Van 
Brunt & Waters, the brick building on the road run- 
ning west from the residence of John Van Brunt. 
Rev. Mr. Dwight presided. Three names were pro- 
posed, " Paliscena," " Brayton," and lastly "Engle- 
wood." The first, it was claimed, was suggested by 
the landscape and beauty of the Palisades, but when 
one of the old-time residents exclaimed " salts and 
senna,'" Paliscena could not stand up under this 
burden of ridicule, but quietly disappeared, and the 
second name quickly followed, whereupon Englewood 
was chosen. It apparently is obtained from " English 
Neighborhood," the former designation of all this 
section of country. This hist name is said to have 
been derived from u family here named Engle, or 
possibly from the fact that many of the early settlers 
a little lower down the valley were English. The 
latter theory seems the more probable, as " engle" 
strictly is a German word, equivalent to our word 
" angel." It is said the happy contraction of that 
long compound word into " Englewoocl" suited the 
old-times people, and the new-comers too, and .so the 
town adopted the name which hius seemed to have so ' 
much magic in it ever since. The people may have ' 
added lustre to the name, but by way of distinction 
at least the name seems to have something of the 
magic of attraction in its very sound. 

When, therefore, the township of Ilackensack was 
divided into three townships, it was quite a matter of 
course that the name given to this locality' should | 
have been assigned to the township of which it 
formed a i)art. The Iwundaries of this new township, 
Bx fixed by the act of the Legislature creating it, are 
as follows: all the territory north of the line last de- 
scribed, — to wit : the boundary line between Ridge- 
field and Englewood townships, — and south of the line, 
beginning at the Hackensack River, where the road 
leading from New Bridge toSchraulenburgh intersects 
it, and running thence easterly along the middle of 
said roail to the Schraalenhurgh road, thence south- 
erly along the middle of the Scliraalenhurgh road to 
the intersection thereof with the middle of Liberty 
road, and thence southerly along the middle of Lib- 
erty road to the intersection thereof with the middle 
of the road leading to Cornelius FJrinkcrhotr's house; 
thence along the mid<lle of the same to the TenaHy 
road ; thence northerly along the middle of the 
Tenafly road to the south line of land formerly of i 
Jacob I. Demarest, and thence southeasterly along 



the same to the east line of the then township of 
Hackensack. 

It is not ea-sy at this day to trace the growth of 
the village of Englewood step by step from its begin- 
ning. Before the spring of 1858 this locality was a 
part of " English Neighborhood," so called, and was 
more particularly known as " Liberty Pole." It was 
then but a succession of fields with a few houses, the 
most noted lieing the " Liberty Pole" tavern. This 
building stood in the centre of what is now Palisades 
Avenue, where it is intersected by the Tenafly road. 
The only public means of communication with New 
York in those days was by omnibus that left every 
day, Sundays excepted, at seven o'clock in the morn- 
ing, reaching Hoboken in three hours. Returning it 
left Hoboken at four o'clock p.m., and reached the 
" Pole" at seven o'clock in the evening. Occasion- 
ally the omnibus started off well filled, but more 
frequently it set out on the trip with one or two 
pa-ssengers, and announced its progress by a tin horn, 
the driver blowing long and loud bla-st-s as he neared 
the houses on the way, from which he gathered in the 
course of the trip a mixed company. There were a 
few regular stopping-places on the way where the 
horses and driver were " refreshed." .\biiut this time 
the Northern Railroad was projected, and through 
the untiring energies and i)erseverance of Thomas W. 
Demarest and John Van Brunt the right of way was 
secured, the necessary capital procured, and finally 
the road was built. Mr. Demarest became the first 
president of the railroad company, and Mr. Van 
Brunt the first secretary and treasurer. To those two 
men the chief credit for the construction of the North- 
ern Railroad of New Jersey should undoubtedly be 
accorded. 

The first houses of a new town are always objects 
of interest. These were built by .1. W. Deuel, Esq., 
and Robert Pratt. That of the former stands in the 
grounds and near to the residence of the late John H. 
Lyell. Mr. Deuel had been engaged in teaching the 
district school in the " Neighborhood." Foreseeing 
a demand for a select school, he erected that house to 
serve the double purpose of a dwelling for his family 
and such a school. It was in the school establislie<l 
here and taught by Mr. Deuel that some of the young 
men of the jilace, now in active pursuits and in pro- 
fessions, began their preparations for business and 
college. It was in the school-room of this building 
that the Rev. James H. Dwight began to preach to a 
small congregation, which was the nucleus of the 
First Presbyterian Church, aflerwanls organized, a 
particular mention of which will be made hereafter. 

The house built by Robert Pratt is still standing on 
the corner of Eagle Street and Demarest Avenue, op- 
posite the Episcopal Church. Before building this 
house Mr. Pratt with his family occupied the " Domi- 
nie Demare.Mt" house, above described. 

.\mong the first persons who were attracted from 
the city to this place after the same was laid out were 



ENGLEWOOD. 



161 



Isaac Smith Homans, editor and proprietor of the 
Banters' Mar/mine, and his two sons, Sheppard and I. 
Smith, Jr., witli their three families. The sons be- 
came at once interested in property here, and from 
that time forward bore a large share of the burden 
and responsibility of all the various improvements 
which marked the several steps of progress in the 
place. They were most efficient in introducing the 
place to desirable persons and making known its at- 
tractions. They commenced and carried forward the 
best class of improvements, and established their per- 
manent residences here, each building large stone 
houses for their family dwellings. Mr. I. Smith 
Homans, Jr., gave his time and attention more par- 
ticularly to property and improvements, and fully 
appreciating the desirableness of this part of the 
State for suburban residences, soon became very 
largely interested not only in Englewood proper, as 
then known, but in the lands located adjacent and 
within a few miles from the Englewood railroad 
station, and eventually one of the largest land-owners 
in the county. 

The Hon. Hiram Slocum, ex-mayor of the city of 
Troy, was one of the early purchasers of Englewood 
lands, and became a considerable owner. Having, 
however, fixed his family residence in Rockland 
County, N. Y., he did not become much identified 
with the place. 

Before the close of 1859, Nathan T. Johnson and 
Jeflry A. Humphrey, from New York City, acquired 
considerable interests in land in Englewood. The 
latter proceeded early to build a dwelling-house, the 
same now occupied by Mr. John Brinkerhoff, on 
Palisades Avenue, which he occupied for several years. 
Mr. Humphrey still continues to reside in the place, 
to the growth of which he has contributed by erecting 
also a fine house on the corner of Palisades Avenue 
and Lydecker Street, now occupied by Mr. James 
Barber, and another in which he now lives on Win- 
throp Place, besides numerous small residences and 
stores in the lower part of the town near the railroad 
station. Mr. Nathan T. Johnson was one of the most 
energetic and progressive men who has ever lived in 
the place. The large dwelling now occupied by Mr. 
Henry W. Banks, on Palisades Avenue above Wood- 
land Street, was built by Mr. Johnson, and occupied 
by his family for several years. He gave much time 
to matters relating to the public welfare, and became 
largely interested in lands in many places other than 
Englewood. 

In the summer and fall of 1859 lots were sold to 
J. W. Stagg, John Van Brunt, Hobart Van Zandt, 
John S. Messenger, and Mr. Crovvell, all of whom 
began to build within a short time. Mr. Messenger | 
still resides in the house he then built, fronting on 
Palisades Avenue, just west of the Presbyterian 
Church. 

A school for young ladies had been promptly started 
by Mr. S. S. Norton, in the former residence of " Dom- 



inie Demarest," and before the end of the year 1859 
the incipient town was equipped with church and 
schools. 

These were quickly succeeded by hotels, the " En- 
glewood House," filled with pleasant New York 
people, having been opened in the spring of 1860, 
and a small hotel near the station having also been 
built and opened about the same time. 

Carpenters', painters', blacksmiths', and butchers' 
shops and stores of several kinds quickly followed. 
A pretty stone chapel with two hundred and fifty 
sittings soon crowned one of the finest sites on the 
avenue, and the steadily-growing congregation were 
gathered there under Mr. Dwight as their pastor. 

The seminary for young ladies was still further en- 
larged, and passed into the control and management 
of Prof. Jonathan A. Fowler, now deceased, and Rev. 
Wm. B. Dwight, brother of the pastor, who conducted 
a thriving boarding-school for several years. They 
were succeeded by the Rev. Thos. G. Wall, who main- 
tained the school until the building was accidentally 
destroyed by fire. 

Prof. August Kiirsteiner also established an ad- 
vanced school for boys, which educated many of the 
youth of the place ; and after years of prosperity 
Prof. Kiirsteiner built a handsome residence and a 
detached school building, and opened a boarding- 
school on Palisades Avenue west of the railroad de- 
pot, which he carried on, with assistants, until 1880, 
and still owns. 

In 1860, Francis Howland, Esq., also from New 
York, settled in Englewood. He built a most com- 
modious and attractive stone house east of the Epis- 
copal Church (as now located), — the house now owned 
and occupied by R. J. Hunter. Later he erected a still 
larger stone house on Lincoln Street, a little to the 
north of Palisades Avenue and east of Bray ton Street. 
Mr. Howland's contributions to the growth of the 
town were continued for many years and in various 
forms, and he will ever be classed as one of its most 
popular, efficient, and accomplished citizens. 

About the same time came Byron Murray, Jr., then 
cashier of the American Exchange Bank in New 
York, and now occupying the same position in a 
large banking institution in San Francisco, and Rob- 
ert Baylis, then assistant cashier in the same bank, 
and now president of the Market Bank in New York. 
Mr. Murray built the Swiss house afterwards sold to 
Col. Washington R. Verrailye, and now owned and 
occupied by his son, W. Romeyn Vermilye, one of 
the large, prominent stone and brick houses of the 
place. Both these gentlemen became considerably 
interested in real estate. Mr. Baylis continues his 
interest, and still resides here. 

Very soon after the circle of " new-comers" was en- 
larged by the addition of John H. Lyell, president of 
the New York Marine Insurance Company, Daniel 
Drake Smith, president of the Commercial Marine 
Insurance Company, Charles E. Trott, Rev. Dr. Daniel 



2ti2 



HISTORY OF I5ERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIKS, NEW .lEUSKY. 



Wise, Darius W. Geer, Charles A. Nichols, Livingston 
K. Miller, Dr. H. M. Banks, and James W. McCul- 
loufjh, all of whom established their family residences 
in Enfrlewood. 

Shortly after came E. W. Andrews, Frank B. Nich- 
ols, James O. Morse, Charles H. Waterbury, Georjre 
S. Coe, William li. Dana. Donald McKay, Rev. Tlios. 
G. Wall, and Uev. Dr. James Eels. All but the last 
two named are still residing here with their families. 

Following these came at dirt'erent times, with their 
families, David Iloadley, president of the Panama 
Railroad Company, Ehvood Walter, president of the 
Board of JIarine Underwriters, Col. W. R. Vermilye, 
Gen. T. B. Van Buren, now consul-general at Yoko- 
hama, Jacob S. Wetmore, Henry W. Banks, E. S. 
Munroe, Dr. F. Markoe Wright, John Bailey, Leb- 
beus Cliajjuian, Jr., the Hon. Wm. Walter Phelps, 
at present minister of the I'nited States to Austria, 
Vincent Tilyou, Charles Taylor, Henry A. Lyman, 
Uzal Cory, Stephen Lane, Jr., lion. CuUin Sawtelle, 
and others. 

.Vt a somewhat later day the following gentlemen 
and their families became resident.-; of Englewood : 
William A. Booth, widely known in commercial 
circles in the city of New York and in large benevo- 
lent societies of the country, and at present president 
of the Third National Bank of New Y'ork ; his son, 
William T. Booth ; his brother, Charles H. Booth ; 
and his son-in-law, J. Hugh Peters, H. A. Barling, 
James L. Dawes, Oliver H. Shepherd, .S. Doughty, 
the Rev. Dr. < ieorge B. Cheever, John and Augustus 
Floyd, J. H. Sellcck, Clinton H. Blake, William 
Stanley, Charles T. Chester, Joseph Lyman, S. Hinck- 
ley Lyman, William Blakie, D. Randolph Martin, 
Thomiis M. Wheeler, Charles W. Hassler, R. I. 
HuTiler, etc. 

From among this list of the earlier settlers in En- 
glewood death has already gathered an abundant 
harvest, — Van Zandt, Deuel, Dwight, Homans (the 
elder), Dr. Wright, Johnson, Van Brunt, Fowler, 
Hoadley, Walter, Chapman, Vermilye, Miller, Ches- 
ter, I. S. Honums, Jr., Lycll. These all have been 
carried to the grave. Vivid impressions of each of 
these linger among their survivors, and their influ- 
ence will long be felt in the town they loved to call 
their home. The families of all these except four 
still live in Englewood. It will not seem invidious 
to cull a single name from this group of noble men, 
and to speak of him who bore it ils the best tyjie 
and example of all that made a citi/.en and neigh- 
bor beloved. So thoreughly did Mr. David Hoad- 
ley endear himself to the people of Englewood in 
the last years of an eventful life which ho spent 
here that I ha^canl nothing in saying he wits regarded 
by them all, witliout distiintion or exception, a.-< pre- 
eminent in ihosu qualities which exalt and ennoble 
human character. His loss was deeply mourned. 
His iu<.sociat«x in business affairs and in the wide 
social circles in New York, where he had spent most 



of his mature years and occupied the most prominent 
places of trust and influence, gave abundant expres- 
sion of their estimate of his character and their grief 
at his death. But his neighbors felt his death most 
grievously. One of them, writing at the time he 
died and exjiressing the general sentiment of all', saiil, 
" His intercourse with his fellows has been so marked 
with gentleness and kindness, his manly sympathies 
have been so lavishly bestowed, his open-handed be- 
nevolence has so abounded, and his honor and honesty 
have been so cons|)icuous, and these distinguishing 
graces of a Christian life have been so illustrated 
throughout a long career and in such varied relations 
that a multitude who have enjoyed his ac(|uaintance 
mourn his death in unafi'ected sorrow. Mr. Hoadley 
was succes.sful in business, able as the head and man- 
ager of some of the largest institutions of the country, 
faithful to all trusts and friendships, wi.se in council, 
and just in all his judgments. There are scores of 
young men and old, less favored in worldly successes 
than most of his immediate associates, who will miss 
his friendly gras|) of the hand and drop many a tear 
over their individual loss. His Christian life, inspired 
with love for his fellows and tilled with deeds of atl'ec- 
tion, standing out in great prominence in a day of 
much selfishness and infidelity and low standards of 
integrity, is beyond criticism. It may well be taken 
as the model of an active life by every young man in 
the country. It is this life-record of (/w»r///.<.« which 
is the crowning glory of David Hoadley." 

Of the old settlers, Thomas W. Demarest, the widow 
of John Van Brunt, Cornelius Lydecker, late senator, 
Garrit A. Lydecker, James Vanderbeck, and the 
widow of P. Westervelt still occupy large |>ortions 
of their original farms, and are among the most 
worthy and r&spected of the people of the town. 
Large jdaces are also occupied at the present time as 
follows: William Walter Phelps, frame house and 
a farm of over one thousand acres, extending from 
the Hudson River to the Hackensack ; (ieorge S. Coe, 
stone house and fifteen acres; William B. Dami, stoue 
house anil twenty acres, — both on the top of the Pali- 
.sades and comnianding the grandest vieivs ; Henry 
W. Banks, frame house and ten acres; Joseph Lyman, 
frame house and ten acres; Mrs. David Hoadley, stoue 
house and twenty acres; W. Romeyn Vermilye, stone 
house and til'teeii acres ; E. .V. Brinkerhotf, stone house 
and twenty acres, — all on Palisades ,\ venue; William 
Stanley , stone house antl twenty acres on Dana Place ; 
.1. Wyman Jones, stone house and fifteen acres on 
Lydecker Street ; Gen. Samuel A. Duncan, stone 
house and fifleen acres on Johnson Avenue, at head 
of Brayton Street; Daniel Drake Smith, frame house 
and twelve acres on Tyler Street; James ( >. .Mor>e, 
frame house ami fifteen acre.-* on Tenatly road ; .lacob 
D. Vermilye, president Merchants' Bank, New York, 
and his son William, stone houses and twelve acres 
on Tenafly road; Henry A. Barling, frame house and 
fifteen acres west of Tenafly road ; Mrs. Livingston 



p]NGLEWOOD. 



263 



K. Miller, stone house and twenty acres on Knicker- 
bocker road; Mrs. Lebbeus Cliapman, frame house 
and twenty acres on Teaneck road(?); William A. 
Booth, frame house and forty acres on Engle Street. 

In addition to all who have been mentioned, a long 
list of prominent men might be given, and should be 
to afford any fair picture of Englewood at the present 
time. Ministers, lawyers, doctors, authors, editors, 
brokers, merchants, builders, and artisans of all crafts 
have in late years become a part of the population of 
the place. From among these many names could be 
selected as worthy of special mention. 

Schools. — "One of the oldest scliool-houses in tliis 
township stood opposite the site of the present resi- 
dence of Mr. Garret W. De Mott (having stood there 
an indefinite number of years), and from the mate- 
rial of this building another was erected at Liberty 
Pole, which in turn was taken down in the year 1818. 
It was a small stone building. Imagine a triangle, 
the sides of which were equal, about two hundred 
feet in length. On one corner stood the celebrated 
Liberty Pole tavern, well known in the war of the 
Revolution; on the next Washington's headquarters 
in 1780, and on the third the school-house. In 1818 
a new school-house was erected, also of stone, twenty- 
five by thirty feet, directly by the side of the old one. 
In 1848 this was taken down and rebuilt, and is the 
present school-house in District No. 8. 

" Within bow-shot distance from the obliterated 
site of the Liberty Pole tavern now stands one of the 
best public school-houses in the county, costing origi- 
nally nearly twenty thousand dollars. Four teachers 
— one male, the principal, and three female assist- 
ants (and a fourth, also female, teaching a branch 
school on the shore of the Hudson River, below the 
Palisades) — are employed, the aggregate of whose 
salaries is three thousand dollars per qnnum. In the 
school first mentioned there are four departments, — 
sub-primary, primary, intermediate, and the highest, 
in charge of the principal.' . . . 

" The first teacher was the late J. W. Deuel, de- 
ceased, with assistants. It is fair to say that he was 
one of the most thorough and successful teachers 
Bergen County ever had. The writer of this em- 
braces the opportunity to speak further of Mr. Deuel, 
who by much reading became a full man. His pow- 
ers of illustration and comparison were thereby in- 
creased, and he expended them on his pupils. He 
was gentle, kind, and patient, never using the rod nor 
rebuking refractory pupils in indignant and bad lan- 
guage. They all loved him. . . . Mr. Deuel resigned 
in 1871. 

" Mr. S. H. Walker was then employed as princi- 
pal, and the two Mi.sses De Mott as assistants, together 
with one more recently engaged. The same teachers 
remain there still (1876) and have been very success- 
ful. . . . There are four rooms of equal size (exclu- 

1 CenteDDial History of Schools ia Bergen County, by Pernarest. 



sive of class-rooms), two on each floor, separated by 
sliding doors, so arranged that the two rooms can be 
converted into one at pleasure. All the appurte- 
nances are complete, and the furniture is of the most 
approved style. The inhabitants of the district are 
very liberal. At each successive annual meeting, 
called to determine the amount of money needed for 
the ensuing year, those assembled unanimously have 
voted the sum reported by the trustees to be raised 
by taxation. . . . The amount of money raised by 
direct tax for the nine years the school has existed 
[up to 1876] sums up $29,750, the highest being 
$6000 in 1871, and the lowest 82250 in 1873. 

"From information obtained from elderly resi- 
dents the teachers employed in the old school-house 
at Liberty Pole up to 1818, as far as can be remem- 
bered, were Messrs. James Forrester, Gahagen, Dixon, 
Wood, Lawrence, Mandeville, and John Burns. 

" James Forrester was a Scotchman, who subse- 
quently became principal of the Mechanics' School 
in the city of New York, which position he held 
many years, and, for all that is now known, until he 
resigned the same, after having expended his ripe and 
matured years in the interests of public education. 
John Burn.s was an Irishman, and reported to have 
been a very superior educator, and excelling all others 
in penmanship. 

" District No. 8 is located in the same rich and 
beautiful section, only about one mile farther north 
along the Northern Railroad. . . . But little can be 
said of this district, as it is one of recent date, and its 
history is so closely connected with that of No. 7. . 

"Teaneck District, No. 9, ... is situated three 
miles from the Hudson River. The school-house is 
not by any means one of New Jersey's old-time 
' cabins,' but an elegant two-story frame building, 
located in the midst of a farming community. The 
district was formed early in the spring of 1841, from 
jiarts of Schraalenburgh, Liberty Pole, and Lower 
Teaneck Districts, and was called Union District, 
No. 10. 

" The first meeting was held at the house of Gilliam 
A. Bogert, in February, 1841, to take into considera- 
tion the project of erecting a school-house ' on the 
corner of Widow Sarah Stagg's land, she consenting 
thereto.' They agreed to raise as much money as 
they could by subscription to defray the expenses of 
building, and who was to make up the deficit, if any, 
does not appear. The amount raised was sixty-seven 
dollars and fifty cents. The building was finished at 
a cost of three hundred dollars, timber, stone, sand, 
and labor being furnished gratis by the inhabitants. 

"The first trustees of this district were Messrs. 
William De Ronde, Henry A. Bogert, and Samuel 
S. Banta, and the finst teacher was Joseph B. Miller, 
Esq. Mr. Miller continued to discharge the duties 
of that position for two years, when he resigned and 
engaged in the business of taking care of estates, 
collecting, etc. He has twice been appointed com- 



264 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



missioner of deeds, and for five successive terms 
(twenty-five years) has been elected justice of the 
peace. 

" At a meeting held in the school-house, May 9, 1851, 
on motion of David R. Doremus, it was resolved by 
the taxable inhabitants |>re8ent to conform them- 
selves to the act of incorporation, and that I'nion 
School District, No. 10, Upper Tcaneck, siiould be 
called ' Teaneck School District,' and the school the 
' Teaneck In.stitute.' The trustees and town superin- 
tendent having signed the required bill, they became 
an incorporated body. From the minutes we select 
the following, viz.: 'On the 21st of May (1851), 
D. L. Van Saun commenced school at the Teaneck 
Institute, having been engaged by the trustees at 
sixty dollars per quarter, and then he must find 
himself . . . 

" The school-house now used was erected in 1869, at 
a cost of $3677.75. It is a two-story frame building, 
twenty-four by thirty-eight feet. Mansard roof, the 
second story being used as a Sunday-school room. 
The room occupied by the day school is furnished 
with the most approved style of desks and chairs, 
aflording accommodations for fifty-two pu|)ils. . . . 
Tlic first teacher in this building was Miss Adelaide 
Sherwood, and the present one (1876) is Mr. E. O. 
Stratton, a graduate of the State Normal School of 
New Jersey, class of June, 1863. The trustees now 
in office (187r>) are Daniel O. Rogert, James W. Mc- 
Culloh, and Lyman R. lionnill. Mr. Hogert has served 
the district in the capticity of trustee fifteen years, 
eight of which he has been district clerk, which posi- 
tion he now holds (1876). 

"The veteran teacher among all who Iiave reigned 
in this district since its formation is Alexander Cass, 
Es<i., who at different times taught the school for ten 
years. Mr. Uass before coming to New .lersey, grad- 
uated as a lawyer at Albany, N. Y. Since he aban- 
doned the profession of teaching he has practiced 
law at Englewood, where lie now (1876) has an office. 
During his last two years as a teacher he was a justice 
of the i)eace, to which office he was elected for a term 
of five years. He also served two terms (six years) 
as county superintendent. 

" District No. 10 occupies historic ground, and is 
situated partly in Palisades, Englewood, New Rarba- 
does, and Midland townships. Tlie school-house, 
however, is at New l?riiige (Englewood townsliip), 
near the banks of the Hackensack River. . . . The 
first school in this district from which we can gain 
any information was taught by an Irishman by the 
name of (iilfillan, in the chair-shop of James Purdy, 
at New Rridgc, in the year 1822. Of his mode of 
teaching, the branches taught, and his succe-ss as a 
teacher we can say nothing." 

In addition to the many private schools and other 
educational institutions in Englewood, the township 
also embraces School Districts Nos. 7, 8, 9, and 10, 
with 1244 school children, and with a State school 



tax of $4606.52. About 800 of these children belong 
to the School District No. 7, in the village of Engle- 
wood. The public authorities have manifested a 
deep interest in this school, and it has generally 
been supplied with able and efficient teachers. The 
many jjublic and private schools in Englewood have 
aflbrded the best educational advantages, scarcely 
excelled in any other town of like proportions 
throughout the country. 

Most of the business men of Englewood expend 
their energies and talent elsewhere, but here are their 
homes of quiet and content, amid these religious, edu- 
cational, and social advantages. All in all, Englewood 
is almost imperial in itsprideof place, and will always 
be ]>re-eminent for beautiful situation. 

Churches and Societies.— The following is a list 
of tlie churches and societies of the township: 

Cfiiirr/ieit. — First Presbyterian Church, Episcopal 
Church, Methodist Church, True Reformed Dutch 
Church, Catholic Church. 

Schools. — Boys' school, by Mr. White; boys' school, 
by Mr. Plunily ; young ladies' school, by Miss Plat; 
young ladies' school, by Miss Sterling; private school, 
by Miss Geer ; public school, by Mr. Bennett ; public 
school. Palisades. 

Societiex. — Odd-Fellows, Masons, Temperance, Tem- 
perance Catholic (St. Cecilia). 

Corjiorii/wiiji.—Gsm company, military company, 
cemetery company, silk company, dye-house, hotel 
company (?). 

ImtitudoM. — Protective Society, Village Improve- 
ment Society. 

Tuscan Lodge, No. 115, F. and A. M., was chartered 
Jan. 19, 1871. First oflicers: Peter Rodgers, W. M. ; 
John E. Wertz, S. W.; William C. Davies, P. M. ; 
Moses E. Springer, Treas. ; Alexander Cass, Sec; 
John H. Hyde, S. D. ; Samuel Salters, J. D. ; Jacob 
Campbell and Joseph Conklin, Mastersof Ceremonies; 
John W. Dale, Tyler. Present membership, fifty-two. 
Frederick G. Bennett, W. M. 

The oldest church organization in the present town- 
ship is the Englewood Presbyterian Church. Its lo- 
cation on Palisades .\venue, the Broadway or main 
street of the town, is one of the most prominent ami 
noticeable sites in the village. It at once attracts 
the eye of the observer as being one of the most 
beautiful, if not one of the most costly, church struc- 
tures anywhere to be found in any country town in 
these United State-*. The whole expression of the 
people in building this structure and in laying out 
the grounds, and in planting the trees around it, 
seems to have been, " We will not build our costly resi- 
dences alone and surrouml them with spacious lawns 
and all the elegancies of life, and then hide the tem- 
ple of God in some obscure corner because we are 
ashamed of it, but the place where ' My name shall 
be there' shall be honored of the abundance of our 
offering, — it shall be a fit temple of God, where our 
feet shall come to stand within its gates." A church 



ENGLEWOOD. 



265 



can sometimes preach a sermon to the passing trav- 
eler, even if he has never heard a sermon within its 
walls. 

The early history of this churoh cannot be better 
given than in the sketch written by its first and now 
lamented pastor, the Rev. James Harrison Dwight. 
He says, — 

" This village of Eiiglewood was projected and named in the year of 
our Lord 1859. 

"The previous designation of tlie valley up to the old Liberty Pole 
road, of which Palisades Avenuf is now a prolongation, was English 
Neighborhood, a name handed duwn from the earliest st-ttlement of the 
land, originating, however, as it is asserted on good authority, in the 
form of Engle's Neighhorhood. Tlie present name, therefore, was in- 
tended to happily preserve a reminiscence of the forefathers of the 
Talley. 

"In laying the plans for a prospective town it was desired at the be- 
ginning to provide for its religious interests, and forecast a healthful 
character in this regard. To this intent the first pastor of this church 
took up liis residence in tlio place early in 1859, and held public services 
on each Lord's day, with the purpose of gathering the nucleus of a con- 
gregation. In this lie was cnrdially sustained by the original inhabit- 
ants of the valh-y, who had inlierited from tlieir fathers a warm relig- 
ions zeal, and had well preserved the reputation of an honest, warm- 
hearted, and chnrch-goiiig farming communitj'. They gladly opened 
their houses for dirine worship until, towards tlie close of the year, a 
mor»* suifalde room was provided in the newly-erected school-house of 
Mr, James W. Iieuel. 

*' In the mean time, as the congregation enlarged and interest increased, 
a sum of money vva.s laised by subscription sufficient to build a chapel, 
the foundations of which were laid in the fall of the year. Considering 
the limitetl numbers and ability of those present at the time, the contri- | 
bution thus made was creditable to their zeal ; nor should tlie disinter- 
ested generosity of individuals be forgotten who, by reason of other [ 
church connections or distance of residence, were unable to identify 
themselves with the congregation, yet none the less willingly helped on 
the good work. 

*' In March of 1860 this chapel was complete, and the first service held 
on the 25th of that month, when a dedicatory sermon was preachedfrom 
the text, ' My name shall be there.' 

" On the evening of the Wih day of May a meeting whs held, after due 
notice, for a more formal organiziition, at which time there appeared 
eighteen persons with credentials of membernhip, duly certified from 
various Christian Churches ; and these after suitable religions exercises 
were on their own motion organized into a separate Church of Christ by 
Rev. James H. Dwight, presiding, Rev. Thomas S. Hastings, D. I)., of New | 
York, being present to asaiat, and Mr. Sheppard Humans being recording \ 
clerk. I 

"On the evening of June 4th an adjourned meeting was held of the 
church, at which, after due consideration and prayer, and in accordance 
with the limitatiuus of the subscriiition, wliich provided that the prop- 
erty should be passed into the possession of a church organized on the 
basis of either the Dutch Reformed, or Presbyterian, or Congregational- 
ist orders, it was unanimously resolved, on the second ballot, that this 
church adopt the form of government of the Presbyterian Church of the ' 
United States, and that it would ask tlie Fourth Presbytery of New York 
to receive it under its care, under the name of The Englewood Preb- ; 

BYTEBlAN ChDRCH, 

" Thus it became the first church of Englewood, and first Presbyterian 
Church of Bergen County. 

"At subsequent meetings the following individuals were elected afl 
first officers of the church : Elders, Charles A. Nichols, James Vati Der- 
beck, Sheppard Honians; Deacons. John De Jlott, J. Wyniau Jones. 

"On the evening of June 13th, at a meeting regularly called. Rev. Dr. 
Parker being moderator by invitation, it was voted unanimously to give 
a call to Rev. James H. Dwight as pastor of the church, the congregation 
agreeing to provide a salary of seven hundred and fifty dollars. 

"On the second day following comini-t-ioner:* from the congregation 
appeared before the Fourth Presbytery of New York, to request admis- 
sion under its care, and to prosecute the call in due form. Whereupon, 
the various proceedings having been found to be in order, the church 
wjs enrolled in the Presbytery, and the call allowed and accepted ; and 
on June 20th the Presbytery met at Englewood and installed the first 
pastor. 



"At the first worshiping in the chapel the congregation numbered from 
seventy to one hundreil. It was gradually increased with the growth of 
the village, and with the Divine blessing was enabled, under many toils 
and difficulties, through times of universiil distress, to maintain the stated 
ministrations of the sanctuary, and finally to assure itself of a firm foun- 
dation. 

"On the first day of Blay, 1867, the first pastor resigned his charge, 
taking leave with sorrow of a warm-hearted and affectionate people, and 
of an enterprise with which his affections and labors had been identified 
from the beginning. 

" After an interval of only a few weeks the church and congregation 
voted unanimously to extend a call to Rev. Henry M. Booth, of New 
York. This was prosecuted in due form through the Fourth Presbytery, 
and accepted. Whereupon, on the 19th of .September, 1867, Mr. Booth 
was duly ordained and installed as second pastor of the Englewood 
Presbyterian Church." 

Under his pastorate until now (1881 J the church 
has been exceedingly prospered and enlarged, both in 
numbers and in power and in the administration of 
Christian labors and charities. It became a necessity 
to rear a more commodious edifice for the accommo- 
dation of those who would here worship God. The 
corner-stone of the new church was laid Feb. 22, 1859, 
with prayer and hope and faith and consecration, 
awaiting yet greater blessings than ever from the Lord 
Jesus Christ, their Master, while thankfully acknowl- 
edging the benefits and guidance of the past, and re- 
cording within this crypt their undying faith in Jesus 
Christ, the incarnate God, the chief corner-stone of 
the temple eternal, the redeemer of the world, who 
will come to reign in glory. In all this, they said, 
" So have we received from the Fathers, so pass w'e the 
holy trust to generations that shall follow us. Praise 
be to God I" 

The eighteen persons forming this church had been 
members from various denominational churches, as 
follows: seven from the Madison Square Presbyterian 
Church, New York City; three from the Church of 
the Pilgrims, Brooklyn, Congregational; two from 
the Westminster Presbyterian Church, Utica, N. Y. ; 
two from the Reformed Dutch Church, Utica; three 
from the Reformed Church of English Neighborhood ; 
and one from the Reformed Dutch Church, Hoboken. 
James Harrison Dwight was the son of the missionary 
to Turkey, Rev. H. G. O. Dwight, D.D., and was 
born on the island of Malta, Oct. 9, 1830. He left 
Turkey at seventeen, was graduated at Yale College 
in 1852, and thence attended medical lectures in the 
College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Union 
Theological Seminary in New York City. After- 
wards he preached in Cherry Valley, in New York, 
and thence in 1859 in Englewood. 

Mr. Dwight was possessed of great natural abilities, 
which were quickened and greatly aided by a most 
accomplished education in two professions. He was 
carried away by consumption, dying on the 2d of 
December, 1872, and he sleeps in the beautiftil little 
cemetery at Englewood, lamented by liis own church 
and the people of the town, who will long revere his 
• memory. We cannot speak of the living as we may 
of the dead, because death itself is a definition of all 
those qualities in human character which in life 



266 



HISTORY OF BKRGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



may always be open to dispute ; but the people in 
Englewood, if I mistake not, without distinccinu of 
denomination or creed, will always award to the Rev. 
Henry M. Booth, D.D., the present pastor of their 
Presbyterian Churcii, the qualities of head and heart 
which constitute him a most capable preacher and a 
most excellent pastor. Possessed of the refinement 
and culture of the schools, these have been broadened 
and widened in the faithful and efficient minister, 
who is working not only in his own church, but in 
wider fields also, to promote the cause of his Master. 
More might be saiil, but history will surely accord 
him thus much in treading along her safe shores. 

The chapel of this denomination once stood on the 
same site of the pre.sent church. It was completed in 
1860 and twice enlarged, but after ten years was 
found too small as a place of worsliip, and was sold 
to the Englewood Cemetery Association, and removed 
stone by stone and re-erected within the cemetery 
grounds. Funeral services are now held there in the 
departure of the dead to their graves. Then, too, it 
will stand a memorial edifice of the first church ever 
erected in Englewood. A new building has been 
erected on the site of the nld chapel through the 
liberality of Mrs. Emily A. (). Hrinkerhotf, one of the 
m'embers of the church, and is "furnished and in all 
respects complete." It embraces parlors, infant class- 
room, pastor's study, and library-room, together with 
the spacious main audience-room. The e<iifice is con- 
structed of red and wliite sandstone. J. Wynian Jones 
and I. Smith Honians, Jr., gave the land on which 
the church stands. Mr. Jones prepared and circulated 
the sub.scrlption papers for the needed funds to build 
the church. After the money was raised a building 
committee was a|)pointed consisting of Messrs. Jones, 
W. R. Vcrmilye, George S. Coe, James VanderUeck, 
and Jell'ry A. Humphry, Mr. Jones acting as chair- 
man of this committee till the church was completed. 
The committee was appointed June 20, 1868, and held 
its first meeting to organize July 4, 1868, and reported 
the <'liurch Imihling complete at a meeting of the 
congregation <>n the 24tli day of October, 187(1. Its 
entire cost, exclusive <>f bell, but inclusive of furni- 
ture, was $4!l,74.'>.66. David lloadley presented the 
organ, at a cost of $3600. The bell, to a large ex- 
tent the gift of Col. VV. R. Vermilye, cost $15(10. The 
churcli property is free from debt. After the comple- 
tion of the church the chapel was removed to the 
cemetery and placed im its present site by Mrs. Kmily 
O. Hrinkerhotf, the only daughter of C<d. Witshing- 
ton R. Vermilye, in memory of her father. 

Mr. Booth entered permanently upon his duties as 
pastor Sept. 1, 1867. The otiicers of the chureli and 
coiigregatioM at that time were : 

Elders, Livingstone K. Miller, Frank H. Nichols, 
and James Vamlerheck ; deacons, John J. Dc Mott, 
Jelfry A. Humphrey, and Byron Murray, Jr. ; super- 
intendent of Sabbath-school, J. Wynuui Jones; trus- 
tees, Lebbeus Chapman, Jr., James (). Morse, and ' 



Charles H. Waterbury ; treasurer, Byron Murrav, 
Jr. 

The Fourth Presbytery of Xew York met at Engle- 
wood, Sept. 19, 1867, and ordained and installed the 
piistor-elect. There are many other details which 
might be given in the history of this churcli which 
neither time nor s|)ace will permit of here. Its his- 
tory will undoubtedly be written hereafter, and most 
lovingly and ably, by its present pastor. Such a church 
is worthy of all remembrance. The membership of 
tliis church is nearly four hunilred. 

At the reunion of the two branches of the Presby- 
terian Church, the new Presbytery of Jersey City was 
formed on the 22d day of June, 1870, when the Presby- 
terial relations of the church at Englewood were trans- 
ferre<i to that organization This Presbytery embraces 
all the Presbyterian Churches in Bergen, Passaic, and 
Hudson Counties. If where much is given much is also 
required, i)erhaps the churcli at Euglewood is worthy 
of all commendation. The calendar of its generosity 
for ten years to the various benevolent and missionary 
societies at home and abroad, and for the maintenance 
of various charities in and out of this religious .society, 
including 5^)3, (ion for the new church edifice, amounts 
to the sum of l?2(»l»,446.i>0. By this record of their 
bestowments at least shall they be known in history. 
In 1873 the women of this church turned their atten- 
tion to the missionary work in other lands, ami the 
schools known as the "Englewood Schools," at Schwei- 
fat, in Syria, ami their female missionary in India 
have received since 1873 nearly ten thousand dollars 
from the women of this society. Thus have they sent 
the sacred fire to burn on other altars than their own. 
It is no part of the historian to record what can only 
be recorded, for a certainty, in the book of remeni- 
lirancc on high, but it wcmid seem iis if such a ehun-h 
had been, is now, and will be a power for good wher- 
ever it hath foundations, and that through all these 
human instrumentalities, but infinitely beyond them, 
its real builder and maker is God. 

The Episcopal Church was organized July 11, 186'). 
The first wardens were John H. Eyell, Charles T. 
Chester, William King, Richard K. Coole, E. W. 
Andrews, and Herbert Turner. 

The first rector was Rev. O. W. Whitakcr, followed 
by Revs. Mr. Benjamin, John H. Elliott, W. S. Lang- 
ford, John William Payne, and James H. Van Buren. 
Thecliurch embraces one liiiiidred and forty-four fam- 
ilies, two hundred and twenty-seven communicanl.-. 
and four hundred and eighty-seven parishioners. 

The Methodist Church. The first sermon preached 
in Englewood by a preacher of the Methodist denomi- 
nation was ill the month of June, 18.')!l, by the Rev. 
(Jilbert 11. Wynant, then |>astor of the church in 
Hackensack. But no stated meetings were held in 
Englewood till September, 1861. About this time 
David Green, a member of the Trinity Methodist 
Episcopal Church of Jersey City, moved to Engle- 
wood. Through hisefi'orts meetings were held in tin 



1, 



EXGLEWOOD. 



267 



house of John Knott till the erection of the church. I 
The Rev. C. A Womburg, pastor of the church in 
Hackensaok, by invitation of Mr. Green and John [ 
Westervelt, preached the first sermon, Feb. 18, 1862, 
and a class \va.s organized in connection with the 
church at Hackensack. In September of the same ! 
year Rev. David Wise, D.D., corresponding secretary : 
of the Sunday-school Union, became a resident of 
Englewood, and through his efforts services were held 
by Revs. C. A. Womburg and S. M. Stiles, pastors of 
the church at Hackensack, and Messrs. Vanderbeck 
and Vreeland, local preachers. On the 11th of Sep- 
tember, 1863, a meeting of the members was held 
for the erection of a church edifice. Dr. Wise, John 
Knott, and John Westervelt became the committee, 
and on the 16th of December, 186:^, Rev. Dr. Wise, 
John Westervelt, John Knott, and David Green be- 
came the trustees, and Rev. Benjamin Day the pre- 
siding elder of the district. A lot was selected in 
Engle Street, valued at three hundred dollars. The 
trustees were a])pointed a building committee, and the 
edifice was built under their supervision at a cost of 
two thousand two hundred and fifty dollars. It has 
since been greatly enlarged and improved and another 
lot added. In December, 1863, the church was dedi- 
cated by Bishop E. S. Janes. In January, 1864, Rev. 
E. Hewitt, a local preacher, was installed as the first 
pastor of this church, and has since been succeeded 
by Revs. H. M. Simpson, J. B. Faulks, E. W. Burr, 
John Coyle, S. N. Bebout, J. M. Marshall, C. E. 
Walton, and J. E. Johnston. The church has a 
membership of ninety-five. 

A True Reformed Dutch Church was organized in 
Englewood, April 1, 1875, with eight members, with 
Rev. John C. Voorhis pastor. For two years services 
were held in the Englewood Hall by Rev. John Y. 
De Baun, of Leonia. Among the early members 
were Hon. Thomas W. Demarest, Henry P. Demarest, 
and Richard W. Earle. The church was dedicated 
May 23, 1875. Mr. Voorhis is still the pastor of the 
church, with a membership of seventy-one. 

Catholic services were held here in 1863-64 by 
Father Coardly, followed by Rev. D. Corrigan, of 
St. Mary's Church, Hoboken. The church was 
erected in 1866, under pastor Father Brann. Under 
Father Smith the church was enlarged in 1868, and a 
parochial school established. He was followed by 
the following pastors: A. J. Smits, T.J. MacDonald, 
C. J. Feehan, A. E. Van Riel, A. M. Murphy. The 
present membership of the church is about fifteen 
hundred. 

The Englewood Lodge, No. 103, Independent Order 
of Good Templars, was instituted April 12,1870, with 
si.xteeu charter members. The organization was prin- 
cipally effected through the agency of M. E. Spurge, 
wlio was the first presiding officer. The present mem- 
bership of the lodge is thirty-seven. During the eleven 
years of its existence five hundred and seventy persons 
have been installed and became members of the lodge. 



The lodge meets each Friday evening in Templars' 
Hall, in most comfortably furnished rooms. James 
Vanderbeck is the presiding officer, and John Lydec- 
ker secretary'. 

The Englewood Protection Society was organized 

' in 1869, and has a membership of one hundred and 

: fifty, with Donald Makay as president. 

A silk manufactory wiis established here May 1, 
1881, and employs seventy-three hands. Andrew D. 
Bogert and John Stainton are the proprietors. 

There are also several commodious hotels in the 
town. 

/ Hon. John Van Brunt. — Rutger Joesten Van Brunt, 

I'or Rutger, the son of Joost, or George, the common 
ancestor of the Van Brunt family in this country, 
emigrated from the Netherlands in 1653, and was 
among the first settlers in New Utrecht, on Long Is- 
land, in 1657. He was an agriculturist, holding large 
tracts of land, and one of the most influential citizens 

[ of New Utrecht, where he continued to reside until 

■ his death, which occurred prior to 1713, the exact date 
not having been ascertained. He married first, in 
1657, Tryntje Claes or Clae.sen, widow of Stoftel Har- 

I monson, cloth-shearer, who was killed by the Indians 

i in the attack of 1655, leaving a surviving sou twelve 

years of age. Tryntje was born about 1618, and was 

living as late as 1688. The second wife was Gretian, 

who was living in 1721. The issue, all of the first 

marriage, were Nicholas, Cornelius, and Joost. The 

succeeding generations, in the direct line, down to the 

subject of this sketch, were Cornells', Rutgert^, Albert', 

and Cornelius*. The latter was born Aug. 21, 1760, 

married, Dec. 5, 1782, Jannetie, daughter of Rem 

Adriance and Elizabeth Ryder, of Gravesend, and 

died Sept. 26, 1827. The children were Albert C, 

born May 15, 1784, died May 8, 1841 ; Elizabeth, born 

I March 17, 1786, died Oct. 26, 1786 ; Nicholas, born 

' Aug. 5, 1787, died Feb. 2, 1857 ; Elizabeth, born Aug. 

■ 1, 1789, died Feb. 26, 1820; Adriance, born Sept. 20, 
1791, died Jan. 5, 1863 ; Jane, born May 2, 1793, died 
May 9, 1834; Cornelius, born March 18, 1795, died 
Sept. 3, 1828; James R., born Oct. 15, 1797, died Aug. 
24, 1820 ; Stephen, born Nov. 3, 1799, died Oct. 15, 
1827 ; John, our subject ; Theodore, born March 13, 
1804, died Nov. 20, 1804; and Sarah Maria, born Feb. 
7, 1808, died April 13, 1843. Cornelius* purchased a 
farm in Gowanus, formerly the property of the Staats 
family, upon which he resided, and which he culti- 
vated. He was long a member of the consistory of 
the Reformed Dutch Church of Brooklyn. 

Hon. John Van Brunt was born in the city of 
Brooklyn, N. Y., on Feb. 17, 1802. Upon completing 
his education he removed to New York, and for eight 
years was engaged in the grocery business in West 
Street. On Nov. 18, 1830, he married Margaret, 
daughter of Peter Westervelt, Jr., of Englewood, 
N. J., and in 1834 removed to that place, locating 
upon the farm where he resided at the time of his 
death. He carried on the grocerv business for some 



2G8 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



years at Englewood,and built the store now occupied ' 
by H. J. De Mott, where he also engaged in trade. 

From the time of liis settlement at Englewood Mr. 
Van Brunt took a deep interest in matters around liim, 
and identified himself closely with the growth and 
development of the place and its institutions. He felt 
an especial interest in the cause of public education, | 
and served us a member of the school committee of I 
what was then Ilackensack township from 1842 to 
184tj. In 1847 the law created the ofliee of town su- 
perintendent, to which Mr. Van Brunt was elected, and 
which he filled in an acceptable manner during its 
entire existence, about twenty years. By his efforts the 
Englewood Free School District was organized and the 
present sdiool-house built. With the late Abraham 
Hopper, M.D., Abraham Leydecker, and others, he 
organized the Hergen County Mutual Assurance As- 
sociation, wiiich is still in existence. He took an 
active interest in changing the poor-house system, 
under which up to 1848 it was the custom to sell the 
keeping of the poor to the lowest bidder. 

It nuiy be said that Mr. Van Brunt, Thomas W. 
Demurest, and John X. Billings were the parents of 
the Northern Railroad, the first built for the accom- 
modation of Bergen County. They started the idea, 
obtained nearly all the subscriptions to the capital 
stock, and spent tlie whole of two summers and 
part of a third in calling upon nearly every land- 
owner residing in the county l)etween Ilackensack 
and Hudson Rivers. Mr. Van Brunt wa.s secretary : 
and treasurer of the road from its commencement j 
until its completion, as well as a director. I 

In 1849, Jlr. Van Brunt was elected to the New i 
Jersey State Semite, to fill the unexpired term of 
Hon. Isaac Hariug, and in 18')il was elected for the 
full term of three years. He repre-sented his constit- 
uency in a competent and honorable manner, and 
maintained the strictest integrity in all his official re- 
lations. In 18.54 he was appointed by Governor 
Price one of the five commissioners to revise and 
codify tiie school laws. His views were then in ad- 
vance of the age, but he lived to see nearly all of his 
ideas incorporated in our school system. 

In iKilitics Mr. Van Brunt was a Democrat of the 
old .lelt'erson school, but possessed of little parti- 
san feeling. He was a strong supporter of the war 
against the Rebellion. 

Up to his last illness Mr. Van Brunt enjoyed excel- 
lent health. His form was erect, his movements 
active, his face fresh and smiling, his manners genial, 
an<l his ednversiition entertaining. His physical anil 
mental activity were remarkable. He pn.s,sed away 
on June 20, IHT!', leaving behind liiin reeollcelicins of 
a well-spent life, and bringing to his frien<ls and, ac- 
quaintances the realization that the community had 
lost one of its most useful and valuable citizens. Ap- 
propriate and feeling resolutions were pa-ssed by the 
various organizations with which Mr. Van Brunt had 
been identified. He was laid to rest in the family 



burial-plot in Greenwood Cemetery. Mr. Van Brtint 
left a widow and eight children, namely, Henry De 
M., Adriance, Francis W., Peter W., Stephen, Maria 
J., wife of Dr. Samuel A. Jones, of Utiea, Marguretta, 
wife of J. Ward Lydreker, ami Jolin. 

Hon. William Walter Phelps was born in New 
York City on Aug. 24, 1839, and was graduated with 
high honors at Yale College, New Haven, in 1860. 
His father, John Jay Phelps, was one of the early 
and successful merchants of New York, and accumu- 
lated a large estate ; he was also prominently iden- 
tified with many of the leading public enterprises of 
his day, and was the projector and virtual founder of 
the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railway 
Company, of which he was president for many years. 

After leaving college, Mr. I'helps |)Ursued special 
studies in Europe for a short time, and upon his re- 
turn entered upon the study of the law at Columbia 
College Law-School, from which institution he was 
graduated in 18(53, being the valedictorian of his class. 
He entereil upon the practice of law soon after in 
New York, and was rapidly gaining a good practice 
when the cleath of his father, in 1808, leaving a large 
estate, compelled him to abandon the law and devote 
all of his attention to his private affairs. He had 
previously declined the appointment to the bench of 
the Sixth Judicial District, made vacant by the resig- 
nation of .Tuilge Barrett, which was tendered to him 
by Governor Fonton. Since his withdrawal from the 
legal profession Mr. Phelps has devoted his time en- 
tirely to the care and direction of the large business 
interests which he represents. He resides on an ele- 
gant estate near Englewood Village, comprising about 
one thousand acres of lancl, fully developed and a))- 
|)ropriately laid out and adurned, and his dwelling- 
house is one of the most picturesipie and attractive in 
the State. He po8ses.ses literary abilities of a high 
order, is a graceful writer and speaker, and occupies 
a leading place in the social circles of tlic country. 

In politics Mr. Phelps is a Republican of the con- 
servative and independent ty|)e, and in 1872 was 
elected to represent the Fifth Congressional District 
of New Jersey in the Forty-third Congress. From his 
first entrance into Congress he attracted attention by 
the force and vigor of his oratory, his rejidiness in 
debate, and the happy expression of his humor, so 
that it was said of him that no man, in many years, 
had made such a nmrked impression in so short a 
time. He was made a member of the Committee on 
Banking and Commerce, one of the foremost in the 
House, anil, though a consistent Republican, was 
always independent in judgment and action. He 
voted against the Civil Rights Bill, and gave as his 
reasim for so doing that it was uneonstitnlionul, ami 
that its policy was a bad one for the colored race, a 
position that a subsequent decision of the Supreme 
Court of the I'nited States has since sustained. 

Mr. Phelps .served his constituency in an honest 
aiul capable numner for two years. In 1.S74 the 




G^l^^cMJJ^ (PlUkS 








'7/ 



l^4//i^ ^f ^ ^/.l) 



ENGLEWOOD. 



269 



Democratic tidal wave swept everything before it, and 
tlie Fifth District of New Jersey was not exempted 
from its effects. Mr. Phelps was defeated by his op- 
ponent, Augustus W. Cutler, by only seven votes, 
running five hundred votes ahead of his ticket in the 
district. He remained in private life until the sum- 
mer of 1880, when he was chosen one of the New 
Jersey delegates-at-large to the National Republican 
Convention at Chicago. He labored steadfastly for 
the nomination of Hon. James G. Blaine, but accepted 
Mr. Garfield heartily, and worked for him effectively 
on the stump, until, in the midst of the campaign, his 
health gave way, and his physicians peremptorily 
ordered him to go abroad. He sailed in October, 
1880. While still experiencing the benefits of Euro- 
pean travel, and without personal solicitation on his 
part, Mr. Phelps was appointed to the important posi- 
tion of minister to Austria by the new administration, 
and filled that place at the Vienna Court with great 
satisfaction until after the death of Mr. Garfield in 
the summer of 1881, when he resigned the office to 
the present administration. He is now traveling in 
Europe with his family. 

Mr. Phelps, though a young man, has already 
achieved a national reputation as a public man of 
high principle, and one whose abilities entitle him to 
a leading place among the conservative members of 
his party. He has never been aseeker after position, 
nor truckled to the desires and wishes of professional 
politicians in the mad rush for office. His private 
business interest* are very extensive, and he belongs 
in the front rank of the hard-working, shrewd, saga- 
cious business men of the country. His esthetic tastes 
are very fine ; he feels a warm interest in the cause of 
education, and in all movements tending to elevate 
and ennoble the human family, and as long ago as 
1872 was chosen, by a flattering vote, as a fellow of 
the corporation of Yale College, his si/ma Muter. He 
is connected with many of the most important busi- 
ness enterprises of the country, and is a director in 
the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad 
Company, the Morris and Essex, the International 
and Great Northern of Texas, the National City 
Bank, and Second National Bank of New York, and 
the United .States Trust Company of the same city. 
He is in close sympathy with the people, is far from 
aristocratic in his tastes and habits, and his private 
charities, which aggregate large sums of money each 
year, are bestowed quietly and without ostentation. 
An instance of his liberality and feeling for the poor 
is aftbrded by the failure of the Bergen County Sav- 
ings Institution, with which he had no connection, 
direct or indirect. Being abroad at the time of learn- 
ing of the failure, he telegraphed at once to his finan- 
cial agents in this country to pay all depositors of 
one hundred dollars and under in full out of his 
private funds, which was done. 

Soon after his graduation at Yale, Mr. Phelps mar- 
ried a daughter of Joseph E. Sheffield, the founder of 
18 



the Sheffield Scientific School at New Haven. His 
family consists of his wife, two sons, and a daughter. 
Col. Washington Eomeyn Vermilye was one of 
a very remarkable family of brothers. Their father 
was a venerated elder in the Presbyterian Church, 
and the sons and brothers are known in financial and 
religious circles as most useful, honored, and trusted 
public men. Two of them — Rev. Dr. Thomas E. and 
Rev. Dr. Robert G. — are distinguished clergymen, and 
three — William M., Washington R., and Jacob D. — 
became known as bankers whose names were never 
associated with anything but the highest integrity. 

The father, William W. Vermilye, was of Hugue- 
not ancestry, the name appearing in the earlier annals 
of the city in civil and j)olitical aftairs, and being 
still represented in New York City and vicinity by 
numerous descendants. The mother was Mary Mont- 
gomery, also born in New York, her mother being of 
Dutch extraction, her father of the Irish Montgomery 
lineage. 

The family consisted of six sons and four daughters, 
all excepting one son and one daughter living to 
mature and advanced life. The father and mother 
died in a good old age, and for forty years not one 
death occurred in the wide and united circle of their 
children. 

Col. Vermilye was born in the city of New York: 
in the year 1810, and was married in the year 1834,. 
at West Springfield, Mass., to Elizabeth D., daughter 
of Hon. Samuel Lathrop, long a member of Congress, 
Speaker or president of the Massachusetts House of 
Representatives, and a prominent lawyer of that 
State, and granddaughter of Rev. Joseph Lathro]), 
well known as one of the most distinguished clergy- 
men this country has produced. She died in the 
year 1874. 

With the exception of the last four years of his 
life, having removed to Euglewood, N. J., in 1868, 
Col. Vermilye was a resident of New York City, 
where for many years he was identified with and greatly 
interested in the public schools as one of the com- 
missioners ; also in the Seventh Regiment (formerly 
Twenty-seventh), his connection with the organiza- 
tion dating back to 8th of November, 1830. In 1832 
he was elected first lieutenant ; in 1833, captain ; in 
1840, major; in 1843, lieutenant-colonel; and in No- 
vember, 1845, he was promoted to be colonel of the 
National Guard. After years of service in the regi- 
ment he continued his interest, being colonel of the 
veterans, and in the building of their new armory he 
took an active part. 

In politics Col. Vermilye was a Reiniblican, adher- 
ing in principle to what he believed was right, and out- 
spoken in all cases of disloyalty. His patriotism, 
ever above suspicion, was amply illustrated during the 
war bv service as a private in the regiment he formerly 
commanded when it marched and took its station to 
guard the city of Washington. 

As a business man Col. Vermilye was the soul of 



270 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



honor. During the forty-four years of his life, 
amidst the whirlpools of Wall Street, he kept his 
lianking-house above all suspicion of dangerous spec- 
ulation, or the least dejmrture from the loftiest ideal 
of business integrity. 

As a citizen he was loyal, liberal, courteous, friendly 
towards all, and an active promoter of all proper 
public improvements. 

His benevolence was eminently of that sort which 
sought not the praise of men, but only the approval 
of God and the good of men. He was singularly 
unpretentious and humble in his benefactions, which 
were liberal in ditt'erent directions, and unostentatious 
in his whole conduct of life. , 

In his domestic and social relations he was kind, af- 
fectionate, and considerate. Pie had a noble physique, 
and it was but the type of the nobler spirit it con- 
tained. 

Integrity was the central virtue of Col. Vermilye's 
character. Integrity made him a good friend, a use- 
ful citizen, a stanch patriot, a trusted banker, and a I 
pillar in the church of God. He was a man of the : 
highest sense of honor. Deception in every form and 
degree were abliorrent to his nature. 

As a Christian lie was sincere, devout, and right- 
eous. He accepted God's truth without reserve. Tbe 
Bible was a sacred book to him, and the Sabbath was 
a holy day. His place as an elder in the church 
was one which he honored by his fidelity. In the 
Presbytery, in the Synod, and in the (leneral As- 
sembly his counsels were value<l. 

He was an active member of the Ijoard of managers 
of the American Bible Society, of the Board of For- 
eign Missions of the Presbyterian Church, n director 
of the Lennox Hospital, and of other benevolent as- 
sociations. 

His death at his residence in Englewood occurred 
unexpectedly, after a short and i)ainful illness, in the 
sixty-seventh year of his age. His remains were 
placed beside those of his departed wife, in a beauti- 
ful plot in Woodlawn Cemetery, near Kingsbridge, 
where since the early settlement of Ni'W York the 
Vermilyc family had an extensive farm and old- 
fashioned niansicin, their original seat in this country. 

Col. John D. Sherwood. --Col. Sherwood was born 
in Pishkill, JJutchcss Co., N. Y., Oct. l.'i, 1818. His 
&ther was Samuel Sherwood, a respectable, well-to-do 
farmer, a man of rare integrity, good jndgiiu'iit, ami 
purity of life, who shunned political and public hon- 
ors, but who was willing to undertake local duties in- > 
volving detailed, onerous, and unreniunerative labor. 
The paternal ancestry is traceable through an English 
line back to the beginning of the seventeenth century, 
including in its cnllateral branches .Mrs. Sherwoixl, 
the well-known authoress of " Little Henry and his 
Hearer," "The Lady of the Manor," and numerous 
other works, and also John Calvin, the famous Geneva 
theologian, whose niottf), ./f«eo et tencor, united to that I 
of the Sherwood family, nmnrr, became, when thus 



married, the legend thenceforward of that family. 
His mother was Ruth Dubois, a woman of most ex- 
ceptional beauty of face and figure, grace of manner, 
sweetness of disposition, and of unremitting charity 
to the poor and miserable around her, and connected 
with one of those wide-branching families which can 
hold a convention by itself, and which, like tbe Sher- 
woods, can boast that throughout all its ramifications 
its members were always respectable and respected ; 
in good circumstances, financially and socially; not 
one ever a drunkard, a |)auper, or accused of a crim- 
inal offense; and always found not only upon the 
rolls of church membership, but also among the office- 
bearers of the Dutch Reformed or Presbyterian 
Churches in the places of their residence. By his 
mother Mr. Sherwood traces his descent up through 
Pierre Dubois I born at Leyden, in Holland, and mar- 
ried at Kingston, IMster Co., X. Y., Oct. 12, 1607, to 
Janetjc Hurhansi to Jacques Dubois, born April ti, 
1663, at La Basse, in French Flanders. 

Col. Sherwood was born a child of sickly habits 
and tendencies, so much so, indeed, that in his third 
year he was supposed to have died, was laid out for 
dead, the shroud and cotlin procured, and friends 
•summoned to the funeral. The child, however, came 
back to life again. " God must have spared that boy," 
his pious and aflectionate mother is reported to have 
said on that occasion, " for some good purpose," — a 
pur|)ose which, the son in later life hiis been heard to 
say, he never could fiii<l had been realized. 

The boy thus spared early bctrayiMl remarkable in- 
tellectual qualities, a singularly retentive memory, a 
gift for elocution, and, what is rare, at once a love for 
figures and for poetry. His ill health prevented his 
attendance to any extent upon the jiublic school, and 
private tutors are seldom found in fanners' families; 
but the boy's hunger for knowledge was in a mea.sure 
appeased by a wide and indiscriminate reading from 
the home library, in which the Edinburgh Encyclo- 
paedia was found, and which, incredible as it may 
seem, and unwise as it doubtless was, this boy read 
entirely through before he had completed his eleventh 
year. His mother would jirobably, if living, have 
discreetly controlled this inordinate" a|)petite for 
knowledge, but she died in the eighth year of his age, 
and the father followed in the year ensuing. His in- 
dulgent uncle and guardian allowed the boy free 
scope for his nii)iilly developing intellectual taste and 
powers, and thus left he laid up by incessant reading, 
at the expense of his health, that large miscellaneous 
stock of information for which he has since been 
noted. 

Throughimt his academic preparation for college 
at Fishkill, Lanesboro', Mass., and at Montgomery, 
N. Y., he wiLs always toremost in his classes, notwith- 
stamling his constantly accompanying poor health. 
over whose trying disadvantages he triumphed by 
patient, uncomplaining application and industry. 
He entereil the unusually large freshman class, em- 





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ENGLEWOOD. 



271 



bracing one hundred and twenty-nine members, at 
Yale in 1825, a class numbering, among other well- 
known and able men, Senator Dawes, of Massachu- 
setts, Governor Richard D. Hubbard, of Connecticut, 
United States Minister Putnam, of New York, Hon. 
Henry R. Jackson, of Georgia, Hon. Willard P. Hall, 
of Missouri, Rev. Drs. Hammond and Tarbox, of Mas- 
sachusetts, and although always disabled through- 
out his entire college course by sickness, and com- 
peting with young men older in years, robust in 
health, and many of them far better prepared and 
equipped, held steadily a foremost place, not only in 
the regular college curriculum, but as a writer, a de- 
bater in the societies, and in all the varied intellec- 
tual features of a collegian's life, and at the gradua- 
tion of the class in 1839 bore off the coveted first 
prize, the valedictory. His reputation in college had 
spread among his townsmen, who, upon his arrival 
from New Haven, engaged him in a .series of political 
addresses in the then fast developing campaign of 
"Tippecanoe and Tyler too," and would fain have 
enlisted him, before he was of age even, as a candi- 
date for Congress, but this latter he firmly declined. 

In the spring of 1840, Mr. Sherwood entered the 
Harvard Law School, then under Judge Story and 
Simon Greenleaf, carrying thither his harassing ill 
health, and also his faithful habits of investigation 
and study. To the gathered traditions of that hon- 
ored school of law he left the recollections of a most | 
masterly debate, lasting through an entire night until 
the morning twilight, upon the proper limitations of 
State authority against and over the Federal sover- 
eignty, in which he maintained, single-handed, the 
superiority of the latter against a Southern gentle- 
man, then a disciple, neighbor, and friend of Jefferson 
Davis, and since a prominent mendjer of the Confed- 
erate Congress. John C. Calhoun, to whom this de- 
bate was reported, is said to have remarked that " it 
was the most thorough and the ablest discussion of i 
that vital question that had ever taken place, either 
in or out of Congress, and that the participants would 
be heard of in after-life." Mr. Sherwood's ill health 
now became so pronounced as to call for medical in- 
terference, and, to save his life, he was most earnestly 
advised to go abroad. He went to Europe, traveling i 
widely and thoroughly for over two years ; but, with [ 
his habits of study, so intent upon making his travels 
a means of instruction that its sanitary advantages | 
were mainly sacrificed. Returning home with his 
life, but still encumbered with a weak constitution 
and feeble health, Mr. Sherwood completed his legal 
studies, and declining several offers of partnership in , 
leading law-offices, because he would be kept down to 
the drudgery of mere office-work without the stimu- 
lus and reputation derived from foreusic efforts in the 
courts, he oi)ened an office in New York City, of - 
which he was the head, and notwithstanding his ever- j 
present ill health, accumulated a large, varied, and 
lucrative practice, possessing in an exceptional de- 1 



gree the personal friendship and love of his clients 
by his faithful and industrious attention to their in- 
terests and the confidence and respect of the judges 
by his professional honesty and integrity. 

He continued the practice of the law with ever- 
growing success, taking into partnership in 1851 his 
brother, the late Judge Thomas D. Sherwood, until, 
becoming married in 1863 to Mrs. Emmaline C. Zim- 
merman, of Niagara Falls, Canada, a lady of rare 
personal accomplishments and worth, he went with 
her, under medical advice, to Europe, hoping under her 
wifely care, and by rest and recreation, to invigorate 
permanently his health, so long suffering and under- 
mined by unremitting work. "Rest and recreation" 
he had by this means as a diversion from the hard 
and laborious duties of a large law practice in the 
city of New York among its many courts ; but little 
absolute rest could his active, restless, and ever-inquir- 
ing mind secure amidscenes of .such historical interest 
as European "travel presents, and where he was ever 
gathering new stocks of accurate information, as his 
extraordinary journals of over two thousand four hun- 
dred pages, written as he was traveling, and his articles 
in " Hours at Home," " Harper's Monthly," and the 
" Atlantic," abundantly attest. One of these papers, 
"What I saw at the Battle of Kissengen," relating his 
remarkable personal experiences in and escape from 
the perils of that sharp contest between the Prussians 
and Austrians, has already become, by its vivid word- 
painting and picturesque description, a classic in the 
language. 

The ill health which still continued after his return 
from Europe in 1866, prevented any very vigorous pur- 
suit of his profession, to which, as its claims and respon- 
sibilities increased, he clung with greater attachment 
Still active, intellectually, in spite of an ever-weaken- 
ing nervous system, he must be at work, and he now 
began to turn his attention to literary work, for which 
his tastes and varied accomplishments eminently fitted 
him, and in which, had he earlier engaged, he would 
doubtless have achieved great success. He wrote both 
in prose and verse, and with equal facility and felicity 
in each, in " Harper" and " Hours at Home," and 
upon a wide variety of subjects, the best known be- 
ing in the former, " The Silent City of Greenwood," 
and "Pilgrimage in Sunny Lands," in verse, and in 
the latter, in prose, " The Rights and Wrongs of Stock- 
holders" (which the publisliers found it profitable to 
publish in a separate book form), " Knobs of Travel," 
and "Visits to the Homes of Authors." In 1870, Mr. 
Sherwood, or, as he was now entitled to be called, 
Col. Sherwood (having served, although, in conse- 
quence of ill health, but a short time, with that rank 
and title as a staff-officer on the staff of Gen. James 
S. Wadsworth, of New York, in the civil war), pub- 
lished his first formal book, " The Comic History of 
the United States," with eighty illustrations (of which 
all but two were designed by himself), a volume of 
five hundred and fifty pages, written in a picturesque 



272 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



and humorous style, but presenting with unusual ac- 
curacy of detail and witli painstaking faithfulness a 
full and complete history of the United States from 
its discovery ti> the present time. A new edition of 
this work is announced as we write (October, 1881). 

In the same year with the first publication of this 
history. Col. Sherwood came with his wife and one 
child, Howard, to Englewood, intending to make it 
his future residence; but with characteristic quietnes.s 
of manner, making no announcements, and unosten- 
tatiously taking his place as a citizen, discharging all 
his duties as a neighbor and citizen with matter-of- 
fact steadiness and faithfulness, " living," as he was 
accustomed in his luiniorous way to say, "upon the 
by-laws, as his constitution, like the Confederacy, 
had gone to pieces years ago." Even those by-laws, 
however, were to be rudely disturbed the very first 
year of his residence in Englewood by a stroke of 
paralysis, which, while it disabled his walk, could not 
wholly conquer his indomitable pluck and force of 
will. By the aid of these, reinforced by his steady 
and prevailing sense of duty, he has ever since gone 
on interesting himself in all local improvements and 
matters of interest in the township, promoting by his 
intelligent advocacy every township and neighbor- 
hood measure, ready to give his attention, means, and 
time to their support and iimintenance, and " having 
generally the honor," as he quaintly puts it siime- 
times, "of being elected to the ollice.s where there is 
a good deal of work and a good deal of no pay." 
Thus quietly and faithfully interweaving his small 
stock of physical health through all healthy but local 
interest.s, declining offers of appointments to diplo- 
matic and judicial posts that might well gratify even 
an ambitious man. Col. Sherwood has deservedly 
won the esteem and love of his fellow-citizens, who 
have learned to appreciate this steady, conscientious, 
faithful life, so courageous in its endeavor, so self- 
denying and brave and beneficent. 

Col. Siierwood occupies, with his wife and tour 
children, a stone villa of his own design, called 
"Stone Lodge," which is notable, even in a place 
of beautiful homes, for its solidity and picturesque 
bcnuly. 

David Hoadley.' — David Hoadley was born at 
\Vatcrbury,Ci>nn.,on the \'MU day of February, ISOli. 
The busy manufacturing town of to-day was then a 
small quiet New ICngland village, with the industri- 
ous farmers, the while house.s and red barns, and the 
mecting-liotise with its tapering spire. His father 
wa.H a man who needed a wider and more extensive 
field of labor, so that when the subject of this sketch 
was about eight years of age he removed with his 
family to New Haven. 

Here the boy was able to enjoy much greater edu- 
cational advantages than he could have received at 



I Wrillcn l>y a iM.rw>Tial rririii) for piitillratlon In the " YMr-Book** of 
lh<- ml, P'lml, ami t>ni,j Iteporttr. New York, 1K73. 



his native place. The next following years were 
spent at school and in the quiet of home, where his 
life Wiis blessed by the influence, both in precept an ' 
e.vample, of a mother whom he venerated and love< 
and to whom he never occasioned a moment of soi 
row or pain. He was carefully prepared for enterin" 
Yale College, it being at first the desire of his parent 
that he should study a jirofession. His mental attain 
ments were of a high order, and his talents i>ronu.se 
marked success. The last year which he spent i i 
study was pa-ssed in Philijis' E.xeter .\c:idemy, at An- 
dover, Mass., and he returned home almost, if not en- 
tirely, fitted for college. But just at this time hi- 
plan was frustrated. He was naturally of a frail con 
stitution ; close and unremitting applies, ion to hi- 
books had impaired his health to such a degree that 
greatly to the regret of his friends and himself, h 
was compelled to relinquish the sedentary life of .1 
student and to undertake some more active employ- 
ment. He then became a clerk in the drug-store cl 
Messrs. Hotchkiss & Durant. in New Haven. Thi- 
placc was his training-school in business, and there 
he remained until the day of his attaining his major- 
ity in 1827. He then started for New York to seek 
his fiirtune, with a business capital of one thousand 
dollars received from his father, and with undaunted 
courage and conscious self-reliance. 

Messrs. Frisby & Ely were at that time carrying on 
a drug business in the lower ]iortii)n of a building 
standing at the corner of Wall and Water Streets, 
afterwards the site of the office of the Journal of Com- 
mrrci. This building was burned in 1835. Here the 
young man was received, and the lirni became Frisby, 
Ely it Hoadley. But this partnership was of short 
duration. Scarcely more than a year elapsed betbre 
Mr. Ely died, and Mr. Frisby retired. Mr. Hoadley 
at twenty-four, almost a boy in years, but a man in 
intellectual force and vigor, was left at the head of 
the house, the sole survivor. 

He then associateii with himself Mr. George 1). 
Phelits, who died about 1871, the firm-name being 
Hoadley & Phelps. Thesamc store was occupied until 
1833, when Mr. John W. Fowler was admitted lus a 
partner, and the name of the concern was changed to 
Hoadley, Phelps & Co. The business was then re- 
moved to 142 Water Street, where the firm contiiuied 
for fifteen years in uninterrupted prosperity. 

Few houses in the city became better known than 
Hoadley, Phelps & Ct). No firm excelled them in 
mercantile credit and integrity. They did a large 
business for those days, perhaps the largest of any 
hciuse in their line. It was also a lucrative one. Mr. 
Hoadley, as the head "f the house, acciuireil an en- 
viable notoriety. He was the pcqiular man of the 
firm ; and while he was known to be careful in busi- 
neiis negotiations, he never permitte<l an appeal for a 
worthy object to pass unnoticed. He was emphati- 
cally a worker. It was that same nervous, active 
energy which showed itself in his very movement-s, 



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'c^^fp^rcc/4- 



T 



ENGLEWOOD. 



273 



especially in his quick, decided step, which made him 
a successful man. His devotion to business was ardent 
and even enthusiastic. He was ambitious to secure 
and maintain the place which he so long held among 
business men. His industry was indefatigable; he 
never lost a moment, but applied himself with all his 
energy to whatever he undertook. His days of recre- 
ation were rare, and he never failed to return to his 
work at the time and hour appointed. In fact, busi- 
ness was his chief pleasure and ])astime. His per- 
ception was acute, and his judgment excellent. In 
matters requiring prompt determination his quick 
decision rarely erred. He was remarkably systematic, 
and the influence of his care and order was perceptible 
in store and office. 

During Mr. Hoadley's life as a drug merchant he 
built what was for those days a very fine house at the 
corner of Houston and Mulberry Streets, then a de- 
sirable place of residence. There he lived until to- 
wards the close of his connection with that business. 
He removed to West Seventeenth Street near Fifth 
Avenue. About 1830 he married Miss Mary O. 
Hotchkiss, daughter of Russell Hotchkiss, of New 
Haven. She died in 1837, and he subsequently mar- 
ried Miss Elizabeth C Tappan, of Poughkeepsie. 
Mr. Hoadley was a warm and efficient friend of the 
worthy young men of merit. He was an active mem- 
ber of an institution, formed about 1835, called the 
Young Men's Society (somewhat similar in its objects 
to the Young Men's Christian Association of the 
present day), many of whose members are now among 
our most eminent merchants and lawyers. His part- 
ner, Mr. Phelps, was its president, and was succeeded 
by the Hon. Henry E. Davies. Mr. Hoadley's sym- 
pathies never grew old, and the struggling young 
man obtained from him cheering advice and encour- 
agement, and when there was need more substantial 
aid. 

In 1848, Mr. Hoadley retired from the drug busi- 
ness, and the firm sold their stock and good will to 
Messrs. Schiett'elin Brothers & Co. He spent a year 
in settling up the aflairs of the old concern, and then 
became vice-president of the American Exchange 
Bank, under that veteran financier David Leavitt, 
who had early discovered his ability. But this posi- 
tion was not congenial to his tastes, and in 1853, de- 
clining the presidency of the bank, he accepted that 
of the Panama Railroad. This office he filled with 
marked success, until at the end of eighteen years his 
failing health determined him to resign. 

Mr. Hoadley was for many years an active trustee 
of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, 
and a member of its finance committee. Here his 
careful judgment and discrimination were exceed- 
ingly valuable, and his counsel was in perhaps every 
instance followed. 

Jlr. Hoadley possessed a peculiar power of inspiring 
personal afl'ection. The perfect truth and sincerity of 
the man were always evident, his warm sympathy was 



ever on the surface, his kindly, winning smile spoke 
of purity of thought and deed, — most difficult of at- 
tainment. Yet it was not the truth or the sympathy 
or the purity alone which won the hearts of those 
who knew him. The influence was peculiar and in- 
describable, yet all felt it. The presence was that of 
one who insensibly yet surely won your attachment 
without knowing it himself. Those who saw him 
only in business life felt a peculiar attraction, — -felt 
that he inspired something more than respect, akin to, 
yet differing from, reverence, scarcely less than love. 

He was the generous dispenser of charity. No 
worthy object for the improvement of his fellow-men 
ever appealed in vain to his open-hearted liberality. 
Wherever there was suff"ering, there his practical 
sympathy went. Wherever there was grief he en- 
deavored to assuage it ; wherever want existed, his 
aim was its relief. Benevolent societies found no 
surer friend, charitable institutions owe much to his 
active, earnest co-operation. 

For the last eight or nine years of his life Mr. 
Hoadley resided at Englewood, N. J., attending daily 
to his business in the city. 

Even after his resignation of the presidency of the 
railroad, his habits of work and application were 
such that he was almost daily in New York as usual. 
He delighted in his beautiful home, with its perfec- 
tion of cultivation, and the glories of the distant view 
melting away to the west. No man was ever more 
universally loved and respected than he at the place 
of his .suburban residence. 

He was not old when he died. His quick, elastic 
movements, his nervous energy, his admirable judg- 
ment, and his unimpaired mental powers indicated a 
man whose eye was not dimmed or natural force 
abated. But an insidious and fatal disease had at- 
tacked him, and when it was hardly more than sus- 
pected it had done its work ; quietly but surely it 
undermined a constitution never very strong. Every- 
thing was done for him which esteem and affection 
could prompt, but to no purpose. On the 20th day 
of August, 1873, in the quiet rest of his country 
house, with friends and neighbors, one and all, re- 
garding his loss as a direct personal sorrow, quietly 
and without pain, he died. And thus we close the 
record of what one who loved him called " a beautiful 
life, which faded away gradually like a glorious sun- 
set." 

The large crowded church at his funeral told of the 
feelings with which he was regarded. Old men came 
from New York to show their esteem for the character 
of one whose prosperous career some of them had 
watched from its beginning. 

His business associates in large numbers evidenced 
their respect for their energetic co-laborer, and the 
residents of the village closed their stores and sus- 
pended their daily duties to bow in reverent grief over 
the remains of one whose familiar face they should 
never see again. 



274 



HISTOKY OF IJEUGKN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Any sketch of Mr. Hoadley's life which did not en- 
large on the Christian grace and personal excellence 
of the man would fail to give any trup conception of 
his character. To him religion wius a vital tiling, en- 
tering into every duty of life, influencing every action, 
regulating every thought. What would seem when 
spoken of most men to be extravagant eulogy, is in his 
case the mere statement of simple fact. 

He would himself, however, liave been the first to 
disclaim any such exalted character. Xot the least 
conspicuous of liis virtues was liumility. Looking at 
himself from within, witli full knowledge of unspoken 
thoughts, of unexecuted desires, of germs which in 
most men would have borne their natural fruit, he [ 
humbly saw his own imperfections, and never appre- 
ciated the grandeur of his simple Christian life. To 
such a scrutinizing inward ga/e errors and failings 
must have been sadly visible, for the best of us are hu- 
man. But to those who saw him as he appeared to the 
world — as the active church officer, the upright man 
of business, the upholder of every good work, the 
liberal dispenser of bounty, the i)Ure and humble man 
of God — to them it seems difficult to give an ade- 
quate idea of the beauty of his character. 

Such men are sent as examples. Not alone in the 
family and in business circles is their influence felt. 
It goes out from tlieni, whether they know it or not, 
pervading all who come within their influence, and 
touching all with a benediction. The moral of Mr. 
Hoadley's life is not far to seek. Especially does it 
come home to business men, who can learn from his 
story that success is entirely consistent with perfect 
integrity, — nay, more, that the truest success depends 
upon integrity, and cannot be attained without it, — 
and such a lesson our business men, and especially the 
youngiT ones, will do well to study and ]ioiider. 

Daniel Drake Smith.— The family represented by 
the subject of this sketch is of English descent, and 
was identified with the early settlement of Long 
Island, where Oliver Smith, graiulfather of our sub- 
ject, wiLs born. The wife of dliver Smith was Cath- 
arine, daughter of Joseph Drake, of Clu'ster, Orange 
Co., N. Y. 

Daniel Drake Smith was born in the city of New 
York on Aug. 29, 1818, and was the only son of a 
a family of four children. His [larent-s were Joseph 
and Clarissa (Traphagen) Drake Smith, the former of , 
whom wa-H a native of Orange Oninty, N. Y., and a 
merchant in New York City from 1808 to 1830. His 
maternal ancextorH were French Huguenots, who left 
their native country after the revocation of the Edict 
of Nantes, and after enjoying an lusylum in Holland 
for a time, came with the early emigrants to .Vhierieu. 
The family settled in the northern part of Hergen 
County in 1745. 

The entire business life of Mr. Drake Smith was 
passed in the city of New York. He received a good 
common-school education at the high school con- 
ducted by John H. (iriscom, supplemented by a 



classical coarse at Baldwin & Forrest's school on 
Warren Street. In 1831 he entered the service of 
Benjamin Babcock (afterwards Babeock tS: Suydam), 
who was largely engaged in the importation of French 
and English dry-goods. The store, which was located 
in Pearl Street, near Hanover Square, was among the 
first destroyed in the great fire of 1835. After the 
financial crisis of 1837, Mr. Drake Smith entered the 
office of the Atlantic Insurance Company, which was 
succeeded by the Atlantic Mutual Insurance Com- 
pany, of which he was subsequently secretary. In 
1852 he established the Commercial .Mutual Insurance 
Company, and remained its president for twenty-seven 
years. He was also president of the Board of Marine 
Underwriters, and has been a ilireetor in several bank- 
ing and other institutions in New York City. 

Mr. Drake Smith is now living in retirement at 
Englewood, where he established his home in 1863. 
The village was then in the incipient stages of its 
growth, and Mr. Drake Smith ranks among the ear- 
liest of its permanent residents. Since his settlement 
in Englewood he has been identified with its general 
development and prosperity. an<l taken an active part 
in its social, educational, and material growth. He 
has filled, in a modest, unpretending manner, a num- 
ber of local positions of importance, some of which 
he still occupies. During the Rel)ellion he took an 
active interest in the politics of the county, and was a 
warm supporter of the national government. 

Mr. Drake Smith has found time during his leisure 
hours to supplement his somewhat restricted schooling 
advantages by careful private study and research, and 
the culture that he now enjoys is the result only of 
close personal application. Prior to |.'>))0 be was for 
many years a f'reipient contributor to the press of New 
York, writing on subjects of public interest, and in 
18(57 he published Spinoza's Ethics, which he had 
translated from the Latin. He is still pursuing his 
literary investigations, and finds his chief enjoyment 
in liis library. 

On May 2(i, 184.'>, Mr. Drake Smith was united in 
marriage to Henrietta Maria Hichards, daughter of 
James and Henrietta (Robinson) Richards, formerly 
of Paterson, N. J. Mr. James Richards wius engaged 
in the manufacture of cotton at Paterson at an early 
period. Five of the eight children are living, namely, 
Barstow Drake Smith, who is engaged in business in 
New York City : Hon. Oliver Drake Smith, a lawyer, 
late member of Assembly from Bergen County in the 
New Jersey Legislature ; and Misses Henrietta, Laura, 
and Clara Drake Smith. 

J. Wyman Jones. — The subject of this sketch was 
born in the town of Enfield, (inifl<in Co., N. H., <m 
the 2d of May, 1822. His father was a merchant, a 
native of the same town, and resident tl\ere during 
his whole life, — a man well educated, of untarnished 
reputation and character, prominent in all local 
afl'airs, and freipiently the chosen representative of 
his county in State Assemblies. 




iJl 





n J-yzt. Q^' 




ENGLEWOOD. 



275 



His mother, whose maiden name was Ruth Arven, 
was a native of Canaan, in the same county, — a 
woman of rare refinement and intelligence. 

The ancestors of both father and mother for many 
generations were New England people of Englisli 
descent. 

His eldest sister, Maria, became the wife of the 
Hon. J. E. Sargent, late chief justice of New Hamp- 
shire, and his youngest sister, Emily, married C. C. 
Foster, Esq., of Hanover, N. H., where her children 
still reside. There were no other members of his 
family. 

In June, 1835, he entered the Meriden Academy, 
and commenced the course preparatory for college. 
Two years after he entered Dartmouth College, from 
which he graduated in due course in 1841. Removing 
directly after graduation to Troy, N. Y., he entered 
the law-office of J. G. Britton, Esq., where he re- 
mained a year, and completed his preparation for the 
bar in the city of New York in 1844. 

In that year, at the July term of the Supreme 
Court at Utica, he was admitted an attorney of the 
county. After practicing law in the city of New- 
York for five years he removed to Utica, where he 
continued to practice his profession until compelled, 
by aggravated and accumulating troubles of the 
throat, to abandon it and seek an active, open-air 
life. 

Turning his attention to agriculture, he became 
identified with the farmers of Oneida County and 
president of their agricultural society, serving as an 
officer of that society for several years, and until in 
1869, when he removed to New Jersey. 

In the month of August of the year last named, 
and on the fifteenth day of the month, Englewood may 
be said to have been founded. On that day there was 
deposited and filed in the office of the clerk of Bergen 
County by the subject of this sketch a " Map of Engle- 
wood." There has never been, nor can there ever be, 
any one to question the authorship of this map, or of 
the name given to the place, or of the general plan 
upon which the town is laid out. They were each 
and all the work of J. Wyman Jones. 

It is difficult to realize at this time the barrenness 
and lonesomeness of the site of Englewood in IS.iO. 
The fields were neglected, the one road through it wa.s 
narrow and sandy, and the brush and undergrowth 
tall and scraggy. There was not at that time a single 
hou.se in what now constitutes the village of Engle- 
wood north of the late Garret J. Lydecker's residence, 
except the old " Bloomer House," which has been re- 
modeled, and bears little resemblance to its early ap- 
pearance. 

For several years Mr. Jones gave undivided atten- 
tion to the development of this place. Towards the 
building of the stone chapel (lately removed to the 
cemetery), the hotel known as the "Englewood 
House," the young ladies' seminary (since destroyed 
by fire), the railroad station (now replaced by a better 



one), and several private houses, as well as in the grad- 
ing of streets, improving the face of the country, and 
planting of trees, he expended his untiring energies. 

More than all else in its early history, he used his 
best efforts and ingenuity in securing a superior class 
of visitors to the place, many of whom appreciated 
the beauty and desirableness of the site and eventu- 
ally became residents. 

From that time until the present he has taken a 
lively and practical interest in all that has tended to 
improve and elevate the place and its inhabitants, 
co-operating as far as was possible with the many 
public-spirited and liberal citizens who have from 
time to time become identified with the town. 

It is his desire and habit, however, to give the 
greatest credit for all that makes Englewood desirable 
to those who early made their homes here, and be- 
came interested in and contributed to its growth and 
development. From no one of the living or the dead 
would he withhold the raced of desert and honor 
which is his due. 

Besides interesting himself especially in Englewood, 
where he fixed his permanent residence, Mr. Jones 
laid out the villages of Closter and Norwood, in Ber- 
gen County, built a large hotel at Norwood and many 
houses, and introduced a considerable number of new 
citizens into these and other places in the county. 

It is quite certain that the records of the county 
clerk's office will show more conveyances to and from 
him than any other person who ever lived in the 
county. And it is noteworthy, in this connection, 
that no serious question has ever arisen as to any 
boundary line of farm, lot, or street, description of 
property, title, conveyance, contract, or covenant made 
by him, an experience which he attributes to the fact 
that he personally attended to the preparation and 
execution of all legal papers. 

In politics Mr. Jones inherited the strongest " Dem- 
ocratic" predilections. In the division of the party 
on the question of " free soil" he adhered to the more 
Democratic theory, and became one of the organizers 
of the Republican party, of which he is still a mem- 
ber. Never an office-seeker, he has been a steady 
worker at the polls and elsewhere for the success of 
his party. For about ten years successively he was 
chairman of the Republican County Committee of 
Bergen County, has very frequently represented hi& 
town in State Conventions, was a State delegate-at- 
large to the National Convention held in Philadelphia 
in 1872, and a district delegate to the National Con- 
vention held at Cincinnati in 1876. 

In business association, he has occupied many prom- 
inent places of trust, such as president of railroad 
companies, director of banks, etc. Lately his chief 
attention has been given to the development of ex- 
tensive lead-mines in the State of Missouri, and the 
building of an important railroad through the lead 
and iron districts of that State. Since the year 1866 
he has been president of the St. Joseph Lead Com- 



276 



HISTORY OF BEIIGKN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



pany, owning very large deposits of lead ores in Mis- ' 
souri, which has gradually extended its business from 
small beginnings, until from seven to eiglit hundred 
men are required to carry on its work. The secluded 
location of the company's works has become a town 
of five thousand inhabitants, with schools, churches, 
stores, and shops suited to such a population. 

His family consists of a wife and two children. 
Soon after he was admitted to the bar he married 
Harriet, eldest daughter of .lames and Harriet Dwiglit 
Dana, of Utica, N. Y., a sister of Prof James D. 
Dana, of Yale College. His sons, James Dana Jones 
and Dwight Arven Jones, were educated at Yale, 
graduated at the Columbia Law-School, are both 
married and settled in Englewood, and are i)racticing 
law in New York City. 

Mr. Jones occupies a substantial stone hou.se, which 
he built in 1864-65, on one of the best sites in Engle- 
wood, surrounded with about eighteen acres of lawn, 
garden, and forest, — one of the first and best-planned 
and mo.st cultivated places in a town of elegant resi- 
dences. He calls his home " Erdenheim." 

His religious connections are with the First Presby- 
terian Church, presided over by Dr. Henry M. Booth, 
— a church built on land donated jointly by him and 
the late I. Smith Homans, and towards the erection of 
which lie cxtrtod himself actively. 

I. Smith Homans, Jr. — The late I. Smith Homans, 
Jr., became identified with Englewood and Bergen 
County in the early part of the year 18.59, when the 
Northern Railroad of New Jersey was first opened. 
In fact, he and his brother, Sheppard Homans, were 
the first New Yorkers to become residents of Engle- 
wood after the railroad made that region accessible 
to business men of the metropolis. 

Mr. Homans was among the first to appreciate the 
advantages ottered by the situation, the salubrity, and 
the beauty of the Palisades region lus a suburban 
resilience, and at once devot<'d all his energias and 
abilities to the development of the real estate interests 
of Bergen County. His energy was untiring, and his 
ability was of a very high order. The enormous 
number of his real estate transactions attest his ac- 
tivity. His early efforts were crowned with success, 
and he soon amassed a large fortune. It is safe to say 
that no one has done more for the development of 
the interests of Bergen County than the subject of 
this notice. 

The depression in real estate during the last few 
years told heavily on the business tran.sactions of the 
late .Mr. Homans. His ambition and courage kept 
him up till the last moment, but he finally was obliged 
to give way under the pressure. His health became 
impaired, but his death, which occurred 'on the 24th 
day of November, 187'.*, was sudden and unexpected. 

Mr. Homans had the faculty of attaching to him- 
self a large number of devoted friends, whose con- 
fideni-e he retained to the litst, and had his life been 
spared he would undoubtedly have recovered his for- 



tune. He was born in the city of Washington, D. C, 
on Aug. 31, 1833, and was consequently but little 
over forty-six years of age at the time of his death. 
He left a widow, who has since died, and five chil- 
dren. He was graduated at Harvard University in 
1852. After practicing the profession of a civil en- 
gineer for a few years he became associated with his 
father as co-editor and publisher of the Banter's ^far|- 
iizine, a widely-known and influential journal pub- 
lished in the city of New York. 

Henry D. Westervelt. — The Westervelt family 
ranks among the oldest of Bergen County, and its 
representatives were among the earliest emigrants 
to America. Lubl)ert Lubbertson and Willem Yan 
Westervelt came from the town of Meppel, i>rovinee 
of Drenthe, Holland, in the ship "Hoop,'' in April, 
1(!62, and settled on Long Island. Cornelius, son of 
Lubbert, settled at Acquackanonk, and was one of 
the original fourteen patentees who purchased the 
Acquackanonk patent in li>84. He subsequently 
settled on the other side of the Passaic River, in what 
is now Bergen County. 

Cornelius Westervelt, grandfather of the subject of 
this sketch, resided at an early day at Schraalenburgh, 
and was a tailor by trade. He jierformed active ser- 
vice in the Revolutionary war, filling the ofiice of 
captain, and was taken prisoner by one of his own 
neighbors, Samuel Cole. Being confined in the "Ohl 
' Sugar-House" at New York, he was enabled to keep 
• himself alive, and to enjoy a better than ]irison fare, 
I by making clothes for the soldiers. His children were 
j Jasper, Peter, Jr., John, Christiana, who married 
' Albert Bogert, Jemima, who married Nichohis Fer- 
don, and Mary .Vnn, who married .Mr. Herring, of 
Tappan. 

Peter Westervelt, Jr., was born at Schraalenburgh, 
and enjoyed the benefits of a common-school educa- 
tion only. He was a carpenter by trade, but subse- 
quently engaged in agricultural operations*. He was 
a benevolent, kind-hearted man, quick and energetic 
in his movements, a firm believer in Democratic prin 
ciples, and a devout member of the Retbrmed Clinrch 
of Ridgefield, with which body he was officially con- 
nected as elder for a number of years. He died Feb. 
' 5, 1861, in his seventy-third year. His first wife was 
Fransiney, daughter of Henry ami Margaret ( Dema- 
rest) De Mott, whom he married (1ct. tl, 1810. She 
' died May 12, 1830, in her thirty-eighth year. The 
children were Margaret, born June 17, 1813, married 
Hon. John Yan Brunt, and Henry De M., our subject. 
There were no children by the .second marriage. 

Henry I). Westervelt was born on the idil l>e Mott 
homestea<l, the present residence of his widow, on 
May 15, 181 !l. He was educated at the district school 
of the locality, and at an academy in New York City. 
Being naturally of a frail, delicate constitution, he 
ilecideil to adopt the life of a farmer, and accordingly 
locateil on the honu'stcad of his grandfather, Henry 
De Mott, where he had been born, and which he re- 




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V*N 






'C^U-c/led: 



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ENGLEWOOD. 



ceived by will from his grandfather. For a short time 
he engaged in mercantile pursuits with his brother- 
in-law, John Van Brunt, near liis late residence. 

Mr. Westervelt was naturally of a retiring disposi- 
tion, and participated but little in public affairs. His 
chief interest seemed to manifest itself in the direc- 
tion of church matters, and he was ever a warm sup- 
porter of church and kindred institutions. He was 
a zealous member of the Reformed Dutch Church of 
Ridgefield ; was treasurer of that body, and an elder 
for several years, an office in which his father and 
maternal grandfather had preceded him. He took 
a deep interest in the Sabbath-school and temperance 
cause, and was regarded in the community in which 
he dwelt as a straightforward, earnest, Christian man. 
He was a liberal contributor to all worthy objects. 
By his will he left three thousand dollars to Rutgers 
College, New Brunswick, for the purpose of educating 
young men for the gospel ministry. He also founded 
a scholarship in that institution. He died Nov. 5, 
1862. His widow, whom he married on Oct. 25, 1837, 
is Margaret, daughter of Richard M. and Mary (Kipp) 
Vreeland, of Leonia. She was born July 7, 1819. 
The children have been Henry D., who died in in- 
fancy ; Peter H., born Sept. 17, 1842, died June 3, 
18.51 : and Margaretta, who resides at home with her 
mother. 

Garret A. Lydecker. — The annals of the Lydecker 
family extend back to the first settlement of Bergen 
County, and its representatives were among the pio- 
neers of what was then a wild, unbroken, and unin- 
viting country. 

The ancestor of the branch of the family repre- 
sented by the subject of this sketch was Garret Ly- 
decker, who came from Amsterdam. The date of 
emigration is unknown. He had a brother Abraham, 
who died Nov. 12, 1767, in New York City, and who 
devised in his will a house and lot in New York to 
his nephew, Albert, son of Garret. The latter was 
early a resident of that part of Bergen County now 
represented by Englewood township, and received a 
patent from Queen Anne for a tract of land extending 
from what is now the south line of the late John Van 
Brunt's property to Demarest Avenue in the village 
of Englewood. Albert Lydecker had two sisters, one 
of whom married Robert Sickles, and the other Jo- 
hannis Nagal. He also had five sons, — Garret, John, 
Abraham, William, and Cornelius. His will was 
proved April 5, 1774, and in it he refers to his first 
wife, Mary, and his second wife, Sarah. A branch of 
the family settled at Nyack, N. Y. 

The subject of this sketch is descended from the 
son. Garret, who was his great-grandfather. The 
children of this Garret Lydecker and his wife, Lydia, 
were Garret, Cornelius, James, Elizabeth, who married 
Albert Westervelt, Lydia, who married John Bartholf, 
and Hannah, who married Henry Zabriskie. He was 
a prominent and influential man, possessed of large 
landed estates, a captain in the Revolutionary war, and 



subsequently a member of the Colonial Legislature. 
His son Garret, grandfather of our subject, was born 
Aug. 31, 1761, on the old Lydecker patent. During 
the Revolutionary struggle, when he was a mere lad, 
word was sent of the landing of the British at Fort 
Lee. The family goods were gathered together hastily 
and transported to a point of safety in wagons. Young 
Garret drove one of these, and after crossing at New 
Bridge, the bridge was destroyed behind the fugitives. 
The British encamped on the Lydecker homestead, 
and their commissary department was largely added 
to by the large number of fat sheep and hogs which 
had been unavoidably left behind. He subsequently 
engaged in agricultural operations on the Lydecker 
patent, and lived a ([uiet, retired, and modest life. 
His wife was Hannah Westervelt, born Feb. 16, 1766, 
whom he married Nov. 27, 1784. The children were 
Abraham, born May 28, 1786 ; Gertrude, born April 
16, 1790, married John Edsall, of English Neighbor- 
hood ; and John, born Dec. 25, 1795. Garret Lydecker 
died April 27, 1848, and his wife on Sept. 15, 1849. 

Abraham Lydecker, father of our subject, was 
born on the farm now occupied by the latter on the 
date given above. There he engaged in agricultural 
pursuits. He was an active, energetic man, and filled 
a prominent place in 1jhe community in his day. He 
served as freeholder of his township, and represented 
his district in the Legislature of the State for two 
terms. He possessed good business qualifications, 
was methodical and systematic in his affairs, and was 
frequently called upon to act as executor and admin- 
istrator of estates. He married Maria, daughter of 
David N. and Martha (De Clark) Demarest, on Dec. 
15, 1808. The children were Garret A., our subject ; 
David, born May 31, 1814, died in infancy; Mary 
Ann, born Feb. 15, 1820, married Thomas W. Dema- 
rest ; and Martha, born July 18, 1824, married John 
Van Nostrand. Abraham Lydecker died Nov. 20, 
1841, and his wife on July 7, 1834. 

Garret A. Lydecker was born on the fiirm on which 
his son Abram resides, near Englewood Village, on 
Jan. 5, 1811. His education was obtained at the com- 
mon schools of his locality, and at the Hackensack 
Academy. In 1833 he removed to his present farm, 
which he derived by devise from his grandfather. 
Garret Lydecker, and entered upon the life of a far- 
mer. He continued to engage in agricultural pur- 
suits, and is recognized as one of the representative 
farmers of Bergen County. He is a man of modest 
demeanor and retiring disposition, and while he has 
ever been interested in all matters pertaining to the 
develojiment of his locality, has avoided public posi- 
tion, and kept as near as possible withiii the inner 
walks of life. He has been a lifelong Democrat, and 
was active in local politics in his younger days. He 
was freeholder of his township for three years, town 
committeeman for about fifteen years, and has held 
the position of commissioner of appeals and other 
local offices. He was a member of the board of 



1-8 



HISTORY OF BERGKN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



directors of the First National Bank of Hackensack, ' 
and of the Hackensack Savings Institution, and is 
now a director in the Bergen County Mutual As- 
surance Societ)', of which his father was one of the 
founders. He is a member of the True Reformed 
Dutch Ciiurch of Leonia, and held the office of elder 
in tiiat body a good many years. He is universally , 
respected in the community in which he dwells. 

Mr. Lydecker has been twice married. His first I 
wife was Gertrude, daughter of Peter J. Cole, to 
whom he was united Aug. 2'), 1831. She was born 
Aug. 22, 1813, and died Aug. 10, 1847. Of this union 
were born Gertrude, who died in infancy ; Abrani, 
born Jan. 30, 18.34, married Rachel, daughter of 
Ralph S. and Jane (Hariug) Demarest, and who is 
farming a portion of the old tract ; Rachel, born July 
10, 18.38, married James Christie; Maria, born Aug. 
12, 1841, wife of Cornelius Terhuiic; and John, wlio 
died in infancy. His present wife is Maria, daughter 
of Samuel R. and Elizabeth (Zabriskiej Demarest, of 
Bergen County, whom he married Dec. 30, 1847. ! 
The children by this union have been Thomas Wil- 
liam, born April 18, 1840, died Oct, 20, 1870, a young 
man of tine intellectual capacities and great promise; 
and Martha, born .\|>ril 9, 18i>l, married Silas Wright, 
of Jersey City, died July 29, 1879. 

Lebbens Chapman, Jr. — The Chapman family 
traces its origin Id I-'.ngland, where the name was one 
of the earliest of English surnames. John Chapman 
was returned to Parliament as burge.ss for Cliippenham 
a.s early as tlie year 1298. The family patronymic is 
Sa.xon, the original word, "ceapinan," signifying a 
monger or merchant. 

Tlie ancestor of the family in America was Robert 
Chapman, who. according to the family tradition, came 
from Hull, in England, to Buston in 1(!3.'). from wliich 
place lie sailed, in company with Lyon Gardiner, for 
Saybrook, Conn., November 3d of that year, as one 
of the company of twenty men who were sent over 
by Sir Richard Saltimstall to take possession of a large 
tract of land and make settlements near the mouth 
of the Connecticut River, under the patent of Lords 
Say and Seal. He is supjiosed to have been about 
eighteen years of age. He was one of the prominent 
early settlers of Saybrook, possessed of large landed 
estates, and a representative to the General Court 
(equivalent to our Legislature! forty-three times, act- 
ing as itssistjint representative nine times. He was 
a man of exemplary piety, and but a short tin\e pre- 
vious to his deceiuse wrote an adilrcss to his children, 
in which he exhorted them to abide by the covenant 
into which they had entered with God and his church. 
His wife wa.s Ann Itlith, whom he n\arrie<l April 29, 
HU2, and who died Nov. 20, KJS.'i. He die.l Oct. 13, 
l(iH7. The chililreri of this ancient couple were .John, 
Kobert, Anna, Hannah, Nathaniel, .Mary, and Sarah. 
From the youngest of these sons, Deacon Nathaniel 
Chapman, is descended the subject of this sketch, the 
line of descent being Robert', Nathaniel', Nathaniel', 



Lieut. Lebbeus Chapman, Lebbeus Chapman, and 
Lebbeus Chapman, Jr. Lieut. Lebbeus Chapman 
served as a soldier in the Revolutionarj- war, rising 
by degrees to the office of lieutenant, to which he was 
appointed Sept. 25, 1777. 

Lebbeus Chapman, father of our subject, was born 
Aug. 22, I'Xr,^ and was twice married, — first to Catha- 
rine Rozette, and second to Eliza (Chapman) Inger- 
soll, widow of Jonathan Ingersoll. He was engaged 
in mercantile pursuits in New York during the greater 
|)art of his life, and as an accountant had few equals. 
Many years ago he published a large work, entitled 
''Chapman's Interest Tables," a book evincing great 
industry and accuracy in figures, and which proved 
an efficient aid in large business transactions. An 
evidence of his patient industry is furnished by a 
large bound manuscript Bible, beautifully written, 
which is in the possession of the family, and which 
he coi)ied at odd times when at home, mornings and 
evenings, outside of business hours. He was identi- 
fied with many benevolent enterprises, and projected 
and organized the Marine Temperance Society of the 
port of New York, tlie first certificate ever presented 
to a sailor for signature having been prepared by him. 
He died in 1863, 

Lebbeus Chapman, Jr., the eldest of the eight 
children of Lebbeus and Eliza Ingersoll Chapman, 
was born in the city of New York, Dec. 25, 1827, 
and was educated at Nazareth Hall, Betlilehem, Pa. 
While still a boy he entered the law-otRce of Cleve- 
land !<; Titus, of New York, who were at tliat time 
conducting some very important .suits. He applied 
himself closely to his duties, entered upon the study 
of the law, was admitted to the bar in 1850, and soon 
after became a member of the firm. The death of 
one of the partners and the retirement of the other 
soon left him in charge of large interests and a heavy 
clientage among banks and bankers. It wa-s the tide 
in his afiairs, but he took it at the flood, proved him- 
self equal to the occasion, and succeeded in retaining 
the business and confidence of his clients. From 
that time on his career was that of an active and busy 
lawyer, to whom liis clients and friends did not hesi- 
tate to confide any business lunvever important, or 
any secrets however private. His honest, earnest, 
and sympathetic nature made him hosts of friends, 
an<l at the time of his demise he was in the enjoy- 
ment of a large and lucrative jiractice. 

Mr. Chaimian became a resident of Englewood in 
1H63, locating at Teaneck, ami from that time on was 
mo.st intimately identified with the growtli and devel- 
opment of the locality. All local enterprises received 
his warm encouragement and support, and many of 
the most important local institutions of Englewood 
were either projected or carrii'il through by him. In 
the church, in town or county atl'airs, at all public 
meetings, he was always to be found ready to act in 
any capacity that would be of public service, never 
wishing anything for himself, or seeking to evade any 



/ 




JOHN I. VAN BUSKIRK. 



ENGLEWOOD. 



279 



burden. He was one of the organizers and directors 
of the Englewood Protection Society, a director of 
the Bergen County Gas- Worlds, and a member of the 
board and secretary of the Drainage and Water Com- 
missioners of Englewood. To each and all of these 
institutions he gave the benefit of his legal knowledge 
and trained business habits, and served in many of 
them in the dual capacity of both counsel and director. 

In his religious associations Mr. Chapman was a 
Presbyterian, a member of the First Presbyterian 
Church of Englewood, and a member of the board of 
trustees for six years. He took a deep interest in the 
Sabbath-school cause, and organized shortly after his 
locating at Teaneck the Teaneck Sabbath-school, from 
very small beginnings, and in the face of many diffi- 
culties. He continued to be its superintendent until 
his death. ^le devoted to this work, which was 
purely a labor of love, a large amount of time and 
energy, and felt a just pride in the development of 
his school, in which many children are gathered and 
traiued each Sabbath. It is one of those practical 
monuments that serve to keep green the memory of 
those whose lives have proved worthy of them. 

Mr. Chapman was of an active, nervous tempera- 
ment, full of energy, but little fitted to endure the 
strain which his large professional business and his i 
identification with public affairs devolved upon him. ' 
He gradually succumbed to the pressure, and died at 
Easton, Pa., on April 30, 187fi, where he had gone 
for the purpose of recuperating his wasting forces. 
He was a man of spotless character and personal in- 
tegrity, and the news of his death was received by 
many with peculiar sadness. Resolutions of condo- 
lence and sympathy were passed by the various asso- 
ciations with which be had been connected. From 
those passed by the drainage and water commission- 
ers of the township of Englewood we make a few 
extracts, as showing to some degree the estimation in 
which he was held by his friends and neighbors : 

" All common forms of eulogy are weak, utterly in- 
adequate to express our estimation of our late friend 
and associate. 

"As a man of business, whether for quick, keen 
perception of the point involved, a straightforward, 
ready application of the true action required, a 
methodical and clearly to be understood record of 
the result, he was simply unequaled. 

" As a public-spirited citizen, he was the very fore- 
most of all. As a man of benevolence, he dispensed 
even beyond his means of that which his rare in- 
dustry and self-denial had enabled him to acquire. 

" As a teacher, he was of the best, for his example 
ever preceded his precept. 

" As a friend, oh, how true, and pure, and brave 
an one, ever ready with his aid, his sympathy, his 
warring against error, his support in the right I 

" As a companion, filled with the rarest, most cheer- 
ftil geniality, who so welcome as he, everywhere, on 
all occasions, by all of every age or condition? 



'■ As a Christian, by his works will he be known 
long after all of us shall have been called to render 
up our account." 

Mr. Chapman was married on March 1, 1853, to 
Mary Augusta, daughter of Dr. Chester and Mary 
Parkhurst, of Waltham, Mass. The children, who 
reside at the home residence with their mother, are 
Mary P., wife of Nathan A. Chapman, and Frank 
Mickler Chapman. 

John I. Van Buskirk. — The Van Buskirk family 
is one of the oldest of Bergen County. At a very 
early day the ancestor of the family in America, 
whose name is supposed to have been John, took up 
a large tract of land in the neighborhood in which 
his descendants still reside, on Liberty road near 
Englewood Village, and became a pioneer in that 
section. His son John succeeded him, and owned a 
large tract of land. The children of the latter were 
Peter, born Aug. 31, 1762; Jacob, born Jan. 20, 
1765 ; Ellesee, born Jan. 17, 1768, married John 
Ackerman ; Johannes, born Dec. 1, 1771 ; and El- 
lesebet, born Feb. 22, 1772, married John Bogert. 
These sons farmed a portion of the home tract during 
the lifetime of their father. After his decease it was 
divided between them, and they continued to occupy 
adjoining places during their lives. A large portion 
of the tract is still in the possession of their descend- 
ants. 

The subject of this sketch is descended from Johan- 
nes, who was his grandfather. His father, John Van 
Buskirk, was born Oct. 16, 1775, and married, Dec. 
25, 1795, Caty Demarest. She was born Sept. 15, 
1775. The children were Mertinche, born April 5, 
1798, married Garret Zabriskie ; and John I., born 
March 9, 1802. John Van Buskirk lived where his 
granddaughter, Mrs. Fred. L. Voorhees, resides, on 
Liberty road, where he passed his life in a modest 
way, engaged in agricultural pursuits. He died Oct. 
4, 1838. 

John I. Van Buskirk was born near Tappan, on 
the date indicated above. He received a common- 
school education, and entered upon the life of a 
farmer. He married Rachel, daughter of Peter and 
Elizabeth Perry, and, after the death of his father, 
came into possession of the homestead residence on 
Liberty road, where he continued to reside until his 
death on Nov. 11, 1870. His wife was born Nov. 19, 
1805, and died Sept. 4, 1874. The children were 
John P., born Jan 10, 1825; Peter, born Oct. 27, 
1834, died Feb. 4, 1836; and Eliza, born Jan. 25, 
1840, who married, first, Henry Hopper, and secondly, 
Fred. L. Voorhees. The latter resides on the old 
family homestead. John P. Van Buskirk resides 
near the old place, and is a prosperous and successful 
farmer. He married, Sept. 8, 1869, Willminah, daugh- 
ter of Samuel and Sally Haring, and has two children, 
— Adelle and Charles J. Van Buskirk. 

John I. Van Buskirk passed his life in a plain, 
modest way, and within the inner circles of society. 



280 



HISTORY OF BERGEN;»AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY, 



He confined his energies strictly to the management 
and control of his private business enterprises, par- 
ticipating but little in public affairs. While owning 
and operating a farm he perforn\ed but little manual 
labor. He owned considerable property in New 
York City, and his business connections there were 
quite extensive. He was an untiring worker, always 
busy at something, and interested in all movenients 
tending to improve the locality in which he dwelt. 
He took an active interest in the project for bringing 
the Northern Railroad to Englewood, and at one time 
owned a large proportion of the stock, and was a | 
member of the board of. directors of the road. He I 
was of a pleasant, genial temperament, and a mem- ' 
ber of the Reformed Church of Schraalenburgh, with 
which body he wsw otticially connei^ted both as deacon 
and elder, filling the latter office at the time of his death. ; 
He felt a deej) interest in the cause of temperance 
His death came suddenly, and without much warn- 
ing', and while still pursuing the active duties of life. 

Abraham Bartholf.— Am<iiig the early settlers from 
Flolland on the banks of the Ilackensack and Passaic 
Rivers was Guillamme Bartholf He came in the ca- 
pacity of catechizer, voorleser, and schoolmaster, and 
discharged his duties so acceptably that the peojile 
among whom he had establislied iiimself desired that 
he should prepare himself for the gospel ministrv 
and become their pastor. At the expense of the con- 
gregations of Ilackensack and Acquackanonk, he was 
sent to Holland in 1693, and on September 16th of 
that year he was licensed by the Clitssis held at Mid- 
dleburg to preach for those churches. In 1094 he re- 
turned in safety to America, and entered upon the 
discharge of his pastoral duties. He was the first 
regularly installed jJiistor of the Reformed Dutch 
Church in New Jersey. He is described a.s being " in 
possession of a mild and placid eloquence, which per- 
suaded by its gentleness and attracted by the sweet- 
ness which it distilleil and the holy savor of piety 
which it ilifl'used around. He was of the evangelical 
part of the ministry of his day, an<l promoted the 
independence of the church of foreign control." His 
laboni terminated in 1724, the precise date not being 
known. He organized the church at Raritan about 
the beginning of the last century, and introduced 
Rev. Theodonis .1. Frelingliuysen into his pitstoral 
office there in 1720. Ht- also organized the church at 
Phillips' Manor (now Tarrytown, N. Y.), about 1697, 
and aftcrwarils occasionally ministered there. He 
married Martyntie Van Kmberg, and ha<l three sons 
and three daughters, viz. : Hendriek, ("ornelins, and 
Jaeobus, Sarah, Elizabetli, and Martha. Hendriek 
married .Martha Terhuiie, and had issue, — (iilliam, 
Albert, Abraham, Jacobus, Stcphanus, Rynehearl, 
John (who die<l young), Martyntie, Maria, Rachel, 
Harriet, and Sarah. 

Of these children, Abraham waa the grandfather of 
the subject of this skelcli. Soon after the close of 
the Revidution he removed from Pompton, N. J., 



and settled where Mr. Collerd resides, on the Hacken- 
sack River, within the present limits of Englewood 
township. He died Oct. lo, 17X9, aged seventy-five 
years. His wife was Margaret Mandeville, who died 
,Ian. 20, 1880, in her ninety-third year. The children 
were Giles, Margaret (who married Henry Wanna- 
maker), John A., and Henry (who died young). 




AllKAIlA.M HAKTIKH.F. 

John A. Bartliolf, father of our subject, was born 
at Pompton, Dec. 16, 1766. He married, on Sept. 
12, 1787, Lydia Lydecker, who died Jan. 1.5, 1825. 
Of this union were born Margaret, on May 22, 1788, 
married Daniel Hanta ; (Jarret, born .\ug. 22. 1790; 
hydia, born April 11, 179'), nnirried John Van Saun ; 
Abraham, born Oct. .1, 1797; and John I., born June 
.30, lSo;i. ,Iohn A. Hartholf married for a second 
wife, on Nov. 3, 1830, Maria De Uaun, who died Nov. 
6, 1848. He died March II, 18.V). He was a farmer 
through life, a man of ipiiet ami retiring <lisp(>sition, 
and one who avoiiled active participation in public 
atfairs. He was a member of tlie Diilch RefornuMJ 
Church of Hackensack, and filled the olfices of both 
deacon and elder in that body. 

Abraham Bar) liol f was born on his father's homestead 
on the dale indicated above. He and his brother, 
John 1. Bartliolf, who resides in Ilackensack, are the 
only two living children of John .V. Bartliolf. In 
1817 he entered upon the life of a farmer upon the 
farm on which he at present resides, and has passed 
his life thereon. He married, May 17, 1817, Jane, 
daughter of Cornelius and Klizabeth ( Ho|>per| Ter- 
huiie, and lias had three i-hiblren, viz. : Lydia. wife of 
John II. Baula, of Ilackensack ; Cornelius, who died 



PALISADE. 



281 



in infancy ; and Eliza J., wife of Peter Westervelt, of 

Ridgefield township. 

Jlr. Bartliolf lias led a quiet and industrious life, 
and, like his father, has held himself aloof from public 
afl'airs, choosing rather to live within the inner pre- 
cincts of society. He has cheerfully performed the 
part of a good citizen, and by a long life of integrity 
and fair dealing has earned the respect and esteem of 
all. He is a member of the True Reformed Dutch 
Church of Hackensack, and has been officially con- 
nected with that body both as deacon and elder. 



CHAPTER XLII. 



PALISADE. 



Physical Features. — In the division of the old town- 
ship of Hackensack, perhaps the people of Palisade 
were the most fortunate of thoseof the three new town- 
ships then formed in the selection of so significant a 
name. The Palisades of the Hudson have attracted the 
observant eye of every traveler since the discovery of 
the great river by Hendrick Hudson in 1609, and 
will ever be regarded as one of the great natural 
wonders of the American continent. This precipitous 
wall of rocks, rising abruptly from the western shore 
of the Hudson far below, forms the eastern boundary 
of Ridgefield, Englewood, Palisade, and Harrington 
townships to the State line. Any one of these town- 
ships might have fitly chosen the name, as this mas- 
sive wonder maintains its undiminished grandeur 
throughout their entire extent. 

The height of the range near Weehawken is about 
three hundred and ten feet above the river, rising 
gradually to five hundred and forty feet near its 
northern terminus. This precipice rose at first, un- 
doubtedly, right from the river's edge, but time has 
formed a talus of fragments of the trap falling in the 
course of long centuries, as if to guard the deep foun- 
dations below the great river. The range continues 
in bold precipitous heights and rocky bluff's along the 
river to Haverstraw, a little below the Highlands ; 
thence it sways back from the river, lifting itself 
again in lofty escarpments and massive columns to 
the northwest and the west from three hundred to 
eight hundred feet high. As everything is said to 
dwindle down to the sea, the range diverges again to 
the westward, forming the high ridge back of Jersey 
City, and dips below the water at Bergen Point, but 
reappears again under the soil of Staten Island, and 
from thence its deep foundations may extend far out 
into the sea. To the strange and often awe-struck 
traveler, viewing these gigantic walls from the river- 
high and lifted up almost to the clouds— in the mists 
of the morning, has come the oft-repeated question 
whether, in this apparent upheaval of nature, the land 
had not been desolated and laid waste beyond. Ex- 



cept a narrow strip along the edge of these far- 
reaching heights, and which even there is kindly 
covered nearly all the way with surface soil enough to 
crown the whole with trees and verdure, the country 
beyond is rolling land and valley and dell to the 
quiet Hackensack River, and presents an aspect of 
rare variety and beauty. Though the busy and in- 
dustrious hand of civilization has carved out many a 
pathway up those lofty heights from the water's edge, 
yet even to the sure-footed Indian the heights were 
almost insurmountable, so that the hostile tribes on 
the other shore of the great river rarely invaded this 
region, thus left to the undisturbed occupancy of the 
Lenni Lenape, the original race. At first the white 
man only went thither through Newark Ray from 
the south, and through Haverstraw from the north. 
The great continent beyond may have presented 
scenes of greater grandeur and more fertility of soil, 
but here nature was grand enough to gratify the most 
romantic, and the soil was rich enough to invite the 
practical industry of the early settlers. 

Early Settlements.— The ancestors of George 
Huyler, residing at Tenatly, were among the early 
settlers in that portion of Old Hackensack at present 
embraced in Palisade township. The present home- 
stead of Mr. Huyler, at Tenafly, was built and occu- 
pied by his grandfather, John Huyler. The land was 
formerly part of the forfeited estate of John Eckerson, 
and was sold for £1658, York money. John Huyler 
owned the premises in question to 1818, when it de- 
scended to his son Peter, who was born in 1780, and 
died in 1872, aged ninety-two. 

Samuel Demarest was one of the early settlers of 
Bergen County. He settled at Schraalenburgh, and 
purchased a large tract of land ; engaged in farming, 
and had several children, one of whom was Peter, 
who married and settled in what is now Harrington 
about 1700, and had two sons, — Samuel and John. 

Samuel married Margaret Brinkerhoof, and settled 
in Palisade township ; his children were Peter, 
Henry, Cornelius, Rulef, Maria, Anna. 

Peter was married twice : his first wife was a Miss 
Durie, second wife was Rachel Banta; his children 
were Margaret, Levine, Rachel, Ethel, and Samuel. 

Margaret married James Forrest, and settled in 
New York City, and had two sons. 

Levine married James Demarest, and settled at 
Schraalenburgh ; both dead. 

Rachel married Peter Cole, and located in Harring- 
ton township; both dead. 

Ethel married Daniel Christie, and located at River 
Edge ; had one daughter, Margaret, who married 
James Hering. 

Samuel married Rachel Cole, and resides in Pali- 
sade township. 

Henry married a Miss Tallman in 1785, and set- 
tled at Demarest, in Harrington township, and had 
one daughter, Margaret, who married Albert Voor- 
hees; and settled in Palisade township. 



282 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Cornelius married Jane Brinkerhoof, and resided at 
the old homestead until 1776, when he was killed by 
the British and Tories ; he had two sons, — Samuel and 
James. 

Samuel married a Miss Voorhees, and settled at 
Saddle River township ; his children were Nicholas 
Cornelius, and one daughter. 

James died a young man. 

Kulef married Maria Demarest, and settled adjacent 
to his father, and had two sons, — Samuel and .John R. 

Samuel married Klizabeth Zabriskie, and located at 
Demarest Station, Harrington township; his children 
were John Z., Rulef, Cornelia, .lolin S., Marin, Sam- 
uel S., Margaret, Catherine, Garret Z., Anna Eliza. 

John Z. died young. 

Rulef married Jane Hering, and located in Har- 
rington township; his children were Elizabctii Ann, 
Rachel, John F., Maria, James, Samuel R., .lereniiah, 
Kate, and Emma, 

Cornelia married Jacob C, Blauvelt, and moved to 
New York City. 

John S. married Margaret Bostwick, and moved to 
Long Island. 

Maria married Garret A. Lydeckcr, and resides at 
Englewood. 

Samuel S. married Rachel Voorhees, and resides in 
Palisade township. 

Margaret married .lohii .\. \':in Hiiskirk, of Har- 
rington township. 

Catherine married P. R. Haring, and resides in the 
township. 

Garret Z. married Margaret Zabriskie, and resides 
at Demarest. 

.\nna Eliza married Raljili Durio. and resides in 
the township. 

John R. married twice: his fii>t wife w:is Eva Ben- 
son, his second wife was Margaret Demarest; had 
five children, — Ralph, Maria, Susan, .John, ami Mar- 
garet. 

Maria married .loliii Haring, and resides in New 
York City. 

.Vnna married Samuel Cole, and moved to Engle- 
wood ; both dead. 

The premises were then inherited by his son George, 
except a |>ortion in the southern part, which descended 
to Henry Huyler. Huyler's Landing on the Hudson, 
also in this township, was formerly known as Lower 
('loster, and was the place at which the British cro.ssed 
the river on their raid to Fort Lee. 

The DemarcMt*! settled very early in the present 
township. In the ancestral line of the pr&scnt Hon. 
Ralph S. Demarest was Samuel, horn in 1724, and 
died March 14, 1«(»S. His children were Peter, Henry, 
Cornelius, Koelof >Liria, and .Vnn. Roelof, the father 
of the ]ireserit Kalpli, was born .\ug. 2.'!, IT.'iti, and 
died Sept. 4, 1M14. He wius a freeholder in the old 
township of Hackcnsack, ami a iMeml)er of the Leg- 
islature. 

•The Lozier family was settled here in the latter 



part of the seventeenth century. Daniel Lozier was 
I born in 1707, and died in 1792. 

The Zabriskies descended from the original ances- 
tor, who settled here in the seventeenth century ; have 
resided in this township ever since. 
Civil Organization. — The civil organization of 
I Palisade may be briefly stated as follows: It was at 
I first a part of the township of Hackensack, which 
, dates its corporate existence back to 1693 (see history 
of Hackensack township), and remained a part of that 
township til! its erection into a separate organization 
in 1871. 

Its first freeholder was Samuel D. Demarest, who 
I served continuously from 1871 to 1873, inclusive. 
Its first town clerk was John H. Anderson, and 
William S. Harris was elected justice of the peace. 
Mr. Anderson continued to serve as clerk of the town- 
ship in 1872 and 1873. 

The freeholders of the township are as follows to 
, and including 1880: Samuel D. Demarest, 1871-73, 
I 1875; John Westervelt, 1874; Samuel S. Demarest, 
' 1876-77; Geo. Foster, 1878-80. 

Town clerks, John H. Anderson, 1871-73 ; John H. 
Huyler, 1874; Charles O. Westervelt, 1875-77 ; Abram 
A. Tcrhune, 1878-7!). 

Justices of the peace, William S. Harris, 1871 ; 
Benjamin C. Smith, 1872; John R. Zabriskie, 1873; 
Cornelius S. Cooper, 1874; Benjamin I. Westervelt, 
1875-77; Jacob Y. Voorhis, 1878; Daniel D. Blau- 
velt, 1879. 

Collectors, John C. Banta, 1872-73; George Foster, 
1874-76; John H. Anderson, 1877-79; John R. Za- 
briskie, 1880. 

.\ssessors, Albert A. Terhune, 1872-74; John H. 
Huyler, 1875-77; .>^amuel E. Demarest, 1878-80. 

Places of Historical Interest.— Nearly the whole 
of the township is liistnrie in the events of the Revo- 
lution. We have already mentioned the landing of 
the British at Huyler's Landing, then called Lower 
Closter, in the raid upon Fort Lee. In 1776 it was a 
constant source of annoyance to the British that the 
rebels, as they called them, held Fort Lee, a com- 
maniling mililiiry post, which ren<lereii the niivigation 
of the Hudson almost impossible. Accordingly Lord 
Cornwallis crossed the river to Huyler's Landing from 
Spuyten Duyvil, a few miles farther south on the 
opposite shore. The force of the British general con- 
sisted of the First and Second Battalions of Light In- 
fantry, two companies of eha.sseurs, two battalions of 
British and two battalions of Hessian grenadiers, two 
battalions of guards, and the Thirty-third and Forty- 
second Regiments of the line. This occurred on the 
18th of November, 177t). Gen. Greene, while yet in 
be<l, heard of this movement. He immediately or- 
dered a retreat of his troops to English Neighbor- 
hood, now in RIdgefield township, and to River 
Edge, now in Palisade township. Immediately in- 
forming Gen. Washington of this retreat, who was at 
Hackensack, (Jen. Greene was met by the great com- 



PALISADE. 



28a 



mander at River Edge, then called New Bridge. 
There was no other crossing, except hy horse-boat, at 
Little Ferry, some five or six miles down the Hack- 
ensack. Having succeeded in reaching River Edge 
in safety. Gen. Greene returned to Fort Lee to bring 
up some three hundred stragglers and others ; and 
thus by this successful retreat three thousand Ameri- 
cans were saved all the disasters of surprise and cap- 
ture. Further details of this movement and its con- 
sequences arc given elsewhere in this history. The 
soil ofPalisade thus becomes memorable in the history 
of the Revolution. In those days it formed part of 
the border-land of strife and contention between those 
patriotic men who stood faithful to the cause of our 
country and those who wore faithless found. In the 
way of advancing and retreating armies, the inhabit- 
ants in this and the neighboring townships wore fre- 
quently exposed to havoc, starvation, and all the 
nameless disasters of war. 

Villages and Hamlets. — The villages and hamlets 
in this township arc Schraalenburgh, Cresskill, Tena- 
fly, Highwood, Borgen Fields, New Bridge, River 
Edge, Overton, New Milford, and Oradell, with 
Huyler's Landing on tlie Hudson. At the last census 
in 1880 the township had a population of 2302, of 
which Schraalenburgh had 507, Cresskill 33.3, Tenafly 
1019, Old and New Bridge 219, and Huyler's Land- 
ing 43. The population in 1875, the first separate 
census after the formation of the township, was 1925. 

It will be seen, therefore, that Tenafly is tlie largest 
village in the township. It derives its name from a 
Dutch word meaning " willow meadows," from the 
large quantities of willows found in the lowlands in 
the vicinity. The old Tenafly road, running from 
the present vill.age to Liberty Pole (modern Engle- 
wood), long years ago was used as a trotting-course, 
and was frequented for that purpose from far and 
near. The Northern Railroad passes through the vil- 
lage. It has a most beautiful and substantial depot, 
built at the joint expense of the people of the village 
and the railroad company. Very many of the resi- 
dences at Tenafly belong to business men in New 
York City. The Highwood House, a commodious 
hotel in its day, was destroyed by fire a few years 
since. There is also a splendid depot at this place, 
built at an expense of twelve thousand dollars, sur- 
rounded with a pleasant park, which forms a portion 
of the deiKit grounds. 

John Hull Browning, Judge Ashbel Green, John 
8. Lyle, of the large mercantile firm of Lord & Tay- 
lor, and many other business men in New York City 
■ have resorted to this place for their homes, and have 
given it much prominence. The streets are wide, 
and pass up the liills by easy grades, and the magnifi- 
cent views from (_)range Mountain in New Jersey to 
Orange County in New York are not surpassed by any 
of the views in all this delightful region. 

There are three churches here, — the Presbyterian, 
Rev. Clarence Geddes, pastor; the Episcopal, Rev. 



R. B. Hoyt, rector; and the Catholic, Father C. C. 
Cannon, pastor, — and a well-attended public school, 
and a large general store, and a sash and blind manu- 
factory. 

Cresskill, on a little stream full of cresses, is just 
opposite the northern boundary of New York City 
and the southern boundary of the city of Yonkers. 
This place has many beautiful residences. The Hill- 
side road, passing through the village to the little vil- 
lage of Alpine, affords a most pleasant and commo- 
dious thoroughfare between these two villages. Here 
are the Demarest Woolen-Mills and a Reformed and 
Baptist Church. 

The drive from the southern boundary of the town- 
ship to its northern, through Bergen Fields and Schraa- 
lenburgh, is most pleasant in summer-time, along a 
good road bordered with spacious farm-houses and 
the homes of many who have retired from cities. 

Schools. — " The first school-house in District No. 11 
(Sohraalenburgh) was built in the year 1800, and was 
located about seventy-five feet south of the jiresent 
building, on the corner of the road leading from Now 
Milford to Closter, now Creskill, opposite the North 
Schraalenburgh Church. It appears on the 15th day 
of April, 1800, Solomon Froeligh, Isaac Kipp, John 
Quackenbush, James D. Demarest, and William 
Westervelt were elected trustees of this school, in 
compliance with an act of the Legislature, passed at 
Trenton, Oct. 27, 1794, assuming the name and title 
' The Trustees of the School at Schraalenburgh.' 
The frame was brought from Col. Nicols' (now P. J. 
Durie's), where it had been in use some time already 
as a fulling-mill. . . . It was a two-story frame building, 
twenty-five by twenty-eight feet, pitched roof, having 
one room and hall on the first floor, and two rooms 
and a small hallway on the second floor. All the par- 
titions were of boards, and the ceiling was formed by 
the beams and floor overhead. It was destitute of 
paint on the inside, but was covered with a red or 
Spanish-brown color on the outside. It was furnished 
with desks on three sides of the room, facins the wall, 
with seats within this inclosure for the smaller chil- 
dren, the stove occupying the centre of the room, and 
the seats being made from slabs eight or twelve feet 
in length. The upper room was used for meetings 
and the holding of 'singing-school.' How this 
building was put up is not known, but it is supjiosed 
by subscription and the usual donations of labor and 
material. 

" Nicholas Kipp was the first teacher, but the 
branches he taught and his mode of teaching are not 
known. The next teacher was Garret Mangel, who 
taught spelling, reading, writing, and arithmetic, 
having seventy-two names on the roll. . . . Previous 
to the organization and building of this school in 
1800 another was in operation opposite the South 
Branch, but when it was organized or by whom taught 
is not known. 

"The present school building was erected in the 



284 



HISTOUV OF HHRGEN AND PASSAIC" COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



year 1841, and located about seventy-five feet north 
of the old building. It was origiiuiUy twenty-six by 
nineteen feet, two stories high, but in the year 1850 
an addition of twelve and a half feet was attached to 
thf rear, the upper floor taken out and the ceiling 
made fourteen feet, and otherwise remodeled. In the 
year 1858 another addition of twenty -six by twenty- 
eight feet wa-s attached, making it then L-sbaped, 
with a seating capacity of one hundred and twenty- 
five. May 1, 184!l, the district was regularly incor- 
porated under the existing laws, and assumed the 
name 'The Northern Seliool of Hackensack Town- 
ship.' During the first few years, up to 1826-27, the 
school was kept open seven hours a day and every 
alternate Saturday. It was maintained by rate-bills, 
the teacher taking the school and making out of it as 
much as he could, the trustees fixing the rates and 
the teacher assuming all risks. Two teachers have 
been employed in this school for a number of 
years. . . . 

"Tenafly District, No. 12, is one of recent forma- 
tion, and located in the village of Tenafly, having its 
territory dotted here and there witli palatial resi- 
dences. It is l)ounded on the north by No. 13, on the 
east by Hudson River, on the south by No. 8, and on 
the west by No. 11. The first school building erected 
in this district is the present one, but before this 
building was erected and district formed the old stone 
school at Liberty Pole was patronized by the school- 



was employed as principal, and Miss Libbie Deuel as 
assistant. The present (187(j) principal is William H. 
Storrs, having as his assistant Miss Maggie Terhuue. 
This school building is one of the best in the county, 
pleasantly located and capable of doing good work. 

"C'resskill District, No. 13, was formerly included 
in District No. 12, Old Hackensack township, known 
as ' Federal District.' The school-house, however, 
stood in Harrington township, on the farm of Samuel 
R. Demarest, now District No. 14. . . . This school 
was patronized until the year 1857, when the trustees 
made application to have the district divided. The 
application wa^ granted, and they proceeded according 
to law to organize the same. The trustees . . . pur- 
chased the lot of John B. Westervelt, Esq., corner of 
Madison Avenue and county road, near Cresskill 
Station. The contract was awarded to John Durie, 
and the house finished in a satisfactory manner. It 
was furnished with modern school furniture, and had 
a seating capacity for seventy-two pupils. The name 
of the first teacher I am unable to give. ... A 
number of teachers have been employed, both male 
and female, the major part giving general satisfaction. 

"The present teacher (1876i, Miss Ray Ward, is a 
lady of rcfineil habits, possessing the rctpiisito <|iiali- 
fications for the position, and is loved and resj'ecteil 
by all the pupils under her charge. She has occujiied 
the teacher's desk in this school six years, and taught 
the following branches, viz. : reading, writing, s[>cll- 



going community of this section. . . . One of the | ing, geography, grammar, arithmetic, algebra, his- 



trustees of the present district speaks very feelingly 
of his experience in those days, memory having 
cherished what time can only destroy. He says he 
was compelled to bring in bundles of good willow 
whips, to be dried by the teacher for future use upon 
his back, and then com|)cllcil to sit upon the ixift liile 
of a slab until he c(mld speak volumes. Sucli are 
his experiences as well lus those of many others. 

" In the year 1871, the old district being very large 
and this community growing very rapidly, this district 
was set ofl" by County Superintendent Cass, occujiying 
the territory as described above, Messrs. Cliarlcs 1*. 
Hucklcy, Ji«liti Westervelt, and Charles II. Clark 
being appointed trustees. After due authority being 
given the trustees by the inhabitants in meetings held 
for the purpose, the trustees purchased lots of Mr. 
Charles I'. Buckley, and erected the beautiful brick 
structure now used as their sclmol building. It is 
forty by sixty feet, comp<weil of brick, two stories 
high, with Mansard roof, and cellar underneath. It 
is furnished with all the modern improvements found 
in our schools, heated by a furnace, well ventilated, 
anil presenting a very attractive appearance. It cost 
eight thousand ilidlars, aixl has the sealing capacity 
for four hundred children. 

"When the district wiis first tirganized the .school 
was held over the store of Peter I. Westervelt, and 
continued there until the middle of October, 1872, 
when the new building was completed. MLss Angle 



tory, and <lrawing, all of which seem to prosper 
uuder her charge." 

There are three entire school districts in the town- 
ship, known as Nos. 11 and 12 and 13, with several 
others partly embraced in the surrounding townships. 
These three districts embrace an enumeration of 
nearly five liundre I children under the ;ige of eigh- 
teen. The surrouniling districts partly in this town- 
ship embrace (within the township), by estinuition, 
two hundred and fifty children. 

Churches. — Down to 1724 the Dutch Church in 
the village of Hackensack had exercised spirltinil 
supervision over nearly the svholeof the old township 
of Hackensack. Its pastors visited the remotest 
families, and occasionally preached in the old town- 
ship when a sufficient congregation could be gathered 
together. The people of Schraalenburgh had es- 
pecially looked to the old Church im the (ircen, and 
attended religious services there till 1724, when, or 
about that time, the Dutch Reformed Church of 
Schriuilenburgh was organized. The first church was 
erectt'd there in 1725, and the Rev. Reinhardt Erriek- 
son, or Krickson, then having pastoral charge of the 
church at Hackensack Village, also became the first 
I)a.stororthe church at Schraalenburgh. He continued 
pastdr of these churchc-s till 172S, when he was called 
to the Reformed Dutch t'hurch at fSchenectady. He 
was president of the first Coetus of ,\prll 27, 1738, 
and was again present at the Coetus in 1747. He had 



I 



PALISADE. 



285 



much ability, and was influential in the councils of 
the church. Towards the close of his life he became 
a victim to intemperance, and was excluded from the 
pulpit. The ecclesiastical body called the Coetus 
was composed of ministers and elders seeking and 
proposing a plan for the ordination of ministers in 
this country. There was much opposition to this 
plan, as we shall see hereafter. It was approved, 
however, by the Classis of Amsterdam in Holland ; 
but in 17.54 the Coetus of the previous year recom- 
mended a change into a Classis with full powers, 
when the opposition greatly increased, and the op- 
ponents were known as Conferentie. This dispute 
grew out of the differences of opinion, and of con- 
viction too, whether the church should not look to 
old Holland, as it had been accustomed to do almost 
without exception for its ministerial supply till 1737, 
or whether here, in the new land of America, with 
more fitness, their ministers might not be educated, 
ordained, and sent forth to their labors. The Rev. 
George Wilhelmus Mancius became Mr. Errickson's 
successor at Schraalenburgh by a call dated Dec. 23, 
1730, and commenced his labors there Sept. 19, 1731. 
He was followed by the Rev. Antonius Curtenius in 
1737, who continued pastor of both the churches at 
Hackensack and Schraalenburgh to 1748, when Rev. 
John Henry Goetschius became his colleague. Mr. 
Goetschius was the son of a German minister, and 
was born in Switzerland. He was a thorough Cal- 
vinist, a profound scholar, and a most able theolo- 
gian. 

It will be impossible for us here to enter into a full 
account of the many trials and perplexities which 
befell the churches at Schraalenburgh and Hacken- 
sack between the Coetus and Conferentie parties, and 
which led to much alienation and strife. In the his- 
tory of New Barbadoes township much of it will be 
found. 

Over such a controversy a Scotchman, looking on, 
would be prompted, and with no irreverence perhaps, 
to quote the lines of Robert Burns, — 

"Tlie twa beet herds in a' tbe wast 
That e'er ga'e gospel }iorn a blast 
These five and twenty sinimers past, 

0! dool to tell, 
Ha'e had a bitter, black oiitH^ast 
Atween thenisel'." 

Dr. Strong, in commenting on this unfortunate con- 
troversy, which continued till 1772, says, " So divided 
and embittered against each other were many on this 
subject that the different parties would not worship 
together, nor even speak to each other, and when 
meeting on the road would not turn out for each 
other." ' 

The recommendation that the Coetus be turned into 
a regular Classis in 1753 heightened the animosities 
of the contending parties, and resulted in two distinct 
church organizations in Schraalenburgh. The old 



19 



• Dr. Strong's History of Flatbush, p. 91. 



church called as their uext pastor, succeeding Mr. 
Goetschius, the Rev. Dirck, or Theodorick, Romeyn, 
who served from 1775 to 1784. He was licensed by 
the American Classis in 1766. He is represented as 
having not only been the first in his own church, but 
among the first in the church of America. 

The second church, formed about 1756, chose for its 
first pastor the Rev. John Schuyler. 

Dr. Solomon Froeligh succeeded Mr. Romeyn in 
the first church in 1786, and continued pastor till 
1822, when the secession or separation took place, 
resulting in the formation of an ecclesiastical body 
called " The True Reformed Dutch Church." The 
history of the organization of this church will be 
found in the history of the True Reformed Dutch 
Church in the history of the township of New Bar- 
badoes. Its second pastor in Schraalenburgh was Rev. 
Cornelius J. Blauvelt, from 1828 to 1852, and Rev. 
Eben S. Hammond from 1858 to 1862, and Rev. 
Abram A. Van Houten from 1862 to 1866, and Rev. 
Garret A. Harring from 1868 to the present time. 
Messrs. Erickson, Curtenius, and Goetschius, the 
predecessors of Mr. Schuyler, were also contempora- 
neously for the same periods his predecessors in the 
Church on the Green at Hackensack. In each church 
there followed Mr. Schuyler the Revs. Cornelius 
Blau from 1768 to 1771, Warmoldus Kuypers from 
1771 to 1797, and James V. C. Romeyn from 1799 to 
1833, and Isaac D. Cole from 1829 to 1832, only in 
the Schraalenburgh Church, and was succeeded there 
only by Rev. John Garretson, from 1833 to 1836, and 
Rev. Michael Osborne from 1837 to 1841, and Rev. 
Cornelius J. Blauvelt from 1842 to 1858, and Rev. 
William R. Gordon, D.D., from 1858 to 1880, and 
Rev. George Seibert from 1880 to the present time, 
1881, the present pastor. 

The following record explains itself and affords a 
complete history of the stately and most beautiful 
old North Church at Schraalenburgh. 

At a meeting of the consistory at Schraalenburgh, 
held Sept. 6, 1800, the following minute was made: 
After having made repeated applications to Rev. Mr. 
Froeligh for becoming partakers or sharers in the 
new church building at Schraalenburgh, and having 
offered to pay an equal half of the expenses incurred 
in building, provided they might enjoy equal privi- 
leges with Mr. Froeligh's congregation, and having 
met with a refusal, finding themselves necessitated to 
commence the building of a new church, the old one 
being unfit for use; Resolved, that the congregation 
signify their wish relative to the site by signing, and 
that the place for which the majority sign shall be 
the place on which the church shall stand. The con- 
sistory to call on all the subscribers to the (pastor's) 
call between this and the 13th instant, at which time 
they will meet and count the votes and determine. 

On the 13th they met and counted the votes, and 
found that for Schraalenburgh, at Maj. Isaac Kipp's, 
there were ninety-one votes ; for the flats, on land of 



286 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Col. Isaac Nicoll, fifty-nine votes, there thus being 
thirty-two vot&s majority for tl\e former site. There- 
upon the consistory immediately repaired to the spot 
chosen and marked out the ground where the church 
should stand. On the ensuing Wednesday the con- 
gregation met and the following plan for building was 
adopted : Whereiis, the congregation of Scliraalen- 
burgh, in the county of Bergen, under the cure of 
Rev. J. V. C. Romeyn, labors under great incouveui- 
ence in holding public worship, owing to the decayed 
state of the old church ; and whereas, they have 
made repeated applications and equitable offers to 
Rev. Solomon Froeligh and his consistory for being 
admitted as sharers in the new church lately built by 
the congregation under his care, and having met with 
a peremptory refusal ; and whereas, they find it their 
duty, and are prompted by a pious inclination, U> 
build an house for God, they have determined, by and 
with the advice of the consistory, to proceed witli 
the building thereof in the following manner and 
according to the following plan, viz. : 

1. Specifies the spot on which to build. 

2. Dimensions to be sixty feet long and fifty-two 
feet wide. 

3. Albert Bogert, Johannes Van Wagenin, Abra- 
ham Demarest, Nicausey Voorhees to be trustees, to 
whom the title to the same shall be conveyed, to be 
by said trustees, wiienever required by the consistory, 
conveyed to said consistory and their successors in 
office. 

4. TTioHe who vote for the spot chosen shall pay/or the 
glebe. 

5. Six managers were chosen as a building com- , 
niittee, viz. : .Jacob Quackcnbush, Isaac Kipp, .John 
Demarest, Nicausey Voorhees, Karel Debaun, Peter | 
P. Demarest, and Johannes Blauvelt. 

6. Persons choosing to deliver at the spot any 
necessary materials, such materials to be placed to his 
credit, same lus money. Kvory sutficient load of stone, 
three shillings and sixpence alloweil. For timber, , 
current market price at any landing-place from Old ] 
Bridge to Hackensack. 

7. When the churcli shall be completed, seats to be I 
Hold to the highest bidder at pul)lic vendue. 

The work wim urged on rapiilly to completion, and 
the noble edifice, with its tower and very lofty steeple, 
is a monument of the spirit and encrgj' of the people , 
who reared it. It« internal arrangement, with three 
appropriate galleries; its beautiful though anti(|Ue 
pulpit, with overhanging siiunding-boanl, laslcl'ully 
ornamented with a gilded sun, was ever admired, not 
only for its commanding site, but for the liberality by 
which it was reared. When it was completed the sales 
of the pews furnished the money to pay the entire cost 
of the church and this congregation's half of the par- 
sonage premises in Hackensack, thi' expense of the 
two being t4i this congregation between thirteen and 
fourteen thousand dollars. 

Such ia the record to which we have referred of this 



old church, now approaching a century since its 
erection. The writer of this article climbed up a few- 
days since to decipher the inscription over the front 
entrance of this edifice, some twenty feet from the 
ground. Time and storms beatiug upon it have al- 
most obliterated the inscription. Its faithful guardi- 
ans would do well to have tlu- words in the good old 
language of Holland reinscribed upon the tablet. 

The exact inscription over the apex of the door- 
way, the main entrance to the church, are the letters 
" D. B.," and then the letters within a border in the 
shape of a keystone, — 

I. D. D. 

and then follows the inscription on the tablet-shaped 
stone, as follows: 

Jfiagtit dc vreode na met alien. 

Den KtHirden Kcrke te Schraa- 

lenburgh, Geboud In liet yaar 

18U1 ; Aan alle plattac daar 

Ik mynen naniB C'edachlenisM 

Stichten Sal, Sal Ik tot u 

Komcn endo Sal u Segeuen. 

Exud. 20: 24. 

This inscription, when translated, reads as follows: 

" Let i)eace come quickly «|Kni all. 

"The North Church hi SchraaleuhurKh, huilt in the year 1801. 

" In all places, where I nt>' name aliall establish for a retncmbrmncef 
there Hhall I Ci>uie to thee and eliall bleas thee."— ExoduB, HAb chapter 
and 24th verse. 

This inscription is in the old but most sonorous and 
beautiful language of Holland, much changed in 
spelling at least from the language of to-day, and 
looks quite as quaint as our old mode of spelling 
English. Vreede is now spelled vredc, and alien is 
alle, and sal is zal, and pronounced as if it were tsal, 
for our word shall. 

The first part of the inscription, an invocation for 
peace, refers to the old strife to which we have al- 
luded, and which hail made the builders of this new 
house of (iod long after " de vreede," that peace vrliich 
passcth all understanding. 

The church to-day presents the same fair and beau- 
tiful exterior as when erectetl. Time has not wasted 
nor blasted any of its stately ])roportions, but the old 
pulpit was removed long years since, anil replaced by 
a more modern one, through the liberality of Mr. Jas- 
per Demarest, in 184.S. 

About the time of the erection of the diurcli gnmnd 
was also procured, and a comfortable parsonage erected 
thereon. Thus Mr. Romeyn, the pastor, was comfort- 
ably furnished with a dwelling and sanctuary. For 
many years this faithful and elficicnt pif<ti>r served his 
Master, linding ptaicc within the walls of the sanctuary 
and prosperity within the homes of his people. Dr. 
Froeligh had also built a new church, and thus the 
old church, where they had worshiped when they 
were one and a united people, became a subject of 
controversy. Mr. Homey n's people were the last to 
leave the old edifice, and when they went to their 
new church they notified Mr. Frocligh's people in 



I 



PALISADE. 



287 



writing in December, 1801, that the old structure had 
so far gone to decay that they liad taken the Bibles 
and collection-bags out of it for preservation until 
division could be made. 

Having understood that on the L'.">th of June, 1801, 
Mr. Froeligh's people had determined to pull down 
the old church, Mr. Romeyn's people addressed them 
a letter, claiming an equal share in the property, and 
that they desist from further demolition till an agree- 
ment for division could be made. In December fol- 
lowing the work of taking down the old church 
began, when another protest and request for division 
came from Mr. Romeyn's people. An account of 
these and other unhappy differences will be found in 
the history of the old Hackensack Church.' 

The history of the secession from the Reformed 
Dutch Church, or of the "Church of the Seceders," 
as it was denominated by the adherents of the old 
church, or "The True Reformed Dutch Church," as 
it was and is called by its members, cannot be more 
accurately or fairly stated than by giving in detail 
all the facts and circumstances which led to that 
event. 

Dr. Froeligh, in his manuscript autobiography, on 
page 27 of a publication entitled "The Lamentation 
of Rev. C. T. Demarest over Dr. Froeligh," says, 
" During my administration here I have been gener- 
ally engaged, in conjunction with several brethren, 
both ministers and lay members.inopposingdangerous 
innovations, both in discipline and doctrine, that were 
toosuccessfuUybreakingintoourchurch,but with little 
success, until, in consequence of the prevalence of the 
Hopkinsian heresy, we were reduced to the alternative 
either of tamely submitting or separating, when, in Oc- 
tober, 1822, four ministers besides myself, and seven 
congregations, with their consistories, formed ourselves 
into a separate body by the name and title of 'The 
True Reformed Dutch Church in America,' adopting 
all the doctrines and standards established and ratified 
in the Synod of Dort, Annis 1618-19, without the least 
alteration. Since our formation we have increased to 
the number of twelve ministers and twenty congrega- 
tions." Then Mr. Demarest says, " Dr. Froeligh had 
long labored to promote sound doctrine, pure ordi- 
nances, and correct discipline in the Reformed Dutch 
Church, but toiled without success. When the Gen- 
eral Synod was in session, June, 1822, he informed a 
few friends at the house of Mr. James Forrester that 
he intended to make one more edbrt, and if that failed 
he had done with the General Synod forever. He 
meant next morning to move 'that a convention be 
called to determine what was and what was not the 
true doctrine of the Reformed Dutch Church.' The 
motion was rejected. After his return home the doctor 
assembled the consistories and leading members of his 
congregations, and proposed to them ' whether they 
were willing with him to separate from the corrupt 



1 Township of New Barbadoes. 



judicatories of the Dutch Church.' Thirty-seven voted 
for the measure and thirty-seven against it ; these 
latter were not opposed to the thing, but thought that 
matters were not yet ripe for such a step. The doctor 
betook himself to fasting and prayer, and, as he re- 
lated to his aged friend, Mr. Jacobus Brinkerhoff, of 
Pollifly, it was impressed on his mind that his churches 
would yet go with him. In this state matters con- 
tinued for a little while. At length a meeting of both 
consistories was called at the house of Cornelius Ter- 
hune, near Hackensack, at which joint and full meet- 
ing the measure of separation was unanimously adop- 
ted." 

The doctor went to the north to ascertain whether 
the ministers and churches who had separated from 
the corrupt Classis of Montgomery would unite with 
him and his consistories in lifting up a banner for the 
truth. They consented, came to Schraalenburgh, and 
the cause of separation for corruption and corrupt ju- 
dications was happily consummated in October, 1822. 
This action on the part of Dr. Froeligh and his coad- 
jutors led to the events in the General Synod of the 
Reformed Dutch Church at Albany in 1823, where 
was formed an appeal from the Rev. James V. C. 
Romeyn, and a memorial from the congregation of 
Schraalenburgh on the subject of their secession. Mr. 
Romeyn's appeal related to the trial of Dr. Froeligh, 
on charges preferred against him before the Classis of 
Paramus, but the appeal was withdrawn at the re- 
quest of Mr. Romeyn, for the reason that the purpose 
of the appeal could be reached in another way. The 
memorial with others were referred to a committee 
consisting of Revs. Philip Duryee, Peter Labagh, and 
Samuel Van Vranken and I]lders J. R. Hardenbergh 
and Abraham Van Vechten. Then appeared upon 
the table of the Synod a pamphlet, stating "reasons 
assigned by a number of ministers, elders, and dea- 
cons for declaring themselves the True Reformed 
Dutch Church in the United States of America," dated 
at Schraalenburgh, Oct. 25, 1822, signed by Abraham 
Brokaw, minister; Abraham "Wortman, elder from 
the congregation of Ovid ; Sylvanus Palmer, minister ; 
Peter Vosburgh, deacon from the congregation of 
Union ; John C. Tol, minister from the congregation 
of Middletown ; Hugh Mitchell, elder from the con- 
gregation of Westerloand Middletown, in Canajoha- 
rie; Henry V. Wyckoff, minister; Henry Few, elder 
from Second Church of Charlestown ; Solomon Froe- 
ligh, minister; Simon Demarest, elder of Hacken- 
sack and Schraalenburgh ; Peter D. Demarest, Albert 
Brinkerhoof, William Christie, Henry N.Van Voorhis, 
Benjamin Westervelt, John Terhune, elders ; Henry 
W. Banta, Richard Scott, Caspaurus J. Zabriskie, 
John J. Van Buskirk, David Kipp, Samuel S. De- 
marest, Richard Berdan, David B. Demarest, dea- 
cons. 

This pamphlet was referred to the same committee, 
and their report thereon made and adopted is as fol- 
lows : 



288 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



"Among other things tliat the pamphlet referred to thecommlttoe 
with the uanic of R^'v. Dr. Froeligh theroto subecrihod report, — 

"That the R^v. Dr. Froeligh, hb a I'rofowkir of Theology in the Dutch 
Church, in directly accountable to the General Synod for niiabehavlor ; 
that it nppt* ars hy the printed pamphlet referred to your cunimlttoe with 
the named uf Dr. Froeligh and othora affixed thereto, and which they 
have caused to Iw piihllnhed. 

" 1. That Dr. Froeligh tliereby a%'ow8 liiDuelf as a aeceder from the Re- 
formed Dutch Cbarch, under whose authority be holds his ofllco of pro- 
feMor. 

"2. That he by t)ie same pamphlet implicated the constituted author- 
ities of the church in tlio aeriouH charges of disregard to Chriutian tllscl- 
pline, of pnjMtituting the sacrnmentit by an indistrlminate administra- 
tion of thorn, and of sanctioning or winking at unsound doctrines, and 
chorisbiug the promulgiitont thereof. 

"3. Tliat Iw, in the snid pamphlet, has united with several de]>OBed 
ministertt of the said churcti to declare thenuelveM the True Reformed 
Dutch riturch, in contempt of the ecclestiaetical authority of the said 
church, as established by the constitution and rules thereof. 

"4. That the object and tendency of said pamphlet itt to excite and 
promote schisms and dissensions in the said church and the congrega- 
tions thereto iM-longing. 

"That the foregoing acts of the Rev. Dr. Froeligh are direct violations 
of the duties of his office of professor, siibvon*iTe of [leace and good 
order, and calculated to excite and spread a spirit of iiisulHirdination in 
the church, and to create contempt of, and resistance to, tlio regular and 
orderly admiiiistratiuii of the government thereof. 

'* Your committee are therefore of tlie opiuion that the Rev. Dr. Froe- 
ligh should bo citod, without delay, to ajipeur nnd tmswer to the charges 
above detailed before the Synod. 

"Your committee further re[>ort that, by reiiMon of the pi-ess of synod- 
leal business, your cummittco have not been able to projiare a detailed 
report on the memnriats and papers above referred to. Their general 
tenor represuntii divers acts of the Rev. Dr. Froeligh and his consiBtory 
as grievous to the memorinlifltH, and tliat they have nought redroiss in the 
constitutional modes prescribed in such cases; but that Die sjiid consist* 
ory and the Classis of Paniuins, to which tliey belong, either neglect or 
refuse to act upon the nieniorialists' complaints. Ttiat since ttie secession 
of Dr. Froeligh from the Keformod Dutcli Church a large proportion of 
his c<.>ngregatioii remain faitlifnl to their duty, who, in consetptence of 
the adherence of the consistory to the doctor, are unable to atlopt any 
measures to secure the property of their church and to free tliomselves 
from the dominion of the said consistory. That the memorialists, for 
the rciumns above stated, have presented the itaid nieniorlalt to the Par- 
ticular Synod of Now York, who have referred tlie same for advice to 
this Synod. The object which they wish to obtain appears to be to have 
tlie Bald consistory deposed and a now election ordered, with a direction 
to the Clossls of Paramus to ordain such new consistory or cjiuse tlio 
aanio to bo ordained. 

"Your committee, considering the importance and delicacy of the 
CMMv, Ik<k b-ave to submit tlie sumo to ttio Syu'Hl for their decision, with- 
out expri>«|ng miy opinion thereon. All of which is respectfully suli- 
milted. 



(Signed) 



' Philip Dukyba, Chaimtan.'* 



It will thus be seoii IVoiu these documents that Dr. 
Kroelijrh and his lollowers declared tlie adherents of 
tltc Kefornied Dutcli Church to have been deserters 
of some, at least, of the essential articles of faith as 
laid down at Donlrecht; and that thcv, in return, dc- 
rlan-d their acru.-*crs to havi? Hered<;d i'ntm tht- estab- 
Jished chnrrh. 'I'Ih- Synod cited the doctor, and he not 
coining;, cited him aj^ain. Fror>f' was fiirnislu'd to the 
8ynod that the doctor had been personally served, 
had read the citation, and said " lie should not reply 
to it." If he was none of them, of course he would 
not obey their mandates. As the tribunal could not 
onforcc hi^ atti'ndance, nothing was left to it but to 
|ir(»cred to try him a.s a recusant. In a preamble and 
resolutions the Synod declaretl, — 
That by reason of his refusal, and from what ap 



• peared in the pamphlet, that they adjudged him 
guilty as charged. 

That Dr. Froeligh be removed from the otfice of 
professor, and be suspended from the ministry of the 
gospel until he shall repent, with full submission, to 

, the authority of the Reformed Dutch Church. 

That the clerk inform Dr. Froeligh and his con- 
gregation, and 

I That the Classis of Paramus be directed to depose 
the consistory of Dr. Froeligh from office, and to or- 
ganize a new consistory in the late congregation of 

i Dr. Froeligh. 

j Against this action Cornelius C. Cooper and Corne- 

I lius Myers protested, and appealed to the General 

' Synod. 

The whole matter then was referred to a committee, 
consisting of such able men in the church its Rev. 
Dr. Milledoler, Rev. Messrs. Schoonmaker and Cuyler, 
and the elders, Messrs. Frelinghuysen and Rutgers. 

, Rev. Dr. Cannon and Mr. Field and tlie elder, Mr. 

' J. R. Bleeker, were afterwards added to the commit- 
tee. This committee report on the appeal of Messrs. 
Cooper and Myers as follows : 

"That after careful considemtion of the case they rec<immend to the 
I General Synod the adoption of the following resolutions: 

" 1. Uau)tvtit, That although the conduct of the Claasls of Paramus In 
not complying with the iivjunctlon of Cieueral Synod in this case can 
never be justified as a general principle, yt iluit peeiilinritied have ex- 
isted in the case which convince this Synod that Ihey liave not acted iu 
the premise-^ from a spirit of insubordinutiun, but from a sincere desire 
to promote the best interests of the cliurches nndt>r their ciire. 

*'*J. /{fAotrfd, T\mt the apiK-al of Meitsrs. Coo|Htr und Myers from the 
decision of tlie Clax.iiH of Paramus bo, and hi-reltv is, su->t«ino<l. 

*''.\. Itrwlrtit, Tliat this Syin»d, anxiou^ly desiroiis to remove out of the 
way evetythlng opiioseil to peace and godlilte^s in the churches of that 
region, and if possible restore to tlicin harmony and goinl onler, will ap- 
point a commission t^i visit said churches for the above purpose, confer 
with the Classis of Puramu!*, and, if found necessary and pructicuble, 
urdalu new consistories. 
"4. ItfmU'fil, That tlieCtaasisof Paramtis he required to meet at Hack- 
' ensack on the first Tuesday of .Inly next (I8'J4\ at ten o'clock a.m., to 

confer with sticli conmiiision as <ieneral Synod stinll apiKtlnt. 
' "6. Itefolvcd, Tliat the Kev. Drs. Philip Miiledoier. James S. Cannon, 
and John Knox and the Kev. Messrs. Thomns De Witt, Jacob Sickles, 
I Jesse Fonda, (^melius ('. Cuyler, Jolin Tudlow, Jacob SctitH>n maker, 
Cornelius D. WesbnMik, and David S. Itognrt, and the eldera, SleMra. 
' AbrahamVan Nest, Jacob R. Ilanlenburgh, Iwuic Myer, JiunosC. Roose- 
i velt, John Frelinghuysen, and Henry Rutgers, compo«c said comnits* 
slon. 
"Respectfully submllled, 

(Signed) " P. MiLLKDOLRR, Chairman. 

I ** Keaolvcil, Thai the chairman of the commiltei< ap|)ointe<l by the 
ailoptlon of the above reitorl l>o directed to preach at the time of the 
meeting of said commlllee with the Clawiis of I'nramus, and that the 
Rev. David S. Ikignrt l<e his si-cundus. 

" It«»'>hrd, That the dlate*! clerk l>e directed to n-'tify the members of 
the comtniltue not iitiw n]Hin the fi<N>r of Synod of their «ip|>oliitm<>nt, 
and alao to notify the Cloanii of Paramus of the apiwlntment of such 
, cnmmitt*-o, and of the time of tti'dr meeting. 

" HtMtlvrd, That the state^l rlerk tmnsmit a aipy of the preceding re- 
ptirt to the consistorirs of llackenftack and Schraab>nhurgh. 

" Hf*olrctl,TUni any five of the comnilmlon np|Milnted to meet with 
the CIiumIh of Panimus, regularly lonvened, shall be a <|iiorum for Uie 
trannacllon of buslneas." 

This committee wii-s evidently chosen with great 
care. It endiraced some of the ablest and most in- 
fluential men in the church in 1824, men who could 



PALISADE. 



289 



be safely endowed with earthly power, since they 
were endued with power from on high. Milledoler 
knew how to prevail with God and to persuade men. 
Cannon had been a student under Dr. Froeligh, and 
in his short, pithy, and pointed sentences had often 
shown how well he had learned from his master, John 
Knox; coming down from a Scotch Presbyterian 
ance.stry harmonized so much of good in his own 
character that he has justly been called " A messen- 
ger of grace to guilty men." Thomas De Witt was 
one of those unquestionably great men, who always 
seem to travel the world so safely and securely in the 
wisdom and in the depth of the greatness of their 
understanding. Sickles, another student of Froeligh, 
preached the gospel every day and every hour of his 
life. The eloquent Fonda was then only thirty-eight, 
and died at forty-one, renowned for his piety and 
power in winning men. Cuyler was able and zealous, 
but only in a good cause. Ludlow was a strong man 
in learning and in faith, on whom public burdens 
might safely rest. Schoonmaker, Westbrook, and Bo- 
gart, though all unlike, were all influential and able 
ministers. The lay members of this commission, too, 
were wise in counsel, and capable of discriminating 
and advising in great and difiicnlt affairs. 

The Classis met this synodical commission at the 
Church on the Green, in Hackensack, on the 6th of 
July, and Milledoler preached to them from the words 
(1 Cor. i. 10) : " Now I beseech you, brethren, by the 
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the 
same thing, and that there be no divisions among 
you ; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the 
same mind and in the same judgment." And after 
that came " an address of the commi.ssion of General 
Synod to the ministers, officers, and other members 
of the Reformed Dutch Church, and especially to the 
ministers and churches of the Secession," printed and 
circulated. Milledoler and Knox and Van Nest had 
signed it as a sub-committee. In this address the 
committee, in alluding to Dr. Froeligh, express sor- 
row in recognizing at the head of the secession " a 
minister of the gospel, venerable for his years and 
standing, — one in whom the church had formerly 
reposed high confidence, and to whom, under God, 
she was rather entitled to look up as her counselor 
and her defender than to contemplate as her accuser 
and judge;" and further on they say, "With this 
gentleman were associated several ministers not in 
good standing, being then under sentence of deposi- 
tion from the sacred office ;" and in relation to the 
pamphlet they say, " the object of which was to state 
and to justify the reasons for their secession, and 
while they admit the definition of a true church, as 
stated in the pamphlet, recognizing Jesus Christ as 
the only head of the church, they refute the doctrine 
of ' absolute perfection as an additional mark of the 
true Church of God,' as indicating both ignorance 
and presumption, and if these conditions were to be 
strictly applied not a single true Church of Jesus 



Christ on earth could be found." Then the report 

seeks to show that the secession is apostasy by a de- 
parture of that Ijody from its adopted standards, say- 
ing, " We now turn to a statement of melancholy 
facts in relation to the judications of that body, from 
which it will be seen that it has lost its soundness 
for doctrine and become deeply tainted with error." 
Then, as to the charges made against the church in 
the pamphlet, the committee say they find them 
" intermingled and entangled with other matters in 
deep confusion." The first adduced is the case of 

Rev. Conrad Ten Eyck. Mr. T has been charged 

with being an advocate of general atonement. The 
case was tried by the Classis of Montgomery, and 
eventually came before General Synod in 1820. The 

opinions of Mr. T , as expressed i/i. his pamphlet, 

were decided disapproved and condemned, and he 
received their public reproof But from his explana- 
tion that, though the atonement of Christ was in 
itself of infinite value, yet that he died savingly only 
for the elect, and as from other expressions, and his 
whole deportment on that occasion. Synod had reason 
to believe he was conscious of having acted unad- 
visedly and imprudently, they did judge there wa.s 
not sufficient ground for his suspension. 

But we must desist from further remarks here as to 
the details of this controversy, referring the reader to 
the account of this transaction to be found in the 
history of New Barbadoes, elsewhere in this history. 
Suffice it to say, the churches, the Old Reformed and 
the True Reformed, separated from each other, and 
have not yet come together again. When they shall 
eagerly and anxiously look, from both sides, to be 
perfectly joined together in the same mind and in 
the same judgment, then the breach may be healed. 
Time certainly is not widening the separation, and 
their differences may yet all be lost amid those 
ecstasies when God shall come to bring all heaven 
before their eyes. 

The old South Church, belonging to the True 
Reformed Dutch Society, is situated about one mile 
south of the North Church, and about two miles 
east of the Hackensack River. It stands on an 
elevation, commanding a pleasant view of the sur- 
rounding country. Just a little east of the church, 
on the opposite side of the road, stands a most com- 
modious and pleasant and well-built parsonage, con- 
structed of brick, two stories in height, with a spa- 
cious wing of one story at the southern end of the 
main building. The church edifice is built of stone, 
with a spacious square tower running from the front 
foundations above the apex of the roof, and sur- 
mounted with a spire, bearing the old-fashioned 
Dutch weather-cock as a vane. This represents the 
cock that crew thrice before the betrayal of our Sa- 
viour. 

Over the front entrance to the church is a brown- 
stone tablet, in the shape of an oblong square, bearing 
this inscription, thus : 



290 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



■ let 

Uuy:i de« Ue«ren 

Geboudt en den jaure 1799 

lal Saai. chap. VII vs 12 

Ebenliaeze«r tot bier toe haeft 

ons de Heere Oeboliten. 

Psalm LXXXIV Vr 2. 

UollieAyk zym iiwe riouiiingeii Heere 

Rebuilt A.l>. 

1866 

This inscription translated reads as follows: 

"Tbis house waa built liere in 1799. Ist Samuel, chapter vii. verse 12. 
Ebeuezer, Hitherto hath the I.ortl helped us. Psalm Ixxxiy. verse 1. 
How amiable are thy tabernacles. O Lord of boats : Rebuilt in the year 
of our Lord 1866." 

The word Ehenezer in the Hebrew means a stone of 
help. As when Samuel said, "This is the monu- 
ment which I have erected as a token of that di- 
vine aid which God has given me in my battle 
against the Philistines," so if this memorial-stone 
over the door of the South Church is a monument 
of the triumph of its members over sin, it is well. 

A well-kept and spacious cemetery around the 
church bespeaks the care with which the living 
guard the resting-places of their beloved dead. The 
other churches in this township have been organized 
at a much later period than the churches at Schraaleu- i 
burgh, and have been mentioned in giving the history 
of tlieir localities. 

Rev. Geok(;e Seiukrt.— The subject of this bio- 
graphical sketch is the son of John and Barbara 
Heffler Seibert, and was born in Frankenfeldt Land- 
kereight, New Stadt Anderich, Germany, .Tan. 24, 
1839. He came in early life with his parent-s to 
America, and located in Hudson County, N. J., where 
his studies were pursued. During the year 1858 he 
entered the grammar department of Rutgers College, 
New Brunswick, N. J., and a year later began his 
college course, whicii continued for a period of two 
years, after which, on May 28, 18(;i, he enlisted in 
Company G, N. J. V. I., during the late civil war. 

Mr. Seibert served with credit in the battles of the 
Wilderness, at Bull Run, and West Point, having 
been discharged from .service on the 15th of January, 
18(i3, on account of disability. His leisure time was 
spent in study, and the completion of his college 
course, which enabled him to graduate in June, 
1862, when he received the degrees of A.B. and 
A.M. In the fall of 1864 he entered the theological 
seminary at New Brunswick, N. .1., from whicli he 
graduated in 1866, and wius ordained and licensed to 
|>reach by the Classis of Monmouth County, N. J., 
.Viigiist 12th of the same year. Mr. Seibert was at 
this time installeil as pastor of tlie Reformed Dutch 
Church of Middletf>wn, N. J., and continued in that 
relation until 1873, when he accepted the appoint- 
ment by the Board of Domestic Missions to occupy 
the field at Havana, III., and began his labors in 
April of that year. He was married .luiic 2o, 18()6, 
to Miss Mary F., daughter of William C. and Han- 
nah Qurnee, of New York City. Their children are 



George G., Edward T., Henry P., Frank A., and 
their adopted daughter Jennie. Mr. Seibert con- 
tinued to labor with success at Havana until 188(1, 
when in October of that year he accepted a call to 





the North Reformed (Dutch) Church of Schraaleu- 
burgh, N. J., when he w:js installed by a committee 
of Classis during the same month, and is now ac- 
tively engaged in ministerial labor. 

Mr. Seibert is a charter member of the Grand 
Lodge of Illinois, Knights of Honor, and Grand 
Chaplain of this organization. 

Rev. Garret A. H.\Rix<i.— The Haring family are 
of Holland extraction, the great-grandfather of the 
subject of this biographical sketch having been 
Abram, whose birth occurred May 18, 1755, and 
who settled in Tappan, now the township of Harring- 
ton. Here he followed agricultural pursuits, and mar- 
ried Elizabeth Itlauvelt, of Bergen County, to whom 
one son was born, the date of his birth being March 
22, 1781. He chose Raniapo, Rockland Co., N. Y., 
as a residence, where he was both farmer and miller. 
He was, on the Uth of February. 18112, united in mar- 
riage to Miss Maria Smith, of the same township, ami 
became the parent of two children, — .\bram G. and a 
daughter, Hetty, who became Mrs. Albert J. Ter- 
hune. The death of Garret A. occurred Dec. 12, 
1869. His son, Abrani G., whose birth occurred 
July 16, 1803, on the homestead, engageil in agricul- 
tural employments, having succeeded his father in 
the ownership of the family estate. He married 



PALISADE. 



291 



Charity Johnson, of the township of Ramapo, and 
had two sons, — Garret A. and Jolin J. Haring. The 
death of Mr. Haring occurred March 12, 1864. His 
son, Garret A., the subject of this biography, was born 




in Rockland County, N. Y., Nov. 18, 1829, where his 
early life was spent in acquiring the rudiments of an 
education. He at a later period followed business 
pursuits, and was united in marriage, Jan. 1, 1851, to 
Miss Lavinia Van Houten, of Ramapo. Their chil- 
dren are three daughters, — Melissa, fallen Hester, and 
Naomi. Mr. Haring began the study of theology 
while a resident of Rockland County, and in 1868, 
six months after his examination, received a call to 
the True Reformed Church of Schraalenburgh, which 
he accepted, and where he has since labored with sig- 
nal success. The church under his pastorate has been 
both progressive and prosperous. Mr. Haring, in his 
political predilections, is a Democrat, and advocates 
the principles of the Democratic platform. 

Tenafly Presbyterian Church. It was in the win- 
ter of 1863 and 1864 that the Hon. Ashbel Green, in 
a conversation with the Rev. Thomas G. Wall, sug- 
gested to him that a Presbyterian Church in the vicin- 
ity of Tenafly would be desirable, and on considera- 
tion that Rev. Mr. Wall would undertake the enter- 
prise of establishing a church, Mr. Green generously 
offered to erect at his own expense a temporary build- 
ing for religious purposes. 

The proposal was accepted, and Mr. Wall removed 
from Princeton, N. J., where he was then residing, 



and necessary preparations were made for the erection 
of a church in the spring of 1864, the location being 
on the east side of the railroad, a short distance south 
of Clinton Avenue, and on August 6th of the same 
year it was completed and opened for religious wor- 
ship. At a meeting of the Second Presbytery of New 
York City, held at Tenafly, Nov. 21, 1865, a petition 
was presented by sixteen persons, requesting to form 
themselves into a Presbyterian body. The petition 
being granted, the church was organized under the 
name of Tenafly Presbyterian Church. Robert 
Halley and E. S. Saxton were chosen elders, and 
Rev. Thomas G. Wall was invited to act as stated 
supply. The sixteen who petitioned to be formed 
into one body as members were Mrs. Louisa B. 
Green, Robert Halley, Mrs. R. Halley, Mrs. Anna 
H. Martin, E. S. Saxton, Mrs. E. S. Saxton, Mrs. 
Anna F. Shanburgher, Miss Sarah S. Saxton, Miss 
Mary S. Saxton, Miss Martha F. Saxton, Mrs. Sarah 
H. Wall, William K. Fowler, Mrs. William K. Fow- 
ler, Miss Sarah B. McCulloch, Miss Eleanor McCul- 
loch, William Halley. 

Services were held in the little chapel until Sept. 
27, 1865, when it was destroyed by fire, and without 
delay steps were taken to erect a new and larger edi- 
fice, which was commenced in the spring of 1866, 
and was dedicated May 12, 1S67. This church is of 
stone, and was built at a cost of fifteen thousand dol- 
lars, and is located on Magnolia Avenue, between 
Highwood and Hillside Avenues. Rev. Mr. Wall 
was succeeded by Rev. Clarence Geddes, May 7, 1873, 
who resigned in May, 1881, and Rev. Richard Bent- 
ley, the present pastor, was installed Jan. 19, 1882. 

The present elders are C. J. Jacobus, B. F. Pond, 
Robert J. Waddell, J. J. Harring ; trustees, H. B. 
Palmer, A. G. Demarest, A. Z. Boyd. 

In the spring of 1873 a Catholic Church was organ- 
ized at Tenafly, Palisade township, by Rev. Jo.seph 
Paganini, with three hundred and fifty members. 
Services were first held in an old unoccupied build- 
ing for a period of about six months, when it was 
deemed necessary to erect a church edifice, and on 
Oct. 3, 1873, the corner-stone was laid by Right Rev. 
1 R. Seton, D.D., of Madison, N. J., and Dr. McGlynn, 
; pastor of St. Stephen's Church, New York City. The 
church was dedicated May, 1874, by Bishop Corri- 
gan, now Archbishop of New York. The church is 
{ located about one-fourth mile from the depot, on the 
'■ county road, and is of wood. Value of church prop- 
erty, eight thousand dollars. The first pastor was 
Rev. Joseph Paganini, who only remained a short 
time, and was succeeded by Rev. Cornelius Cannon, 
who remained until March 25, 1878, when Rev. Theo- 
dore McDonald, the present pastor, took charge. 
The first trustees were Bishop Corrigan, G. H. Doane, 
i V. G., Rev. Joseph Paganini, Patrick McDonald, and 
I James Lynch. The present trustees are Bishop Wig- 
ger, V. G., Rev. Theodore McDonald, James Lynch, 
' and John Brenner. 



292 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



In connection with the church there is a school, 
organized by Rev. Theodore McDonald in May, 1879, 
witli one Iiundred and five scliolars. This school is 
to educate the children whose parentis belong to the 
church. The preceptresses are Sisters of Charity 
from Enirlewood. 

Cemeteries. — There are many private burial-places 
ill dillercnt jjarts of the township. The cemetery at 
the Soutli Church has already been mentioned in 
connection with that church. 

The cemetery known iis the " Old French IJurying- 
Ground" i.s perhaps the most ancient burial-place in 
the county. This cemeterj' is located on an elevation 
adjoining the farm of Mr. Heine, about two hundred 
and fifty rods north of New Bridge. 

For years it h:w been neglected, and many of the 
headstones have crumbled and fallen. Maj. James 
Demarest, for many years a crier of the Bergen courts, 
and who died about twenty years since and was buried 
here, had charge of these grounds for a long time 
prior to his death. Many others of the old Demarest 
family, the first ancestor of which located in tliis 
vicinity soon after the middle of the sixteenth cen- 
tury, found here their last resting-|)lace. On entering 
the cemetery a row of small brown stones, rudely 
shapen, attract the attention. The first bears the in- 
scription : 

HIer it Golegt, 
et llechaifm Van Jocubu 
Lonirr Gcburcn 1707 
Octotj«r lie 5 Over- 
lodo. A 1792 January 
lit 13: OuUmde. 84. 
yaar, 3, maaude. en 
8. Daage. 

The next stone has the following inscription : 

Dan. Lozler. 
Oeboren 1776. 
July 17. Qettonren 
June 10. 1777. 
Out. 10. Maande 23. da. 

The third stone is in the form of a triangle, and 
upon if is inscribed : 

Joa Lozi. 
gtbor. 1773 
Norember 2 
geitoT. 1776 an 
Out. 3. Ja. 9 ma. 9 da. 

The last in this row of stones reads: 

Jaji. iHtxfor. 
foliuren 1771 
feBniury 11. geatonren 
177S, Augn. 3. 
Out 7Ja. S ma.2&da. 

In the next row of graves there are two very small 

brownstonc slab.s, the first of which bears the inscri|)- 

tion : 

r. 0. 

died 30 
Sep. 1798. 

And the other reads as follows: 

8. C. 
died 2» 
17M. 



Quite a number of headstones bear the names of 
Zobriskie and Zabriskie, and several that of Ely. 

It is understood that some of the descendants of 
the Demarests and Elys have cleared the grounds of 
many of the bushes and undergrowth and iiilcml 
making other improvements. 

The whole township of Palisade is interesting in 
being the site of so many of the historical events in 
the past, in the general apparent thrift of its peo|>le 
in the j)resent. and in the promise of its great pros- 
perity in the future. 

George Huyler. — The progenitor of the Huylcr 
family in New Jersey was Capt. John Huyler, who 
was of German lineage, and early located in the town- 
ship of Harrington, where he wa-s the owner of a pro- 
ductive lauded estate. He was a captain of militia 
during the war of the Revolution, and became the 
especial object of British vengeance, his house having 
been burned and his family left de-stitute. At the 
close of the conflict he purcha-sed the property now 
occupied by his grandson, George Huyler. This land 
had been confiscated by the State, and h.is since been 
in posse.-ision of the family, the title-deed bearing date 
1780. Capt. Huyler was a man of much influence. 
His judgment in matters of daily concern was uner- 
ring, while his force of character and strong will- 
power made him conspicuous lu* a citizen. His chil- 
dren were .John, a physician of much reputation in 
New York City, an<l I'ctcr, the father of the subject 
of this biography. The latter was born April 8, 1781, 
on the paternal estate, where his early life was spent 
in farming j)ursuits. His advantages of education 
were necc-isarily limited, and his growing years de- 
voted principally to labor. He was ccuispicuous for 
integrity of character and diligence in his claily avo- 
cations, while in politics he was a pronounced Demo- 
crat. He was on the 5tli of March, 18(i3, united in 
marriage to Mi.ss Catherine, daughter of Barney Nau- 
gle, a lady of many remarkable (pialities of heart and 
mind, whose birth incurred .\ug. 21!, 1781. Their 
children are .Fnlin, born Nov. 14, 1803; Bareiit N., 
whose birth occurred Aug. .1, 1805 ; George, born June 
24, 1811 ; Henry, born May 5, 1821, and Garret, the 
date of whose birth was July 9, 1824. 

Peter Huyler's death occurred Dec. 30, 1872, and 
that of his wife Jan. 4, 1S(!7. 

Their son George sjieiit his early years upmi the 
homestead. The neighboring schonls atliirdcd an op- 
portunity for ac<|uiring the rudiments of an education, 
and later years found him absorbed in the labors of 
an agriculturist. He wius married May 2.'), 1847, to 
Miss Jane, daughter of (iarret .\. Hopper, of Para- 
mus, N. .1., and became the father of a son, John, now 
residing with his parents, and united in marriage, May 
22, 1873, to Miss Mary A. Post, and Eve .\nna, now de- 
ceased. George Huyler has from early manhood led 
a life of unusual activity. At the age of eighteen he 
became the manager of his father's business interests, 
and at once established a reputation no less for ca- 





.^^^ 




CS^. ^(^cJc. 




PALISADE. 



293 



pacity and keen intuition than for the most scrupu- 
lous integrity. His intellectual and moral force 
caused him to be frequently chosen for positions of 
responsibility. He was for fifteen years captain of 
the Jersey Blues, a military organization comprising 
the foremost men of Bergen County, and has also 
served as freeholder and justice of the peace. Mr. 
Huyler is, however, averse to distinctions of a political 
character. He has been during his lifetime a firm ex- 
ponent of the principles of the Democracy, and the 
party have sought in vain to honor him with a seat in 
the legislative halls of the State. He has steadily 
declined such ofters, and has preferred rather tlie ijuiet 
of his home to the excitements incident to a public 
career. Mr. Huyler's abilities have been devoted no 
less to his own advantage than to the public good. 
He has been conspicuous in promoting the interests 
of Tenafly, his residence, and is largely identified 
with matters of local import. Many attractive resi- 
dences in this suburban village bear witness to his 
enterprise and taste. Both Mr. and Mrs. Huyler are 
devout members of the True Reformed Church of 
Schraalenburgli, of which tlie former is an elder. 

In all the rehitions of life, whether as citizen or in 
the more retired associations of the home circle, the 
subject of this biographical sketch may be spoken of as 
the exemplar of fidelity, integrity, and honor. 

John Paul Pavilison. — John Paul Paulison, the 
subject of this sketch, was born at Hackensack, N. J., 
on the 19th of November, 1822. 

On the deatii of his father, which occurred when 
he was little more than nine years of age, his widowed 
mother removed with the family to New York, where 
Mr. Paulison, at the early age of twelve, began his 
business career as a clerk in a mercantile house. 

In 1848 he entered the office of the Atlantic Mutual 
Marine Insurance Company, and was accountant to 
that company until 18r>2, when he was elected secre- 
tary. 

In 18.55 he was promoted to a vice-presidency in 
that company. Declining the latter office, however, 
he accepted the vice-presidency of the Astor Mutual 
Marine Insurance Company, and continued in the 
latter office until 18.5(i, when he relinquished it to em- 
bark in business on his own account, as an average- 
adjuster, notary, insurance broker, and agent and 
underwriter for several insurance companies located 
out of the State. 

In 1807 he was called to the position of vice-presi- 
dent of the Sun Mutual Marine Insurance Company, 
of which the late Hon. Moses H. Grinnell was then 
president. He relinquished his private business to 
accept that office, and in 1869, on Mr. Grinnell being 
appointed by President Grant collector for the port 
of New York, Mr. Paulison was elected president of 
the company, which position he still holds, as well as 
those of vice-president of the New York Board of 
Marine Underwriters, and vice-president of the 
American Shipmasters' Association. He is also a 



member of the New York Chamber of Commerce, 
the Association of Average-Adjusters of the United 
States, the American Geographical Society, and other 
bodies. 

Mr. Paulison is descended from Dutch and English 
ancestors. His father was Paul Paulison, born in 
1770, graduated from Princeton College in 1794, and 
only and elder brother to Richard Paulison, who died 
at Hackensack in 1873, in the one hundredth year of 
his age. 

Charles McKnight Paulison, of Passaic, N. J., 
lately deceased, was brother to John P. Paulison. 

Mr. Paulison traces his pedigree from Paulus Pie- 
terse, who came from Holland to New York (then 
New Amsterdam) prior to 1658. 

Paulus Pieterse was appointed by Governor Peter 
Stuyvesant, in 166.3, one of the commissioners for forti- 
fying Bergen, N. J., against the Indians, and received 
from him in the same year a patent for several par- 
cels of land there located, an account of which patent 
is to be found in " Winfield's History of the Land 
Titles of Hudson County." 

Paulus Pieterse and his wife removed from New 
York to Bergen about 1660. He was one of those 
who subscribed, in 1662, towards a fund for the sup- 
port of a minister to preach at Bergen, and was one 
of the founders of the Reformed Dutch Church or- 
ganized there in 1664, — the -earliest in the State. In 
the records of that church are to be found the entries 
of the deaths of Paulus Pieterse and his wife, which 
occurred at Bergen in 1702. Paulus Pieterse and 
Trintje Martin, among other children, had a son 
named Martin Paulisse, who married Margrietje Wes- 
tervelt, and they, among other children, had a son 
named Paulus Martense, who married Rachel Dema- 
rest, and they, among other children, had three sons, 
named respectively Martin Paulison, Jacobus Pauli- 
.son, and John Paulison. The last named, who was 
the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, married 
Gertrude Terhune. 

The ancestors of Mr. Paulison seem to have been 
religious people, the genealogy being very readily 
traced by means of the church records. 

First. In the record of the Old Dutch Church, in 
New York, we find the entry of the marriage of Paulus 
Pieterse to Trintje Martin, above referred to, and also 
entries of the baptisms of their children, born before 
the establishment of the Old Dutch Church at Bergen 
in 1664. 

Second. In the record of the latter church we find 
the entries of the baptisms of their children born 
subsequently, the marriage of their son, Martin Paul- 
isse, to Margrietje Westervelt in 1694, and also en- 
tries of the deaths of Paulus Pieterse and Trintje 
Martin, which occurred in 1702. 

Third. In the record of the First Reformed Dutch 
Church at Hackensack, organized in 1686, we find the 
name of Martin Paulisse entered as having joined 
that church in 1694, and also that of his son, Paulus 



294 



HISTORr OF BERGEM AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NKW JKRSKY 



Martense, who joined in 1731 with his wife, Rachel 
Deniarest. John Paulison, a son of the latter and 
grandfather of John P. Paulison, contributed liberally 
towards the erection of the |>resent edifice, his name 
being cut, with others, upon the front of the church. 

On the maternal side Mr. Paulison is de.scended 
from English ancestors. His mother was Mary Cleve- 
land, a descendant of Moses Cleveland, who emigrated 
from Ipswich, England, to Woburn, Miiss., in lfi35, 
and some of whose descendant.^ afterwards settled at 
Elizabethtown and Newark in New Jersey. 

The genealogy of Mr. Paulison is interesting in 
that it illustrates the manner of naming the children 
of the early Dutcli settlers. For instance, we have, — 

l.-it. Paulus Pieterse, meaning Paulus, Pieter's son. 

2d. Martin Paulisse, meaning Martin, Pauhis'sson. 

3d. Paulus .Martense, meaning Paulus, Martin's son, 

4th. John Paulison, meaning John, Paulus's son. 

5th. Paul Paulison. 

6th. John Paul Paulison. 

The baptismal name of the subject of this sketch 
is .lolin Paulison (after his grandfather), but to dis- 
tinguish himself from his cousin, Jolin liiclinrd Pauli- 
son, the son of his father's brother KiclianI, be adoiited 
tlie name of his father, Paul, hence, John Paul Pauli- 
son. 

In 1873, Mr. Paulison removed from New York to 
TenaHy, N. J., where he now resides. He is a great 
lover of astronomy, and has erected on his grounds at 
TenaHy an astronomical observatory containing a | 
powerful telescope and other accessories for the ex- 
amination and study of the heavenly bodies. In the 
erection of this observatory he has invented and put 
in o|)eration appliances which are great improvements 
upon old metlmils. 

Mr. Paulison, in 1842, married Margaret Ann 
Smith, a sister of Daniel Drake Smith, Esq., of 
Englewood, N. J. His wife died in 1878. To them ' 
were born four children, two sons and two daughters, 
viz. : 

1st. Joseph Drake Paulison, who died in 187(), 
leaving a widow, but no children. j 

2d. Clara Paulison. 

3d. Mary Paulison, married to .Mviii Dusenberry 
Holman, who have two children, — ('lara Margaret 
Holnian, born June 2t!, 1880; John Paulison Hol- 
man, born Sept. 27, 1881. 

4th. John Paul Paulis(m, born Doc. 28, IS-W, died 
March 31, l.H(il. 

Cornelius I. Jacobus.— The Jacobus family are 
among the earliest settlers in New Jersey, though no 
authentic record of the ailvent of it.s pioneers is pre- 
served. 

Cornelius Jacobus, who was the graiulfather of the 
subject of this biogra|>hical sketch, wius the father of 
Jamex C. Jacobus. The latter was united in marriage 
to Miss Margaret Berry, to whom a son, Cornelius I., 
was born Aug. 19, 18(l.'>, Jersey City being the place 
of his birth. 



From this location his parents soon after removed 
to Newark, N. J., and at a later date to Morris 
County. 

At the age of si.xteen the lad, with his family, re- 
turned to Newark, where he was ai)prenticed to Joseph 
A. Halsey, an extensive carriage-manufacturer, with 
whom he served a full period, and subsequently fol- 
lowed the trade as a journeyman. In 1835 he em- 
barked in business as senior member of the firm of 
Jacobus & Utter, in the city of Newark. This part- 
nership was successfully and harmoniously conducted 
for a period of thirty years, and at the time of Mr. 
Utter's death the firm was the oldest in the city in this 
branch of industry. 

Mr. Jacobus continued the business until 1874, when 
he was induced to embark with his son in an exten- 
sive grocery trade at Englewood, N. J., having in 
1868 made TenaHy his residence. The death of this 
son has recently necessitated a change in the, firm, 
which is now styled C. I. Jacobus & Co. 

Mr. Jacobus has ever manifested much interest in 
enterprises apart from bis private business, and has 
for years been a director of the. Newark Fire Insur- 
ance Company. 

He has, in accordance with the privilege granted to 
American citizens, regularly Ciist his ballot, but hiis 
not aspired to official honors, for which he has no 
ambition. His political creed is in harmony with the 
platforju of the Republican party. Mr. Jacobus 
united with the Presbyterian Church in 1S31, of which 
he has since been an active anil honored member, 
having been an elder in the First Presbyterian Church 
of Newark, and later chosen to the same office in the 
Presbyterian Church at TenaHy. 

He was united in marriage. Oct. 22, lS2'.t. to Mi.ss 
Susan, daughter of Simon Vanness, of Pompton, N. J., 
to whom was born a daughter, Susan, now the wife of 
T. T. Stiles, of Newark. The death of Mrs. Jacobus 
occurred May 12, 1831, and be was a second time 
married, Oct. 9, 1834, to Elnia, daughter of Giles A. 
Mandeville, of Pomjiton Plains, who became the 
motlicT i>( five (liililirn, two of whom are living. 

Elizabeth Cady Stanton.— Elizabeth Cady was 
born at Johnstown, N. Y., Nov. 12, 1815. 

Her father, Daniel Cady, judge of the highest court 
of the 8tate of New York, wits distinguished alike iis 
an eminent jurist and a man of unimpeachable in- 
tegrity. He was a prominent member of the New 
York bar sixty years, and the oldest judge that ever 
sat on a bench in this country, resigning at the ad- 
vanced age of eighty-four. 

Ilcr mother, Margaret Jjvingstou, belonged to the 
most distinguisheil family in the .^tate, at whose head 
stands the great chancellor, Robert Livingston, who 
administered the oath to Washington at his inaugu- 
ration. 

From such ancestors Elizabeth Cady inherited her 
clear brain, undaunted courage, anil high resolve to 
mainluin the right at all hazards. For forty years 




^^^^^^^ um^^/^/^a^'^-^-^^^ 



PALISADE. 



295 



she has stood before the nation the representative of 
a great idea, unmoved by ridicule and scorn, wholly 
indifferent to the ostracism of the very class to wluch, 
by birth, position, and intellect, she belongs. 

Elizabeth Cady was educated at the Johnstown 
Academy, where she studied Greek, Latin, and the 
higher mathematics with a class of boys, and though 
the youngest of the number, she took her full share 
of the prizes. She was thoroughly prepared to enter 
any college in the laud, but as girls were denied that 
privilege, she pursued the lighter branches of educa- 
cation at Mrs. Emma Willard's seminary, in Troy, 
N. Y. 

She early had her attention turned to the disabili- 
ties of her sex by her own experience, by listening to 
the comi^laints of women in her father's office, and 
through her study of Blackstone and Kent. 

She was married in 18-10 to Henry B. Stanton, tlie 
eloquent anti-slavery orator, and accompanied him 
to the World's Anti-Slavery Convention in London, 
where she made many valualile acquaintances among 
both English and American reformers. There com- 
menced her lifelong friendship with the sainted Lucre- 
tia Mott, a Quaker preacherof rare ability and religious 
fervor. Returning to America, together they called 
a Woman's Rights Convention at Seneca Falls, N. Y., 
July 19 and 20, 1848, on which occasion the first 
formal claim of suffrage for women was made. 

Spending the winters of 1845, '46, '47 at her father's 
residence in Albany, she most sedulously used her 
brilliant conversational powers to influence different 
members of the Legislature to vote in favor of the 
married woman's bill, then the subject of much public 
discussion. 

In 1848 the bill passed, giving married women the 
right to hold and control their inherited property. 

In 1854, Mrs. Stanton addressed an immense audi- 
ence of citizens and both branches of the Legislature, 
at the Capitol, on the civil rights of women ; to their 
children ; earnings ; to make contracts ; and to do busi- 
ness in their own name, all of which were secured, 
one by one, a few years later. 

In 1860 she addressed the Judiciary Committees of 
both the Senate and the House in favor of a pending 
bill demanding divorce for drunkenness, which was 
defeated by a majority of only four votes. 

The advocacy of this beneficial measure for the 
wives of the eighty thousand drunkards of the Em- 
pire State, though sustained by a respectable minority 
of the best citizens in the State, called down on Mrs. 
Stanton's head most unjust and unreasonable denun- 
ciations, while the gentlemen who framed and pre- 
sented the bill were passed by in silence. 

In 1867 she addressed both the Legislature and 
the Constitutional Convention, asking that the word 
" male" be stricken from Art. II., Sec. 1, of the State 
constitution. She maintained, with unanswerable ar- 
guments and well-known precedents, that the women 
of the State had the right to vote for members to a 



Constitutioual Convention, holding that in the revision 
of a State constitution the State is for the time being 
resolved into its original elements, and therefore all 
citizens have a right to vote for members of that con- 
vention. By an act of the Legislature this right was 
accorded to certain citizens in New York and Rhode 
Island on similar occasions. 

In 1866, in conformity with a practice prevalent in 
some parts of this country, and iiuite common in Eng- 
land, Mrs. Stanton proclaimed herself a candidate for 
Congress in the Eighth Congressional District of New- 
York in a very able and graceful letter to the electors." 
Mrs. Stanton took this step to prove that, while wo- 
men cannot vote, they can nevertheless be voted for. 
There is nothing in the constitution to prevent them 
from holding any office in the gift of the people. 

In 1869 the National Woman's Suttrage Association 
began to hold its annual conventions in Washington, 
since which time Mrs. Stanton has addressed con- 
gressional committees and immense audiences in that 
city nearly every year. 

When the proposition of woman's suffrage was sub- 
mitted to a vote of the people in Kansas in 1867 and 
in Michigan in 1874, Mrs. Stanton, in company with 
her noble coadjutor. Miss Susan B. Anthony, made 
a thorough canvass of those States. They were also 
joint editors of The Revohition, a sprightly journal 
that lived three years, and found decent burial in the 
Liberal Ch ristinn . 

Most of the calls, appeals, resolutions, addresses to 
women, Legislatures, and congressional committees 
have been from the pen of Mrs. Stanton. She was long 
president of "the National Committee" of "The 
Woman's Loyal League," and of " The National Asso- 
ciation" until she withdrew in 1873, but was re-elected 
to do the honors of the association in 1876 at the Cen- 
tennial Celebration in Philadelphia, where a committee 
of the association presented the Woman's Declara- 
tion of Independence at that grand historic occasion 
at Independence Hall. 

In 1869, Mrs. Stanton removed from" New York 
City to the blue hills of Jersey. Her residence in 
Tenafly, Bergen Co., is a quiet, retired spot, embowered 
in trees. 

Being a law-abiding citizen, paying her taxes every 
year (as she holds the property in her own right), in 
the fall of 1880 she made an attempt to vote. The 
Republican carriage, gayly decked in evergreens and 
flags, drove up to her door for voters. She told the 
committee that all the mafe voters had gone to the 
city, but as she owned the property and paid the taxes 
she was quite willing to represent the family at the 
polling booth, and it seemed pre-eminently proper 
she should do so ; whereupon she was invited to take 
a seat in the carriage, Miss Anthony by her side. 
They were driven to the same hotel where all women 
holding property assemble every year to pay their 

1 See " Eminent Women of the Age," p. 352. 



Ik 



296 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



taxes. Why it should he considered more unladylike 
to vote than pay taxes is the <iuestion. 

Approaching the ballot-box with reverence, the 
committee introduced Mrs. Stanton, saying that she 
desired to vote the Republican ticket; whereupon the 
Republican inspector sat down and pulled his hat 
well over his eyes, while the Democrat assumed the 
guardianship of the ballot-box, covering it carefully 
with his hands, lest by some dextrous manoeuvre she 
might slip in her ballot. 

Mrs. Stanton said, " I have come, sir, to deposit 
my ballot, to choose wise rulers for our town, county, 
and State." 

" Women cannot vote," said the trembling inspec- 
tor; " men only have a right to vote." 

" You are mistaken," said Mrs. Stanton ; " women 
can vote, and have voted here in New Jersey from 
1776 to 1807. All citizens in this State exercised the 
right, when it was taken from tlie women by an arbi- 
trary act of the Legislature. Again, the Constitu- 
tion of the United States, in the Fourteenth Amend- 
ment, declares all persons citizens possessed of the 
right to vote, and many able lawyers claim that 
women were enfranchised by the Fourteenth Amend- 
ment." Mrs. Stanton |)iirsucd the argument, giving 
authorities, until the insi)ector, bewildered with his 
own ignorance of the facts of liistory, made the hu- 
miliating confession that he had never read the con- 
stitutions, and knew nothing about them, but he did 
know that men did the voting. Mrs. Stanton tlien 
laid her ballot on the edge of the box, saying, " With 
you, sir, rests the responsibility of refusing to receive 
the ballot of a citizen of New Jersey." Mrs. Stanton 
is now, together with Miss Susan B. Anthony and 
Mrs. Matilda .1. Gage, busy writing the history of 
woman's sud'rage. One volume is already published 
{by Fowler i<; Wells, New York), and the second 
will be issued in 1882. This work finished, it is 
Mrs. Stanton's intention to do for the women of New 
Jersey what she has already done for those of New 
York, and to give the rulers of this State no rest 
until all of its citizens stand equal before the law. 

Joseph A. Martin wius born Feb. -2, 1S2!I, in Ba- 
varia, (ierniaiiy. lie remained at home with his 
parents* until he was twenty-one years of age, and in 
tlie mean time acquired such an education lus the law 
of his country required. Upon reaching his majority 
he emigrated to America in pursuit of a fortune. 

He landed in New York Dec. T), 1H.')1, iind very 
soon after engaged with Cornelius Hopper, of Pater- 
etm, N. J., to labor upon his farm. At the cxjiiratiou 
of this engagement he returned to New York, where 
he was employed in various ways until the year 1858, 
when he made his first purcha.se, a farm in the town- 
ship of I'ulisaile, Bergen Co., N. J. By inilustry and 
economy Mr. Martiii Inis succeeded in developing his 
land, made modern improvements thereon, and also 
become the possessor of a quantity of very desirable 
property in Western New York. 



In 1855 he was married to Barbara Roth, of Baden, 
Germany. She was born Dec. 4, 18S3. To them have 
been born eleven children, — Joseph (deceased), Emma, 
Frank, Louisa, wife of Freel Weitzenberg, of Ho- 





Vky0^ 



boken, N. J., Joseph, Annie, Elizabeth, William, 
Sophie, Margaret, and Bertha. 

Mr. Martin always casts his vote witli the Demo- 
cratic i)arty, but has never been a seeker at'ter |)lace. 
He is in every sense of the term a self-made man, and 
besides enjoying a competency, has the good will and 
respect of his townsmen. 

Hon. Cornelius S. Cooper. — The Cooper family — 
one of the oldest in the county of Bergen — are of 
Holland extraction, the nanu- having originally been 
spelled Kupos, and at a later date, when the English 
became a familiar language, Kuypcr. The earliest 
representative of the tamily first settled in Miilland 
(then New Barliadoesi township, Bergen Co. The pro- 
genitor of the immediate branch from which Corne- 
lius S. is descended was Cornelius, who resided at 
New Milford, Bergen Co., where he pursued the craft 
of a tanner and harness-maker. He was united in 
marriage to Miss Nellie Stoutcnburgh, to whom were 
born two sons,— James and Cornelius. The birth 
of the latter occurrc<l March 17, 1788. He was 
by occupation a farmer, and was married to Mi.ss 
Ellen, daughter of I'etcr Moure.sson, of Saddle River, 
N. J., whose children were four .sons — I'eter, Corne- 
lius 8., James, Jacob — and one daughter, Nellie Ann. 




Benjamin J. Westeevelt is a direct de- 
scendant of Lubhert Lubbertsen and AVilliam 
Lubbertsen Van Westervelt, who came IVoni 
Meppel, Province of Drenthe, Holland, in the 
ship "Hope," April, 16(52. They settled in 
Bergen, N. J., and many of their descendants 
reside in Bergen County. 

Benjamin J. Westervelt was born Nov. !), 
1826, in the town of Palisades, Bergen Co., 
where he has since resided. During his boy- 
hood he acquired a liberal education, and at the 
death of his father succeeded to the home farm, 
which he has continued to cultivate until the 
present time. 

He was married, Sept. 26, 1849, to Eleanor 
De Baun, whose ancestors early settled in Sad- 
dle River township. They have had children, 
— Margaret L., wife of William Griiiin, of^ 
Albany ; Peter, who died in infancy ; John, 
and Edwin. 



^i/yz^'-e/^^^ - 



He is a member and liberal supporter of the 
True Reformed Church, of which he is an elder. 
His political views are strictly Democratic, and 
at this time he is serving his thirteenth year as 
a justice of the peace. His life has been one of 
toil ami activity, and he now enjoys a compe- 
tency for his reward. In society Mr. and Mrs. 
Westervelt arc much valued, as they are always 
found ready to render such aid as seems consist- 
ent to all worthy objects, both pecuniarily and 
otherwise. 

His father, .John B. Westervelt, was born 
April o, 178s, in the town of Palisades. He 
married INIargaret Durie. Tiiey were members 
of the True Reformed Church, S])ent a life of 
usefulness, and died at an advanced age. The 
grandfather of our subject, Benjamin Wester- 
velt, was of Revolutionary fame, was born in 
17<i-"!, and married Sarah Durie, by whom he 
reai'cd a faniilv. He died in 1845. 



PALISADE. 



297 



The death of Mr. Cooper occurred Sept. .S, 18-50, and 
that of his wife Feb. 5, 1872. His son, Cornelius S., 
who is the subject of this biography, was born Nov. 
30, 181P, in New Jlilford, and at an early age removed 
to^ Kinderkamack, Bergen Co., where his boyhood 
was passed. His educational advantages were limited, 




^-a 



/ 




^^J^^^ 



y 



the knowledge he possesses being of a practical 
character and self-acquired. He determined upon 
the acquisition of a trade, and chose that of a chair- 
maker, which he pursued at his home. In 1840, 
having desired a more e.xtended sphere of activity, he 
removed to New York City, and for a period of seven- 
teen years engaged in carting. He was also for a 
while interested in the coal business. 

The peculiar gifls of Mr. Cooper admirably fitted 
him for the excitements of political life, and, while a 
resident of New York City, he was chosen councilman 
for the Twenty-first District of the Ninth AVard of 
that city. 

He in 1857 removed to Schraalenburgh, his present 
home, where he has since resided and followed the 
pursuit of an agriculturist. 

He was in 1870 appointed a commissioner of the 
road board of Hackensack township, and filled the 
ofiice of secretary of that body. In 1874 he was 
elected president of the Protective Association, and in 
1875 chosen one of the justices of the peace of Ber- 
gen County. This office he resigned in 1877, when 
elected State Senator from his district by the Democ- 



racy. While in the Legislature he served as chair- 
man of the Committee on Militia and Unfinished 
Business, and was also a member of the Committee 
on Claims and Pensions, and of the .Joint Committees 
on Soldiers' Home and Commerce and Navigation. 

Mr. Cooper is a man of strong religious instincts, 
and a member of the Reformed (Dutch) Church of 
Schraalenburgh, of which he is an elder. 

Cornelius S. Cooper was in 1839 united in marriage 
to Leah, daughter of Jacob Quackenbush, of Schraa- 
lenburgh. Their children were four in number, — Cor- 
nelius, Ellen .\melia, Jacob, and John .lacob, the 
latter two being deceased. 

Peter I. Durie. — The subject of this notice was 
born in the town of Palisade, N. J. His home until 
sixteen years of age was with his uncle, Peter Durie, 
during which time he secured a good practical edu- 
cation. 

About the year 1831 he was apprenticed to James 
Turnbull, of Newark, N. J., to learn the trade of 





cT £L. 



carriage-making, with whom he served an appren- 
ticeship of four years, and then established himself 
at Schraalenburgh in the business of his choice. Six 
years later he removed to New York, where he 
remained a number of years. 

In 18.50 he returned to Schraalenburgh and engaged 
in farming, and three years thereafter secured a 
situation as a representative of the Bergen County 
Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company. This 
engagement lasted for about twelve years. 

In 1865 he purchased and removed to the mill 



298 



HISTOllY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



property formerly owned by Nicholas Kipp, consist- 
ing of a Houring-inill, residence, etc., where he has 
since carried on general custom-work. 

He is an attendant and supporter of the Reformed 
Church at Schraalenburgh, and served as its sexton 
for twenty years. i 

Mr. Durie has been twice married, first to Agnes 
Demarest, of Schraalenburgh. The result of this 
union was two children, both of wliom died in in- | 
frncy. Mrs. Demarest died Nov. 21, 1843. His sec- 
ond marriage occurred Nov. 25, 184.5, to Maria La 
Romer. Hy this wife he had two children, one dying ! 
in infancy, and Peter, now at home. His second wife , 
died Aug. 30, 1876. 

In politics Mr. Durie is a Republican of a liberal 
type, quiet and unassuming in his manner, and well 
deserves the confidence and esteem of his fellow- 
townsmen. 

Jacob J. De Mott.— The subject of this sketch 
traces his line <if descent to Matthias De Mott, the 
first of the family, who came from France with two 
brothers and settled at Bergen, in Bergen County, i 
They were among the French Huguenots who fled ' 
their country following the persecution of Christians 
consequent upon the revocation of the Kdict of Nantes 
in KiS-'), and sought a home in the wilds of America. 

Jacob, son of Matthias De Mott, resided at English 
Neighborhood. 

John De Mott, son of Jacob, also resided at English 
Neighborliood, now Walton, and built a grist- and 
saw-mill there, wliich he carried on during liis life. 
He died in 1832, aged eighty-four years. His wife, 
who died in 1830, aged eighty-two, was Fransinia 
Rulolfson, and bore him the following children: 
Jacob, Henry, Martin, .Fohn, and Soi>hic, wife of 
Stephen Demarest. 

Of these children Jacob, the father of our subject, 
was born in 177(t, and after the age of seventeen 
alwiiys resided on the homestead formerly known as 
the Rulolfson homestead, which belonged to the ma- 
ternal grandfather of Jacob, but which is now known 
as the De Mott homestead. He died April fi, 184.''), 
aged seventy-five years. His wife, Rachel Hogert, 
died Feb. 2, 1844, leaving him three children, — John, 
Jacob J., and Fransinia. 

Jacob J. De Mott was born March 10, 1794, and 
succeeded to the old De Motl homestead on the Ten- 
afly road, near Knglewood, where he has lived as a 
farmer over seventy-two years. Mr. De Mott is known 
for his integrity, slraightforwardne.Hs, relialiility, firni- 
nesH, and decided opinions. He has taken no part in 
politics, but has led a cpiiet life as a farmer. 

He was united in marriage Nov. 10, ISlt!, to Ger- 
trude, daughtir of .Tolin A. We-stervelt and Hachel 
Aeki-rnian, who was Imrn Oct. !.''>, 17!IC, and died .Fnly 
31, 1H(;7. They were both mcMibers of the Refornieil 
Dutch Churcli, and atlendeil generally at Schraalen- 
burgh, N. J., where he was an elder. 

The children of this union are Rachel, who resiiles 



with her father ; John, a farmer in Palisade township, 
on ])art of the old homestead; Jacob J., Jr., died 
Dee. 20, lS6i>, aged forty-six years, leaving a widow 
and two daughters; Mary Helen and Rachel Ger- 




n 



trude ; (iarret W., a farmer in Palisade township, on 
a part of the old homestead ; Henry, a merchant at 
Englewood, N. J.; James HIauvelt, died Nov. 22, 
1862, aged twenty-seven years, leaving a widow and 
one daughter, Gertrude. 

The DeMotts have been members of the Reformed 
Dutch Church, and their ancestors were among the 
founders of the churcli at Schraalenburgh. They 
are among the old stock tamilies who early settled in 
New Jersey, and who founded the many institutions 
now showing the development and civilization of this 
countv. 



cii A 1' 1 i: 



X 1.11 I. 



UNION. 

Original Purchase. — That jiortion of Hergen 
County which inchuled what now constitutes Union 
township wiut originally known by the Indian name 
of Mighecticock (New Harbadoes Neck). It em- 
braced five thousand three hundred and eight acres 
of upland anil ten thousand acre.-< of meadow. In 
ItiliS, Capt. William Sandford pnrchiusi'd in the in- 
terest of Nathaniel Kingsland, of the islaiul of Har- 
badoes, this land from the |)roprietor8, on condition 



UNION. 



299 



that he would settle six or eight farms within three 
years, and pay twenty pounds sterling on the 25th 
of each succeeding March. On the 20th of July of 
the same year he purchased from the Indians their 
title, " to commence at the Haokensack and Pissa- 
wack Rivers, and to go northward about seven miles 
to Sanford's Spring (afterwards Boiling Spring)." 
The consideration was " 170 fathoms of black wam- 
pum, 200 fathoms of white wampum, 19 watch coats, 
16 guns, 60 double hands powder, 10 pair breeches, 
60 knives, 67 bars of lead, 1 anker of brandy, 3 half 
fats beer, 11 blankets, HO axes, and 20 hoes." 

The territory was included in the township of New 
Barbadoes until 1825, and was a part of Lodi until 
1840, when the county of Hudson was formed from 
a part of Bergen County, and Harrison township, in 
Hudson County, included the territory referred to. 
This apportionment not proving altogether satisfac- 
tory to the inhabitants, in 1852 the present township 
of Union was formed by act of the State Legislature 
and set back again in Bergen County. 

It may be geographically described as bounded on 
the north by Lodi, south by Hudson County, west by 
the Passaic River, and east by the Hackensack River. 
The township contains an area of seven thousand 
two hundred and eighty acres, and with two excep- 
tions is the smallest in the county, but by no means 
the least important. Formerly boat-building was car- 
ried on to some extent, and was one of the leading 
industries. 

Ores of copper abound in the southern portion of 
the township, but these mines have not been during 
recent years a source of profit to the owners. The 
Jersey City water-works, with extensive buildings, 
are located in the southern portion of the township. 

Three railroads cross Union, — the Erie Railroad, 
with stations at Rutherford and West Rutherford, 
which is intersected by the Nevv Jersey and New York 
running from Carlstadt, while the Delaware, Lacka- 
wanna and Western Railroad passes nearly through 
the centre from east to west, with depots at Kingsland 
and Lyndhurst. 

Natural Features.— The soil of Union township 
varies in this as in other portions of the county. The 
eastern part is a vast salt marsh, embracing an area 
of many thousand acres. An effort has been made 
to drain this by the construction of an extensive dyke, 
and also by the digging of a canal which should drain 
it into the Passaic. The building of a dyke was op- 
posed by the inhabitants of the township from the 
fact that a large body of unwholesome water created 
by this measure would engender disease. No scheme 
has thus far jiroved practicable, and the marsh re- 
mains in its original condition. The soil adjoining 
this lowland is composed of red shale and clay, and 
is exceedingly productive. Along what is known as 
the Ridge road the land is higher and not to the same 
extent productive. The soil along the river is gener- 
ally sandy and best adapted to the raising of garden 



products. Corn grows luxuriantly, and rye and oats 
are also staple products. Wheat rarely yields a 
bountiful crop, and is not classed among the most 
prolific grains of the township. The timber of Union 
is of great variety, though the most abundant woods 
are oak, hickory, and chestnut. The surface of the 
township is varied and picturesque, a high ridge ex- 
tending from north to south, which is broken into di- 
versified hills and plateaus. The land is abundantly 
watered, the Hackensack River, which affords navi- 
gation to vessels of considerable tonnage, flowing 
along its eastern border, while the picturesque Passaic 
pursues its course on the west. Of the smaller streams, 
Berry's Creek, the most imi)ortant, which is also navi- 
gable to Carlstadt, pours its waters into the Hacken- 
sack, and Saw-Mill Creek follows the southern bound- 
ary of the township. 

Early Settlements. — The history of the early set- 
tlement of Union township embraces but a limited 
number of names, and the representatives of these 
names — in some instances the most important — are no 
longer to be found in the township. Particularly is 
this the case with families of Rutherford and Hols- 
man, both of whom were the possessors of large 
landed estates, and came at an early day to reside 
upon these lands. They aided materially in the de- 
velopment of the township, and during their residence 
exercised no small infiuence in the county. A later 
generation of the first-mentioned family until within 
a few years occupied the extensive inherited estate, 
while the latter name has not for years been repre- 
sented in the township. The Schuyler family also 
occupied a distinguished position in the county ; were 
residents of LTnion and large land-owners. They have 
all since died or removed from the township, and their 
estates passed into other hands. Members of the 
family are to be found in other portions of the State. 

The early names in the township were Schuyler, 
Rutherford, Kingsland, Holsman, Joralemon, Van 
Riper, Kip, Cutwater, Vreeland, Ackerman, Yereance, 
Van Winkle, and Brinkerhoff. 

The first members of the Kingsland family were 
Stephen Kingsland and his wife, Mary, early resi- 
dents of the parish of Christ Church, island of Bar- 
badoes. The former had commissioned Capt. William 
Sandford,also of Barbadoes, to effect a purchase of land 
for him in New Jersey, which he did in 1668, and the 
particulars of which have been elsewhere described. 
Mr. Kingsland, who was of English descent, on his 
arrival in the township erected a stone dwelling of 
limited dimensions opposite the old mansion built at 
a later day, in which he resided until his death. 
Among his children was Col. William Kingsland, who 
projected and partially constructed a very elegant 
manor-house on ground opposite the former family 
home. The foundation having proved defective it 
was abandoned and the present mansion erected, 
which, though still in possession by the family, is oc- 
cupied by tenants. Col. William had five children, 



300 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



— Edmund William, Henry, and three daughten, one ' 
of whom became Mrs. Hornblower, ami each of the 
remaining two a Mrs. Loslic. Edmiiiid William was 
united in 1768 to Miss Mary Richards, and .settled on 
the homestead. He became the father of eleven chil- 
dren, several of whom died without issue. Those 
who remained in the township were Henry W. and 
George, the former of whom married Mrs. Sarah 
Place and had one son and three daughters. The 
only one now residing iu the township is Mrs. Edwin 
Nesbitt. George married Miss Frances Ten Eyck and \ 
had eleven children, some of whom still own property 
in the township. The only resident is George Kings- 
land. 

Another branch of the family was represented by 
Gustavus Kingsland, who, though of English ancestry, 
came from Holland before the war of the Revolution 
and settled on the land now owned by Stephen Kings- 
land. Among his children was David, who married 
the daughter of an English otticer and had chiblren, 
— David, Cornelius, Stejjhen, and several ilaugbters. 
Stephen married Miss Elenor Stymus, of New York, 
and had children, — David, Garret, John, Stephen, and 
four daughters. John, Stephen, and Garret settled in 
the township. The only survivor is Stephen, who re- 
sides upon a portion of the original estate. 

The Van Rii)er family w:j.s first represented by Jacob, 
who resided on the banks of the Passaic River, on land 
now owned by the Rutherford Park Association. 

Among his children was Jacob, who married Jane i 
Van Winkle and had children,— Garret, Gelty, Jacob, 
Elsie, Walling, and (iarrabrant. Of this number Gar- 
ret and Walling resided in Union township. The 
former married Miss Elenor Outwatcr, and had one 
son, Jacob, and two daughters. Jacob is a resident 
of Rutherford. Walling died leaving three children, 
all of whom have removed from the township. i 

The Ki|> family are of ancient descent, though no 
record of the arrival of the earliest member in the 
township exists. The first of the family recollected 
is Henry, who resided upon the farm now owned by 
John Poillon. Much of the land formerly the prop- j 
erty of this family is now embraced in the village of 
Rutherford. Among the children of Henry wivs Peter, 
who occupied the homestead, and married first Clar- 
issa Marselus, and a second time Sally Van Idestine. 
He had children, — Henry, Edo, John, and Peter, and 
one daughter. Henry and Peter settled in Union, the 
former living on land now owned by Peter Kip, while 
Peter occupieil the old homestead. The children of ; 
the latter have removed to I'a-s.saic County. ' 

The earliest representative of the Yereanee family, 
in accordance with popular tradition, purchased three 
hundred acres of land for the sum of twenty shillings, 
this land being at that date in an entirely primitive 
condition. The first member of the family recalled 
is Christopher, who settled upon this land. His chil- 
dren were John and Christopher, who succeeded to 
the properly. The children of Christopher have all . 



removed from the township. John married and bad 
si.x children, — John, Henrj-, Jeremiah, Frederick, 
Elizabeth, and Jane, the sons having all settled in the 
township. Henry married Charity Van Blarcom, and 
had children, — John, Henry H., and a daughter, Mrs. 
Vreeland. Henry H. occupies part of the homestead 
near Rutherford. The sons of John are Henry, John, 
Thomas, .\bram, and Peter, all of whom reside in the 
townshij). 

Edo Vreeland, a native of Brabant, Holland, set- 
tled at Bergen in 1648, having come in the ship 
" Capt. Powels." One of his sons, Jacob, located in 
Saddle River township, while another came to the 
present Union township in lOGS, and erected the old 
stone homestead, one of the landmarks of the town- 
ship. This was built upon a portion of the tract of 
land deeded by the Indians to John Berry. George 
Vreeland had .sons, Enoch, Jacob, and Edo, the 
former two having remained in the township. Enoch 
had children, Edo and Jacob, of whom Edo settled in 
Union, married, and had among his children Eliiis, 
Enoch, George, and Edo, of whom George and Edo 
are residents of the township. 

Another branch of the family is represented by 
Henry Vreeland, who resides on the banks of the 
Passaic. The earlier members of this family were 
residents of Central New York. 

The Outwater family are of Holland extraction, the 
first one remembered being Jacob, who settled in 
Lodi and had among his sons John Outwater, who 
was the parent of si.x sons and one daughter, one of 
whom removed to Niagara County, the others having 
remained in llergen t\)unty. Richard came to I'nion 
township about the beginning of the present century. 
He had five children, the sons being John, Peter, ami 
Henry, the latter of whom is the only one remaining 
in Union township. The surviving sister resides jn 
Jersey City. 

The .Toralemon family are among the most promi- 
nent representatives of the ship-builder's craft, and 
came to the township at a very early day. The oldest 
members of the family recalled are John and Corne- 
lius, the former of whom married a Miss Yereanee 
and had three children, — John, Cornelius, and a 
daughter, the former two having resided in Union. 
The family are now represented by Peter Joralemon 
in the township, Henry in Passaic, John W. in 
Woodside, and Stephen in Newark. 

The Westervelt family are also a race of ship-build- 
ers, and a.ssociated with the early history of Union. 
The name has become extinct in the township, though 
the family is perpetuated by the marriage of its 
female members with other residents of Union. 

Hendrick Brown came from Holland, and first lo- 
cated in Es-sex County. From thence a son, Tunis, 
removed to Bergen County and settled in Union, 
having been one of the earliest ship-builders. He 
had seven children, five of whom located near him. 
His son Abraham married Gertrude Christie and 



UNION. 



301 



had children, of whom Tunis A., William H., James, 
and a daughter, Mrs. Peter Joralemon, now reside in 
the township. 

The first Schuyler who emigrated to America was 
Philip Pietriese. He settled at Albany, N. Y., about 
1648. Among his ten children was Arent, the third 
son, born in 1662, whom his father gave an estate in 
New Jersey, including land opposite Belleville, in 
Union township. Arent was three times married, — ' 
first to Janiiettie Teller, who became the mother of 
six children, some of whom settled at Pompton, and 
others at Burlington, N. J. The second wife was 
Swansie Van Duykheisen, to whom were born five 
children, — John, Peter, Adonijahj Eva, and Cornelia. 
John and Adonijah married sisters, Ann and Ger- 
trude Van Renssellaer. Arent Schuyler, the progen- 
itor of the New Jersey branch of the family, at a very 
early date built a mansion on the banks of the Pas- 
saic, in Union township, and his son John, who was 
the first to develop the copper-mines, erected the 
present residence, the first having been destroyed by 
fire. The children of John were Mary, who married 
John Roosevelt, and Arent, who married his cousin. 
Swan, daughter of Adonijah Schuyler. Arent left 
one son, John, who married Eliza Kip and, a second 
time, Catherine Van Renssellaer. By the first mar- 
riage there were two children, Arent and Harriet, 
and by the second, John, Robert, Rutsen, and two 
daughters. The family still own a portion of the 
original estate, though the homestead has passed into 
other hands. None of the members of this family 
now reside in Union township, though Mrs. Arent 
Schuyler and her family are located near the town- 
ship line in Hudson County. 

John Rutherford came to the county and purchased 
at an early day an extensive landed property in the 
present township of Union. He had a son John and 
several daughters. John married and had among his 
children a son, Robert, who for many years resided in 
the township, and four daughters, two of whom 
became Mrs. Dr. Watts and Mrs. Peter G. Stuyve-sant 
"respectively. The remaining two died unmarried. 

Daniel Holsman, of German descent, originally re- 
sided in Paterson, and having purchased a valuable 
property, known as the Van Winkle estate, settled 
upon it. He built a spacious mansion, which is at 
present occupied as a hotel and summer resort. He 
had five children, — one son, Daniel, and four daugh- 
ters. The former is deceased, and the family are no 
longer represented in the township. 

The Van Winkle (formerly spelled Van Winkel) 
family are not only among the most prominent in the 
county, but bear the same relation to the State of 
New Jersey. The Union township branch of the 
family came originally from Amsterdam, Holland, 
and with other Dutch emigrants settled New Amster- 
dam, afterwards New York. The ancestor of the 
Bergen County branch was Walling Jacobs, who in 
1684 purchased of the proprietors, in company with 
20 



others, a certain tract of land known as the Acquack- 
anonk Patent, including the present cities of Pas- 
saic and Paterson. Walling Jacobs died about 1725, 
after which his son, Jacob Wallingsie, and grandson, 
John Jacob, made large purchases of land in Bergen 
County. Isaac, a son of John Jacob, born in 1767, 
settled in Union township. He married Hester Van 
Oeisen, and had a son, Daniel, who for years was 
largely identified with the growth and prosperity of 
the township. He is now a resident of Saddle River, 
though his sons still remain in Union township, being 
engaged in business pursuits at Rutherford. 

Among other branches of the family are John V. 
S. Van Winkle, residing in the northern portion of 
the township, and Michael Van Winkle. 

Schools. — Education has made rapid advances in 
Union township. Ten years ago there were but two 
school buildings, valued at thirteen hundred dollars, 
with a seating capacity for one hundred children. 
The school buildings of the present day are valued at 
thirty-four thousand dollars, and have ample room 
for seven hundred scholars. The territory is divided 
into five districts : Kingsland, No. 38 ; North Belle- 
ville Bridge, No. 39; Rutherford, No. 40; North 
Rutherford, No. 40i ; and East Passaic, No. 41. 
Kingsland, the first of these, occupies the extreme 
southern portion of the township, and is of recent 
formation. The first school building was erected on 
the Ridge road in 1872. It is a brick structure of no 
pretentions, but of substantial construction. The 
scholars belong principally to the laboring classes, 
and in many instances are compelled to assist their 
parents. As a consequence little progress is made 
in their studies, the attendance being very irregular. 
The school property is valued at four thousand dol- 
lars, and the present teacher is James A. Rose. 

North Belleville Bridge District is an old district, 
and extends across the township from east to west. 
It was organized as early as 1804. At a meeting held 
at the house of John Banker, the members present, 
"by a plurality of voices, resolved themselves into 
an association for the promotion of literature." 

Walling Van Winkle, Samuel Lewis, and Garra- 
brant Yereanee were appointed trustees of the " New 
Barbadoes Neck School-house," and had the proceed- 
ings of this meeting recorded in the clerk's office of 
the county, Aug. 13, 1804. The present trustees hold 
the original lease given for the property in 1804. 

A subscription list was immediately .started, and 
$162.20 raised for the construction of a building, when 
t the "association for the promotion of literature" en- 
gaged its first teacher and opened its first school. 
With slight repairs this building was used until 1849, 
when it was demolished and the present edifice erected 
on the site. It is a two-story frame building with 
cupola and bell, and pleasantly located on the banks 
I of the Passaic River. The lower room alone was 
I used until 1873, when the demand for more space 
1 induced the trustees to make the second story habit- 



302 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



able, and an additional teacher was engaged. The 
school is supplied with maps, charts, blackboard, 
etc., the property being valued at two thousand dol- 
lars. The preseiit teachers are Miss Elizabeth Ennis 
and Miss ^Iiiric Bowland. 

The Rutherford District occupies the northern and 
eastern portions of tlic township, the first school- 
house having been built in the year 1819 by subscrip- 
tion, on what is known as the Kip farm, on the east 
side of the Neck road. It was a one-story building, 
eighteen by twenty feet in dimensions, unpainted, 
and adorned with an antiquated mud chimney rest- 
ing on the beams. Mr. John Berry served as the first 
teacher, and remained in charge of the school until 
1831. At a later period he became county clerk. 
After Mr. Berry's departure the building fell into 
disuse, and the children attended either the River 
School or that at PoUifly. During the year 18")3 an- 
other edifice was erected on the same site of more 1 
modern design. The arrangement of the school | 
buildings of this early date was neither elegant nor 
convenient. A wooden-bottomed chair and a desk 
was provided for the teacher, and plank seats with 
desks against the wall for the scholars. No maps or 
charts relieved the bareness of the walls, which were 
usually decorated with figures of men and animals, 
the handiwork of some apt pupil. The desks, which 
are still in existence, display the Yankee proclivities 
of the boys in the skillful use of the jack-knife. The 
studies at this time were confined to the common 
branches, and no regard was ])aid either to cla.ssifica- 
tion or mctlioil of instruction. In 18G9 the jjopulation 
of Rutherford wa.s greatly increased, and the inhabit- 
ants became desirous of better educational advantages 
for their children. After many elTorts it was decided 
to build a now school-house by taxation. .\ lot having 
been secured a structure in the shape of a Maltese 
cross, fifty-two by forty feet in dimensions. wa.s ercrte<I 
at a cost of eleven thousand dollars. The building 
wag completed in May, 1870, and soon after opened 
for instruction with Mr. L. Merserean as teacher, with 
one lussistaiit. It was soon found necessary to em- 
ploy a second, and under the superintendence of 
Mr. W. F. Morrow a third assistant was added. 
The rooms were liberally supplied with all the 
modern aids to instruction. The school increased 
in numbers, and in 1874 it was found necessary to 
erect a second building in the upper portion iif the 
district north of Ihc Erie Railroad. This is a brick 
structure, fifty by forty feet in dimensions, two stories 
high, with cupola and bell, containing four depart- 
ments. It was built at a cost of ten thousand dollars, 
and opened for school purposes by Miss L. R. flinn 
in Heptember, 1874, who had previously been in 
charge of the intermediate department of School No. 
1. Miss Oinn had one assistant, but in 187.') found 
a second necessary. The residents of Rutherford 
demand good schools and pay liberally for them, a 
large sum being raised annually by tax in addition 



to the State tax for their support. The present 
teachers are Addi.son Ely, Miss Mary Bryan, Miss 
Jennie Burgess, and Miss Wheeler. 

The North Rutherford District lies principally in 
the northea-stern portion of the township. Some 
portions of it are thickly populated, but the larger 
part of the territory is in uncultivateil meadow-land. 
V^ery few facts have been secured regarding this dis- 
trict. The present instructors are G. R. Alyea, Miss 
Maggie Moody, and Irena M. Bates. 

East Pas.saic District lies partly in Lodi and partly 
in I^nion townships, the school building being in the 
latter township. It is one of recent formation, this 
section having been in the pa-st supplied with very 
meagre advantages. The children are principally of 
the poorer class, and the few people of means in the 
district met in 1872, formed the district, and erected 
the i)resent attractive edifice. 

It is a frame structure, thirty by forty feet in dimen- 
sions, two stories high, with mansard roof and of 
pleasing design. It is supplied with maps, charts, 
globe, etc., and has one hundred and sixty feet of 
blackboard space. From the character of much of 
the population of this district the attendance is very 
irregular and the standard of scholarship not high. 
The teachers are Edgar H. Webster and Miss M. L. 
Birch. 

The number of children at present in the various 
school districts of Union township is %3. Union 
receives iis her share of the surplus revenue fund 
?!l(;4.34, of the State appropriation of $l()0,(mO the 
sum of .^2!U.21, and of the State school tax $3065.98, 
making a total of $4o21.').'i. 

Early Highways. — The oldest highway in the 
township is known as the Boiling Spring road, which 
began at the public road leading from PiL<.saic to Belle- 
ville, and following a southea-sterly direction, inter- 
sected the road leading from Newark to Uackensack. 
This highway is intimately associated with the early 
history of the township. 

The Neck road, which leads from Newark to Hack- 
ensack, is also an early highway. It follows a south- 
westerly course, and passing through t'arlstadt, Rutlier- 
for<l, and Kingsland, reaches the copper-mines, pur- 
suing its way from thcuce to Newark. 

Another road, generally known as the river road, 
follows the Passaic River to Newark. 

The New York and Paterson turnpike, which wa.s 
originally known as the New Itarhadoes turnpike, wjus 
surveyed, and constructed in the year ISli!. It passed 
through Passaic, its objective points being Paterson 
and Hoboken. This road divides the township from 
Lodi. 

The Belleville turnpike is the boundary between 
Bergen County anil Hudson County until it crosses 
Saw-Mill ("reek, and although not one of the oldest, 
is a mueh-traveled road. 

The township of Union does not a|>point overseen- 
of highways to superintend the improvement of ili- 



UNION. 



303 



highways, but assigns a certain portion of its territory 
to each luember of the township committee, upon 
whom it devolves to perform the hibor commonly as- 
signed to overseers. 

Organization. — The act organizing the township 
reads as follows : 

"An act to set off from the toinuihip of Harrison^ in the county of Hudson^ 
a new toicnibip, to be calted the tou-nshiiy of Union, and to annex the Bame 
to the county of Bergen. 
" Be it enacted bi/ the Senate and Qenei-ul Assevtbly of the t<tate of New 
Jersey, That all that pyrtion of the towuship of llm-risoii, in the cuuuty 
of Hudson, lying within the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning 
on the Essex County line, in the centre of the Belleville turnpike road; 
thence along tlie centre of said road to the most westerly bninch of Saw- 
Mill Creek ; theuce along the middle of said creek to the Hackensack 
River; thence up said river and along the line of Bergen township to 
the centre of the New Barbadoes Toll-Bridge Company's road; thence 
along the centre of said road aud along the Lodi township line to the 
centre of Passaic River; thence down said river to the place of begin- 
uing, shall be and is hereby set off from the township of Harrison, in the 
county of Hudson, and made a separate township, to be known by the 
name of the township of Union, which is hereby annexed to and shall 
hereafter form a part of the county of Bergen." 

Civil List. — The freeholders are given since the 
organization of the township, and the remaining offi- 
cers from the year 1864, those of prior date not being 
obtainable. The freeholders have been : 

1S62, Henry P. Kipp; 18o2-53, 1857-59, 1861-62, Cornelimi C. Joralemon ; 
1853-54, liichardOutwater; 1854,1856, 1862, 1869-70, W'alling Kipp; 
1856-59, Peter Cutwater; 1S60-61, 1863, Geo. C. BrinkerholT; 1860, 
William B. Muchmore; 1863-64, Peter C. Joralemon ; 1864, Henry 
R. Cutwater; 1866, Abraham McKeon, .Jacob G. Van Riper; 1867, 
Ricliard Vreeland, James Stevenson; 1S68-G9, Walling Van Riper; 
1868, Samuel C.Campbell; 1870, Henry Miller; 1871-72, J. T. Beck- 
with ; 1873-74, 1877, Edo V. Jochem ; 1876-76, 187.8-80, E. Vreeland ; 
1881, John E.Cole. 

Township Clerks: 1864-66, Jacob W. Van Riper ; 1867, Daniel E. Hervey ; 

1868, .Samuel A. Campbell; 1869-70, Samuel A. Cantield; 1871-72, 
Wm. H. Stevens, Jr.; 1873-74, Edward Beny ; 1875-76, Eugene A. 
Sloat; 1877-79, Charles Meyers; 1880-81, Frederick W. McGee. 

Assessors: 1864, 1866, 1870, George C. Brinkerhott"; 1865, C. A. Hopper; 
1S67-69, 1873, J. V. S. Van Winkle; 1871-72, Henry A.Baker; 1874, 
E. C. Hussey ; 1875, 1878, J. T. Beckwith ; 1876-77. Henry Crooker, 
Jr. ; 1879, L. C. Philabert ; 1880-81, G. R. Alyea. 

Collectors : 1804, Jacob W. Van Riper ; 1665-66, 1869, Edo Vreeland ; 1867, 
H. H. Yearance ; 1868, E. J. Vreeland ; 1870, Henry Ontwater ; 1871, 
James II. Coj-telyou ; 1872, John V. S. Van Winkle ; 1873-76, Andrea 
BrinkerhofT; 1877-79, Eugene A. Sloat; 1880-81, John Haywood. 

Township Committee: 1864r-65, Ekin Nichols; 1864, A. H. Brown ; 1864- 
66, Wm. C. Kingsland; 1864, Fredeiick Ulrick, C. B. Van Riper; 
1866, Geo. C. BrinkerhoSf, J. J. Kingsland, S. C. Campbell; 1865-66, 
James Mulligan; 1866-70, Henry P. Kipp; 1866-67, 1870-72, Chas. 
Backster; 1866, Walling Van Riper; 1867, Richard Shugg, Daniel 
Van Winkle, John C.White, Geo. Kingsland; 1860, 1868-70, Jacob 
W. Van Riper ; 1868, E. J. Kingsland, Edo Vreeland, Tunis A. Brown, 
Wm. Kearney; 1869, J. P. Cooper, H. G. Bell ; 1809-70, T. A. Brown ; 

1869, Henry Cutwater; 1871-73, 1880-81, Andrew Slewart ; 1871-72, 
1874-75, George Dayton; 1871-72, John C. Marin; 1873, Wm. Mc- 
Mains; 1870-72, 1874-75, James A. McCrary ; 1874-77, Lonis Koch ; 
1875, Joseph Cliadwick ; 1875-76, 1879-81, Wm. H. Stevens, Jr. ; 1875, 
James N. Edgar; 1873-74, 1878, Jacob H. Vreeland; 1876, 18S0-8], 
Wm. H. Fewell; 1876-77, John Borkel, Floyd W. Tomkins; 1.877-78, 
Theodore Wood; 1877-80, Edward Berry; 1878-81, David G.Brown: 
1878-79, Arthur W. Van Winkle; 1879-81. George H. Cormack ; 
1881, Charles Myers; 1873, Frederick Watson; 1874, Cornelius Do- 
remus. 

Villages and Hamlets.— Rutherford is the most 
considerable village in the township of Union. Thirty- 
five years ago this ground w;is occupied by farmers 



and gardeners, principally of the old Dutch stock, 
who plodded on from year to year, taking their pro- 
duce to market in wagons at night, and reducing 
their expenses by such return loads as they could 
secure for the country stores. The older inhabitants 
had no aftection for strangers, and it was with some 
difficulty that they could be induced to part with 
their land. This feeling held sway long after the 
construction of the New York and Paterson Railroad, 
one of the earliest in the country and completed in 
18.32. It is only within the last twenty-five years that 
any serious innovations were made in the domain of 
this portion of the population of the county. They 
continued for years to plow and plant, while other 
localities less attractive were being built up and their 
landholders made wealthy. The township was with- 
out a settlement or a centre. Boiling Spring, so 
called from a powerful and never-failing spring of 
pure cold water which flowed in the cross-road near 
the northern boundary, gave a name to the locality. 
j When the New York and Paterson Railroad (now 
I the Erie) was constructed, finding an abundance of 
water on this spot, the projectors selected the local- 
ity as a watering-place, and called the station Boil- 
ing Spring. The railroad and the wagon-road both 
crossed here, and the depot, as it was called, was a 
triangular brick structure exceedingly limited in di- 
mensions. There were no other structures near and 
very few in sight. The spring still remains, but all 
' else is changed. The living stream which flowed by 
the side of the railroad is now conveyed in iron pipes 
to a reservoir on the meadows, at a point where the 
New York and New Jersey Railroad connects with 
the Erie, and furnishes a constant supply of water for 
locomotive use. In 1858 a small farm was purchased 
near the Boiling Spring by a New York gentleman 
for a country home, and more land was soon added, 
with a view to securing congeuial neighbors. No 
[ definite improvements were, however, eftected for 
several years. 

The ground was ultimately platted, and a map pub- 
lished in 18(J2, embracing streets and avenues. Sev- 
, eral gentlemen soon after erected buildings. The 
inhabitants contributed liberally, and thus succeeded 
in prevailing upon the Erie Railroad to erect a com- 
fortable passenger depot and ticket-office. No great 
progress, however, was made until 1866, when several 
New Yorkers purchased a large tract of land on the 
Passaic River, formed an association, and immediately 
projected a broad avenue (now Park Avenue) in a di- 
rect line from their property to the railroad station. 
In one year from this date no less than six land com- 
panies were formed and incorporated or being or- 
ganized. 

The various associations formed with a view to land 

operations are as follows : Mount Rutherford Land 

Company, which claims precedence in organization, 

the Home Land Company, the Rutherford Heights 

, Association, the Park Land Company, the Rutherford 



304 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Park Association, the West Carlstadt Land Verein, 
and the East Rutherford Land Association. 

Maps were publislied, streets were opened, build- 
ings erected, and inhabitants came in large numbers. 
The township that had no village witliin its limits 
soon boasted a growing centre of population, with 
post-office, schools, churches, etc. The old name of 
Boiling Spring was abandoned, and the place was 
christened " Rutherford Park," in compliment to one 
of the earliest and most distinguished families of the 
township. The word " park" seems to have been at- 
tached to many localities in New Jersey by land op- 
erators as an attraction to city buyers. For this 
reason an abbreviation of the name was advocated by 
the managers of the Bergen County Herald in 1875. 
The change met with some opposition, and a spirited 
discussion of the matter ensued in the columns of the 
paper above mentioned. A petition signed by many 
residents was forwarded to the Postmaster-General 
requesting a change of name to Rutherford. This 
was granted, and the Erie Railroad soon after made a 
corres|ionding cliiin<.'c in the station. 

Societies and Orders. — The Rutherford Mutual 
Loan and Building Association was incorporated in 
May, 187G, with the following officers: President, 
Charles Meyers; Secretary, W. E. Tompkins; Treas- 
urer, Alfred Oakley ; Solicitor, Luther Shafer. The 
directors were S. L. Harris, H. V. Gilbert, Charles 
Meyers, F. W. Tompkins, Thoniius Love, J. R. Collerd, 
John Kelly, Charles Spiegel, and E. J. Love. The 
object of the association is to provide for the safe and 
profitable investment of the savings of its members, 
and to assist them in acquiring real estate, making 
improvement.s thereon, and removing incumbrances 
therefrom by the payment of i>eriiidic installments, 
and for the further purpose of aceumiihiting a fund 
to be returned to its members who do not obtain ad- 
vances for the purposes above mentioned when the 
funds of such association shall amount to two hun- 
dred dollars jier share. 

The capital stock is issued in scries at intervals of 
about six months. Nine series have already been 
issued. Since its organization the association has 
loaned to its members a total of fifty thousand dollars. 

The present capital is (in round numbers) twenty 
thtmsand dollars, distributed over three hundred and 
ninety-three shares, held by seventy members or 
stockholders. 

Fully nine-tenths of the above capital is loaned to 
members upon first bond and mortgage upon real 
estate situated only in this township. The balance is 
secured by stock of the association pledged as security. 

lipon the above capital of $20,000 tlif amount of 
(lues paid in has been $13,700. The dillerence be- 
tween these amounts ($45,300) represents the earnings 
of the oJMOciation for the five and a half years of its 
existence. The rate of increase of stock of the first 
series Iulh for several months past been over (mo per 
cent, per month. 



The officers are : President, Charles Meyers ; Secre- 
tary, Joseph W. Burgess ; Treasurer, Edward J. Love ; 
Recorder, John H. Hingle ; Solicitor, Luther Shafer. 
Present directors (September, 1881), Robert Burgess, 
Theo. Wood, Charles Myers, James W. Blackwood, 
Thomas Love, E. W. Le Clear, H. H. Hollister,' John 
H. Hingle, E. J. Love. 

The character and purpose of the Rutherford Pro- 
tective and Detective As.sociation is sufficiently indi- 
cated by its title. Its present officers are : President, 
Maj. R. Allison ; Secretary, G. F. Schermerhorn ; 
Treasurer, W. H. Stevens, Jr. ; Directors, George 
Hollister, S. W. Hollister, William Earle, Jules Du- 
commun, Dr. Williams, Dr. K. K. King. D. B. Bur- 
tis is the chief of police. 

The Fishing and Gunning Club was organized by a 
number of gentlemen with a view to the protection of 
game and the promotion of legitimate field sports. 
Its officers are: President, E. A. Jeaneret; Vice- 
President, Louis Lane ; Treasurer, Theodore Woods ; 
Secretary, L. M. Axford. Tiie trustees are C. H. Coe, 
Jonathan Van Roden, and William H. Stevens. The 
club is in a |)rosperous conditiiKi, having twenty-eight 
active and two honorary men)bers. 

The I'nion Truck and Bucket Company was organ- 
ized June 6, 1876, for purposes of protection against 
fire in Rutherford and vicinity, and embraced twenty- 
two members. It.s first officers were: President, Henry 
Broker; Treasurer, Paul Ehrmann; Secretary, Eu- 
gene A. Sloat ; Foreman, James Glastaeter. The 
company now has a membership of thirty-two, its 
limit being fifty. All its equipments are paid for, the 
organization is free of debt, and with a surplus of 
three hundred dollars in the treasury. The present 
officers are : President, John H. Poiitin ; Treasurer, 
Edwin W. Lc Clear; Secretary, Thomas (t. Wilson; 
Foreman, Jacob H. Cadmus. Connected with the 
company is a " Firemen's Benevolent Association," 
of which Lucien B. Stone is president, and James W. 
Blackwood .secretary and treasurer. 

Kingsland. — .Vmong the original land-owiuTs of 
Unliin was the KIngsland family, who, as already 
mentioned, possessed a large tract of hind in the town- 
ship, well known a-s the Kingsland Manor. This 
locality, although very attractive, remained for a lon^' 
time almost in the condition of a farming country un- 
til 1S72, when the Delaware, Lackawanna anil West- 
ern Railroad pushed its broad track thrnugh iheridgr. 
making a station here, which, in com|>liment to tin 
family, was named Kingsland. The company pur- 
chased large tracts of land, speedily erected extensive 
shops, and gave a deciiled business impulse to the 
neighborhood. Houses for the employ(''S were erected, 
and sodii after a store, which is at present conducted 
by .M. Moreland. Though Ibe liamlet lias no ehurcli, 
rcligiiiiis services are held at the depot every Sabbatli 

Lyndhurst. — This attractive little hamlet, with it> 
picturesciuc and even imposing residences, is locale<l 
on the iH'laware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, 



UNION. 



305 



and had its beginning in 1880. William E. Travers, 
of New York, purchased property known as the Wat- 
son estate, embracing two hundred and forty acres, 
surveyed and platted it, and at once began the erec- 
tion of an extensive factory and dwellings. The fac- 
tory was leased to Messrs. McKee & Harrison, who 
are extensively engaged in the manufacture of baby 
carriages and velocipedes. They have in their em- 
ploy in the various departments an average number 
of one hundred men, use steam-power, and ship their 
wares to the salesroom in Grand Street, New York. 
A substantial depot has been erected by the railroad 
company, and the place has a store, of which C. A. 
Van Deusen is proprietor. The property on the east 
side of the railroad was a portion of the land known 
as the Genness estate, and is owned by J. J. Pickering 
and H. M. Genness. It is undergoing slow though 
decided improvement. 

A small settlement on the Passaic River is com- 
monly known as the village of Union, though having 
no post-office, the land on which it is located having 
to a considerable extent been owned by Hendrick 
Brown. It has two stores, kept by Anthony Brown 
and Elbert Smith. 

West Rutherford, located on the Passaic River, in 
the northwestern portion of the township, has an 
extensive hotel, and is gradually increasing in dimen- 
sions and importance. 

Churches. — At a regular meeting of the then Pres- 
bytery of Passaic, held in the spring of 1863, Rev. 
Joseph Alden, D.D., presented a petition from David 
B. Ivison, Daniel Van Winkle, and others, peti- 
tioners for the organization of a Presbyterian Church 
at Boiling Spring, Bergen Co., N. J. In compliance 
with this petition, the Presbytery of Passaic ap- 
pointed Rev. E. R. Craven, D.D., Rev. D. M. James, 
Rev. Robert Street, together with Elders A. Pruden 
and H. M. Mussey, a committee to visit the place, 
and, if thought best, to answer the petition. 

As the result of the visit of this committee, this 
church was organized by them, July 20, 1863, with an 
original membership of fifteen members. On the 
same day David B. Ivison, James P. Jones, and Wil- 
liam N. Crane were elected and ordained ruling elders 
of the church, and Daniel Van Winkle and .Tohn 
Gow were elected deacons. 

Rev. Joseph Alden, D.D., was the stated su[)ply of 
the church until the spring of 1865. On the 15th of 
August, 1865, Rev. George L. Smith was called, by a 
unanimous vote, to the pastoral care of the church. 
He was ordained and installed by the Presbytery of 
Passaic, Oct. 25, 1865. 

The church was incorporated Feb. 25, 1868, as the 
" First Presbyterian Church of Rutherford Park," 
and at the same time the requisite board of trustees 
was elected. The Sabbath-school was organized June 
19, 1868. In the summer of the same year the first 
manse of the church was built. On the 3d of .July, 
1869, the corner-stone of the present church edifice 



was laid, and on the 25th of December, 1869, the com- 
pleted building was dedicated to the service of God. 

As results of the labor and influence of this church, 
and especially its pastor. Rev. George L. Smith, since 
its organization and up to this time, we would note 
that two other Presbyterian Churches have been or- 
ganized, — the German Church of Carlstadt, in 1869, 
and the First Presbyterian Church of Union, in 1870. 

The pastoral relation of Rev. George L. Smith to 
this church was dissolved by act of the Presbytery of 
Jersey City, at their regular meeting, April 19, 1871. 
During his pastorate eighty-one were added to the 
church, — nineteen on examination and sixty -two on 
certificate. 

A call to the pastorate of the church was extended 
to Rev. Herman C. Riggs, Aug. 21, 1871, which 
having been accepted he entered upon the duties of 
his office Nov. 12, 1871, and was duly installed May 
23, 1872. 

In 1872 the first manse was sold, and a more com- 
modious one erected on a better lot nearer the church 
edifice. In 1873 extensive improvements were made 
in the church, by which chapel and Sabbath-school- 
rooms were provided in the basement. A choir gal- 
lery and organ were added to the main audience- 
room, which was refitted with pews and carpeted and 
cushioned throughout. 

The pastorate of Mr. Riggs continued until March 
26, 1876, when he removed to another field of labor. 
Under his ministry eighty-six were added to the 
church, — thirty-nine on examination and forty-sevea 
on certificate. 

The Rev. Dana M. Walcott served the church from 
May 25, 1876, to June 1, 1878. During his service 
twenty-seven were received into the church, — seven- 
teen on examination and ten on certificate. 

The Rev. Edwin A. Bulkley, D.D., was called to be 
pastor Sept. 13, 1878, and immediately entered upon 
the duties of his office, in which he was installed Dec. 
10, 1878. Under his ministry to July, 1881, sixty-two 
have been received into the church, — twenty-two on 
examination and forty on certificate. 

The following have served as ruling elders and 
deacons : 

Elders, 1863, David B. Ivison; 1863-67, James P. 
Jones ; 1863-72, William N. Crane ; 1869, George Hol- 
lister; 1869-77, Robert Stewart, M.D.; 1875-81, Sam- 
uel L. Harris; 1877-81, J. Raymond Collerd; 1881, 
Henry R. Jackson ; deacons, 1863-67, John Gow ; 
1863-71, Daniel Van Winkle; 1875-77, J. Raymond 
Collerd ; 1875, William H. Nevius, Henry V. Gilbert; 
1875-77, Charles Meyers; 1877, Horace H. Hollister, 
M.D. ; 1877-81, Henry R. Jackson; 1881, John B. 
Hollister. 

Whole number of members since organization, 257 ; 
received on examination, 81 ; received by certificate 
from other churches, 176; present membership of the 
church, 156. 

The present ofllcers are : Pastor, Edwin A. Bulkley, 



306 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



D.D. ; Elders, George HoUister, David B. Ivison, 
Henry R. Jackson; Deacons, William H. Nevius, 
Horace H. HoUister, M.D., Henry V. Gilbert (treas- 
urer), John B. HoUister ; Trustees, Samuel W. Hol- 
lister (president), Samuel L. Harris (clerk and treas- 
urer), Arthur Van Winkle, J. Nelson Edgar, Henry 
Koster; Clerk of the Congregation, James N. Edgar; 
Sabbath-school Superintendent, Henry V. Gilbert; 
Assistant Superintendent, James Scriven ; Secretary 
and Treasurer, George F. Schermerhorn ; Librarian, 
Edwin M. Bulkley ; Woman's Missionary Society, 
President, Mrs. Edwin M. Bulkley ; Vice-Presidents, 
Mrs. J. Nelson Edgar, Mrs. Andrew Stewart; Secre- 
tary and Treasurer, Mrs. Stewart Winslow; Ladies' 
Mite Society, President, Mrs. Edward W. Dean ; Sec- 
retary, Miss Mary Winslow ; Treasurer, Miss Sarah 
B. Ivison ; Ladies' Sewing Society, President, Mrs. S. 
W. HoUister; Secretary and Treasurer, Mrs. G. B. 
Kettell. 

The earliest efl'ort to establish a Methodist Epis- 
copal Church in Rutherford Park was made by Rev. 
Alexander Craig in 1868, while stationed at Passaic. 
He was followed by Rev. E. V. King, but the enter- 
prise not having met with success was abandoned in 
1869. 

In 1870 Rev. A. L. Brice, the presiding elder, re- 
solved to make another effort, and the requisite meas- 
ures were taken through Rev. S. P. Hammond, a 
teacher in the Passaic Collegiate Institute, who held 
the first meeting at the house of Edson II. McEwen. 
At the gathering ten names were enrolled and a class 
formed in connection with the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. The first public service was held at Tnion 
Hall, Dec. 18, 1870. The organization of the church 
having been effected, a board of stewards were ap- 
pointed, consisting of E. A. Howland, Jonathan Kcl- 
shaw, John Tcrhune, Edson H. McEwcn, and Thomas 
M. Dickey, with Rev. S. P. Hammond as pastor. The 
trustees were Thomas .M. Dickey, Charles R. Ellis, 
E. F. Randolph, E. A. Cords, Joshua Acison, E. H. 
McEwen, and R. H. Rodda. The organization was 
incorporated as the " Park Methodist Episcopal 
Church." 

In 1S71 a lot was secured from the Park I.,and Com- 
pany on Orchard Street, and a resolution to build was 
passed May 20, 1871, the cost of the edifice being 
limited to eight thousand dollars. Ground was 
broken in August of the same year, David Van 
Winkle officiating with the shovel. The services 
connected with the laying of the corner-stone occurred 
Sept. 24, IK" I, and were conducted by Rev. J. M. 
Howe, the first public service having been held July 
28, 1872, by Rev. J. A. Monroe, A.M. The lecture- 
room was dedicated in September of the same year, 
the ofliciating clergymen being Rev. .1. .V. Monroe, 
Rev. R. Van Horn, and Kev. Stephen Mcrritt, Jr. 
Services were conducted until 1S7(! by Revs. S. 
P. Hammond, J. A. Owen, E. Clement, and A. A. 
King. The society was not prosperou.'* and soon 



I 



after disbanded, the edifice having been sold under 
foreclosure. With the latter event ended the exist- 
ence of the Park Methodist Church. 

In 1879 the pastor of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church at Corona, Rev. W. H. Russell, was appointed 
by the presiding elder to hold services at Rutherford, 
which was accordingly done at private houses until 
April of the same year, when Rev. Mr. Russell organ- 
ized a church in his own hired house and furnished 
it with seats, until its dimensions became unequal to 
the demands of the worshipers. Union Hall was 
then leased for services, and a society organized 
March 3, 1880, by the presiding elder, styled the 
" Rutherford Methodist Episcopal Church." Rev. 
W. H. Russell was appointed pastor, and the trustees 
elected were Wm. I. Slingerland, Edward Gordon, 
Charles Bell, Edward Staley, John Slingerland. The 
stewards were Edward Gordon, Edward Staley, 
Charles Bell, Mrs. Susie Gordon, Mrs. D. Harris. 
The church Wiis organized with a membership of 
twenty, and a Sabbath-school with thirty names upon 
the roll. In 1881 an effort was made to .secure a 
chapel, and subscriptions to the amount of eight hun- 
dred dollars were raised. A small donation wits also 
made by the Church Extension Society, and a lot 
given by Mrs. Mary E. .\mes. 

The old church building was then purchased, taken 
down, and again erected on the new plot. The edi- 
fice will be dedicated during the present year. The 
nienibersbi]) of the church has increased, and now 
numbers fifty names, while the Sabbath-sclmol has a 
regular attendance of one hundred and forty scholars 
and teachers. 

Grace Protestant Episcopal Church, Rutherford, 
N. J., had its beginning in the spring of 1869, in the 
parlors of what Wius then known as the Rutherford 
Park Hotel, since destroyed by fire. Services were 
held here for about six months, the Rev. Wm. 11. 
Lord being the first rector of the parish. During 
his charge the church was removed to an academy 
built for that and other purposes, and there continueil 
for two years. At the end of this time Mr. Lord re- 
signed, and the tide of population seeming to tend 
more to the northern part of the town, the church 
Wiis again removed to I'nion Hall, near the railroad 
station. At this time the present rector. Rev. Nel- 
son R. Boss, then a student in the General Theologi- 
cal Seminary of New York City, took charge of the 
services for one year. At the expiration of his term 
the Rev. Edwyn S. W. Pentreath, now rector of 
the church in Moncton, N. B., was called to ihf 
rectorship. It was under his administration and 
through his efforts that the project of a church build- 
ing was started. Mr. F. W. Tomkins, then senior 
warden of the parish, jircsented the church with a Im 
suflicicntly large to accommodate church, chapel, and 
rectorj'. (Jround was broken for the cha]>el in Octo- 
ber, 1872, with appropriate and interesting .services, 
the rector taking up the first spadeful of earth, and 



UNION. 



307 



being followed in turn by others of the congregation 
present. Stone for the building was contributed and 
delivered on the ground by Mr. F. W. Torakins, and 
a neat edifice with a tower was erected at a cost of 
seven thousand dollars, capable of accommodating 
two hundred persons. The church was first opened 
for services in October, 1873. During the winter a 
fine bell, costing seven hundred and fifty dollars, was 
purchased and paid for by the ladies of the parish, 
since which time a number of improvements and 
additions have been made. 

About a year after the completion of the building 
Mr. Pentreath resigned the rectorship, and was fol- , 
lowed by the Rev. R. M. Hayden, now at the head of ! 
the " Leake and Watts Orphan House," New York i 
City. Throughhiseffbrts the debton the church build- , 
ing was somewhat reduced. Mr. Hayden was rector of 
the parish for one year, after which the Rev. E. H. 
Saunders took the charge. On his resignation, the 
parish not being in a flourishing condition, the vestry 
secured the services of a student for a year, after 
which the present rector, Rev. Mr. Boss, resumed his 
pastorate on Easter Sabbath, 1878. The church has 
thus been in operation for twelve years. There is a 
debt of two thousand dollars still remaining on the 
building. Owing to various causes the growth of the 
church has not been in proportion to its years, but 
there is doubtless a better future in store for it. 

Members of Baptist Churches who came to abide in 
the country in the early history of the real estate 
movement in Rutherford Park followed the example 
of other Christians and withdrew from the union 
meetings, which had been held for some months. A 
Baptist Church was organized Oct. 1, 18()9, by the 
following persons, who had obtained letters of dis- 
mission from Baptist Churches in Brooklyn, Jersey 
City, and Passaic: Richard Shugg and wife, Ben- 
jamin Yates and wife, E. C. Hussey and wife, Samuel 
T. Hink and wife, James N. Bookstaver and wife, 
William H. Locke and wife, George D. Waterbery, 
wife, and mother, Mrs. Sarah E. Winslow, Miss Sophia 
D. Oldring, Miss Emma L. Oldring. 

Meetings were held at the residences of members 
until a place of worship was erected early in the fol- 
lowing year. A piece of land at the corner of Park 
Avenue and Highland Cross was presented as a build- 
ing site to the new church organization by Richard 
Shugg. It was thought at the time that the location 
would become quite central, but this opinion proved 
incorrect, as the growth of the place has principally 
been in other localities. A neat little chapel was 
erected at a cost of two thousand seven hundred dol- 
lars, which was mortgaged for eighteen hundred dol- 
lars. The Rev. John A. McKean, an experienced 
Christian, who had been pastor of some of the most 
influential churches in New York and Philadelphia, 
was at this time living in Passaic and doing business 
of a secular nature in New York. He consented to 
take charge of the new organization at a salary of 



twelve hundred dollars, while still engaged in his 
New York enterprise. The church's first convert was 
baptized in July, 1870. A Macedonian cry came to 
this people from Moonachie for the word of the Lord. 
Moonachie is a farming district some three miles 
southeast of Rutherford. Delegates were sent there 
to hold religious services in a dilapidated old school- 
house about twelve feet square. From the faithful- 
ness of the labor there expended some twenty-five 
or thirty persons were converted, through the blessing 
of the Master. A number of these united with other 
denominations in adjoining places. One is now suc- 
cessfully preaching the gospel in New York State. 
A plot of ground was presented by John F. Feitner, 
and a little chapel was built thereon at a cost of one 
thousand dollars, which was all paid previous to the 
dedication of the building as a mi-ssion of the Ruther- 
ford Church. Services were conducted by the breth- 
ren for several years in Moonachie, a Sunday-school 
having also been organized there. The church of 
late years became too poor to hire conveyances to 
convey its members to and from the mission, and the 
enterprise has been abandoned. 

The Rev. J. A. McKean continued pastor of the 
church until the summer of 1873, when ill health 
compelled his resignation. The Rev. A. H. Robin- 
son, of Jersey City, became the next pastor, and con- 
tinued in charge until 187.'i. A gifted young man, 
W. E. Wright, of the First Church of Newark, was 
next engaged as stated supply, but was not ordained. 
The Rev. H. A. Cornell, of Sing Sing, N. Y., became 
pastor in the fall of 1876, and closed his pastoral la- 
bors in the summer of 1878. The Rev. James Hug- 
gins, of New York, succeeded as a stated supply. 
During the past year William W. Onderdonk, a New 
York collegiate, has visited and conducted services 
every Sabbath. Since the formation of the church 
ninety-eight persons have been enrolled as members. 
Through removal from the neighborhood, exclusion, 
death, and withdrawal, only thirty members are now 
left. The debt on the chapel has been reduced to 
thirteen hundred and eighty dollars. 

The Sabbath-school, which has been very jirosper- 
ous, was organized in 1870. 

St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, which is 
located at Carlstadt, in the township of Union, was 
organized Jan. 1, 1872, and the church edifice erected 
soon after at a cost of eleven thousand dollars, upon 
which there is still an indebtedness of eight thousand 
dollars. A parochial school for Catholic children was 
opened in 1878, which is under the care of three Sis- 
ters of the Order of St. Benedict, and has ninety-four 
pupils. One half-hour is devoted each day to re- 
ligious instruction, the pastor being director of the 
school. Both the nunnery and school buildings are 
on land adjoining the church. 

There is a prosperous Sunday-school connected with 
the parish, numbering one hundred scholars, while the 
membership of the church is fully six hundred. 



308 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Rev. John J. Chandel became the pastor of the 
parish in 1872, and continued in his field of labor 
until 1876, when he was succeeded by llev. A. Shut- 
telhoffer, who remained one year. In 1877 the present 
pastor, Rev. .1. G. Funcke, a-ssunied charge, and has 
since been assiduous in his labors, both here and in 
the adjoining parish of Lodi. The morning sacrifice 
of ma.ss alternates with the Lodi Church, and is held 
from 9 A.M. to 11 A.M. Each morning at 8 a.m. a 
ma^s is celebrated at which all the school children 
are present. The lay trustees of the church are 
Joseph Jloelter and Dominiek Iloey. 

The Congregational Church of Rutherford, N. J., 
was organized on July 9, 1878, with eighteen mem- 
bers. Its e.xistence grew out of a revival in the Pres- 
byterian Church, which its present pastor was then 
supplying. Its object has been more to secure deeper 
spiritual life for individuals tiian temporal life for the 
institution. Its support has been wholly voluntary, 
averaging about one thousand dollars yearly. Regu- 
lar preaching services have been maintained on Sun- 
days in Stewart's Huilding on Park Avenue, and 
prayer service at the pastor's house on Tuesday. A 
mission .service has also been sustained at Avondale 
on Thursday, and a portion of the time a Sabbath- i 
school, and a Friday service for Bible study. Its 
membership bas increased something more than one- 
half The church is not incorporated, and has not 
especially in view at present an (lutwanl dwidling, but 
rather an inner dweller, even the Holy Spirit, " whose 
temper we are." Two of the congregation have been ' 
called and engaged elsewhere to preach His word. 
The present working staff consists of Pastor Dana 
M. Wiilciilt [iiici nea<on Charles Iiigersoll. 

Schuyler Mine. —The land embraced in these 
mines was originally owned by Arenl Schuyler, its 
value in the ores it developed being discovered by 
one of his negro slaves in 1719. The mines were i 
worked but little during the lifetime of the original 
owner, but in the hands of his son, Col. John Schuyler, 
were a source of much profit, the ore being shipped 
to England. He in 1753 introduced here the first 
steam-engine brought to America, which was trans- 
ported and placed in operation at a cost of three 
thousand pounds sterling. This was destroyed by 
fire in 1772, and lay in ruins during the Revolution. 
The ores of this mine arc priiu-ipally carbonates 
anil sulphides of copper. They are found scattered 
through the strata of shales and sandstone, which are 
here traversed by thin plates of trap-rock. No trap 
is seen anywhere on the surface in the immediate 
vicinity of the mine, ami there is no appearance of 
any dikes of trap. The ores with more or less of the 
aiisoeiated rocks arc crushed and then sold. They arc 
said to yield a sufficient percentage of metallic copper 
to pay a good interest on the capital invested. Later , 
efforts to work this mine have not, however, proved 
successful or profitable, (iccasioned in a measure by 
inctfectivcjnuichinery. 



This is the oldest copper-mine in the State, and as 
early as 1731 thirteen hundred and eighty-six tons of 
the ore had been shipped to the Hritish copper- and 
bniss- works. 

A specimen of red oxide of copper from the 
Schuyler mine yields this analysis : 

Red oxide of copper 82 62 

Silica 17.41 

Oxide of inm trace. 

99.M 

The following is a composition of a specimen of 
bisilicate of copper : 

Oxide of copper 42.G0 

SUicn 4(i.uo 

Oxide of iron 1.40 

Water and lose Ki.OO 

liNi.on 

Daniel Van Winkle.— The Van Winkle family 
were among the earliest settlers of New Amsterdam, 
afterwards New York, where Walling Jacobs Van 
Winckel with a com|)any of Hollanders located in 
11)84. They, if tradition be correct, emigiated from 
Middleburgh, the capital of Zeeland, one of the 
United Provinces, and forty miles southwest of Rot- 
terdam. During the same year Mr. Van Winckel, 
together with fourteen others of the original band of 
emigrants, purchased of the New Jersey proprietors, 
for the sum of fifty pounds and the annual |)ayment 
of the sum of fourteen i>ounds of sterling money, a 
tract of land upon the Passaic River, known by the 
name of Acquackanonk. The death of Walling Ja- 
cobs occurrtKl in 1725, his son, Jacob Wallingsie, 
having succeeded to the estate. He operated ex- 
tensively in land, and, together with his son. Johan- 
nis Jacobsie Van Winckel (afterwarils known as 
John Jacob Van WinkleJ, purchased large tracts of 
land in Rergcn County, having at the same time sold 
portions of the Acquackanonk property. Isaac Van 
Winkle, a son of .John Jacob, was born in 17(j7, on 
the spot now familiarly known as the Santiago Place, 
at Rutherford, Union township, where lie later be- 
came an extensive landed proprietor. He was united 
in marriage to Hester, daughter of George Van Gie- 
sen, whose father, John Van Giesen, was a titled 
English officer. Their son, Daniel, the subject of 
this biographical sketch, was born .March 9, ISUi. 
His boyhood was pa.ssed at the home of his father in 
Bergen County, no incidents having transpired to 
make this period an eventful one. He was in 1848 
married to Miss Sarah, daughter of Ebenezer Cundict, 
of Morristown, to whom were born sons— Arthur W., 
Isaac, Stephen Condict, Dewilt T., and Charles — and 
daughters, — Sarah Klizabeth and Cliarlotle C. 

The life of Mr. Van Winkle has been one of un- 
ceasing activity. His business career was begun with 
a capital of but two hundred dollars, his first com- 
mercial venture being an extensive contract, which 
rei|uired nut only astute business calculation but ex- 
cessive appliuition. The qualities he brought Ut 



II 



KIDGEWOOD. 



309 



bear at this time won for him success, which inspired 
him with confidence for future undertakings. 

He next became a purchaser of real estate on 
credit, for which his frugality and tact enabled him 
to pay before the expiration of the year. 

The death of his father made him the jiossessor of 
land, which was cultivated to advantage and rendered 
both productive and profitable. Having a desire to 
become more familiar with the Pacific coast, he soon 
after embarked for California, and while en route was 
wrecked off Acapulco, Mexico. He, however, es- 
caped serious danger, and continuing his tour through 
the Pacific States and Territories, eventually reached 
home. This extended trip was, however, filled with 
privations and vicissitudes which served in a remark- 
able degree to develop the good sense, fortitude, and 
unselfish character of the subject of this sketcb, traits 
which have in many instances been exemplified in 
later life. In 18(30, Mr. Van Winkle secured the 
Kip and Cutwater property at Boiling Spring (now 
Rutherford). Together with other purchases, he con- 
trolled about 3(10 acres, and discerning that the tide 
of progress must inevitably flow in this direction, he 
organized with others a stock company for the sale of 
lots. Subscriptions to the amount of three hundred 
thousand dollars were readily obtained, and very 
soon the thriving village of Rutherford was the re- 
sult of this successful and enterprising venture. The 
attention of Mr. Van Winkle and other Christian 
gentlemen was soon after called to the spiritual wants 
of the little community, and a union Sabbath-school 
was organized, which formed the nucleus around 
which centred the various churches of the place. 

Circumstances induced his removal at a later period 
to East Passaic, where he became the purchaser of an 
extensive tract of valuable land. For this during 
the depressed condition of real estate there was no 
demand, but a later advance has greatly enhanced its 
value and enabled him to sell it at very profitable 
figures. The patriotic instincts of early members of 
the family have been transmitted, and manifested 
themselves to a marked degree during the war of the 
Rebellion, when Mr. Van Winkle emphasized his 
loyalty by liberal gifts to the government. In poli- 
tics he was early imbued with the principles of the 
Old-Line Whig party, and at a later date found the 
platform of the Republican party in harmony with 
his views. His religious creed is that of the Re- 
formed Church, the church of his Dutch ancestors. ' 

Mr. Van Winkle's tastes lead him to follow the ' 
pursuits of agriculture, and much of his life is spent 
amid the quiet scenes of his own home. Here, free 
from the distractions of the busy world, and sur- 
rounded by all the tranquilizing and ennobling in- 
fluences of nature, he leads the life of a Christian 
gentleman. 



CHAPTER XLIV. 



RIDGEWOOD. 



RiDGEWOOD is one of the smallest of the townships 
of the county. It is bounded on the north by Ho- 
hokus, south by Saddle River township, east by the 
Saddle River, and west by Franklin township and 
Passaic County. Its accessible distance from New 
York, together with the salubrity of the climate and 
its great natural beauty, have made it a desirable point 
of residence. This fact has attracted many city gen^ 
tlemen to the township, who have by their taste and 
means contributed greatly to its development. Many 
of the older families have been settlers since the 
period prior to the Revolutionary war, and are still 
occupying the land, which has passed through succes- 
sive generations. The chief point of historic interest 
is the old Paramus Church, which had its first incep- 
tion in 1725, and which is said to have been the scene 
of the marriage of Aaron Burr to the Widow Provost. 
The township is traversed by two railroads, the Erie 
Railroad, with a station at Ridgewood, and the Mid- 
land Railroad, which has a deimt at Midland Park. 
The latter passes through the southeast corner of the 
township, while the former pursues its course nearly 
through the centre. The amount raised by tax in 
the township during the last year was $9677, which 
was apportioned as follows : county tax, $2272 ; bounty 
tax, $1471 ; poor and township tax, .$1070; State and 
school tax, $112.5 ; road tax, $1500 ; special school tax, 
$2239. 

Natural Features. — The township, as has already 
been observed, is remarkable for its diversity of scenery 
and great natural beauty. The soil varies in localities, 
clay of a heavy nature predominating at times, wiiile 
sand in other parts chiefly abounds. Adjacent to the 
village of Ridgewood a strong clay mixed with muck 
is apparent, while sand is more abundant in the south- 
east, as also in the northeast. Very little gravel is 
found in these localities. The land of a portion of the 
township is divided into ridges, with streaks of clay 
between. The meadow-land in the valley and along 
the brooks is exceedingly fertile and highly cultivated. 
The principal products of the township are fruits, 
berries, and such other garden products as find a ready 
market in New York. Very little grain is raised, 
though the land is well adapted to corn, wheat, and 
rye. The timber is principally oak and chestnut. 
Ridgewood is amply watered, the Saddle River flowing 
along its eastern boundary, while the Hohokus Brook 
meanders nearly through its centre. Each of these 
streams are fed by small tributaries. 

Early Settlements. — The names that figured most 
prominently in tlie early history of Ridgewood town- 
ship were those of Hopper, Van Dien, Van Emburgh, 
Bogert, Zabriskie, Banta, Van Derbeck, Van Houten, 
De Baun, and Ackerman. Many of these families 
are still represented by their descendants, while the 



310 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



property of others has been disposed of to city pur- ' 
chasers in search of suburban liomes. 

The earliest recollected member of the Van Dien 
family wxs Albert, who resided upon the land now- 
occupied by Lawrence Snyder, and which he in- 
herited. He was united in marriage to a Miss Van 
Buskirk, and had children, — Sarah (Mrs. Bernard 
Ryer), Garrit, John, and Maria (Mrs. Cornelius Ben- 
son). Garrit located east of the village of Ridge- 
wood, and married a daughter of Casparus Demarest. 
Their children were Albert, Rachel (Mrs. Jacob T. 
Banta), Maria (Mrs. Abram Carlock), John, Gather- i 
ine (Mrs. J. T. Banta), Caspar, and Garrit G. Of 
this number Caspar, Garrit G., John, and Mrs. Banta 
reside in the township. 

Cornelius Bogert was of Holland descent, and re- 
sided in the township of Washington. His three 
sons were John, Jost, and Casparus. Jost married 
Maria Zabriskie, of Paramus, and had two children, j 
Cornelius and Aletta. Cornelius married Catharine 
Garrison, and settled in Paramus. He had three 
sons, — John C, Josiah, and Albert Z. John C. is a 
resident of Ridgewood, having settled upon land 
which his fatlier |>urchase(l in ISK) adjacent to the 
Paramus Church. 

Among the oldest names in the township is that of 
Hopper, several branches of which are still repre- ' 
sented. They are of Holland extraction. Of the 
family now represented by Garrit A. and Samuel 
there were originally seven brothers, — John, a cap- 
tain during the war of the Revolution, Jonathan, i 
Peter, Abram, Garrit A., Henry, and Isaac. Capt. 
John settled at Hohokus; Jonathan lived at River 
Side, anil wa.-' during the conflict for liberty slain by 
the British in liis own house; Henry served in the 
army, and while on a fnrlougli also met death bravely 
at the hands of the enemy; Abram resided in Frank- 
lin, while Isaac and Garrit A. both remained upon 
the homestead. The latter married Catharine Cooper, 
and had children, — Albert G., Kacliel I Mrs. Thomas 
Van Buskirk), and Maria I Mrs. Henry Brevoorti. 
Garrit A. was born and died upon the homestead 
atill in possession of his grandson of the same name. 
His son, Albert G., married Maria Brevoort, of Ar- 
eola, to whom were born children, — (rarrit A., Sam- 
uel, Catharine (Mrs. Stephen Bogert), who are living, 
and Henry, John Cooper, and Christian, who are de- 
ceased. The death of Albert Hopper occurred in 
18.'),'). Ilin sons, Garrit A. and Samuel, now reside in 
the village of Ridgewood. 

Another branch of the family is represented by 
Garrit Hopper, the grandfather of ( iarrit I., now a 
resident of Riilgewood. The former, who rcside<l in 
Hohokus, hail sons, — William, John, Christian, An- 
drew, and Jonathan. John had seven children, of 
whom one, John I., resides in the township. Another 
branch, who originally settled in Saddle River, is rep- 
resented by Peter J. Hop|)er. 

The first member of the Ackcrnian familv recalled 



is David, who was of Holland lineage, and resided on 
the homestead now occui)ied by Garrit G. Ackerman, 
which is but a portion of a large tract of land owned 
by him at a very early day. David had sons, — David, 
Peter, John, and Garrit D. John is a resident of 
New York State, Peter and David are deceased, and 
Garrit D. resides in Paterson, his estat* being now 
occupied by his son, (Jarrit D. David had a son, 
Cornelius, whose family now reside on the homestead 
of their late father. 

The grandfather of Daniel Ackerman, another 
member of the family, was Abrara, who resided in 
Hohokus. He was united in marriage to Sallie 
Cooper, and had children, — John A., Henry A., and 
Polly. .John A. resided upon the homestead until 
1814, when he removed to Ridgewood, on the farm at 
present oecu|iied by Daniel Ackerman, where he wa.s 
both farmer and distiller. He married Bridget Wes- 
tervelt, to whom were born four children, — Abram, 
Daniel, Eliza (Mrs. John Marinus), and Polly (Mrs. 
Elias Seaman). 

Jacob Van Derbeck was born in the township, on 
the land now occupied by Jacob Carlock, whose wife 
was a granddaughter of Mr. Van Derbeck. He mar- 
ried Lydia Van Bussom and had sons, Abram and 
Harmanis, both of whom lived within the township 
limits. Harmanis married Jane l?anta and had chil- 
dren, — Lydia, Jacob, Henry, John, Sarah, ("ornclius, 
James, and (Jarrit. Of these, John and Sarah (Mrs. 
Garrit A. Hopper) reside in Ridgewood, also a daugh- 
ter of Abram (Mrs. Jacob Carlock). Jacob, a son of 
Abram, resides in Hackensack, and a daughter in 
West Virginia. Another branch of the family is 
represented by Peter P., the son of James Van Der- 
beck. 

(iarrit Hopper, the great-grandfather of Thomas, 
now living on the homestead, resided in New Barba- 
does township during the war of the Revolution. He 
had sons, — Albert, Andrew, and Henry. The latter 
settled in Ridgewood and married Itachel Zabriskie, 
to whom were born four children, — (iarrit, Albert, 
Jacob, and a daughter, Mrs. Richard Snyder. Garrit 
resided upon the land of his father, having married 
Mary Snyder, to whom were born children, — Thomas, 
a daughter, I{achel, who Uccanie Mrs. .Mbert Voohris, 
and another, who married John Garrison. Thomas 
is still a resident of the original projierty purclnised 
by his grandfather. Still another branch is that to 
which Henry Hopper, of Ridgewood, belongs, wIuhc 
father was .\ndrew IL Hopper, formerly a miller. 

Andrew, Cornelius, and Thomas Van Dien were 
early settlers in the township. Andrew married 
Sarah Van Buskirk, and bad one son. Richard, who 
married Eleanor Paulison and bad children, — An- 
drew, John, and Sarah, — all of whom grew to mature 
years and are living in the township. The grand- 
daughter of Andrew first named is a resident of 
Sailille UiviT. Cornelius had one son, (Jarrit, whose 
son Richard now resides in the town^^hip. 



RIDGEWOOD. 



311 



Rev. David Marinus came at an early date from his 
native Holland and located in Bergen County, having 
married into the Dubois family. He had cliildren, — 
David, John, and Hannah. John settled in Saddle 
River, and David chose a location on the line between 
Saddle River and Ridgewood. He married Ellen 
Garrison and had children, — John, Ann, Jacob, 
D.ivid, Andrew, Mary J., Garrit, and Henry. Of 
this number Ann, who became Mrs. Abram Courter, 
reside.s in Passaic County, and John is the only 
member of the family remaining in the township. 

The Terhunes are of Holland ancestry, Albert 
liaving purchased land in Ridgewood, where he set- 
tled. Among his children were Jacob, John, and 
Martin. The latter married Margaret Ackeruian, and 
became the father of seven children, of whom T. B. 
Terhune now resides in the township. 

The Van Emburghs are an early family, having 
emigrated from Holland and settled in New Jersey. 
Tlie name of the first member of the family who came 
to Bergen County is not remembered. His son Henry 
married a Miss Voorhees and had children, — John, 
Henry, Albert, Peter, Ralph, George, and three 
daughters. George, Peter, and Ralph settled in 
Ridgewood, where they were land-owners and men of 
enterprise. Peter and George are the only survivors, 
the former being a resident of Ridgewood and the 
latter of Paterson. 

The Zabriskie family are among the earliest settlers 
here as elsewhere in the county. The great-grand- 
father of Abram J. was one of the sons of Albert, the 
progenitor of the race in America. His son, Henry 
H., married with the Bogert family, and a second time 
a Miss Hopper. By the first alliance were children, 
— Cornelius, Jacob, Abram, and Helen, who became 
Mrs. Peter Terhune. Jacob was united to Ann, 
daughter of John Hopper, of Ramapo, and had seven 
sons and three daughters. The sons were Henry, 
Jobn, Cornelius, William, Jacob, Guilliani, and 
Abram. Cornelius and Abram reside in the town- 
ship, the latter being the occupant of the homestead 
of his father. Two sons of John, named Guilliam J. 
and Henry, are also residents of Ridgewood. 

Schools. — The school territory of Ridgewood is 
divided into three districts, and was formerly em- 
braced in that of Franklin ton'nship. These are 
Ridgewood Grove, No. 44; Paramus Church, No. 45 ; 
and Ridgewood, No. 61. 

Ridgewood Grove, No. 44, is located in the southern 
portion of the township, and includes a part of Saddle 
River. The original school building in this district 
was constructed of stone, about ninety years ago, and 
located near the division line between Franklin (at 
that date) and Saddle River townships, a short dis- 
tance south of the residence of Garrit I. Hopper. 
This building was used until its destruction by a gale 
of wind in 1824, the authorities not deeming it prac- 
ticable to restore the structure. Another was imme- 
diately erected upon lands of Paul Van Derbeck and 



used until 1864, when the district was incorporated 
and the present brick edifice built at the Grove, on 
lands of Henry P. Hopper. It is twenty-two by 
thirty -five feet in dimensions, one story high, valued 
at S1800, and capable of seating fifty children. The 
present instructor is George A. De Baun. 

Paramus Church, No. 45, is located in a beautiful 
section, on the eastern portion of the township. Its 
boundaries have been slightly altered at various times, 
though not sufficiently to affect materially its dimen- 
sions. 

The exact date of the formation of this district and 
the establishment of a school therein cannot be ascer- 
tained, but it seems a well-authenticated fact that 
some organization for school purposes existed here 
soon after the forming of the First Reformed Church 
of Paramus, which took place one hundred and fifty 
years ago, or about the year 1730. Indeed, it seems 
probable that the two societies formed parts of one 
plan, since the school building is known to have occu- 
pied a portion of church ground for nearly one hun- 
dred years by the mutual though tacit consent of the 
consistory. There also exi.sts a tradition to the effect 
that a condition in the original grant of land from 
Mrs. Valleau to the church provided that room should 
always be given upon said land for the school. Some 
years since a disagreement in regard to certain privi- 
leges caused a thorough search of the records, which 
failed to reveal such a grant, or any mention of the 
school whatever. Yet enough weight was given this 
tradition to influence the consistory to give the trus- 
tees a free lease in perpetuity of the ground now oc- 
cupied for school purposes on the occasion of the 
building of the present structure, nine years ago. 

The first definite information obtained is of a school 
taught in the year 1785, in a small building, formerly 
a dwelling, which was located about fifty feet south- 
east of the present church edifice. A perceptible 
dcpre^ssion still marks the spot. The parents of per- 
sons still living attended school here. In the year 
1810 the location seems to have been changed, and a 
small stone house was erected for school purposes 
near the house lately built for the sexton of the 
Paramus Church. Recollection has preserved the 
name of but one teacher, a Mr. Westervelt, probably 
a resident of the county. The earliest teachers 
throughout the neighborhood were of Irish descent, 
and at a later period New England, and especially 
Massachusetts, was represented in the profession. 
For years after the custom of " boarding 'round" con- 
tinued, and each family in turn offered hospitality 
to the teacher. In the year 1820 a second stone 
school building was erected about two hundred feet 
east of the present structure, which in the year 1845 
gave place to a frame edifice on nearly the same 
ground, and, like its predecessors, was built by sub- 
scription. This was limited in dimensions, low, 
badly ventilated, and furnished in the rudest manner. 
The door opened from the rear upon the highway. 



31: 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Nti. l....PctorO. liopp«r. 

" 2....J T. I!..[.i..T. 

•• 3.. ..J. R, Vftii Il.-an. 

'* 4....rajii>t>r I). Van Ppnii. 

•• /i....GBrret II. Van Dfiin. 

" G....Abriirii It. Ackorninn. 

" 7.... A. J. Zaiirlhklo. 

" S.-.-OlHunl Whilionuur. 

" 9....\Viii. J. ViilcntiiiP. 

" 10. .0. (}. Acktrm^n. 



No. 11....J. W. SpikerlHjor. 

" li-.-UolKTl U>wl8. 

" l;J....A. Sniitli. 

" 14.... . 

•' Ifi.. .tinrrrt K. .Stivdcr. 

" Ifl... J. W. B. IMp'lor 

" 17. ...John IV Mnriiiui. 

" 16....GeorKo Hopper. 

" l9....noiiry Mulder. 



and among the sheds connected with the church. It ' 

was hardly possible for the large number of scholars 
who were in attendance at this period to obtain ' 
standing-room, though no other conveniences were 
efteeted until the erection of the present commodious i 
and complete edifice. This present building is at- 
tractive in its design, thirty-two by sixty feet in di- | 
mensions, with ample seating capacity, and cost four 
thousand six hundred dollars. The present teacher 
is Henry Bingiiam. I 

Ridgewood District, No. 61, is located west of the ' 
centre of the township, and embraces the village of ' 
Ridgewood. It was formed April 17, 1872, and 
formerly included portions of the districts of God- 
winville, Hohokus, and iSmall Lots. A commodious 
building Wiis erected on the formation of the district. 
It is of wood, two stories high, and was paid for by 
tax upon the residents. The present teachers are 
Misses Margaret Marinus and Maggie Duffield. 

Early Highways.— Xo very definite information 
regarding the early highways is at command. The 
earliest remembered road is the Godwinville road, , 
wliich entered the township on the west side, made a | 
detour to the north, and again to the east across the ' 
township, where it intersected the Paramus road. 
This highway was associated with the historic days of 
the Revolntion. Another road had its beginning at 
the highway described above, and following a south- 
erly course through the southwest part of the town- 
ship, intersected the old Wagara road near the Passaic 
River. 

The Paramus road, running from Pompton to Ho- 
boken, and which was the thoroughfare of the old 
Goshen and Hoboken stage-line, has been elsewhere 
described. It run parallel witii the east township line, 
and curving to the west entered the northeast portion 
of Ridgewood, and deviating again to the north 
passed into Hohokus. The road territory of the 
township is divided into nineteen districts, over 
whom are appointed the folb>wirig overseers: 
DUtrlct. Diutricl. 



Organization. — The net organizing the township 
reads as follows : 

"An Act tn rficW* Ote TovnMhip of FrattkliH, I'li Ihe Oounlp of Bergen. 

" 1. Ik it en-irtfti ftp the adnata and Genrral Aurmblp of the Slat^ of Seu 
J^nen, Thftt all thnt part of tlifl towiiHhIp of Franklin, In Uie county of 
BerKon, lyliiK w*utlii<ajit«>rly of a dlvlilon lino deecrlbod as followi: be- 
ginning In lhf« riuuuiic County lino at tin* liotrl of Al*ram Coe, and In the 
cvntrr uf the (fudw|nv|]|A mACAfUmlrtNl rooil, nnd rnnnlng thence north- 
•wt^rly along uild road to it* lntT<io< ttun wllli the New Jen>oy Blldland 
Railrond ; ilif>ncr> oinilnulng nurtlioaalorly In a direct lino to lh« centrv 
of (h(« pnldir roAd li'iidlnK frunt Midlnnd Pnrk t<> llohnknt; thonro ron- 
UnulnKnurtti4>iuitorly al'tiK tlii< rentinof «ald riad to lit in(cr«<'ct|on with 
th« puhllc road loading from Garret I. lluppcr'* t» White Mltla; and 
Ihanoe norUiurly along Uie centre of said last*meatloned road and the 



road leadlDg to Allendale to the Hohokus Brook and weal line of the 
towntthip of Hohokus, shall t*e and i^ hereby set off fn>ni the said town* 
ship of Franklin and made a new and separate township, to lie known by 
the name of the township of Kidgewood. 

"2. And be U enacted, That the inhitbllants of the said ti.>wnship of 
KidgewcxMl shall \>e and they are hereby made and constituted a body 
IKililic and corporate in law, and ihitll be known by the name of the 
luhabjtnnts of the Township of llitlge\voi.>d,in the County of Dergeu, and 
shall bo entitled U* all the rights, pt»w em, nutliority, and privileges con- 
ferred upon the inhabitants of the Si'veral lownii)ii|« uf this State by an 
act entitled 'An act to authorize the inhabitants of the sevfral town- 
ships of this State to vote by Inllot at their owu meetings, approved 
March twenty-second, eighteen hundred and eixty.* 

"3. And br U enacted. That the inhabitants of the township of Frank- 
lin, as remaining after the [tassngetif this act, shall hold their next town- 
ship election at the hotel of John I*. Ramsey, Jr., at Wyckoff, and afttT- 
wurdii in each year at such phice as nhall bi* designated at tludr preceding 
annual tuwrn^liip election at the time fixed by law; and at the said first 
township election Daniel D. Depew, Juhn Z. Goi'tMchius, aud Samuel Coe 
shall act as judges, and John W. Ackerman shall act as clerk of the said 
first election. 

"4. And be U enacted. That the InhaUtanls of the township of Ridge- 
wood shall hold their first annual election at the Ridgewo<H| Hotel, at 
Rldgewot^Hl, and afterwards In each ye^ir at such place as the iriliat'itants 
of said township shall at their preceding annual township meeting de- 
termine, at the tiiur tixi'd by law for the annual township election in Ihe 
saiil towMfliip of Franklin ; and at the said linil towntihip eU'ciion Deu- 
jamhi F. Uol>iiiM)n, Whitman I'hillips. and John R.Snyder shall act as 
Judges, and Theodore V. Terhune shall act as clerk of said election. 

"5. And be it emtcted. That the township commit teeiii of saiil tt^iwnships 
of Franklin and RidgewootI, elected at the said firNi eh-cliou, ref<|»>r lively 
shall meet on the fourth Monday of April next at the hotel of Altram 
Hopper, at Ridgewood, at Ion o'clock In the foreiuHin, and afterwards, if 
nece«sary, at such times and places as the majority of those pri-sent may 
determine, aud then and there, by writing, signeil by a majority of said 
committees, allot and divide between said townshiits such pR>i>erty. If 
any, »s may be owni-d by the present township of Franklin, and also such 
moneys and assets as may bo on hand or due or to l>ei'ome due to said 
township, in proportion to the taxable property and mteables in said 
township respectively, as shall l>e detennined by the Inst As»e»sment of 
taxes of the fi>rmer township of Franklin; and each of the said town* 
ships shall be and renniln liablo to pay Its ju»>t prii|K>rtion ol the debts 
and obligations of the present township of Frariklin, according tu said 
last assessment, as tin' vuvil debts and obllgalionn shall exist at the next 
annual town-meeting, until the name are fully pahl and di^.-harged, 
such proportion of such indebtedness to be assemcd on the Inhabitants 
of said township respectivel}. In accordance with the laws now applicable 
thereto; and each of said townships shall sup|Kirt the |vauperM x\Iioh«> set- 
tlement in or may I>e within their lH>unds respectively ; and If any of the 
I>enon8 coni|)oslng either of the said township couimltteea ithall refuse or 
neglect to meet as aforeeaid, those assemble<l may pp>cee<l to m'ike suoh 
diviHion, and the declplou of a minority of those present shall bo final 
and conclusive. 

"6. vlN<f 6c if eiMiWed, That nothing in this act contained shall be con- 
slrtied BO as lo Interfere with or Impair the cnmmiMlons of the justice* 
of the peace or t>f the comnilMloners for taking the acknowltnlgmenta 
and proof of deeds until they shall expire by their own limitation, or to 
M lo Imiialr the rights of the said township of Ridgewood in and to its 
Just and legal proportion of the surplus revenue of the general govern- 
ment, and the Interest due or Incoming due thereon. 

"7. And be it eiinrted. That the said township of Ridgewood shall form 
a part of Ihe Second Aseembly District of thf county of Bergen as here- 
tofore. 

"K. Andbe itena<^«d^ That this art shall take effect I ro medial*- ly." 

Approved March 8(», 1870. 

Civil List. — The township officers since organiza- 
tion have heen : 

1><76.— Freeholder, riarret 0. Van Dien; Township (^lerk. Natlmniid R. 

Rnnco; Aasoaeor, John A. Marinus; Collector. James Zabrlskle; 

Township Coiumlllee, Cornelius J. Dogert, N. R. Bunce, Peter G. 

Hopper, Albert P. Hopper, Thomas TThune. 
1877— Frt-eholdpr, (Jarret J. Van Dlen ; Townidilp Clerk, N. R. Hunce; 

Aaseosor, John A. Marinus; Collector, Jamee Zabrlskle; Township 

Committee, C'ornellus J. Ib>gen. Peter G. Hopper, Thomas Terbun*, 

Albert F. Hopper, John D. Ackerman. 



RIDGEWOOD. 



313 



1878.— Freeholiler, Peter 0. Terliiine; Township Clerk, Natlianiel R. 
Brnice; Assessor, John A. Blariniis; Collector, James Zabriskio; | 
Township Cumniittee, Thomas Terhiine, J. A. Bogert, Artlmr H. ' 
Walton, Abram L. Smith, Albert P. Hopper. 

1879.— FreehoWer, James Zabriskie; Township Clerk, Arthur H.Wal- 
ton; Asse-'isor, John A. Marinns; Collector, Whitman Phillips; 
Township Committee, Abram L. Smith, Thomas Watlington, Casper 
T. Zabriskie. 

1880.— Frcolinldor, Peter 0. Terhunc; Township Clerk, .Arthur H. Wal- 
ton ; .'Assessor, John .\. Marinns; Collector, Whitman Phillips; 
Township Committee, Williitm E. JIaltbie, Casper T. Zabriskie, W. 
V. Carlock. 

1881.— Freeholder, Peter Terhune; Township Clerk, Arthur II. Wal- 
ton; Assessor, John A. Marinns: Collector, Whitman Phillips; 
Township Committee, Abram L. Smith, Benjamin F. Uobinson, Cor- 
nelias P. Cronter. 

Ridgewood. — Tlie only village in the township is 
Ridgewooil, better known in the early period of its 
history as Godwinville, the land upon which it stands 
having formerly belonged to the Hopper, Van Em- 
burgh, and Westervelt families. The earliest effort 
whicli resulted in the development of a hamlet was 
made in 1853 by Samuel Dayton, who purchased a 
portion of the Van Emburgh estate, and at a later 
day liad it platted. The Paterson and Ramapo Rail- 
road was surveyed as early as 1846, and soon after 
constructed. This connected with the Erie Railroad 
at Suffern's, and with the Patersou and Hud.son Rail- 
road at Paterson. In 1859 the residents of the vicinity 
erected the first station building, and christened it 
Godwinville. For many years the only structure in 
the vicinity was a house owned by George Van Era- 
burgh, the remainder of the ground being either a 
thick growth of underbrush or an extensive marsh. 
The first building erected after this date was occupied 
by P. J. Hopper as a dwelling, and though its dimen- 
sions were limited room was found in which to place 
a small stock of goods. Mr. Hopper may therefore 
be regarded as the pioneer in commercial enterprise. 
In 1860 there came an addition to the hamlet in the 
advent of several New York gentlemen, most of 
whom remain residents of the localit3'. This had 
been purely an agricultural region heretofore, but 
with the presence of this new element came activity 
and enterprise. The influence of their ideas soon 
made itself apparent in the building of houses, the 
improvement of roads, the beautifying of lawns and 
gardens, and the general air of refinement and taste 
which pervaded the hamlet. Cornelius Shuitt pur- 
chased a portion of the Westervelt property, and soon 
after laid it out in building lots, which found ready 
purchasers. He also erected the first store, and was 
the second to embark in mercantile pursuits, his ven- 
ture being on a more extended scale than that of his 
predeces.sor. The earliest hotel was built by John 
W. Halsted, and in 1865 the society of the Episcopal 
Church erected a church building, which, being incon- 
venient in its location, was at a later date removed to 
a more accessible locality. 

A post-office was also established in 1865, with Ben- 
jamin F. Robinson as postmaster. Garret G. Van 
Dien succeeded, July 29, 1867, and is still the incum- 



bent. The name of Godwinville having proved in 
many ways unsatisfactory, a change wtvs advocated, 
which met with strong opposition from the Erie Rail- 
road, that now controlled the railway interest for- 
merly belonging to the Peterson and Ramapo Com- 
pany. They were, however, after a persistent .struggle, 
induced to adopt the more euphonious name of Ridge- 
wood. The village has slowly increased in popula- 
tion, and has now stores, churches, a public school, 
and many attractive residences. It is a convenient 
retreat for New York business men rather than the 
scene of commercial activity, and for that rea.son its 
rapid advance may not be looked for. 

The present factory was built by the heirs of John 
R. Terhune in 1873, near the spot formerly occupied 
by three other factories within a period of twenty-one 
years. The first building was used as a grist-mill for 
nearly half a century, and in February, 1853, was de- 
stroyed by fire. A new frame building was erected 
the same year, and leased to J. J. Zabriskie for a cot- 
ton-mill. This again was consumed by the flames in 
1859. In 1866 ground was broken for a new frame 
structure, which was leased to Edwin Taylor, of Ken- 
sico, N. Y., for manufacturing purposes. 

In 1873 this was also a victim to the fiery element, 
and the same year the present factory was built, and 
leased to " The Peerless Manufacturing Company" in 
1879 for the manufacture of rubber goods. It is con- 
structed of brick, is two stories in height, and has a 
wheel-house of the same material adjacent. Both 
steam- and water-power are employed, and all classes 
of soft rubber goods, such as hose, mats, springs, etc., 
are made. The market is found in New York, where 
the products of the factory enjoy an enviable reputa- 
tion. 

Fidelity Lodge, No. 113, F. and A. M., located in 
the village of Ridgewood, was organized first at Ho- 
hokus Station, under and by virtue of a dispensation 
granted by M. W. Robert Rusling, Grand Master, 
dated Oct. 17, a.l. 5870, a.d. 1870, and was set at 
work by R. W. William E. Pine, D. G. M., on Nov. 
7. A.L. 5870. 

A warrant was granted by the M. W. Grand Lodge 
of New Jersey at its annual communication held Jan. 
18 and 19, a.l. 5871, and the lodge was constituted 
by R. W. James V. Bentley, J. G. W., on Jan. 27, a.l. 
5871, the warrant delivered being numbered 113. 
The oflicers named in the warrant were John M. 
Knapp, W. M. ; Robert B. Cable, S. W. ; and John I. 
Demarest, J. W. 

The ofiicers for the year a.l. 5881 are John F. 
Cruse, W. M. ; Garret G. Van Dien, P. M., S. W. ; 
John M. Knapp, J. W. ; John A. Marinus, P. M., 
Treas. ; Joseph W. Edwards, P. M., Sec. ; Abraham 
Ackerman, S. D. ; Peter J. Mabie, J. D. ; George 
Morrison, Edward A. Stansfield, M. of C. ; Isaac Wor- 
tendyke, Chap. ; Horace Holcomb, Marshal ; John A. 
Ackerman, Tyler. 

Manufacturings Interests.— Thomas Holt's Turk- 



314 



HISTOUV OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



ish towel manufactory was established in 1879 for 
the manufacture of Turkisli towels, binding, etc. The 
factory contains eight towel-looms and four binding- 
looms, employs sixteen men and women, and has a 
capacity of fifty dozen towels ])er day and forty gross 
of binding. The material is purchased in New York, 
and a market is also found in that city for the prod- 
ucts of the mill, which is run by water-jiower. 

The woolen-mills of G. Morrow & Son were estab- 
lished in 1853, and are located in the southeast corner 
of Ridgewood, on the Midland Railroad. They are 
exclusively devoted to the manufacture of woolen 
cloths. They have two sets of machines, and employ 
six experienced operatives constantly. About five 
hundred pounds of wool per week are worked, and 
the market for the products of the mill is found in 
New York City. The power is furnished by water. 

Churches. — The earliest record discovered alluding 
to a church at Paramus is in a letter of Rev. Rein- 
hart Erickson, in the year 172.5, to his brother-in-law, 
Henricus Coens, then settled at Acquackanonk. In 
it he states that he was then " minister at Hackensack, 
Schraalcnbergh, and Peremus." Dominie Erickson 
continued to .serve this jjcople for three years, when 
he removed to Schenectady. 

Before this time the inhabitants, according to their 
location, had attended the churches of Hackensack, 
Awiuackanonk, or Tappan, which were united under 
the ministry of Rev. Guillam Hertholf, who labored 
in these places from l(j94 to 1724. He, no doubt, oc- 
casioiiallv also lectured in the Paramus neighborhood. 
From his lips fell the first words of gospel message in 
this region. 

The next documentary allusion to the church of 
Paramus is found in the archives of the consistory, 
bearing date the 20th day of December, 1730, and is 
a paper signed tiy Peter Fauconier, containing a 
promise of land to the consistory on which to build a 
church. It appears from other records that Rev. 
George W. Mancius was settleil over Schraalenburgh 
and Paratnus in 1731-32. 

It does not appear that there was any minister 
settled over this church for sixteen years after the 
departure of Mancius. During this time, however, 
it could not be that they remained destitute of 
the preaching of the gospel. No doubt they often 
invited the neighboring clergymen to come into 
their midst and preach, and perhaps administer the 
sacrament**; for during all this period the neigh- 
boring churches were supplied with pastors. Dominic 
Mutzelius labored at Tappan from 172() to 17A0; 
Dominic Van Drieasen at Acquackanonk from 1735 
to 1748 ; and Dominie Curtenius at Hackensack from 
1737 to 1755, all of whom were within ten miles; and 
it may be, although we have no record of the fact, 
that engagements were made with some, or at did'er- 
cnt times with all of these, to supply this congrega- 
tion with regular, though not very freiiucnt, services. 
Indeed, this is highly probable, if not certain, when 



we consider that during this period, in the year 1735, 
they erected their first church edifice, as appears from 
a note on the fly-leaf of the "Old Doop Hook," the 
baptismal register, as follows: 

" Den 21 Dagh Van, April, 1735, is de Eerste Steen 
Van de Kirk Geleyt ;" that is, " On the 21st day of 
April, 1735, was the first stone of the church laid." 
The baptismal record does not begin till 1740, al- 
though it is probable some of the first leaves are lost, 
as the record was in a very dilapidated condition 
until the consistory had it recently rebound. 

On the 15th of January, 1734, the consistory and 
congregation of Paramus Church assembled at the 
house of Johannes Wynkoop, and the following per- 
sons were chosen for the purpose of building a church 
at Paramus, viz. : Conradus Vanderbeck and Johannes 
Wynkoop. These jjcrsons were chosen by the above- 
named consistory and congregation to further the 
building of the church at Paramus, and to promote 
her best interests, according to the following articles 
adopted by the church and congregation : 

** 1. The cliurch miutera stiall »>ot apart Koats for tho mfiilst«r and oou- 
ststory. 

"2. Tliuy Rliall set apart a M>Ht for the Diinister's wife. 

" 3. Peter Faucuilnicr shall have seats fur himself and wife fur a con- 
tinual posseitslun for tliomnelves and their heirs. The^e shitll he exempt 
from all charges hy the church, except tho niinistor'fl salary, wi an ai-- 
knowledgment of their donation of the land on which tho church is 
built. 

"4. There ''holl remain five or six free seats for the old and doaf, where 
the church niiiHtcrs think best. 

" ft. There slinll bo n«erved as many free seats as tho church masters 
ttiiiik best. 

'' G. This resolution specifles that those who furnish materials or lalsir 
shall iiave a fair valuation put upon them Ly the church masters. 

"7. Ejich builder shall keep an account of whiit each person furnlslo's 
in money, materials, ur labor. 

"8. When the church H flnislied, it shall b« computed how many seats 
will be left after the free Ncats have been selected. 

"0. After this, the persons wlio liavecontributeil the highest sum shall 
li .ve the flmt choice in a seat, and so down to the lowest. 

" 10. Those who have not given sufllclent to buy a seat can now In- 
crease the sum. 

"11. If two pemoiis have given an 0<)ual sum, and choose tho same 
seat, they shall cast lots fur tho same. 

" 12. Every person shall own his seat for himself and bis heirs, with 
the condition that when ho dies hl« hoini shall keep up his salary if in 
circumstances to do St-i ; if not, he shall |)ay what he Is able. 

"l:i. If any Jiercon remove fnim the congregation, bo shall soil his 
seal only to Nome one living In the congregation, who shall |»ay such 
wibiry iu< the consistory doi>ni suitable. 

" 14. If no one of the congregation wish to buy, they thou can sell to 
any one they please. 

" 15. Thoeo out of our bountls may procure seats on coDdltion that 
they |Miy a salary. 

" in. That if it Ira found tltat llio said church prove too small, and it 
be enlarged, no one shall break olT frvini the church of Paramus, as the 
old builders nf SJiid church, or their heirs, but shall belong to said church; 
the majority of voles shall suggest [tlirect]. 

" 17. That no minister shall l>e called to pre«cli in said church but 
such as lielong to the llrfornied ('hurcli. If It shoubl be the wish of the 
congregation to bear a mlidster of the Ileformed Church, when it is nut 
the turn itf our minister here, or on anvnther occasion, it shall lie granted 
to them U|K>n the condition that the congregation shall make knowu 
their re^piest to tile minister, with the consistory, or to the ruling con- 
sistory, giving honor to whom it Is due. And If they shall find It good 
for the quiet of tho congregation, and deem It expedient, It shall l« sub* 
mitted to tho ruling consistory, and the iibl consistory, ot those who 
have Iteen In church service." 



RIDGEWOOD. 



315 



Upon these articles and conditions the first church 
edifice was built. It was probably completed during 
the ensuing fall or winter. Like all the early Dutch 
churches, it was built of stone, with an octagonal 
roof, and the steeple in the centre. There were no 
pews, such as we now have, but chairs, and the name 
of each owner on the back of his chair. The bell- 
rope came down to the centre of the church, where a 
darkey generally stood to call the worshipers together 
with his iron tongue. 

During the Revolutionary war the church was used 
for various purposes, and it is said some British sol- 
diers were confined in it as prisoners. It was much 
injured, and required repairing. This old house 
stood until the year 1800, when the present building 
was erected. It seems Peter Faucounier gave the 
ground where the church stands, but that Magda- 
lene Valleau afterwards gave forty acres for a par- 
sonage farm. Her deed bears date April 13, 1750. 
For these donations Peter Fauconier was to have 
two seats, and Mrs. Valleau three. On the 21st of 
August, 1748, Benjamin Van Der Linde received a 
joint call from the churches of " Peremes and the 
Panne" (Paramus and the Ponds). Dom. Antonius 
Curtenius, of Hackensack, moderated the call. 

In the stipulations of this call he was required to 
preach once each Sabbath, on the first and second 
day of Christmas, on New- Year's day, on the first ! 
and second days of Easter, on Ascension-day, and on 
the first and second of Whitsunday. 

The following members of the consistory signed 
the call to Dominie Van Der Linde : Elders, Albert 
Van Dien, Steve Terhuen, Jan Komyn, Barent Van 
Hoorn, Hendrik Van Aele, Raelof Van Houte ; 
Deacons, Johannes Stek, Klaes Zabriski, Albert Bo- ' 
gart, Simon Van Winkle, Cornelius Van Houte, 
Steve Bogert. 

The salary promised was zestig pont, met pt-eekers- 
plants en houf, — sixty pounds, with parsonage and 
wood ; afterwards it was increased to ninety-six 
pounds. This Van Der Linde was a distant relative ! 
of the wife of the first Zabriskie that came to this i 
country. He is said to have been a man of rather : 
moderate preaching abilities, but noted for muscular ' 
power and fleetness. He, with Elder Stephen Za- , 
briskie, represented this church in the convention of 
1771, which met to form the constitution of the Re- 
formed Dutch Church of North America. He organ- 
ized the church at Saddle River as a branch of this 
church, Jan. 7, 1778. 

Dominie Vanderlinde had labored here for almost 
forty years, and began to feel the infirmities of age. 
During all this time he had a double charge, the 
churches being situated ten miles apart. The pros- 
pect of a church at Saddle River, a part of his con- 
gregation, would still increase his labors. The con- 
sistory, therefore, wisely called a young man to assist 
him. This was the Rev. G. A. Kuypers, who had 
just been licensed to preach the gospel. This is be- 



lieved to have been in 1787, but there is no record 
of it. 

Fifteen months after the formation of the church 
at Saddle River, Mr. Kuypers, the colleague, received 
a call from the Collegiate Church of New York, and 
was dismissed from Paramus on the loth day of April, 
1789. He continued connected with the church in 
New York till 1833, when he died. 

The venerable Vanderlinde did not long survive 
the departure of his youthful colleague. In less than 
three months after, July 8, 1789, he was called to a 
better world. He had seen the congregation increase 
and send out two branches, and a third about to start, 
and yet retain undiminished vigor at home. This 
fact speaks loudly in his praise. His labors must 
have been immense, as his congregation extended at 
least twenty miles east and west and fifteen miles 
north and south. He must literally have worn out 
in his Master's service. His bones were disinterred 
in the year 1800 and placed beneath the pulpit of the 
present church edifice. 

On the 12th of December, 1790, Rev. Isaac Blau- 
velt was called to the church of Paramus, one year 
and nine months after the decease of their last pastor. 
He officiated also at Saddle River, but Ponds was now 
no longer connected with Paramus, but that church, 
in connection with Ramapo and Clarkstown, in the 
year 1789 called Rev. Peter Leydt. In the year 1790, 
Mr. Blauvelt, though yet a young man, we find hon- 
ored by being chosen the president of General Synod 
in their session at New York. He is said to have 
been a popular preacher. It was in the summer of 
1791 that the consistory built the former parsonage- 
house for him. 

Some of the old people still living remember recit- 
ing the catechism to him. Unfortunately, when he 
had been here about one year and a half he was 
charged with a crime for which he was suspended 
from the ministry and from the communion of the 
chui'ch. From the time of Blauvelt's suspension, in 
the summer of 1792, until May, 1793, they were again 
without a stated minister. 

Mr. Blauvelt moved to New Rochelle, and lived on 
his farm a consistent Christian. In 1824 he applied 
to the General Synod to remove his susjjension. They 
did restore him to communion, but not to the minis- 
try. In May, 1793, Rev. William P. Kuypers was 
called, and labored here until May, 1796, when he was 
suspended for charging Dr. Froeligh with stealing a 
set of silver spoons. He was afterwards restored, for 
in 1803 he settled in Boonton. Subsequently he was 
invited to the charge of the Presbyterian Church in 
Hempstead, L. I., in which he ministered about eight 
years. After this he labored as a missionary about 
ten years in the West and Southwest. He died in 
December, 1851, in the seventy-ninth year of his age, 
and after a service of more than fifty years in the 
ministry. 

From May, 1796, until May, 1799, they were again 



316 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AiND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



vacant, when the Rev. WilhelmuR Eltinge, then 
tnenly-one years of age, became the pastor of this 
church and that at Saddle River. In this connec- 
tion he labored till 1811, when he gave up the joint 
call, ami contiDued his labors at Paranuis, without 
any Ibniial call, until ISltJ. During the beginning of 
his ministry the present edifice was erected. He 
then received another joint call from this church and 
that at Totawa,' in which connection he labored until 
the close of 1833. From this time until May, 1850, 
his labors were confined to this church and congre- 
gation. 

The relation existing between this church and the 
Rev. W. Eltinge for fifty-one years was dissolved in 
May, 1850. His vigor, both of body and mind, began 
to give way to the infirmities of age, till at length, on 
the 24th of June, 1851, he finished his work, entered 
the conflict with the last enemy, death, aiitl went to 
his reward. 

The following statement with regard to the church 
under Dominie Eltinge will be of interest : Number 
of families in congregation, 300; total of congrega- 
tion, 2000; total in communion, 431. 

On the first Sabbath of January, 1851, Rev. Aaron 
B. Winfield, having been called, began his labors. 
During his ministry thirty-one were added to this 
church on confession of their faith, and twenty-three 
by certificate, making fifty-five. This union con- 
tinued until Nov. 17, 185C, when he was called to his 
reward. The church continued vacant until July 25, 
1857, when Rev. Edward Tanjore Corwin received 
and accepted a call. He remained for six years as 
pastor of the church, and closed his ministry in 1803. 
The facts regarding the later period of the church's 
history are not so full and complete as is desirable. 
Rev. Mr. Ciirwin was succeeded in 18<)4 by Rev. J. 
S. De Mund, who remained until 1870, when a call 
was extended to Rev. Goyn Talniage, D.D., and ac- 
cepted in 1871, when he wsi-s instiilled a-s pastor, and 
continued his ministry until 1879. During liis pres- 
ence with the people a large and attractive parsonage 
was erected near the church, and in 1874 the old 
stone churi'ii edifice, built in 1811(1, was remodeled 
and modernized. The main walls of the building 
were left, but in all other respects the structure wits 
wholly changed, galleries were added, and a seating 
cafiacity of five hundred etfected by this addition. 
In 1874 u eommotlious building, containing Sabbath- 
8chool-room, consistory-room, and kitchen, was also 
erected. The church is now the possessor of a valu- 
able property, including the church building, cliapel, 
parsonage and farm, sexton's house, and Valleau 
Cemetery, all free of incumbrance. 

Rev. Dr. Talniage having, in 1879, accepted a call 
to Port Jervis, N. v., the present pastor. Rev. J. C. 
Van Dcvcnter, was installed the same year. 

The True lieformcd Church at I'aramus was organ- 



! ized Jan. 11, 1828, by Rev. Solomon Froeligh, to- 
I gether with Elders Simon Demarest and Peter Dem- 
arest, the committee apiwiuted by the Classis of 
Hackensack for the purpose. They were petitioned 
by twenty-five members of the Reformed (Dutch) 
Church to be organized into a congregation under 
the care of the Classis of Hackensack, assigning as a 
reason the following facts embodied in their petition : 
" We, the undersigned, having for a long time lamenteti 
the laxiiess of discipline and the indiscriminate ad- 
ministration of the sacraments to believers and un- 
believers in the Reformed ( Dutch) Church in general, 
and in this congregation in particular, and the prev- 
alence of the Hopkinsian errors of general atonement 
and natural ability, with no effort made to arrest 
their progress, and also refusing any eflectual meas- 
ure to arrest them, have finally determined to sepa- 
rate ourselves from our former connection and to be- 
come a congregation of the body called and lately 
organized ' The True Reformed Church of North 
America.' " 

The society was, in accordance with this petition, 
duly organized, and the pastors who have in succes- 
sion ministered to the congregation arc sus follows: 
Rev. James G. Brinkerholi; settled Dec. 21, 1828: 
Rev. Abram Van Houten, settled Nov. 1, 1857; Rev. 
Isaac J. De Baun, settled March 30, 1868 ; Rev. Abram 
Van Houten, settled May 1, 1878, who still devotes 
one-half of his time to labor in this field. The first 
house of worslii]) was erected at New Prospect, now 
Hohokus. It having proved less spacious than was 
desired, a meeting of the congregation was held the 
I 27th of February, 1858, to consider plans for en- 
larging the edifice. Peter J. Hopper offered to the 
congregation at this juncture an acre and a half of 
ground at Paranuis, provided the church were re- 
moved and erected at the latter point. At a meeting 
held on the 15th of March his ofler wa-s accepted, 
and the present buihling erected. The membership 
of the church is forty-two, and the number of families 
in attendance upon the services fifty-six. The average 
attendance is about two hundred. The Sabbath-school 
is in a prosperous condition, with fifty names upon 
its roll. 

As early as Sept. 1, 1873, services were begun 
without a regular congregation. These gatherings 
)iartook more of the character of union meetings 
under the direction of the Board of Domestic Mis- 
sions of the Reformed Church. Application was 
made in 1875 by twenty-five persons, among whom 
were E. Jardine, J. M. Knapp, Henry A. Ho|)per, G. 
G. Van Dien, William Gill, and others, to he organ- 
ized into a church, and this a[iplication wsis granted 
by the Cla.ssis of Paranuis. A committee authorized 
by Classis accor<lingly met at Sliuart's Hnll, May 24, 
1875, and the following persons, having been received 
by certificate, were organized as the First Reformed 
Church of Ridgewood, N.J. : E<lward Jardine, from 
Church of the Puritans f Presbyterian), New York 



RIDGEWOOD. 



317 



City ; Mrs. Mary C. Jardine, from Reformed Church, 
Harlem, New York ; Edward H. Leggett, from 
Church of the Puritans (Presbyterian), New York 
City ; Jno. M. Knapp, Esq., from Second Reformed 
Church, Hackensack, N. J. ; Cornelius Z. Berdan, 
Margaret R. Ackerman (wife of C. Z. Berdan), Mar- 
garet A. Van Orden (wife of Henry A. Hopper), 
Rachel S. Hopper (daughter of above), from Re- 
formed Church, Paramus, N. J. ; Mrs. Esther Earl, 
Second Presbyterian Church, Paterson, N. J. 

On this occasion the sermon was delivered by Rev. 
J. H. Duryea, D.D., of Paterson, N. J., the other 
clergymen present being Revs. William Clark, D.D., 
Goyn Talmage, D.D., George J. Van Neste, and 
Samuel Searle. The following persons were at this 
time chosen as a consistory : Elders, Edward Jardine, 
Cornelius Z. Berdan ; Deacon, E. H. Leggett. At 
the first regular meeting C. Z. Berdan was chosen 
clerk, and J. M. Knapp, treasurer. A call was then 
extended to John A. Van Neste, a graduate of the 
New Brunswick, N. J., Theological Seminary. This 
call was accepted, with the expectation of receiving 
six hundred dollars per year from the Board of Do- 
mestic Missions, and an additional two hundred dollars 
from the friends of the church. The installation of 
the pastor occurred at Shuart's Hall, July 12, 1875, 
twelve clergymen being present. The sermon was 
preached by Rev. George J. Van Neste, of Little 
Falls, N. J., uncle of the pastor. The congregation 
had since its existence worshiped at Shuart's Hall. 
At a meeting of consistory held in 1876, it was an- 
nounced that Frederick Kidder would donate a plot 
of ground one hundred by one hundred feet in di- 
mensions upon which to erect a church edifice, which 
was accepted by the consistory, and in the following 
year it was resolved at a meeting of the above body, 
held Aug. 7, 1877, " That we commence building at 
once, and also that we accept the offer of Mr. Hev- 
eridge, lumber-merchant, of Paterson, who agrees to 
allow three months' credit, and longer, if necessary." 
The record of trials, disappointments, threatened 
lawsuits, etc., which the little society met would fill 
a volume. The untiring efforts of men, women, and 
even children were ultimately blessed in the comple- 
tion of the edifice. 

The building was first occupied Nov. 4, 1877, while 
yet unfinished, the basement being devoted to use for 
services. 

On May 29, 1879, five years after the organization 
of the church, the building was dedicated to the wor- 
ship of the Triune Jehovah. A Sabbath-school was 
organized soon after the formation of the church, 
which has since been in a prosperous condition, and 
now includes a membership of one hundred and five, 
with thirty-five in the infant class, six officers, and 
nine teachers. The annual contributions of the school 
amount to one hundred and sixty dollars. 

The following statistics with regard to the present 
condition of the church are appended : Families, about 
21 



50; at first 12. Communicants received, 86; at first 
9. Average attendance, 150; at first about 30. Moneys 
contributed, about $1200; at first S300 yearly. 

Financial condition of church at date: No floating 
indebtedness; a small mortgage. 

Money raised for salary and current expenses by 
the envelope system from attendants at church only. 

The present pastor is the first and only one settled 
over this church. 

The first step towards the formation of Christ 
Church Parish was taken in October, 1860, when a 
committee was appointed in reference to the object. 
The next proceedings were at a meeting held in 
Ridgewood, at the house of Capt. Samuel Dayton, 
Feb. 6, 1864. A preliminary organization was effected, 
and a lot one mile east of the depot, offered by Capt. 
Dayton, was accepted as the site of the future church, 
February 17th. The title of the church was chosen, 
and Messrs. James Keeley and J. T. Walton were 
elected wardens, and A. J. Cameron, S. Dayton, E. 
Rosencrantz, W. H. Rawlett, and E. A. Walton, ves- 
trymen. Subscriptions amounting to eighteen hun- 
dred and five dollars were reported. 

March 16tli an organ was purchased for three hun- 
dred and fifty dollars, and placed in the house of Mr. 
B. F. Robinson for use by the choir. Plans of a 
church were presented by Mr. Rawlett and accepted 
by the vestry. March 28, 1865, the corner-stone was 
laid by Right Rev. W. H. Odenheimer, D.D., Bishop 
of New Jersey, who held service the same day in 
Union Hall, Paramus, the Rev. J. M. Waite, of Pat- 
erson, and the Rev. Wm. G. Farrington, of Hacken- 
sack, attending. The builders were the Halsted Bros., 
and on Sunday, May 13, 1866, the church was opened 
for divine service, the Rev. J. M. Waite officiating. 
During the summer Rev. Messrs. Waite, Farrington, 
S. W. Sayres, and Bishop Odenheimer supplied the 
church with ministrations. May 16th the pews were 
rented, several persons paying premiums for a choice " 
of seats. 

The cost of the building, including furniture and 
sheds, was S6069.46. Of this amount about S1200 were 
the proceeds of fairs, and about S600 were applied from 
the first year's income, the balance having been pro- 
cured by subscriptions both within and without the 
parish. Oct. 1, 1866, it was resolved, "that the wel- 
fare of the church depends upon the selection of a 
rector at once." October 22d it was unanimously re- 
solved that the Rev. Legh Richmond Dickinson, of 
Yonkers, N. Y., be invited to the rectorship of the 
parish from November 1st, at a salary of one thousand 
dollars per annum. The rector entered upon his 
duties on Sunday, November 4th, administering holy 
communion to twelve communicants. On Sunday, 
November 11th, the rector preached his introductory 
sermon from Psalm cxxvii. 1 : " Except the Lord 
build the house, they labor in vain that build it." 
Services were held twice each Sunday until December, 
and during the winter every Sunday morning. 



318 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Sunday, May 5th, the rector organized a Sunday- 
school, and appointed Mr. E. A. Walton superin- 
tendent, and Thoma.s T. Walton librarian. Twenty- 
one scholars and seven teachers were present. The 
names of these teachers were G. W. Reed, H. Morton 
Reed, Jane R. Dayton, Fanny H. Brinsuiaid, and 
William Itosencrantz. 

The amount of receipts reported in May, 18l)7, were, 
besides subscriptions for building, twelvCi hundred 
and ninety-seven dollars and ninety-six cents. Sun- 
day morning, June 21st, Bishop Odenheimer conse- 
crated the church, and in the afternoon confirmed 
eleven persons presented by the rector. 

In 1868 the rector reported thirty communicants, 
nine Sunday-school teachers, and fifty Sunday scholars. 
It was voted in JIarch, 1869, to request the rector to 
brinfr before the congregation the need of more seats. 
A subscription wa-s started, and thirteen hundred dol- 
lars pledged towards the enlargement of tiie church. 
The plans were by James H. Giles, architect, of New 
York. The foundation was begun August 2d, but 
delay of the builders retarded the completion until 
Sunday, December lOtli, when the church was re- 
opened. Services had been held from the first Sun- 
day in October to the Sunday before Christmas in the 
academy opposite the church. Jan. 9, 1871', Hishop 
Odenheimer made his visitation to the parish, con- 
firming fourteen candidates, nearly all adults, and 
preached also in "the aftiTnoon. The improvements 
consisted of a beautiful chancel, three new windows, 
one of which wits presented by the Sunday-school, a 
vestry-rooni, organ-room, and ten pews. The cost 
was two thousand six hundred dollars, and through 
the liberality of Mr. Christian A. Zabriskie and others 
the whole amount was |)aid. November, 18t)9, the 
vestry resolved to i)ay the rent of the rector's house, 
and November, 1870, the salary wa.s raiseil to twelve 
hundred dollars. May, 1870, Miss Adeline Keeley, 
who had otficiated gratuitously as organist, resigned 
her position, and received the thanks of the vestry 
for her faithful services. 

In .May, 18()9, a Sunday-school was begun l>y Mrs. 
C. W. Newton, at her house in Saddle River, which 
was continued successfully until the removal of the 
family in 1870. In 1870 a mission Sunday-school was 
begun at Shuart's Hall, in the village of Ridgewood, 
and nuiintained until September, 187.'>, when it was 
merged In the parish .'^unday-school. In .Vpril, 1872, 
the rector held afternoon services at the hall. In 
September and October morning service.-* were held 
at the .same place, until the completion of the organ 
in November. 

A)iril 17, 1872, it was resolved to liuilil a new organ, 
costing two thousand five hundred dollars, and twelve 
hundred <lollars were subscribed. Jardine & Son, 
New York, were the builders. 

In May, 187.'), the vestry resolved to move the church 
to a central location in the village. Sixteen hundred 
dollars were sulwcribed towards this object. A lot of 



ground was offered by Mr. Robinson and accepted. 
An additional plot, at a cost of over eleven hundred 
dollars, was purchased. The contract for the removal 
was made with Mr. Hughes, of Jersey City. The 
work was begun .\ug. 4, 1873. The organ wiis taken 
down and stored in the academy, and on the first Sun- 
day in October, 1873, the church was reopened for 
public worship on its new site, with morning and 
evening services. The sermon, by the rector, was from 
Nehemiah v. I.t: "Let the house of the Lord be 
builded in his place." 

In 1874 the old site of the church was sold for 
seven hundred and fifty dollars. At Easter of this 
year Mr. E. A. Walt<5u resigned the treasurership of 
the church, which he had held for ten years. 

Over four hundred dollars were raised by a ladies' 
fair for Improving and fencing the church grounds. 
From 1874 to 1878 over twelve hundred dollars were 
secured in the same manner for expenses. 

In 1876, at the close of ten years, the number of 
communicants had increased to one hundred. 

In 1877 the rector removed to a more eligible loca- 
tion near the church. In the same year Mr. B. F. 
Robinson, who had led the choir for ten years, re- 
signed, and received the thanks of the rector and 
vestry for his efficient services. 

In 1879 the parish lost one of its most valued mem- 
bers, Mr. Christian A. Zabriskie. Many others have 
died, whose loss is deeply felt. The roll of commu- 
nicants has been reduced in number by deaths and 
removals to about seventy. The whole number con- 
firmed and atlmitted from other jjarishes in fifteen 
years is one hundred and seventy-five. The additions 
of new members have averaged five per annum. The 
baptisms are one hundred and thirty-seven ; mar- 
riages, thirty-six ; burials, one hundred. 

From 1866 to 1873 the receipts lor current expenses 
were 4^10,810, an average of $ir)44. From 1873 to 
1881 these receipts were $13,925, an average of $1740. 
For the same two periods the total contributions have 
been respectively $20,304 and $20,683. Receipts for 
year ending -May, 18S1, $1723.43. 

The offieers are: Wardens, E. .\. Walton, J. W. Ed- 
wards; Vestrymen, H. Hales, W. E, .Maltbie, C. R. 
Braine, Joseph Wright, C. Keyser. The organists 
have been Adeline Keeley, Mrs. James Reading, 
Mrs. R. W. Hawes, Emma Robinson, Florence 
Batchelor, and May Dickinson. The church has 
had three sextons, — Joseph (tower, Cicsar I'erry, and 
CllMllrs 'I'liriicrkaulV. 

Burial-Places. — The oldest burial-place in the 
township is that adjoining the Paramus Church, the 
ground of which was given to the consistory of the 
church by Peter Fauconier in 1730. It is not known 
when the first burial oceiirred here, though tlir 
earliest church edifice having been completeil in 
1735 renders it probable that int<Tmenls took placi' 
soon after. Many of the memorial slabs bear the 
marks of age, and the inscriptions are nearly oblil- 



RIDGEWOOD. 



319 



erated. Among those more easily deciphered are the 
following: 

In memory of Abram J. Ackernian, born March 8, 1793, and who de- 
parted this life Oct. 29, 1801, aged 14 years, 7 niontlia, and 27 days. 
In my days of youth 
Death came to me in truth ; 
My friends I leave to mourn, 
And never, never return. 
In memory of Maria Ackerman, wife of Corneh'us Denmrn, wlio de- 
parted this life Sept. 18, A.D. 1803, aged 81 years, 7 months. 
Maregrietye Banta, who died Oct. 30. 1791. 

In memory of Marie Bogert, wife of Thomas Van Dien, who died 
March 24, 1793, aged 48 years, 4 months. 

I. X. B., died 17th March, 1799; was born 3d March, 1737. 
In memory of Jane Carlock, wife of Henry H. Van Emburgh, who de- 
parted this life Aug. 20, 1852, aged 36 yeare, 6 months, 23 days. 
AfHictioDs sore nine yeara I bore; 
Physicians' aiis were all in vain. 
The Lord from above 
Did ease me of my pain. 

In memory of Maria, daughter of Jacob P. Van Derbeck, who de- 
parted this life June 7, 1808, aged 6 years, 10 months, and 19 days. 
Dear friends, who live to mourn and weep. 
Behold the ground wherein I sleep. 
Prepare for death, for you must die 
And be entombed as well as I. 

In memory of Garret Zabriskie, who departed this life Oct. 7, 1826, 
aged 83 years, I mouth, and 12 days. 

Albert I. Zabriskie, 1798. 



and Eastern Division of the province of New Jersey, widow, of the one 
part, and the present Eldei-s and Deacons of the Peremus church of the 
otiier part, wiTNKSSETH.that the said Magdalen Valloau, fur and in Cou- 
Bideration of Three places or seats In the Peremus church, tliat is to say, 
one woman's place and two men places; also for Divers other good 
Causes and Consideration hir thereunto moving, and especially for 
promoting the good and benefit of the said church and (.ougregation, 
HATH GIVEN AND GRANTED, and by these presents Doth give and grant 
Release an<i Confirm unto the present Elders and Beacons of the afore- 
said Congregation & their successors forever all that sertain lot or parcel 
of land, situate, lying and being at peremus on the west sidn of Sadie 
River, beginning at the north east corner of a lot of land, formerly be- 
longing to John Boskerke, and now In the possession and acquisition of 
Johannes Davidse Ackerman, by Sadie River, thence running north 
sixty-six Degrees west, twenty-five chains and a half along the land of 
the said Ackerman, then north Thirty-eix Degrees East, Eighteen 
Chains to a stake, then south sixty-six Degrees east to Sadie River, 
thence along the said Sadie River Down the stream to the place where 
it first began being bounded south by the land of the saitl Ackerman, 
west and nortli by the land of the said Magdalen Velleau and East by 
the Sadie River Containing according to survey forty-five acres, with all 
the hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging and acqnisi. 
tioDs To HAVE AND TO HOLD the Said lot of land together with all and 
singular the hnreditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging, or 
in anywise appertaining, unto the present Elders and Deucons.and their 
successors for Ever for the sole and proper use and behoof of the said 
Church and congregation and the said Magdalen Valleau Doth hereby 
Covinent and bind herself, her heirs, executors and adunnistrators from 
henceforth and forever hereafter to warrant and D«fend the above 
granted and bargained premises unto the said Elders & Deacons and 
their successors forever against the lawful claim and Demand of all and 
every person and persons whatsoever claiming by from or under her. 




The land embraced in the Valleau Cemetery was 
given to the consistory -of the Reformed Dutch 
Church of Paramus in the year 1750 by Magdalen 
Valleau, daughter of Peter Fauconier, and reads as 

follows : 

•'This Indenture, made the thirteenth day of April In the Twenty- 
third year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second, by the 
grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of 
the faith, etc., Anno Domini, one thousand seven hundred and fifty. 
Between Magdalen Valleau of Hacliinsack in the County of Bergen, 



them or any of them. In Witness whereof, the said Magdalen Valleau 
hath hereunto Interchingably set her hand and seal the Day and year 
first above written. 



V 



"Sealed and delivered in the presence of ' Mne. Valleau. 

"Theodore Valleau, 
"Stephen Bous Dett." 

That the reader may better understand the relative 
positions of the land given by Peter Fauconier and 
Mrs. Valleau, we append a description of the above 



320 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



diagram. An exchange of land with John Ackerman 
became necessary to determine definitely the bounda- 
ries, which is also given. 

The three deeds may be briefly represented thus : 

Mrs. Viilleau's jjot begins at the stake A, nineteen 
yards north of the old bridge, on the west side of 
stream, and runs N. (56°, W. 2oi chains ; N. 36°, E. 
18 chains ; S. 66°, E. to Saddle River. 

This plot is represented by A, B, C, D, A. 

Peter Fauconier's plot begins at stake A, and runs 
N. 701°, W. 2 chains .56 links; S. 361°, W. 45 links; 
N. 78°, W. 2 chains 46 links ; N. 70°, W. 8 chains ; 
N. 18°, E. 2 chains 36 links. 

This plot is represented by A, E, F, G, H, I, A. 

This southern and western boundary is taken from 
John Ackerman's deed. 

Plot J, K, L, D, J was purchased of David G. 
Ackerman, and, beginning at J, is thus described ; N. 
75 links ; S. 70i°, E. 16 chains 29 links ; S. 401°, E. 78 
links; S. 10°, E. 1 chain, down stream ; N. 681°, W. 
17 chains 15 links, to beginning. 

The Valleau Cemetery was incorporated in 1859, 
and in November of that year a series of rules and 
regulations affecting its management adopted, to 
which the committee in charge made additions in 
December of the same year. It is now one of the 
most beautifully-appointed burial-places in the 
county, and in the costly monuments and carefully- 
maintained grounds bears witness to the tender memo- 
ries clustering round it. 

The True Reformed Church Cemetery lies adjacent 
to the church, its age being cotemporaneous with that 
of the edifice, which was built in 1858. Many of the 
oldest families in the townshii) have used it as a 
place of interment, among whom are the Worten- 
dikes, Snyders, Hoppers, Van Derbccks, Aliens, Za- 
briskies, De Banns, Ackermans, Van Houtens, and 
Van Diens. The land embraced in this plot is a por- 
tion of that donated to the society by Peter J. Hopiier. 



CHAPTER XLV. 



MIDLAND. 



Tin; township of Midland was formerly a portion 
of New l{arl)ad<)e.s, from which it was set apart in 
1871. Its claim to antiipilty may therefore be re- 
garded iLH with reference to ita settlement rather than 
ito organization. 

It may be geographically described as bounded on 
the north by Wiushington township, south by New 
Barhadoes and Lodi, cast by the Hackeiisack River, 
and west by Ridgewood and Sadille River townshijis. 
In the beauty and diversity of its scenery, the pro- 
ductiveness of ita lands, and the wealth and intelli- 
gence of its inhabitant*!, it takes a foremost rank 
among the townships of the county. It has also 



many historic associations, the army of the Revolu- 
tion having been encamped within its borders, and 
the general-in-chief having frequently honored the 
early settlers by his presence in their midst. The 
township, though by no means a mercantile or manu- 
facturing centre, is fairly represented by both of these 
interests, while the Hackensack River and the New 
Jersey and New York and Midland Railroads both 
afford it additional facilities of traflie. The county- 
house is also located within its limits. 

In its educational interests the township has taken 
a high rank. Schools were established long prior to 
the Revolution, and in later years a high degree of 
scholarship has been maintained, and much enter- 
prise manifested in the erection of attractive school 
buildings. 

The total amount of tax assessed for Midland 
during the present year is ?13, 756.23, the rates being 
for State school tax fourteen cents on the one hundred 
dollars, for the county tax thirty-four cents, for the 
bounty tax twenty-four cents, for the road tax twenty- 
three cents, and for the poor and township tax eight 
cents. 

Particuliirs with reference to the amount received 
Ijy Midland for educational purposes will be found 
elsewhere in tliis chapter. 

Natural Features. — The soil of Midland township 
varies somewhat in localities, though the cultivated 
land may be spoken of as exceedingly productive. 
A sandy loam prevails in the centre and northerly 
portion of the township, while a rich clay soil is ob- 
servable as the eastern border is traversed. The 
southeast abounds in red shale, while swamps are 
found on the western margin. Stone also is found in 
localities. The staple grains are corn and rye, with 
some wheat, tlie former being very prolific. The grass 
crop is also abundant. The timbers wliich mostly 
abound are oak, chestnut, maple, hickory, gum, and 
buttonwood. Numerous streams water the surface of 
Midland, among which are Sprout Brook, which has 
its rise in Wa-shington township and the northeastern 
portion of Midland, ami S|iring Valley Brook, which 
also has its source in the northeast border, two tribu- 
taries uniting to form the main stream which flows 
into the Hackensack River. 

Early Settlements. — The township of Midland 
was originally the stronghold of many of the earliest 
families of the county, a part of whom are still rep- 
resented by their descendants, who are owners of the 
inheritance left by their forefathers. .Vniong the 
names that have been identified for a period of from 
one to two hundred years with its interests are those 
of Banta, Voorhis, Demarest, Zabriskie, Kipp, Van 
Saun, De Baun, Bertholf, Cooper, Van Wagoner, Van 
Buskirk, Oldis, Pell, Lutkins, Doremus, etc. The 
early events in which the lirst settlers participated 
antedate the recollection of the |)resent inhabitants, 
and tradition has preserved but a meagre array of 
facts that would be useful- to the historian. It will. 



MIDLAND. 



321 



therefore, be impossible to make the record of early 
settlements complete or perfect. 

Among the oldest families is that of Zabriskie, the 
progenitor of whom was one Albert Saboroweski,' 
who emigrated to America in the Dutch ship " Fox" 
during the year 1662. He was of Polish descent, and 
was united in marriage to a Miss Van Der Linde, af- 
ter which he settled in Bergen County. His five sons 
were John, Jacob, George, Henry, and Christian, one 
of whom, probably Jacob, was stolen by the Indians. 
On his recovery the red men gave as an apology for 
the theft the fact that they wished to instruct him in 
their language, in which he afterwards became profi- 
cient. As an evidence of their good faith they gave 
his father the title to the patent of land known as the 
"New Paramus patent," containing nineteen hundred 
and seventy-seven acres. Saboroweski is said to have 
studied for the ministry in the Lutheran Church, but 
not being satisfied with his calling, emigrated to 
America at the age of twenty, and became the ances- 
tor of the large family of Zabriskies in Bergen County. 
Three of the five sons of Alberdt, above named, located 
in the northern portion of Midland township, Jacob, 
Hendrick, and Christian, each of whom left a numer- 
ous descent. The homestead of Christian fell by in- 
heritance to Cornelius, and is now occupied by his 
daughter, Mrs. C. L. Wessels. Among the represen- 
tatives of Jacob are Jacob J., Thomas V. B., David, 
John C, and Abram S. Another branch of the 
family is located at Areola, and were formerly from 
Paramus. The oldest member of this family recalled 
is John, who resided upon the land now owned by 
Stephen Berdan, and had five sons, — John, Barney, 
Albert, Jacob, and George. The death of John Za- 
briskie occurred many years ago, in Saddle River 
township, and George, who resides at Areola, is the 
only survivor. The family of Zabriskies is not con- 
fined to Midland, but largely repre.sented in other 
portions of the county. 

The pioneer of the Demarest family was David 
Desmaretz, who emigrated from France about the 
year 1676, and was one of a large band of Huguenots 
who left their native land to escape religious perse- 
cution. With him came three sons, — David, John, 
and Samuel. It is related of this gentleman that on 
his arrival he located on Manhattan Island, where 
he purchased the whole of Harlem, but subsecjuently 
disposed of this property and secured two thousand 
acres in Bergen County, extending along the easterly 
side of the river from New Bridge to a point beyond 
Old Bridge, and easterly so far as the line of the 
Northern Railroad. The original deed bears date 

^ In an old paper preserved by Hon. Isaac Wortendyke we find the 
following: 

"Albert Zaborweski is Geboren den. 17 Jannary Anno 1708 En is 
Overleeden Den 17 January Anno 1753." 

This either refers to a later Albert Zabriskie, or the statement above 
given is incorrect. Probably it refers to one of the descendants of the 
original Albert. 



June 8, 1677. Many parties claimed the land after 
Mr. Demarius (as the name was later spelled) had 
acquired possession, and he was obliged to purchase 
no less than four times before he became absolute 
owner, A grant of land was originally made to David 
Demarius from the Governor of New Jersey, in con- 
sideration of his forming a colony, the members being 
all French or Hollanders. He was unable to carry 
out fully his intention, and the grant was withdrawn, 
but a subsequent grant made to his sons. The de- 
scendants of these sons are numerous. John located 
at Old Bridge, now River Edge, and erected a mill 
upon the river, which has long since gone to decay. 
A. J. Demarest, a representative of this branch of 
the family, is now living at River Edge, as is also 
P. V. B. Demarest. The remaining branches are lo- 
cated in various portions of the county. 

Yost De Baun and his wife, Elizabeth, came about 
the year 1700 from their native Holland, and settled 
in Bergen County. Very little is known of them or 
their immediate oflfepring. It is probable they located 
within the boundaries of the present Midland town- 
ship. Jacob De Baun, a descendant, inherited from 
Aurt Cooper, before the war of the Revolution, land 
now occupied by David W. Christy. He had the 
honor of acting as host for three weeks to the gen- 
eral-in-chief when the Federal army were encamped 
on the hill above the river. Jacob De Baun had one 
son, Peter, whose home was the farm now occupied 
by his daughter, Mrs. John Van Buskirk. 

The Kipp family made their advent to the county 
previous to 1695, and but little is known of their 
early history. John Kipp resided upou the farm 
now occupied by Cornelius Van Saun. He had sons — 
Isaac, William, John, and Albert — and four daugh- 
ters. Of this number William lived in the township, 
married, and had children, — James B., John W., and 
a daughter. He died at the residence of his son, 
John W., in 1856. 

The Cooper family are of Holland extraction, the 
name having originally been Kupos, and subsequently 
Kuypers. Aurt Cooper resided in Midland long be- 
fore the war of the Revolution, at which period he 
was a man of advanced years. He was much an- 
noyed by the depredations of Federal soldiers, who 
made raids upon his granary and carried away his 
cattle. He reported the fact to Washington, who 
gave orders that the old man should not be further 
troubled. He resided at River Edge, and left four 
daughters, but no sons. The name is not now repre- 
sented in the township. 

Another member of the family was John Cooper, 
who lived upon land now occupied by Mrs. Henry 
Herring. He had a son, Richard, who w-as the parent 
of three children, a son and two daughters. The 
latter married with the Van Wagoner family, and 
Mrs. Herring, above mentioned, is the daughter of 
the son John from whom the homestead is inherited. 

John Van Wagoner was the first of the family to 



322 



HISTORY OF BEKUEN AND PAtsSAlC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



settle in Midland. His son Jacob resided at New 
Milford, and lived upon the farm now occupied by 
his son John. The widow of Jacob, above named, 
is still an occupant of the homestead in her ninety- 
third year. She is able to recall distinctly the fact 
that her father was taken prisoner by the British and 
carried away clad only in his night-dress, while his 
house was bnrned by these marauders. 

The Voorhis family, originally spelled Van Voor- 
heysen, have been since their early advent into Mid- 
land largely represented, and many branches are still 
occupying inherited estates. The pioneer was Lucas 
Voorhis, who resided on the river between New Mil- 
ford and River Edge. He |)urcliased of the Indians 
property, which was, by will dated Jan. .'>, 17t>8, de- 
vised to his .son Necausie, who lived upon the land 
until his death in his ninetieth year, when bis son, 
Henry N. Voorhis, became owner. He also survived 
until his ninetieth year, when his son, Henry H., 
became the possessor, and is still the occupant. 
Jacob Voorhis removed from River Edge more than 
a century since to Oradell, and followed milling, hav- 
ing purchased the mill-site there located. He had 
three sons, — Henry, Albert, and Lucas, the latter of 
whom left two sons and three daugllter^s. His son 
Stephen is now the occupant of his father's estate. 
Albert Voorhis, another member, resided at .Vrcola, 
and had sons and daughters. His son George died on 
the homestead, and left children, — Albert and Thomas. 
The representatives of the latter are George H. and 
Charles V. B., both living on a portion of the origi- 
nal heritage. Ralph Voorhis is a great-grandson of 
the first Lucas, and a grandson of his son Henry, 
who married a Miss La Rue and became the parent 
of seven sons and three daughters, among whom was 
John, the brother of Ralph. The Oldis family are of 
French descent, the first to settle in Midlaml having 
been Garret, who before the Revolutionary war lo- 
cated on the homestead now <iwned by .F. R. Oldis. 
The original dwelling, which wils a po|)ular house of 
entertainment during the Revolution, was burned by 
the British and afterwards rebuilt. Among the chil- 
dren of (iarret were John, Benjamin, and (rarret, all 
of whom settled in Midland, then New Barbadoes. 
The family is now represented by J. R. Oldis and 
Garret J., a descendant of John. 

The Banta family are of Holland extraction, and 
came to Bergen County previous to 168G, John, the 
earliest to arrive, having owned a large tract of land, 
which he willed to twosons, Cornelius and .fohn. Cor- 
nelius wa-s father of a son Henry, who had a son Cor- 
nelius. His children were Henry and two daughters, 
— Elizabeth and Jane. Henry was married to a Miss 
Tinipson, and had children, — Corneliusandoncdaugh- 
ter, the former of whom now occupies the homestead. 

Albert liogert came about the year li)**!*, and ac- 
quired a large tract of land in the vicinity of Spring 
Valley, llis four sons were David, Cornelius, Jamen, 
and John, all of wboni Imated in the township. 



where they lived and died. Cornelius, being the 
eldest, l>y a system of entail inherited the property. 
Albert J., a great-grandson of one of these brothers, 
is the only one who bears the name in Midland town- 
ship. Another member of the family, Albert C, re- 
sides in Paterson,and has attained his one hundredth 
year. 

John Van Buskirk made his advent in the town- 
shi]) as early as 1(597, and located at Oradell. .\mong 
his descendants were .John, Luke, and a son who be- 
came a physician. John remained a resident of Mid- 
land, and left children, among whom was the late 
Mrs. F. T. Oakley. 

An early settler at Oradell was named Valleau. 
He was of French descent and a large landed pro- 
prietor, having at one period owned a tract nine miles 
in extent. He resided in a spacious mansion, and on 
his death left no family. Very little is remembered 
of his life. 

Peter Lutkins was one of the |)ioneers of Paramus, 
where he purclnused land and followed farming pur- 
suits. His children were Peter, John, and a daughter 
Anne, the former of whom settled on the homestead, 
and his brother John on land adjacent. Washington 
on one occasion pa.ssed the night at the Lutkins home- 
stead, and manifested great interest in the children, 
which was long after remembiTed by tliem. The de- 
scendants now living in Midland are Andrew, Peter, 
Richard, and one sister, Mrs. John Devoe. 

The Pells are of English descent, and were for a 
succession of years ship-builders and sea-captains. 
Capt. William Pell represented the fifth generation 
in .Vnierica, and resided in New York City. He was 
captain of the "Columbus," in the Royal Philippine 
j Company of >Lidrid, 8|)ain. He married into the 
Bogert family, and during the latter portion of his life 
retired to Midland, where his death occurred in 1S15. 
Among his sons was Casper, who had children, of 
whom William .1. now resides on the homestead. 

The Van Dieiis are Hollanders, .\ll)ert having been 
the first member of the family to arrive. He together 
j with a brother chose a location in Saddle River town- 
I ship. Nearly a century ago one of the descendants, 
Harmcm by name, married into the Zabriskie family, 
and made Midland bis place of residence. The wiilow 
of his son .John now re-sides on the homestead. .An- 
other branch of the family resided in Paramus, among 
whom were Yost and Casparus, both of whom lived 
and died there. The male line has become extinct 
in .Midland, though the race is perpetuated by inter- 
marriage with other families. 

The llop[iersare among the oldest families in Mid- 
I land, as elsewhere in the county. Three brothers 
(one of whom was Garret) emigrated from .Amster- 
dam, Holland, and settled, one at Paramus, another 
in IIohr)kus, on land of the late John J. /abriskie, 
anil a tliinl at Small Lot.s, on lands of the lati' (iarrit 
Hopper. The Paramus estate was purchased of the 
Indians lor a ipiart of whisky and a pound of tobacco. 



MIDLAND. 



323 



Here was erected by Mr. Hopper the first dwelling 
in Paramus in 1813.' The property fell by inherit- 
ance to Garret A. Hopper,- a great-grandson of the 
original owner, who survived until 1880. The family 
during the trying times of the Revolution sufl'ered 
much from frequent incursions of the British, and 
found it difficult to protect either horses or cattle. 
The land has been held by successive generations, and 
is still in the hands of the family. 

Schools. — The territory embraced in the township 
is divided into five school districts, as follows: 

District No. 26, known as the Paramus District; 
District No. 27, known as the Areola District ; Dis- 
trict No. 28, known as the Spring Valley District; 
District No. 29, known as the Oradell District; Dis- 
trict No. 30, known as the River Edge District. 

The first of these, the Paramus District, is located 
in the northwestern portion of the township, the pres- 
ent school being situated in a rich farming commu- 
nity on the Paramus road, one and a half miles from 
Ridgewood. There have been in earlier times several 
old school buildings in this locality, of whose history 
little is known, from the fact that the district, like 
many others, is devoid of records. 

The earliest school-house was erected near the resi- 
dence of Mr. Peter Board, of Paramus, in the year 
1726. Its dimensions cannot be given. All that can 
be learned is that it was constructed of rough stone, 
and finished after the old fashion, with slab benches, 
etc. When this fell into decay — probably one hundred 
years ago — another of similar character and material 
was erected between lands now owned by Mr. Peter 
Board and Mrs. Wessels, on the west side of the Par- 
amus road; also another was built near the mill of 
Mr. David Baldwin, both having been in active opera- 
tion seventy years ago. 

These buildings were erected by subscription, each 
inhabitant contributing as he felt disposed. The 
teacher was allowed one dollar and a half per quar- 
ter for each pupil, with the privilege of " boarding 



' It appears from an uld record now in the possession of Hon. Isaac 
Wortendylie that Garret Hopper was born Dec. 14, 1735, and died Dec. 
13,1814. 

Andrew G. Hopper was born May 10, 1779, and died Sept. 9, 1860. 

The following relates to his military duties: 

"August 7th, 1815. This is to certify that Andrew G. Hopper is dis- 
charged from militia duty by the Battalion Court on account of in- 
abilities. 

"John I. BERn-\N, MuJ. 

"Andrew P. Hopper, CapC^ 

• We find among old papers tlie following certificate: 

" No. 542. New .Jersey Militi.\, Bergen Brigade. 
*' Whereas, it has been made to appear, to the satisfaction of tiiis 
Brigade Board, that Garret A. Hopper lias faithfully served in a Uniform 
Compuny for the space of Ten years, since the sixtli day of February, 
one thousand eight hundred and eleven, whereby he has become enti- 
tled, under the Militia Laws of this Stale, to an exemption from common 
military duty in time of peace. Now, therefore, be it known, that the 
said Garret A. Hopper, this 19th Deer., 1836, is hereby discharged ac- 
cordingly. By order of the Board, 

" Peter M. Ryerson, Jxtdge-Advocate.^' 



'round," the hospitality of the various families being 
influenced by the number of children at school. 

One Dillon, an early instructor, taught every day, 
with the exception of Sunday. A simple marble slab, 
about two hundred yards from the scene of his labors, 
marks his last resting-place. 

The present school district was formed in the year 
1833 by a committee of three from Paramus and 
Hackensack. At this time, the school building at 
Baldwin's Mill being unfit for use, Mr. Garret A. 
Hopper erected a frame edifice at his own expense, 
which for a period of eighteen years was the school- 
house of the district. 

Mr. George Achenbach, for many years cashier of 
the Merchants' Bank of New York, and at his death 
president of the Bank of Bergen County, taught here, 
and received forty dollars per month and board for 
his labors. The district finally leased the land owned 
by Mr. Hopper for a period of twenty-five years at 
the nominal sum of one dollar, and the edifice used 
was erected at a cost of three hundred and fifty-six 
dollars. This was superseded by a new building of 
modern architecture, and furnished with all the late 
improvements, which cost two thousand five hundred 
dollars, and is now in use. The present teacher is 
Mr. E. F. Ryerson. 

The Areola District is also located in a rich farming 
community, the present school being at Areola, for- 
merly known as Red Mills. The earliest school was 
established in 1821, and its sessions held in an old 
stone dwelling-house on the present farm of Mr. 
Easton, the teacher having been Miss Lydia Wester- 
velt. Her salary was raised by contributions from the 
patrons of the school. In the year 1824 an old red 
school-house, standing in District 20, was purchased 
by the trustees, removed and placed on a high stone 
wall, which necessitated the building of four steps to 
eflect an entrance, these steps being constructed of 
logs hewn square. The building was fourteen by 
twenty-four feet in dimensions, one story high, and 
cost when completed two hundred dollars. Miss 
Westervelt taught here, Dagball's Arithmetic being 
then the mathematical text-book. Mr. Andrew 
Cudihy, in 1826, became the teacher, and was suc- 
ceeded in 1829 by Mr. John W. House, who received 
thirty-six dollars per quarter. Mr. James J. Terhune 
filled the position in 1831, and in 1836 Mr. Christian 
Reeder was the district pedagogue, each child being 
assessed one dollar and a half per tpiarter and their 
proportion of his washing bill. 

On the 19th of April, 1844, the school committees 
of Saddle River and New Barbadoes townships met 
and formed a union district of parts of these town- 
ships, the boundaries differing little from those at 
present existing. 

In 1846, Mr. Edward Force sold to the trustees a 
plot of ground, thirty-two by one hundred feet in di- 
mensions, for the sum of one -dollar, to be used for 
school purposes only. The old school-house being 



324 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



considered unfit for use, in 1847 a new frame building 
one story hij^h was erected at a cost of four liundred 
dollars, the sum being raised by subscription. In the 
year 1854 this district was incorporated, assuming as 
its name the " Union Academy of Red Mills." The 
present instructor is Mr. Charles H. Storms. The 
building now in use was erected in 1878, at a, total 
cost of two thousand dollars. 

The tirst school building in the Spring Valley Dis- 
trict, formerly known as " Slucup," was erected more 
than a century since at the head of the public road 
leading from Stone Arabia, and used for school pur- 
poses until 1810. A new building was then con- 
structed in the lower portion of the neighborhood, 
nearly a mile distant from the old location. In the 
year 1852 another house was erected a few hundred 
yards north of the old site, and this was in turn su- 
perseded by a more modern structure, built in 1875, 
and standing a few yards distant from the public 
road. Little is known of the early schools of this 
district, though in management and discipline it is 
known that tlioy compared favorably with others in 
the township. The present teacher is Miss Ireland. 

Oradell District bojisted a school building of logs 
more than one hundred years ago. It stood on land 
owned by Jacob Van Huskirk, Sr., and was used until 
1810, when a second building was reared to take the 
place of the former. This stood on the opposite side 
of the road, on lands of Mr. Henry Voorhis, now 
owned by Mr. Leopold Hague. It was a building 
eighteen by twenty-four feet in dimensions, one story 
high, and painted red, with two loose desks sloping on 
the sides and flat at the top. These were placed in the 
centre of the room. The arrangements were finally 
modernized by placing the desks against the wall. 
The heating apparatus consisted of an open fireplace 
and a stove, extremely cold weather rendering the use 
of both necessary. The present school building was 
erected and first occupied in 1847. It is two stories 
in height, the upper Hoor having been made service- 
able for the sessions of the Sabbath-school, lectures, 
singing-Mcliool, etc. It is said that no tax has ever 
been levied in this district for the erection of school 
buildings, the amount having in each instance been 
raised by private suliscription. Mr. Daniel 1'. Dema- 
rest, for a number of years a teacher here, rclimniislied 
his labors in ISllt, and w;is succeeded by a Mr. Bor- 
deaux. This gentleman remained for five years, and 
added surveying and navigation to other branches in 
which he was jiroficient as an instructor. George W. 
Childs, the next teacher, was u favorite with both pa- 
rent and pupil. Peter L)e Baun came in 1S2(), anil re- 
mained fourtri'n yi-ars. William (-'. Smith followed, 
and taught the cliLssics with the English branches. 
Jacob Van ISuskirk and John C. Bishop were later 
placed in charge. The present incumbent is Mr. C. 
L. Wagoner, who is assisted by Mi.ss Jones. 

River Kdge District lies in the southeastern portion 
of the township. The earlic-st .school building was 



erected in 1808, and stood nearly opposite the present 
one, on lands of A. J. Demarest, now devoted to the 
uses of a garden. The tirst teacher was Mr. Abraham 
House, a gentleman of scholastic attainments and a 
skillful penman. His method of discipline was ad- 
mirable, and won for him a marked success. His 
successors were not so fortunate, and several left after 
an experience confined to a single term. The schoid 
having diminished in numbers after a period of 
twenty years, the building was sold and removed to 
Spring Valley (Slucuji), where it did service as a 
weaver's shop, and later as a dwelling. In 1838 the 
same building was repurchased, taken down, and re- 
built on a spot one (juarter of a mile west of the road 
leading from River Edge to New Milford. The 
school was opened by Mr. Garret H. Zabriskie, who 
was succeeded by Messrs. Perkins, De Baun, and 
others. In 1846, Mr. J. R. Wortendyke, a gradual* 
of Rutgers College, was engaged, and continued with 
marked success for three years, attracting many 
scholars from other localities. 

In 1856 the building was destroyed by fire, and 
another location having been chosen, the present 
building was erected, by means of a tax levied on the 
districts. It was improved in 1875, but the growing 
needs of the locality have demanded more conven- 
iences, and a spacious edifice is now being built on 
ground adjoining. 

The present teacher is Rev. E. G. Wesley. 

The total number of children now in the school 
districts of the township is five hundred and fifty-one. 

Midland receives as her share of the surplus revenue 
fund, ?;it4.0;{; of the State ai>pn>i>riation ol" $100,000, 
JliiO.r.L': :iiid 111' till' State school tax, $2040.05. 

Early Highways. — Three very early highways 
traversed the township of Midland, the earliest being 
probably that known as the Stone Arabia road. This 
began its course at Hackensack, and following a 
northeasterly and then a northerly direction, entered 
Rockland County, N. Y. It ran very near the Hack- 
en.sack River for a distance of some miles, and was 
during the early part of the present century the prin- 
cipal thoroughfare, over which immense quantities of 
wood was hauled to the landing at River Edge. 

The tratlic in this commodity was at this time large. 
New York being principally supplied with wood from 
this locality. 

The Paramus road extcn<lcd fr()m Hobokeii to New- 
burgh and Goshen, and was doubtless the thorough- 
fare for the earliest stage-line. This created a de- 
nnmd for the numerous taverns which lined its route, 
and which enjoyed a very lucrative patronage from 
the constant travel of that day. Much produce found 
its way to the market over the road, and herds of 
cattle were usually driven through this part of the 
township as more accessible and direct. 

The .'spring Valley road, which was surveyed at 
nearly as early a date, ran more nearly through the 
centre of the township. 




(l/^(/i^i^^[^'^c^tr>^^f^(r 





Mr. Zabriskie is ;l lineal desoemlant of Albert Saborowrcki, 
who emigrated from roliind to America in the year 16G2. This 
common ancestor of the large family now i^ Bergen County 
was united in marriage to :i Miss Yun Dcr Linde and settled 
in Haekensack, where lie was the |)0:5se?^or of a large landed 
interest. The earliest memberof the immediate family of John 
C. remembered was Christian, the great-grandfather of the 
subject of this biographical sketch, who settled at Teaneck, in 
the present townsliip of Ridgefield. He was married to Miss 
Lany Van Voorhis on the 10th of February, 1753, and had 
among his children Albert, Margaretta,.and Jacob. The death 
of Christian Zabriskie occurred July 4, 177S. His son Albert, 
the date of whose birth is given in the family records as July 
9, 1755, was united in marriage to Miss Francintie AVcstervelt, 
born April 4, 1754, the date of this marriage being given as 
May 13, 1775. 

Mr. Zabriskie oecupiecl the family residence at Teaneck, and 
was a man of commanding appearance and much influence. 
He was elected sheriff of Bergen County in 179S, and a member 
of the State Legislature in 18(12-4. His known integrity and 
unerring Judgment caused him frequently to be chosen as execu- 
tor of neighboring estates, and tlie coniidence in his uprightness 
and fairness as well as capacity was in no single instance mis- 
placed. He was a consistent member of the Reformed Dutch 
Church of Hackensat-k until his death. Albert Zabriskie had 
three children, two of whom survived, — Maria and one son. 
Christian, the former having become Mrs. Henry Van Zaun. 

Christian was born Aug. 12, 1785, on the homestead, where his 
early life was spent. He was united in marriage Jan. 30, 1808, 
to Jane, daughter of John Roome, of New York City, Mr. 
Zabriskie having removed to the metropolis on reaching man- 



ho()d, where he engaged in business pursuits. Ten children 
were born to Mr. and Mrs. Christian Zabriskie, as follows: 
Mary Frances (Mrs. Allen Ilabinau), Albert C, John C, Chris- 
tian, Helen, William Henry, Horscburgh, Jane Ann, Serana 
Mason (Mrs. Samuel Osgood), and Charles Frederick. But 
three of these sons now survive, — Christian, Horseburgh, and 
John C, the subject of this biographical sketch. The latter 
was born Feb. 6, 1813, in New York City, where his early life 
was spent in study at the then celebrated school directed by 
John Holbrook. His health having given some cause for 
anxiety he repaired to the old mansion at Teaneck, and for the 
purpose of acquiring a more robust constitution engaged in 
agricultural pursuits. 

Mr. Zabriskie was married Jan. 3, 1838, to Miss Sarah Jane, 
youngest daughter of Nathaniel Board, of Boardville, Passaic 
Co., N. .T. Their two children are Jennie Augusta and Na- 
thaniel Board. 

Mr. Zabriskie is not ambitious for political honors, but the 
public manifested their confidence in him by choosing him as 
collector of the township of Old Haekensack, and also as col- 
lector of Bergen County for a period of five years. His 
grandfather, Albert Zabriskie, was for thirty years the trusted 
treasurer of the Bergen Turnpike Company, after which John 
C. succeeded and held the office for twenty years. To this list 
may be added the chairmanship for five years of the township 
committee of Midland. He has, with this exception, devoted 
himself to the labors incident to country life. In politics Mr. 
Zabriskie is a stanch Republican. 

Tlie tenets of the Reformed Dutch Church accord with his 
religious views. He is a member and an esteemed elder of the 
church at Cherry Hill. 



fl 




yy<^^2A.fj-/ ^ /^uu^, 



-7- 



His paternal great-grandfather was Daniel, a farmer 
by occupation, ;ind a consistent member of the Re- 
formed Cliurch. He married and reared a family of 
seven children, five sons and two daughters, — Henry, 
Daniel, Jacob, John, Cornelius, Jane, and Tiny, lie 
died Sept. '.\, 1784, aged eighty years. His wife 
(Margaret; died Oct. 4, 1779, aged seventy-one years. 

Jacob, third son of Daniel and Margaret Herring, 
was also a farmer, and member of the same church as 
his father. He wn.s twice married, first to Wilhel 
mina Banta, second to Susan Livingstone, by wiioni 
he had three children, — Wilhelniina, Daniel, and Cor- 
nel iu.s. 

Jacob's death occurred June 9, l.Sd'.t, at the age of 
seventy-five years, and that of his wife (Susan) April 
1, 1831, at the age of sixty-seven years. 

Comoliu.s, son of Jacob and Susan ( Livingstone) 
Herring, was born April 10, 1797. He is a tailor by 
trade, but has spent the greatest portion of his life as 
a farmer. In politics he is a Kepubiieiiii, and his 
religious v'ews nre in accordance with the piiiieiplus 
of the Uefurmcd Church. 



He was married, Nov. 27, 1817, to Ann D. Riker, 
of New York City, who has borne him the following 
children: Henry C., James, Jacob, Su.san Ann, wife 
of John De Voe, of Rutherford ; Daniel, John, Mary 
Jane, wife of Dr. John Turnnure, of Schraalenburgh, 
N. J.; and William. 

Ofthe.se. Henry C. is the subject of this biograplii- 
cal skctoli. ami w:is born Feb. 9, 1819, in the city of 
New York. During his infancy he removed with his 
parents to Schraalenburgh, N. J., and remained at 
home until his marriage, which occurred June 19, 
1839, to Helena, daughter of John Cooper, Ksq., of 
New Milford, Bergen Co. Mr. and Mrs. Herring 
have continued to reside upon the Cooper homestead 
at New Milford since. 

He has for many years taken an active part in 
politics as a Democrat ; has served his township as 
freeholder, justice of the peace, etc., and was elected 
to the State Legislature for the years 1874-75. He is 
vice-president ollhe Bergen County Farmers' Mutual 
Fire Insurance Company, and an jiclivc member of 
the True Hefornicd Church at Schraalenburgh. 



MIDLAND. 



325 



A highway running diagonally across the township 
connected the Paramus and Stone Arabia roads. 
Midland was originally divided into twenty-four road 
districts, which has since been reduced to twenty-one, 
and over which are api)ointed the following over- 



No. 1,...N. B. Zabriskip. 

*' 2.. ..Jacob VaDderbeck. 

" 3....A. J. Deniarest. 

" 4 Jacob Van Buskirk, Jr. 

'• 5....L. Hague. 

" 6....A.V. B.Oakley. 

" 7.... John BroDk. 

" 8....H. W. Wintera. 

" 9....P. V. Pullis. 

" 10 ...J. G. Christie. 



District 




No. 12.. 


.1. N. Voorhis. 


•' 13.. 


.H. C. Banta. 


" 14.. 


.J.G.Beidan. 


" 15.. 


.J. R. Brihkorhofl". 


" 16.. 


.J. Englishman. 


" 17.. 


.G. H. Voorhis. 


" 18.. 


.J. T. Zabriskio. 


" 19.. 


.Henry Ackerman 


•' 20.. 


.J. D. Terhune. 



21....G. H. Zabriskit 



" 11.. ..H. H. Voorhis, 

Organization. — Midland, by the following act of 
the State Legislature, approved March 7, 1871, became 
an independent township: 

*' An Act to set off from the township of New Barbadoes, in the county of 

Bergen, a neic township, to he. called the lowtiship of Midland. 

" Ist. Be it enacted by the Senate and General Assetubhj of the titate of New 
Jersey, That all that part of the township of New Barbadoes, in the 
county of Bt-rgen, which lies west and north of the brook known as 
Cole's Mill Brook, running from the point where it intei-eccts the Lodi 
township line, on the Patersou turnpike, northwardly and eastwardly, 
till it empties into the Hackensack River, shall be and the same is 
hereby set off into a aepanite township, to be called and known by the 
name of the township of Midland, in the county of Bergen. 

"2d. Andheit enacted, TUut the. inhabitants of the said township of 
Midland shall be and they are hereby constituted a body politic and 
corporate in law, and shall be styled and known by the name of 'The 
Inhabitants of the township of Midland, in the county of Bergen,' and 
shall be vested with and entitled to all the rights, power and autlmrity, 
privileges and advantages, and subject to th^ same regulations, govern- 
ment, and liabilities as the inhabitants of the other townships in the 
said couTity of Bergen. 

"3d. .Ih(/ 6e i7 eHac/ri;, That the inhabitants of the township of Mid- 
hind shall hold their first annual meeting at the Spring Valley Cliapel, 
in said township of Jlidland, on the day appointed by law for holding 
the annual town-meetings in the other townships in the county of Ber- 
gen ; and at the hour of eight o'clock in the forenoon they shall, viva 
voce, choose by plurality of votes one fit person to preside at and super- 
intend said meeting, and also a clerk, which officers so chosen shall 
perform the duties now required by law of such officers; and afterwards 
the town-meetings shall be held at such places as the said inhabitants 
shall determine in the manner prescribed by law, and shall vote for their 
township officei-s and all appropriations of money by ballot, as heretofore 
when constituting a part of the township of New Barbadoes. 

"4th. And he U enacted, That tho town committees of the townships of 
New Barbadoes and Midland shall meet on the first Monday after the 
next annual town-meeting in said townships in said Spring Valley 
Chapel, at ten o'clock in the forenoon of said day, and shall then and 
there proceed by writing, signed by a majority of the township commit- 
tee present, to allot and divide between the said townships of New Bar- 
badoes and Midland all the property and moneys on hand, or due, in pro- 
portion to the taxable jiroperty and rateables, as valued and assessed by 
the assessor of the township of New Barbadoes at the last annual assess- 
meirt: and the inhabitants of the township of Midland sliall be liable to 
pay their just proportion, in like manner, of tho debts, if any there be ; 
and if any of the town committee shall neglect or refuse to attend the 
meeting as aforesaid, those present may proceed to make such division, 
and shall have full power to adjourn from time U> time, and to such 
place as they think proper; and their decision, or the decision of a 
minority of them, shall be final and conclusive. 

"5th. And he U enacted, Th&t all paupers who maybe chargeable to 
said township of New Barbadoes at the time this act takes effect shall 
thereafter be chargeable to and supported by that township within the 
bounds of which they have respectively acquired their legal settlements. 

"6th. And be it enacted, That this act shall take effect on the first 
Monday in Aprd in the year eighteen hundred and seventy-one." 

The voters of the new township of Midland met at 
the Spring Valley Chapel, at the hour of eight o'clock 



in the forenoon of April 10, 1871. and then and there 
proceeded, viva voc(\ to choose, by a plurality of votes, 
a fit person to preside at and superintend said meet- 
ing according to law. Henry H. Voorhis having re- 
ceived a majority of all the votes was declared to be 
duly elected for that purpose, and John H. Wenman 
was appointed clerk without oppo.sition. Said officers 
being duly sworn, the election opened, and was held 
by ballot with the following result : 

Judge of Election, Henry H. Voorhis; Township Clerk, Wm. A. Kipp; 
Assessor, A bram S. Zabriskie; Collector, Albert James Bogert; Over- 
seer of Poor, Peter Board ; Freeholder, Henry C. Herring; Survey- 
ors of Highways, Albert Berdan, Thomas V. B. Zabriskie; Township 
Committee, Peter H. Voorhis, Wm. J. Pell, John Chrystal, A. J. 
Demarest, Peter Ackerman; Commissioner of Appeals, Isaac I. 
Brinkerhoff, Peter Board, Isaac A. Voorhis; Justices of Peace, D. M. 
Easton, John G. Webb; Constables, John B. H. Voorhis, John J. 
Mowerson, Isaac E. Bogert, John H. Wenman, John J. Banta. 

The following are the more important township 
officers until the present time : 

1872.— Freeholder, David A. Zabriskie; Township Clerk, Wm. A. Kipp ; 
Assessor, Abram S. Zabriskie; Collector, Albert J. Bogert; Survey- 
ors of Highways, T. V, B. Zabriskie, J. J. Banta; Township Com- 
mittee, John Chrystal, Peter Ackerman, Wm. J. Pell, John R. Oldis, 
Stephen Voorhis. 

1873.— Freeholder, David A. Zabriskie; Township Clerk, Wm. A. Kipp; 
Assessor, A. S. Zabriskie; Collector, Albert J. Bogert; Surveyors of 
Highways, T. V. B. Zabriskie, Albert Berdan ; Township Committee, 
J. R. Oldis, D. D. Baldwin, Abram J. Demarest, John Chrystal, J. A. 
Zabriskie. 

1874. — Freeholder, H. H. Voorhis; Township Clerk, Wm. A. Kipp; As- 
sessor, Albert Berdan; Collector, J. C. Zabriskie (Paramus); Sur- 
veyors of Highways, Isaac A. Voorhis, J. D. Terhune; Township 
Committee, Abram I. Demarest, D. D. Baldwin, John R. Oldis, John 
R. Voorhis, John Chrystal. 

1875, — Freeholder, H. H. Voorhis; Township Clerk, Lewis Laue ; Asses- 
sor, Albert Berdan; Collector, J. C. Zabriskie {Paramus) ; Surveyors 
of Highways, Jasper D. Terhune, Isaac A. Voorhis ; Township Com" 
mittee, J. G. Zabriskie, D. R. Brinkerhoff, L. Hague, John R Voor- 
his, A. G. Hopper. 

1876. — Freeholder, H. H. Voorhis; Township Clerk, N. G. Hopper: As- 
sessor, Albert Berdan; Collector, John C. Zabriskie (Paramus) ; Sur- 
veyors, R. W. Cooper, I. A. Voorhis; Township Committee, John G. 
Zabriskie, A. G. Hopper, D. R. Brinkerhoff, L. Hague, J. C. Zabris- 
kie (Cherry Hill) ; Justices of Peace, John G. Webb, Wm. J. Pell. 

1877. — Freeholder, H. H. Voorhis; Township Clerk, N. G. Hopper; As- 
sessor, John A. Demarest; Collector, Wm. J. Pell ; Surveyors of High- 
ways, Isaac A. Voorhis, R. W. Cooper; Township Committee, J. C. 
Zabriskie (Cherry Hill), D. R. Brinkerhoff, L. Hague, A. G. Hopper, 
J. G. Zabriskie. 

187S.— Freeholder, H. H. Voorhis; Township Clerk, N. G. Hopper; As^ 
sessor, J. A. Demarest ; Collector, Wm. J. Pell ; Surveyors of High- 
ways, Thos. Gardner, Jr., R. W. Cooper; Township Committee, J. C. 
Zabriskie, John G. Zabriskie, D. R. Brinkerhoff, A. G. Hopper, Leo- 
pold Hague. 

1879.— Freeholder, J. C. Zabriskie (Paramus); Township Clerk, N. G. 
Hopper; Assessor, Jacob G. Zabriskie; Collector, Wm. J. Pell; Sur- 
veyors* of Highways, R. W, Cooper, Thomas Gardner, Jr. ; Township 
Committee, J. C. Zabriskie, J. G. Zabriskie, Peter V. B. Demarest. 

1880.— Freeholder, J. C. Zabriskie (Cherry Hill) ; Township Clerk, N. G. 
Hopper; Assessor, Jacob G. Zabriskie; Collector, Wm. J. Pell ; Sur- 
veyors of Highways, Stephen Voorhis, Thomas Gardner, Jr. ; Town- 
ship Committee, J. G. Zabriskie, P. V. B. Demarest, Henry C. Her- 
ring. 

1881. — Freeholder, J. C. Zabriskie (Paramus) ; Township Clerk. Wm. A. 
Kipp; Assessor, Jacob G. Zabriskie; Collector, Wm. J. Pell; Sur- 
veyors of Highways, Stephen Voorhis, Thomas Gardner, Jr.; Town- 
ship Committee, Henry C. Herring, John G. Zabriskie, Garret H. 
Zabriskie ; Justice of Peace, John G. Webb. 

Villages and Hamlets.— The title of Spring Val- 
I ley belongs not to a village or settlement, but to a re- 



326 



HlSTOllY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTItS. NEW JERSEY. 



gion in Midland about three miles in length and two 
in width, and consists of a succession of valleys lying 
between gentle elevations, and ]ocate<l nearly north 
and south. The locality abounds in ])ercn»ial springs, 
which swell tlie streams of tlie neigliborhood and im- 
part freshness and beauty to the landscape. Tradition 
relates that the name of "Sluckup," which hiis until 
recently attached to the locality, had its origin in 
this circumstance: A land-owner, residing out of the 
county, visited the spot to inspect his wood-lot. The 
heat of the day rendering superfluous garments un- 
comfortjible, he doff'ed his linen coat, which was hung 
upon a limb nearby. On the completion of his labor 
he returned for his garment, only to discover that a 
familiar cnw had appropriated and was then engaged 
in swallowing it. He ])ursued liis liomeward journey 
poatless, and ever after spoke of the spot as a locality 
where coats were " slucked up." 

The name in 1832 was changed, and from the 
natural features which rendered it so attractive was 
known by the more euphonious title of Spring Val- 
ley. Some of these springs are of historic interest. 
One is said to niark the spot where the earliest abode 
in the vicinity was erected ; another is christened 
after Gen. Washington, and is said to have supplied 
the troops, as well as the general-in-chief, with water 
during the encampment of tlie Revolutionary army in 
this section. Many of the landeil estates of this re- 
gion are still in possession of later generations of the 
family, who are i)rincipally of Dutch descent. The 
elevation of this land and its natural formation has 
acquired for it a well-known reputation for salubrity, 
aud attracted many inhabitants from other quarters, 
who have become permanent residents. 

A region of the township lying in the northwest — 
very attractive, highly cultivated, and productive — is 
known as Paramus. A portion of this extends into 
the adjoining town of Kidgewood, from which it is 
separated by the Saddle River. This stream, while 
adding greatly to the picturesqueiiess of the country, 
conlribute.s also to its fertility. 

The old Paramus road, wliich runs tlinmgh the 
locality, is lined on either side by fertile farms, many 
of which have been for one and two centuries in the 
same familias. This property rarely changes hands, 
and the owners may, from their associations and in- 
herited titles, with propriety be regarileil a.s a landed 
aristocracy. 

The hamlet of Cherry Hill i» located just above 
Hackensaek, on the New Jersey and New York Rail- 
road. It was early settled by French and Holland 
emigrants, prominent among whom wilh the lirower 
family, none of whom now remain in the vicinity. 
The locality is desirable, with a commanding view 
embracing a diversity of scenery, and with excellent 
advantages of drainage. The only Reformed (Dutch) 
Church of the township is located here, and is in a 
flourishing condition. 

The hamlet of River Edge lies on the Hackensaek 



River, less than two miles above Cherry Hill, and is 
also on the New Jersey and New York Railroad. It 
is connected with the depot by an attractive avenue, 
and is beautifully located on the slope of a ridge 
overlooking the railroad. The locality was during 
the trying scenes of the Revolution known as Old 
Bridge, and prior to the date of its present christen- 
ing designated as New Bridge. It is a spot fraught 
with historic interest from the fact that during the 
Revolutionary war, upon the evacuation of Fort Lee, 
the troops escaped from the British by crossing the 
bridge at this {)oint, which stood less than one hun- 
dred yards north of the present structure, and after- 
wards burning it. The Demarest family are probably 
entitled to ])recedenceas settlers here, one of its mem- 
bers having nearly two hundred years ago erected a 
mill on the river, which has long since passed away. 
River Edge has a store and lumber-yard, owned by 
P. V. B. Demarest, and two markets, kept by James 
D. Chri.sty and John .T. Banta. P. V. B. Demarest is 
the postmaster. 

The original settlers at New Mill'ord, which is also 
on the line of the New Jersey and New York Rail- 
road, and on the Hackensaek River, are the Voorhis 
and Cooper families. The earliest eflbrt with a view 
to business enterprise was nuide by one Wannemaker, 
who opened a store, and after coixlucting it for a con- 
siderable period was succeeded by Abram Cole. Cor- 
nelius Smith then became owner, after which it 
passed into the hands of Jacob R. Demarest, who was 
followed by George Derunde. Jacob Van Buskirk 
afterwards controlled the trade, and the business is 
now conducted by J. B. H. Voorhis. 

A very old mill-site exists on the river, the first 
structure having been erected before the Revolution- 
ary war, and used at that period as a saw-mill. It 
subsequently became a tjinnery and bleaching-mill, 
after which it was devoted to the manufacture of but- 
tons, and was later converted into a woolen-mill. 
Jacob Van Buskirk in IS.'iO transformed it into a 
grist-mill, and it is at present devoted to the manu- 
facture of flour. 

It has three run of stone, grinds rye and buckwheat 
extensively, together with feed. The product of the 
mill finds a market at Paterson, Englewood, and ad- 
jai-cnt part-s of the State. The present owners of this 
mill are J. tV: 11. Van Buskirk. 

The post-ofticc is known as Spring Valley, the post- 
master being J. B. H. Voorhis. 

The signification of the word Oradell, "margin of 
a valley," is very happy as applied to this locality, 
which is attractively located on the Hackensaek 
River, just above tide-water. The New Jersey and 
New York Railroa<l pa.Hses through it on the west 
side of the river. The spot has some historic a.ssoci- 
ations from the fact that Washington's army was en- 
camped on the first ridge west of the river for some 
months during the Revidutionary war. The <'arliest 
families in this vicinity are the Demarests, Voorhises, 




JOHN COOPER. 



The name of Cooper is inseparably connected with the stir- 
ring events of Revolutionary history, its early members having 
displayed the most signal instances of bravery and devoted 
p&triotism. 

The progenitor of this family was Richard Cooper, whose 
birth occurred in 1098, and who emigrated at a later period 
from his native Holland to America. He became the owner of 
an extensive tract of land in Bergen County, purchased of the 
New Jersey pi-oprietors, and portions of which are still owned 
by his descendants, — Mrs. H. C. Herring, Mrs. Hannah Moore, 
and Mrs. Eleanor Van Wagoner. He married Miss Catherine 
Van Pelt, also of Holland descent, whose birth occurred in 1700 
and her death in 174;'), her husband having survived until 1753. 
Among their children was John, born July 22, 17-'J1, who served 
with credit in the war of the Revolution, as did also his son 
Richard, both of whom were taken prisoners nnd confined on 
Long Island. 

John Cooper was united in marriage to Anna Maria, daugh- 
ter of Rev. J. H. Goetschius, and had the following chil- 
dren, who grew to mature years: Richard, Mary (Mrs, John 
Hopper), Catherine (Mrs. Garret Hopper), Sally (Mrs. Abram 
Ackcrman), and Henry, who died in infancy. The death 
of Mr. Cooper occurred Dec. 2i), 1S08. His son, Kichard 
J., was born on the ancestral estate Oct. 27, 1757, and de- 
voted himself to the improvement of the landed property he 
inherited. He was united in marriage to Miss Anne Ferdon, 
to whom were born three children, — John (the subject of this 
biographical sketch), Eleanor (Mrs. Jacob Van Wagoner), and 
Mary (Mrs. John Van Wagoner). Richard J., on his release 



from imprisonment during the war for American independence, 
returned to his home and followed farming pursuits until his 
death, which occurred April 8, 1812. The birth of his son 
John occurred Dec. 1, 1782, on the homestead, where his whole 
life was spent. He was married, Feb. -t, 1804, to Miss Sally, 
daughter of David Campbell, a Revolutionary patriot, who bore 
through life the .scars of many wounds received while in the 
service of his country. Their children were Anne (Mrs. Lucas 
Van Saun) born Sept. 10, 1805j Hannah (Mrs. B. P. Moore), 
whose birth occurred March 31, 1815 ; and Helena (Mrs. H. C. 
Herring), born Feb. 17, 1818, The children of Mrs. Moore are 
Sarah Louisa (Mrs. Dr. S. J. Zabriskie) ; John Cooper, who 
served with credit as surgeon during the late civil war, with 
the brevet rank of lieutenant-colonel, and died while in service, 
in 1865, at Clinton, La.; Louis, residing at New Milford; Eliza 
Ann (Mrs. David H. Van Ordan); Mary (Mrs. Henry C. Banta) ; 
and Helena (Mrs. Oeorgc Brickcll). 

John Cooper spent his whole life upon the farm, though other 
bu.^iness pursuits also engaged his attention. His active mind 
found pleasure in the excitements incident (o political life, and 
the offices of freeholder, justice of the peace, etc., were fre- 
quently filled by him. He espoused with vigor the principles 
of the Democracy, and never wavered from these convictions. 
His religious views were in sympathy with the Reformed 
(Dutch) Church, Mrs. Cooper having been a member of the 
True Reformed Church at Schraalenburgh. 

The death of Mr. Cooper took place Jan. ^o, 1875, on the 
ancestral home. His career was one of great usefulness, and 
his loss was universally deplored. 





^Urt 




rV ^ ^6i/^y?7C 



CiyTV 



Tlic progenitor of the Van Biiskirk family in Bergen 
Coiinly w«8 Jolin Van Buskirk, who emisrslod from 
Hulluml lit !in carlj' date and looatcJ at Teancck, now 
Englcwoud. His children were John and Cornelius, 
b.iib of wliDin fcltli'd ill tlie county, the lutlcr at n later 
|icriod having removed to Slalcn Island, where his de- 
siondants now reside. .lohn w;is united in marriage to 
Mis* IJacliel Diy, iind rcniaiiied at the fiiiiiily residence 
at Teaiieck, where he spent his lifetime in farming occu- 
pations. His children were Peter, who lived on the 
honiegtead ; El>ie, who became Mrs. John Ackcrman ; 
Jaciib, the father of the subject of this biographical 
sketch; Elizabeth (Mrs. John Bogert) ; and John, who 
also resided at Tcaiiock. Of these children, Jacob was 
born at the ancestral hnme, and at an early day acquired 
the trade of a carpenter. He, however, made no prac- 
tical use of this trade other than to erect a saw-mill for 
his own use, having during his lifetime followed farming 
pursuits. 

lie married Catharine, daughter of Capt. Abram 
Uaring, of Kevolutioiiary fame, to whom were born 
children, — Sarah (Mrs. Stephen Lo/.ior), John, Abram, 
and Jacob. John removed to Slaten Island, and resided 
there until his death Abram late )ii life repaired lo 
Kiver Edge, where hi> death occurred. Jacob, whose 



life is here briefly sketched, was born at Teancck, July 
26, 1807, where his eaily life was spent. He was, Aug. 
o, 1820, united in marriage to Miss Hannah Voohris, of 
Kindcrkamack, lo whom were born three children,— 
Jacob, whose birth occurred July 23, 1827; Henry, 
born Jan. 28, 182y; and Eliza C, who became Mrs. 
Nicholas U. Voohris. The death of Mrs. Van Buskirk 
transpired on the 8th of September, 1879. Her many 
virtues caused her to he deeply mourned both in the 
family circle and the cominuiiity. 

Mr. Van Buskirk loft the paternal home in early life 
and repaired to New Milford, where he engaged in mer- 
cantile )iursuits and afterwards in milling, having, in 
connection with his brother, erected the mills now owned 
by his sons. 

He has been actively engaged in the promotion of 
important public enterprises, being a director of the 
New Jersey and New York Kailroad, of which he 
has been station agent at New Milford since its coni- 
jilotioii, and also a director of the Bergen County 
Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company. 

Ill politics Mr. Van Buskirk is a stanch Republican, 
though not a seeker after oflicial honors. He is a member 
of the Hefornicd (Dutch) Church of Schraalenburgh, in 
which he is an esteemed elder. 



MIDLAND. 



327 



and Van Buskirks, most of whose descendants still 
retain the land. The original mill property was 
owned by John Van Buskirk, more than a century 
since, and was purchased of his son, Luke Van Bus- 
kirk, by Jacob Voorhis, in whose family it remained 
for three generations. 

Henry Voorhis, a son of Jacol), became the owner, 
who was succeeded by bis son Henry, when it passed 
to Jacob and John Voorhis. It was formerly a saw- 
and grist-mill, and was burned, and rebuilt by Albert 
Z. Ackerman, after which it was a second time con- 
sumed by fire, and rebuilt by the present owner, Wil- 
liam Veldran, who operates it as a saw-mill with a 
turning-lathe attached. 

A store was erected by Isaac Demarest and for a 
while conducted by him. It is owned by Van Bus- 
kirk & Landman, who keep a general stock. Daniel 
I. Demarest is the postmaster. 

Areola is located upon the Saddle River, and was 
originally known as " Red Mill," a saw- and grist mill 
having been erected on the river at this point before 
the Revolution, and owned by Jacob Zabriskie, gen- 
erally known in the neighborhood as " King Jacob." 
Stephen Slote and Barney Ryer became successively 
proprietors at a later date. Benjamin Oldis after- 
wards owned the property, and upon its purchase by 
Albert A. Westervelt it was converted into a woolen- 
factory. Edward B. Force on becoming the pur- 
chaser ran it as a saw-mill and woolen-mill. The 
heirs of Force sold to George Graham, after whose 
death it became the property of a company, members 
of whom still control it. It is now conducted as a 
woolen-mill, and supplied by water from the Saddle 
River stream. The hamlet of Areola boasts a hotel 
and a store located on the west side of the stream. 

Churches. — Areola Methodist Episcopal Church, 
the oldest in the township, was originally known as 
the Methodist Episcopal Church of Red Mills, and 
its name subsequently changed to the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church of Areola. The earliest meeting with 
a view to the erection of the building was held March 
14, 1843, at the house of Edward B. Force, who was a 
member of the society, and donated the land upon 
which the edifice stands, for which a deed, bearing 
date March 7, 184.3, was given. He also contributed 
largely towards the construction of the building, sup- 
plying all the deficiencies in material or means. The 
first board of trustees was composed of the following 
gentlemen : Edward B. Force, James V. Joralemon, 
William H. Phelps, Andrew Lutkins, Lodowick 
Youngs, and William A. Gurnee. 

The pastors in succession have been Revs. Nicholas 
Van Sant, Fletcher Luminis, Dr. A. L. Brice, A. E. 

Ballard, Bush. It is impossible to learn from 

the records who succeeded Rev. Mr. Bush, or to give 
other names until the advent of Rev. Manning F. 
Decker, who was followed in time by Revs. S. F. 
Palmer, J. A. Trimmer, T. Hall, T. D. Frazee, E. S. 
Jamison, H. J. Hayter, and the present pastor, W. 



M. Johnston. On the formation of the society a Sab- 
bath-school was organized, which has since been 
maintained, and is now in a prosperous condition. 

Spring Valley Association was formed during the 
year 1869, its objects being, as stated in the constitu- 
tion : 

1. The erection of a building for the uses of the 
association. 

2. The creation and maintenance of a public library. 

3. The dissemination of useful knowledge by means 
of lectures, discussions, publications, etc. 

■ 4. The holding of annual or other e.xhibitions of 
the products and manufactures of the county. 

5. The promotion of any measures that may tend 
to the moral, intellectual, or industrial improvement 
of the community. 

A building known as the Spring Valley Chapel was 
accordingly erected in Spring Valley, within the 
township limits, and devoted to the uses specified in 
the constitution. Services were regularly maintained, 
and conducted by clergymen from various portions of 
the county, who were invited to officiate, and at a 
later date a pastor was called, who ministered to the 
congregation under his charge. Services are still 
maintained, though the people are without a regular 
supply. 

Reformed Church of Cherry Hill.^ In the spring 
of 1858 a devout Christian man named John .V. Par- 
sons, of Hackensack, aroused by a deep sense of the 
spiritual darkness and destitution of New Bridge and 
its vicinity, was prompted, by a desire to do good and 
for the love of souls, to render some service in the 
vineyard of the Master; thereupon he resolved to 
visit New Bridge on Sabbath afternoons and gather 
around him at some convenient place as many of the 
youth of the village as possible, to whom he might 
read and explain in a simple way the sacred scrip- 
tures, and teach the way of salvation as revealed 
therein. 

Success followed his labors, and others, encouraged 
by it, enlisted themselves as helpers in the divine 
enterprise. Teachers and scholars so increased that 
it was decided to establish a Sabbath-school. Ac- 
cordingly a school was organized May 2, 1858, with 
John A. Parsons, superintendent, and known iis the 
Sabbath-school of New Bridge. 

Prosperity still attending the faithful labors of these 
Christian workers, and an increased desire and thirst 
after more extensive religious privileges being mani- 
fested, a series of meetings for prayer and praise were 
arranged to be held every Sabbath evening. 

These being entered upon were supported and sus- 
tained, notwithstanding occasional reverses and dis- 
couragements, by the conjoined efforts of a few devoted 
men residing in the eastern and western suburbs of 
the village, and under the blessing of Him of whom 
the apostle said, ".Inasmuch as ye know your labor 



1 Prepared by one of its members. 



328 



HISTOllY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES. NEW JERSEY. 



is not in vain in the Lord." The means employed re- 
sulted in the conversion of miiny souls to Christ. 

These meetings were held at the residences of cer- 
tain of the inhabitants. The Rev. Dr. Ronieyn, of 
Hackensaek, frequently visited them, and conducted 
religious services in their dwellings on one or two 
evenings in a month, preaching the word and sowing 
the incorruptible seed of gospel truth in all faithful- 
ne-ss, fervor, and love. This continued down to 1875, 
when a wide-spread opinion prevailed that, in view of 
the religious interest then established, and the fact 
that several Christian people from New York and 
Brooklyn had taken up their abode in the neighbor- 
hood, the time and opportunity had arrived for the 
formation of a church at Cherry Hill. As a prelim- 
inary step in that direction, a call was issued for con- 
vening a public meeting at the railroad depot to 
consider this important matter. The call was well 
responded to, and all conceded that the project was | 
an important one. More than one person was ready 
to donate the land necessary for the site of the jtro- • 
posed edifice, while others were prepared to give 
material or money to carry out and complete the work 
determined on. Truly it may properly be recorded 
of them, "the people had a mind to work." 

Eventually, after much discussion and considera- 
tion, the site fi.'ced on for the building wivs on the 
west side of the railroad track, al)out two minutes' 
walk from the dejiot, and approachable by four cross- 
roads. The land wiis donated by .John A. Zabriskie, 
Esq., of Hackensaek, and a great part of the stones 
used for the foundation of the building were taken 
from an old house which formerly stood opposite the 
site of the church edifice, and was (ince <)wne<l by one 
I'sual Meeker, an otticer in the British army, who en- 
camped in the neighborhood during the Revolution- 
ary war. It subsequently became the property of 
John Lozier, who, notwithstanding its then dilapi- 
dated condition, declined to take it down until, as he 
said, an opportunity arose for using the stones in the 
way and for the purpose to which they were ulti- 
mately ap|)lied. Mr. Lozier, however, never lived to 
see the day on which it was decided the work should 
commence, though his widow, who survived him, car- 
ried out his expres.sed wishes in that respect. 

The cliurch editice being completed was formally 
dedicated lo divine worship on the 1st of November, 
187G, as "The Reformed Church of Cherry Hill and 
New Uridge," and subject to the rules, regulation.s, 
and government of the Reformed Church of America, 
by the Cla-ssis of Uergen County, N. J. Through the 
liberality of the jiromoters of the cause and the friends 
of religion, it wilh consecrated and established free from 
debt or any pecuniary obligation whatever. 

The dedication sermon waa preached by the Rev. : 
David Inglis, of New York City, since decea.sed, the 
text as the basis for his discourse being taken from 
Isaiah ix. l.'f: "I will make the place of my feet 
glorious." 



The church was organized by about twenty-five 
persons, twenty-one of whom were members from 
other churches of ditl'erent denominations, chiefly 
from Hackensaek, New York City, and Rrooklyn. 
Its membership is now over fifty. Mr. Charles W. 
Wood was temporary minister for nearly two years. 
After his resignation, and on the 5th of March, 1879, 
Mr. .Tohn E. Graham, of New Brunswick College, 
N. J., accepted a call from the church, and wa.s duly 
installed its pastor. 

The present officers of the church consist of two 
elders and two deacons. The former are Messrs. 
John C. Zabriskie and Frederick J. Stokes, and the 
deacons are Messrs. John Voorhis and Wesley Stoney. 
The treasurer of the church funds is Mr. Nathaniel 
Zabriskie, and the clerk to the consistory is Mr. F. 
J. Stokes. 

Burial-Places, — The burial-places in Midland are 
not numerous, and now but little used, many of the 
inlial>itants at the present day having chosen places 
of interment outside the township limits. 

The oldest is probably known as the .'^i)riiig Valley 
Cemetery, near the centre of the township, on the farm 
of Gilliam Zabriskie. It represents more than a cen- 
tury of antiquity, some of the memorial tablets being 
of old red .sandstone, and much defaced by age. 
.\mong the families who have buried here are the 
Bantas, Demarests, Voorhises, Bertholfs, Kipi>s, Van 
Sauns, De Bauns, and Huylers. The grounds are now 
under the watchful care of John W. Kipi>. Among 
the inscriptions are the following : 

In niuuiory of Rol>«cca, daiigliter uf Suiiiiicl niu) Kftlo &));"■'(< ^'^o 
ilieil on tlio 12t)i of Dt'oeniber, 1SU7, agpil 1 .vcar, 11 Diaulli», nnJ 6 doys. 
When I llu Imiied deep in dnst, 

M)' lloali (dinll bo Tliy caro: 
Thoflo u-iUiercd limits wiUi Tlieo I tniBt, 
, To raitte tlit'm Btning nnd fitir. 

In nioniory of Henry Djinta, \\ti>> det>arle<l tlliii life Augnst 121)l, 1S17, 
aged OGyoiire, I numlti.anil IK dityt. 

.\I«o of Kliuibctli Lake, uifu of Henry Ujinta, wlio died September 4, 
1KI7, aged 07 yeara, » niontliti. anti 18 days. 

1 know, o LonI, that thy Jndgnient« are right, and that thou In faltli- 
fnlnem hast afllicled me. Soot the LonI is good. BleMe<l is the man 
tliat trnittcti) In him. 

In memory of Xicliolas nenmrent, who was Iwrn on the 3rd of May, 
1769, and de|Mrle.l this life Febrnary lith, Isll, aged 51 years, 9 monlli». 
and 'A flays. 

llier Leir her Lighaem Van Yacob Bronwpr is Geeterveodo 20 fr Van 
Auguslns in lierlaer 17S4 was onrftS laer. 

In memory of Margaret Ackernian, lM)ro the 10th of Febniary, 17M, 
and wlio delmrled Ibis life Seplenilier I'.lh, INX'i, ageii .TS yeare, months, 
and 24 days. 

A very old l>urial-|)lace, known jus the Voorhis 
burial-grounii, is located near New Milford, on the 
farm of N. R. Voorhis. It was in use at the time of 
the Revolutionary war, but has since been abandoned. 
A siil»liiiilial leiice imloscs its ancient graves. 

Judge Henry H. Voorhis, great-grandson of Lucas, 
granilson of Nicholas, and son of Henry N. Voorhis, 
was born in the township of Midland, Bergen Co., 
Oct. 8, 180G. His education from books was received 
at the common school of his native place, and under 
the private instruction of the well-known teacher. 



i 




«*'■■ 




k 



1 

II 



MIDLAND. 



329 



Daniel P. Demarest, under whose tutorship he be- 
came well versed in the theory of book-keeping, 
grammar, and surveying. In early life he became 
inured to farm labor at home, and obtained from pa- i 
rental instruction practical ideas of business. His 
life has been spent upon the homestead, wheVe his 
father and grandfather both resided and reared their 
families, a detailed history of whose lives is more 
fully given in the township history of Midland. 
Succeeding liis father in possession of the home- 
stead, his main business through life has been agri- 
cultural pursuits. Outside of his own private busi- 
ness. Judge Voorhis has for fifty years been more or 
less identified with the business of other people and 
public matters, and continually during this time he 
has served as executor and administrator of the 
estates of various persons in his town and county. 
Although he has ofttimes found this business compli- 
cated and difficult in bringing about a statement of 
facts, he takes pleasure in knowing that his official 
acts have been performed with the strictest integ- 
rity, and that he has the confidence of those who 
have intrusted the care and guardianship of their 
business to him. Judge Voorhis has taken an active 
and influential part in all worthy local enterprises 
that have come before him in his town and county. 
In early manhood he became interested in local pol- 
itics, and as a member of the Democratic party has 
unreservedly and unflinchingly advocated the prin- 
ciples of justice and right. He was a supporter of 
Stephen A. Douglas for the Presidency, and upon 
the breaking out of hostilities in 1861 he took a firm 
stand for the Union cause as a War Democrat, and 
assisted liberally in giving his time and money for 
the support of the Union and the comfort of those 
who enlisted in their country's service. 

In 1835 he was commissioned by Governor Peter D. 
Vroom a justice of the peace, and served for five 
years; he was again commissioned a justice of the 
peace by Governor Daniel Haines in 1843, and served 
three years, when, by the change in the constitution 
of the State requiring that office to be filled by elec- 
tion by the people, he was elected to the same office 
and served for two years. Judge Voorhis was elected 
and served in the State Legislature for the years 1848- 
49; was appointed master in chancery in 1853, and 
in 1857 he was appointed judge of the Court of Com- 
mon Pleas of Bergen County, and served one term of 
five years. In 1874 he was elected freeholder of 
Midland township, which position he creditably filled 
for five years. Upon the construction of the Midland 
Railroad he was appointed one of the commissioners 
for appraising damages to lands passed through by 
the road in forty-five cases, and he was one of the 
incorporators of the Bergen County Farmers' Mutual 
Fire Insurance Company, of which he is and has been 
secretary from its organization. He has been for 
many years a member and liberal supporter of the 
True Reformed Dutch Church at Schraalenburgh, and 



actively interested in promoting church-work and 
kindred interests, and has for many years been a life- 
member of the American Bible Society. Whether 
Judge Voorhis be considered in a private capacity or 
as a public officer, it may be safely said of him that 
he is a useful citizen, an exemplary business man, 
and a worthy member of society. Whatever he does 
in a clerical way is systematic and faultless, as the 
scores of wills, deeds, and other conveyances attest. 

He married, Oct. 11, 1823, Eliza, daughter of John 
WesterveU, of Schraalenburgh, who was born Aug. 
2G, 1806, and died Aug. 31, 1874. 

John H. Voorhis. — The Voorhis family are of 
Holland extraction, and but little is known of this 
branch beyond the father of John H., whose name 
is Andrew A., who was born Oct. 1, 1802, in what is 
now Hackensack, Bergen Co., N. J. He has spent 





'^i^^n ^ 




his entire life as a farmer, is very quiet and unas- 
suming in his manner, and now, in his old age, en- 
joys the confidence and respect of all who know him. 
He married Mariah Saloma Schoonmaker, March 23, 
1826. The result of this union was three children, — 
Euphemia, wife of Thomas Voorhis, Elizabeth (de- 
ceased), and John H. Mr. Voorhis is a member of 
the First Presbyterian Church of Hackensack, as was 
also his wife. She died March 5, 1874. 

John H. Voorhis was born March 5, 1836. He was 
married Nov. 23, 1858, to Anna Mariah, daughter of 
Anna and Samuel Demarest. They have had three 
children, — Anna, Salome, and Andrew, Jr. 



330 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



He has always remained upon the farm where he 
was born, in Midland township, and has given his 
constant attention to agricultural pursuits. He and 
his wife are members of the First Presbyterian Church 
of Hackcnsack. In politics Mr. Voorhis is a .stanch 
Denincnit. havinfr always cast his vote with that 
])arty. 

Peter Board, — His great-grandfather, Cornelius 
Board, a native of England, emigrated to America 
with his wife, Elizabeth, and two sons, — David and 
James, — and settled at Ringwood, N. J., afterwards 
called Boarilvilk", where he became a large real estate 
owner. Another son, Joseph, was born after the 
family arrived in this country. 




C/jAx 




^/-c>(^^ r'C-; 



David wa.s grandfather of our subject, and suc- 
ceeded to a part of his father's estate, where he con- 
tinucil his residence during his life. He was twice 
marric'l, ami reared a large family. His youngest 
son, Niithaiiifl, fallier of Peter Hoiinl, Uorii Sept. 27, 
177.">, died Dec. :!1, 1842, secured a lilieral education 
while young, and succeeded to his father's estate. At 
the age of nineteen he volunteered to fill the place of 
another who was drafted to .servo as lieutenant to 
pursue the " Whisky Hoys" to K'ciilncky, in what is 
known as th(^ " Whisky war." 

He also distinguishecl himself for gallantry during 
the war of 1H12, and was for six months stationed at 
Sandy Hook. His general occupation was farming, 
and he became a large land-owner, and was known 
as a lea<ling agriculturist of Passaic County. Na- 



thaniel Board was an active and influential politician, 
and for many years stood at the head of his party in 
the county. Fer several terms he served in both 
branches of the New Jersey Legislature, where his 
ability, sound judgment, and safe counsel were pub- 
licly acknowledged, and in which positions his pul)lic, 
alike with his ])rivate, life was untarnished and his 
honor unimpaired. As a public otficer of his town- 
ship, or as member, deacon, or elder of the church of 
his choice (Dutch Reformed), he ever bore the charac- 
ter of manliness, dignity, and integrity. 

He was frequently sought after as counselor among 
his neighbors and townsmen, and often selected as 
executor and administrator of estates. His wife, 
Mary Kingsland, a native of Morris County, bore him 
the following children, who grew to manhood and 
womanhood : Edmund K., John F.. Mary A., wife of 
Daniel H. Bull, of Orange County, N. Y., Peter. 
Eleanor, deceased, was the wife of James H. Hull, 
Harriet, wife of O. E. Maltby, of New Haven, Sarah 
J., wife of John C. Zabriskie, and David J. Board. 

Peter, son of Nathaniel Board, was born Aug. 19, 
1809, on the Board homestead in Pompton township, 
where he sjtent his early life and actpiired an educa- 
tion, being prepared for college in the Pomiiton 
Academy. 

Turning his attention to business pursuits, for eight 
years he was a clerk in general merchandise stores in 
the vicinity of his birth. He married, May 30, 1838, 
Matilda H. Zabriskie, of Midland lownshi)), who has 
borne him two children,— (.'ornelius Z. and Mary C, 
wife of John J. Zabriskie, of Kidgeway. 

Mr. Board has spent most of his active business life 
as a farmer ; is a man of strong force of character, 
decided in his opinions, and of correct habits. He 
has been honored by his townsmen with positions of 
trust in his t<iwnship, and in the Reformed Dutch 
Church he has been officially connected for many 
years. 



CIIAI'TK R XI, VI. 
HOIIOKIS. 

General Description.— The township of Hohokus 
tnki'> its iianu' from llic brook, the word " Hohokus" 
being of Indian derivation, and signifying " cleft in 
the rock.'" It is the extreme northerly township of 
the county, adjoining the New York State line, which 
is its northeastern border. Passaic County bounds it 
on the west, the townships of Ridgewood and Frank- 
lin are on the south, an^I Wasliington township lies 
on the east. 

In dimensions it is the foremost township of the 
county, having an area of twenty-three thousand seven 
hundred and one acres. 

In point of enterprise it may also be regarded as 
ranking equally witli the remainder of the county. 



HOHOKUS. 



331 



having four hamlets, one of which rises to the import- 
ance of a growing and thriving village. Much of 
the land has been held for successive generations, 
while other portions have been secured as places of 
retirement by city purchasers, and are highly culti- 
vated and adorned with residences of much architec- 
tural beauty. The Erie (formerly the Ramapo and 
Paterson) Railroad passes through the township from 
north'to south, and has since its advent greatly added 
to its development. The number of acres in Hohokus, 
as given above, is divided into one hundred and one 
lots, the total value of real otate being -SI, 122,579, 
and of personal property $21(5,820. Upon this the 
taxes are apportioned asfollows: county tax, 83994.73; 
bounty and interest tax, $2,579.93 ; poor and township 
tax, $1175.27; State school tax, S3366.68; special 
school tax, .$301.30; road tax, .S4000. 

Natural Features. — In its natural beauties Hoho- 
kus vies with its sister townships in the county, the 
scenery being diversified, and presenting alternately 
valleys and ridges of exceeding beauty and fertility. 
The general soil may be described as a thick loaai 
with sandy subsoil. To particularize : on the east 
side of the township, along the border of the Saddle 
River, the land, which is principally known as " flats," 
is of clay and gravel interspersed, the meadows ad- 
jacent to the stream being exceedingly rich. Sand is 
more prevalent in the south, while the ground in the 
centre is found to be somewhat stony. In the west a 
gravelly soil prevails. The land bordering the Ramapo 
River is a rich meadow, this being especially the case 
on the east side. The timber of Hohokus is princi- 
pally oak and chestnut, though maple, poplar, and 
elm are also found. 

The township is well watered, the Saddle River 
flowing along the eastern border, the Ramapo River 
on the west, and the Hohokus Brook on tlie south. 
Each of these streams furnishes an excellent water- 
power, which is utilized in numerous instances. Aside 
from the manufactures mentioned in this chapter are 
numerous grist- and saw-mills that enjoy a home pa- 
tronage. Many small tributaries flow into these 
streams. 

The Early Families of Hohokus. — Among the 
early names in the township of Hohokus are those of 
Ackerman, Hopper, Damper, Voorhis, Bogert, Za- 
briskie, Rosencrantz, De Baun, Wanamaker, Christie, 
Conklin, Ramsey, Van Gelder, Garrison, May, Goet- 
schius, Valentine, Vanderbeck, Storms, Quackenbush, 
and Powell. 

The Hopper family have been both numerous and 
influential in this township. Abram Hopper came 
before the war of the Revolution, and purchased a 
tract of land embracing what was for years known 
as Hoppertown, together with much additional land. 
He was, as are others of the family, of Holland line- 
age. His children were Henry A., Jacob, John, 
Abram, and a daughter, who became Mrs. Zabriskie, 
and died at the advanced age of one hundred and two 



years. All the sons settled in the county of Bergen. 
Henry A. married Charity Conklin, of Rockland 
County, to whom were born children, — Lewis, Abram 
(who became a physician), Jacob H., and Mrs. S. 
Rosencrantz. Lewis married Maria Salyer, who was of 
English descent, and, a second time, Eliza Ackerman. 
His children were Louisa (Mrs. J. H. Goetschius), 
Eliza (Mrs. A. J. Terhune), Charity (Mrs. George S. 
Goetschius), Catharine (Mrs. Edwin DeBaun), Henry 
L., and John J. The only one of this number now in 
the township is Henry L., who occupies the land first 
purchased by his great-grandfather. Abram, first 
mentioned, had a son John,, whose son, Abram H., 
now resides in Hohokus. 

The earliest remembered Bogert was Stephen, who 
resided upon the farm now occu[)ied by John W. 
Bogert. He was of Dutch descent, and born Aug. 
15, 1739, his wife, Maria Westervelt, having been ten 
years his junior. Their children were Keziah, Peter 
and James (who were twins), and Effy. 

James, born July 8, 1785, settled upon the home- 
stead, and married Sarah Westervelt, to whom were 
born children, — Stephen and John. The latter, 
whose birth occurred April 3, 1813, located upon the 
homestead, and was united in marriage to Catherine, 
daughter of Albert G. Hopper. They had one son, 
John W. Bogert, now residing on the ancestral estate. 
Another branch of the family is represented by 
James N. Bogert, and still another by the family of 
Peter Bogert. 

The Voorhis family are of Dutch descent, the 
earliest remembered settler being Albert, who lo- 
cated on the place now owned by John Q. Voorhis. 
Albert contracted two marriages, and had children, — 
Albert, John, Henry, Christina (Mrs. Garret Zabris- 
kie), Elizabeth (Mrs. Henry Zabriskie), Margaret 
(Mrs. Samuel De Baun), Jenny (Mrs. John Van 
Dolsen), Bridget (Mrs. Nicholas Hopper), and Han- 
nah (Mrs. John Ackerman). The death of Albert 
occurred on the homestead. John remained on the 
paternal estate, and married Rachel Bogert. Their 
children were John Q. and Elizabeth (Mrs. Corinus 
Van Houten). Mr. Voorhis died on the farm now 
occupied by his son. 

John Ackerman came before the Revolutionary 
conflict and settled in the township. He had four 
children, — Abram, Aaron, Maria, and Sarah. Abram 
married Sarah Cooper, and became the parent of 
children, — Henry, John, and Maria (Mrs. Stephens). 
Henry was united in marriage to Betsey, daughter of 
Nicholas Hopper, to whom were born two sons, — 
Abram H. and Nicholas H., both of whom reside 
in the township. John T., a grandson of Aaron, is 
also a resident of Hohokus. 

David Ackerman, also of Holland lineage, first set- 
tled in Washington township. He had children, — 
John, Garret D., Albert, and Abram, and two daugh- 
ters. Garret D., who was born on the homestead, 
married Charity Hopper, and had children, — David, 



332 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Andrew, and Alice. Andrew settled in the township, 

on the present farm of Garret A. N., and married 
Catherine Zabriskie. Their cliildren were Garret A. 
N., Maria (Mrs. Abram Dater), and Charity, both de- 
ceased. Peter A. L.. a son of Albert, above mentioned, 
also resides in the townshiji. 

John Terhune settled in Hohokus, on the farm now 
the residence of Edward De Baun. Among liis chil- 
dren was Albert, wlio married a daughter of William 
Hopper, and had children, — Plannali, Mrs. Andrew 
Hopper, and Catherine (Mrs. Abram Ackerman). 
There were also two sons, — John and Stephen, the 
latter of whom died in ^v'outh. John married Anna 
Ackerman, and had children,— Albert, Garret, John 
H., Stephen, Andrew N., Matilda, Catiierine M., and 
Jennie A. Stephen and Albert reside in the town- 
ship, the latter being the occupant of his grandfather's 
land. 

Another of the Terhune family, also named John, 
occupied the present residence of John E. Hopper, 
and married Catherine Lutkins, to whom were born 
children, — Albert, Herman, and Elizabeth, who be- 
came Mrs. Jacob I. De Baun. Herman .settled upon 
the homestead, and married Rachel Zabriskie, of 
I'aramus. Their children were Catherine, Martha, 
Adaline, .lolin. Stephen, and F^lizabeth. Of this 
number, John, Elizabeth (Mrs. John E. ]I()i>per), and 
Martha (Mrs. Andrew Winter), reside in the town- 
ship. 

Another family of Hoppers wa.s represented by 
Nicholas and .Jacob, who were twins, and owners of 
much valuable land in the county of Mergen. Nich- 



son Albert, who also lived in Paramus, and was the 
father of nine children, — Garret A. L., Jacob, Albert, 
Stephen, Simeon, John, Adeline, Rachel, and Anna. 
Garret A. L. married Katy, daughter of Albert Wes- 
tervelt, and removed to Holiokus, where he purchased 
land and located. His children were Margaret (Mrs. 
Reujamin Westervelt) and .\lbert G., who is the owner 
of the liomestead and the only one residing in the 
township. Catherine became Mrs. John L. Storms, 
Rachel, Mrs. Jacob Snyder, and Adaline, Mrs. George 
Esler. Another branch of the family is represented 
by Albert .\. I., who is a son of John Zabriskie. and 
still another by Garret H., and yet another by .lohn 
II. Zabriskie. 

Adolphus Shuart settled on land in posse.ssion of 
the family during the Revolution. He was united in 
marriage to Catherine Ackerman, and had children, 
— J(5hn, Henry, William, David, Daniel, Isaac, and 
three daughters. John settled with Henry u]ion the 
homestead, the latter having married a daughter of 
John Sutherland, to whom were born children, nine 
in number. Of these, .lames, John H., George, and 
three daughters reside in the township. 

The progenitor of the Goetschius family was 
Dominie Goetschius, familiarly known in the eccle- 
siastical history of the county. .Xmong his descend- 
ants was Peter, who settled in that portion of the 
township known as Saddle River, and married a Miss 
Eckert. Their children were William, John, and four 
daughters. John was thrice married, and had chil- 
dren, — James R., John H., Hannah, Rachel, and Ja- 
cob. James R. is the onlv one of this number who 



olas resided in Washington township. Among his ' resides in the townshi]). 



children was Jacob, who married Sophia Westervelt, 
and had children, — John, Elizabeth, and Peter. Peter 
married Hannah Eckerson, and had children, — So- 
phia, John E., and Jacob. .lohn E. is a resident of 
Hohokus. 

The progenitor of the Rosencrantz family in Hoho- 
kus was John Rosencrantz, of Sussex County, N. J., 
whose son Elijah removed to the township in 1807. 



John Valentine came at an early day and located 
upon the farm now owned by his grandson, John J. 
May. He married Elizabeth Swinn, and had five 
children, all of whom were daughters. One married 
Jaciil) C. May, and still resides with her son upon the 
paternal estate, now owned by John J. May. 

The Messenger family (formerly spelled Maysenher) 
are among the oldest in Hohokus, the first of the name 



He married Cornelia SufTern, and had children, — | having been Nicholas, who emigrated from Holland 

John, George S., Elijah, and Andrew, all of whom at at a very early date, ami, in company with Dederick 

first located in Hohokus. ,\11 of this number, ex- ; Wanamaker, located in liergen County. He pnr- 

cepting Elijah, who is engaged in manufacturing, have chitsed the land now owned by Peter P. Messenger, 

since removed from the town.Hhip. which was in an entirely uncultivated condition on 

Henry Rsler was an early settler in Ramapo, Rock- | his arrival. His children were a son, Conrad, and 

land Co. His son Andrew cho.se the township as a two daughters, the former of whom inherited and 



residence, and located upon the farm now occu|>ied 
by his sons, Henry ami (ieorge Esler. 

Peter S. Hush, a son of vSaniuel Bush, came to the 
township during the latter part of the last century. 
Having located at Mahwah, he married Bridget Chris- 
tie, and had eight children, — Samuel, John, Peter, 
David, and daughters, Mary M., Sarah A., Elizabeth, 
and Racliel, of whom Samuel and Peter still live in 
HohokuH, while David and .lohn are residents of 
Franklin. 

Albert Zabriskie located in Paramus. He had a 



improved the land of his father. His wife was (prob- 
ably) Margaret Van Winkle, who had children,— 
Nicholas, Peter, John, Michael, Conrad, and three 
daughters. Conrad, the first, died upon the homestead, 
and was succeeded in the ownership by his son, Peter, 
who married Sarah Peterson, and had children,— Peter 
P., .Margaret (Mrs. Benjamin Post), and Susan (Mrs. 
John Carlow). Peter P. is now the pos.se.s.sor of the 
jiaternal estate and the only survivor. He has three 
children, all of whom reside with their father. 

Dederick Wanamaker, who is already mentioned, 



HOHOKUS. 



333 



in company with Nicholas Messenger, left his native 
Holland, and purchased a tract embracing six hundred 
and forty acres in Bergen County, on a part of which 
he settled. His four sons were Christian, Conrad, 
Adam, and Peter. Christian intermarried with the 
Shuart family, and had children, — Richard, Adolphus, 
and one daughter. The former married Margaret 
Fox, of Mahwah, and had children, — Christian, Hen- 
ry, and four daughters. Henry married Anna Bogert, 
and wiis the father of two children, Richard and 
Rachel. The latter became Mrs. Edward Salyer, and 
resides at East Orange, while Richard is the possessor 
of the homestead. Six generations have in succession 
been reared upon this land. Another representative 
of the name in the township is James S. Wanamaker, 
while still others reside near Hohokus Station. 

The earliest member of the Winter family was 
John, who formerly resided at Tappan, Rockland Co., 
and had children, — Abram, Andrew, and Sarah (Mrs. 
Jacob J. Hopper). Andrew, who lived upon the home- 
stead, married a daughter of Garret Hopper. He had 
children, — Andrew, John, Margaret (Mrs. John Chris- 
tie), Maria (Mrs. James Sufterin), Lavina (Mrs. Hop- 
per), and Sallie A. (Mrs. Albert Zabriskie). Of this 
number the only survivors are Andrew and Mrs. Za- 
briskje. 

The Fox family may with justice claim association 
with the pioneers of the township. The progenitor 
of the family had five sons, — Stephen, David, Tinus, 
Jacob, and John. David and .Jacob had homes in 
Hohokus, the latter of whom has two sons still resi- 
dents of the township, while a son of David resides 
on the Rockland County line. John removed to 
Canada, where members of his family were conspicu- 
ously known in connection with the "spirit-rapping 
seances" given by the Fox sisters. 

Abraham Van Horn, a former resident of New York, 
removed to the township and settled upon the Ramapo 
road. Among his numerous offspring were Hopper 
and William Van Horn, who reside in Hohokus. 
Abram Van Horn was at an early day owner of a 
large portion of the Ramapo Mountain. 

David Cliristie during the Revolutionary war re- 
sided upon land now occupied by J. D. Christie. 
Among bis children was James, a school-teacher dur- 
ing the war, Peter, William, and David D. The lat- 
ter married Irene Haring, of Tappan, and had chil- 
dren, — David, John, James D., Elizabeth, and Bridget, 
of whom James D. is the only resident of Hohokus. 

Christian R., the grandson of John, and the son of 
David, resides upon the land of his father. Abram, 
the -son of Richard, and David, the son of John, and 
grandson of David, also live in the township. 

William Conklin was a former resident of Tappan, 
and removed to Hohokus while some portions of the 
township were yet in a primitive condition. With 
him came sons, — Benjamin, David, and William, all of 
whom found homes in the township. William, whose 
death occurred in Hohokus, was interred in theRamapo 



Church burial-ground. None of the family of David 
survive. William had a family of nine daughters 
and three sons, of whom John W. and Jane (Mrs. 
John Young) reside in the township. Another repre- 
sentative of the name is Albert, son of Elijah Conklin, 
deceased. 

The pioneer of the Dater family was Abram, who 
settled upon land now owned by Henry Wentzel, and 
had sons, — Abram, Henry, and Adam. Adam became 
owner of the paternal acres, and married Jlary Young- 
Their children were John, Abram, Jacob, Henry, and 
two daughters, Ann Eliza, who became Mrs. Aaron 
Garrison, and Martha, who married Henry J. Ryerson. 
Adam resided in the township until his death, when 
his son, John Y., succeeded to the estate. 

The name of Ramsey is associated intimately with 
the development of the township. The first member 
of this family was William, who emigrated either from 
Ireland or Scotland, and located one mile west of the 
village of Ramsey's. He soon after became a British 
soldier, and fought in Canada against the French, but 
died from exhaustion on the return march. His chil- 
dren were John, William, Peter, Martin, Rachel, 
Catherine, Margaret, and Maria. Peter married Jane 
Ryerson, and had children, — William, James, Peter, 
and Maria. Of this number Peter was united in mar- 
riage to Elizabeth Christie, and had children, — Peter, 
John, David, and William. But two, David and 
Peter, now reside in Hohokus. John is a resident of 
Paterson, and William of Newark. David, the son 
of William Ramsey, also resides in the township. 

The Bamper family are among the oldest in Ho- 
hokus, on their arrival having purchased land and at 
once occupied a position of influence in the vicinity. 
They are still represented by the families of Garret 
H. and J. Bamper. The Van Gelders are also asso- 
ciated with an early period, as are the Powells, the 
Quackenbushs, the Ponds, the Youngs, and the Wes- 
tervelts. 

Schools. — The township has eight school buildings, 
with a valuation of fourteen thousand six hundred 
dollars, and a seating capacity for five hundred and 
eighty-seven children. The territory is divided into 
eight school districts, named and numbered as fol- 
lows: Hohokus, No. 54; Allendale, No. 55; Ramsey's, 
No. 56; Ramapo Valley, No. 57 ; Mahwah, No. 58; 
Upper Saddle River, No. 59 ; Masonicas, No. 60 ; and 
Riverdale, No. 62. Hohokus District, the first of 
these, is located partly in Franklin and partly in Ho- 
hokus, the building being in the latter township. A 
very rudely built and furnished school-house sufficed 
until 1856, which was erected by subscription. An 
effort was ultimately made to change the location and 
erect a new building, which met the usual opposition. 
The old one was sold, and the proceeds of the sale, added 
to a donation of five hundred dollars and land for the 
purpose, together with a tax of five hundred dollars 
levied upon the district, secured the desired object. 
The building is of wood, one story in height, twenty- 



334 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



eight by thirty feet in dimensions, and very com- 
pletely furnished. It is pleasantly located in the 
village of Hohokus, on the avenue leading to the 
Paramus Church. Until 1870 the school was main- 
tained hy a tuition fee of one dollar per quarter, but 
is now entirely free. The present instructor is S. 
Frisby. 

Allendale District also occupies the southern por- 
tion of the township, the tirst building for school pur- 
poses, familiarly known sus the " Old Red School- 
house," half a mile below the Allendale depot, having 
been erected in 182G. Previous to this two buildings 
had been used for school purposes, this being necessary 
for the accommodation of the children. During the 
year above mentioned it was re-solved by the inhabit- 
ants to erect a structure, which is said to have been a 
one-story frame building, si.xteen by twenty-four feet 
in dimensions, with conveniences similar to those pro- 
vided at that time. Desks were arranged around the 
room, with long benches devoid of backs, on which 
the luckless urchin was doomed to sit from nine in the 
morning until four in the afternoon. The first board 
of trustees embraced John (i. Ackernian, John G. 
Ackerson, and Albert A. Garrison, who employed 
Isaac Demarest as their earliest teacher. 

Many anecdotes are related of the teachers of that 
day, all of whom niiido frequent applications of the 
birch upon refractory pujiils, and some of whom were 
more renowned for harsh discipline than for scholastic 
attainments. Among the names of former teachers '. 
in this district are the following: Henry H. Van I 
Derbeck, James A. Ackerman, who was first a pupil I 
and later became instructor, John Binder, son of the 
Governor-General of the island of .\ntigua, and Miss 
Mary Gcroe, now Mrs. Jacob Oatman, of Paterson. 
The old building did good service until 1802, when 
the residents of Allendale District determined upon 
the erection of a new edifice. The present building, 
the result of their enterprise, was occupied for school 
purpo.ses the same year. It is located one-quarter of 
a mile from the de|)ot, is twenty-five by thirtv-tivc 
feet in dimensions, adorned with belfry and blinds, 
and surrounded by shade-trees. The i)roperty is ' 
valued at two thousand dollars, and though excellent 
in all its ap|)ointments, is hardly adequate in size to 
the needs of the district. The present teacher is J. 
yVlfred Ackerman. 

Ramsey District is located in the central portion of 
the tf)wnship, and derives its name from the thriving 
village of Ramsey, on the Krie Railroad. There are 
no authentic facts regarding this district previous to 
1840. In that year a wooden strui-ture, sixteen by 
twenty feet in size, was erected on the highway, and 
u.sed until 1874, when it wits condemned by the county 
auperintendent and the present commodious edifice 
reared in its stead. This building is twenty-five by 
forty-five feet in dimensions, one story high, with 
belfry, attractive in appearance, an<l well furnished. 
Its valuation is five thousand dollars. The scholars 



find ample room, one hundred and eighty being com- 
fortably seated. The present instructors are H. G. 
Van Gelder and Genetta Roniaine. 

Ramapo Valley District lies in the northwest por- 
tion of the township, the present school building 
having been erected in 1855. It is pleasantly located 
in the beautiful Ramapo Valley, and has a seating 
capacity for fifty pupils, the property being valued at 
eight hundred dollars. The present teacher is Miss 
Adah H. Corliss. 

Mahwah District lies in the northern portion of the 
township, and recalls 1847 as the period of erection 
of its present school building. This is eighteen by 
twenty-six feet in dimensions, one story high, and has 
by late repairs been made comfortable, though a new 
.structure is much needed in this district. The prop- 
erty has been a deservedly small valuation. The 
present instructor is Wm. H. McClure. 

Upper Saddle River is partly in Washington and 
partly in Hohokus, the school being in the latter 
township. No records of its early history are extant. 
The year 18.53 is recalled as the date of construction 
of the |)resent building, which is pleasantly located 
on the Valley road. It is a frame building, twenty- 
two by thirty-three feet in dimensions, one story high, 
and when first erected was neither complete or modern 
in its equipments, the seats for the children being of 
slabs. In 1873 it was repaired, more comfortably 
furnished, and is now a convenient and acceptable 
school-hou.se. The common English branches are 
taught, though a frequent change of teachers has pre- 
vented any degree of progress among the pupils. 
The pro]ierty has a valuation of two thousand five 
hundred clollars, its capacity being liniite<l to seventy 
five children. The teacher is J. F.dgar Waite. 

Miisonieas District is also in the northern portion 
of the township, and was formed in 1820, through the 
exertions of Mr. Adolphus Stuart, who, in connection 
with Mr. Garret Litchhault and Mr. John Straut. 
were builders of the school-house. It is sixteen by 
twenty-four feet in dimensions, and is constructed of 
stone, but with no pretensions to architectural beauty. 
The furniture originally consisted of a continuous 
desk on three sides of the room and slab seats. The 
teacher was |)roviiled with a chair having a bark seat 
and high back, in front of which stood a small desk 
of common oak plank. .Among the ei|uipnients of 
the jiedagogue was a stout birch rod, which he daily 
found a useful adjunct in his labors. This school 
was first opened by Peter Herring, who was succeeded 
by Jeremiah Mandigo, after which Peter Mabli-, Wil- 
liam Henion, .Fames F'urman, and EdwanI Murray 
in turn had charge. The hours of study were at first 
from sunrise to sunset, but were in 1828 changed and 
the present system adopted, beginning at nine A.M. 
and closing at four p.m. The rod was the favorite 
re-sort of the teacher at this early day, an<l the dull 
pupil felt its severity no less than his refractory neigh- 
bor. The teacher received a stipulated sum per ipiar- 



i' 



HOHOKUS. 



335 



ter for each scholar and board, spending a week at 
the house of each patron. The old building was con- 
demned in 1852 ; a plot of ground was purchased of 
Conrad Straut, and the present edifice erected. It is 
a frame structure, twenty by twenty-four feet in size, 
one story high, and will seat comfortably forty-two 
pupils. It is still antique in all its appointments, and 
though some improvements have been made, it cannot 
be classed among the model school buildings. Miss 
Agnes Terhune is the present teacher. 

Riverdale is a new district, formed fiom Districts 
Nos. 52 and 57. in 1874, by E. E. Vreeland, then 
county superintendent. The earliest school within 
the bounds of this district was held in a vacant dwell- 
ing within a few rods of the present building. 

The first teacher was David Mandeville, who pos- 
sessed all the requisites of his profession with the 
exception of a mild temper. On one occasion he 
severely punished a pupil of the gentler sex, who 
afterwards became his partner in life. In 1812 the 
school was held one mile farther to the south, in a 
kitchen, and later in a turning-shop, the first school 
building having been erected in the present District 
No. 52. 

The schools in Districts Nos. 52 and 57 being more 
than four miles a])art, with many children in this ter- 
ritory who were unable to attend on account of the 
distance, application was made, and the district 
formed as stated above. The present building is a 
frame structure, with vestibule, and located near the 
division line. It is Gothic in design, and substanti- 
ally constructed. The upper room is used for school 
purposes, while the lower apartment, having been fur- 
nished by private subscription, is used for religious 
worship. The present teacher is Mrs. Kate Hopper. 
The whole number of children in the various dis- 
tricts of Hohokus is 827. The township receives as 
her share of the interest of the surplus revenue 
fund, $141.13 ; of the State appropriation, $250.09 ; 
of the State school tax, §^818.92; making a total of 
$3710.14 from all sources. 

Early Highways. — InfbriDation regarding the 
earliest highways of the township is neither ample 
nor specific. One of the oldest is the Island road, 
which passed through Hoppertown, and running 
north and northwest, pursued its course to Rockland 
County. 

The Ramapo road may be described as nearly fol- 
lowing the course of the Ramapo River, on the west 
border of the township, diverging at points from the 
stream and passing into Rockland County. 

Another highway is known as the Ridge road, 
which began at Ramsey's, and follows a westerly, 
then a northwesterly course, and traverses the north- 
west portion of the township. 

The Franklin turnpike follows nearly the course of 
the Erie Railroad, passing through Hohokus, Allen- 
dale, and, eaist of Ramsey's, on to Mahwah. The fol- 
lowing are the present overseers of highways : 



.Isaac Ackernian. 
.CoriuuB yuiickenbush. 
..Garret Ack»;rnian. 
.John W. Bogert. 
.John A. Zabriskie. 
.Andrew Esler. 
.Abram Smith. 
.Joseph Terwileger. 
.Geo. A. Du Bauu. 
.Andrew Hopper. 
.John McElroy. 
..Cornelius Quackeubush. 
.James H. Crow. 
..R. C. Straut. 
..Martin Litcliult. 
.George Sullivan. 
.Jacob Cronter. 
..Andrew J. Winter. 
..A. A. Bantu. 
..Wm. Van Horn. 
..R. J. W'anamaker. 
,.Wm. E. Conklin. 
.David P. Ramsey. 
..Henry R. Wanamaker. 
.John Shuart. 
..James R. Goetschius. 
.Isaac Halstead. 
..A. A. Ackernian. 
..Jacob P. Young. 
.John A. Garrison. 
.Thomas flyers. 
.Andrew M. Henion. 
..Jacob Van Derbeek. 



No. 34.... Albert J. E. Zabriskie. 

" 35. ... Samuel Beckley. 

" X6... M. D. White. 

" 37. ...Andrew Van Emburgh. 

" 38....John L. Youmans. 

" 39.. ..E. F. Carpenter. 

" 4u....Gariet Van Gelder. 

" 41... N. B. Kukuck. 

" 42. ... George F. Hosey. 

" 43....AI)ram G. Ackernian. 

'• 44....Jolin A. Smith. 

" 45 lohn J. Muwerson. 

" 46.. ..Peter Konight. 

" 47....naniel Antlionv. 

" 4S....Wm. Sindle. 

" 49.. ..John Van Horn. 

" 50. ...David W. Valentine. 

'* 51....Joiin Y. Daler. 

" 52... J.H. ShuHrt. 

" 53... Peter Bartolpli. 

" 54.... Levi Hopper. 

'* 55... .Daniel Hink. 

" 56. ...James Butler. 

•' 57... Jolin Degroat. 

" 58.. ..Paul Hetzel. 

" 59.. ..John A. Van Blarcom. 

" 60.. ..P. P. Ramsey. 

" 61. ...Wm. Slack. 

" 62... Peter D. T. Banta. 

" 67....Stephen Van Blarcom. 

" 68.. ..James N. Bogert. 

" 69.. ..Isaac Ramsey. 



District. 

No. 1... 

" 2... 

" 3.. 

" 4.., 

" 5.. 

" 6... 

"■ 7... 

" 8... 

" 9... 

" 10... 

" 11.. 

" 12.. 

" 13.. 

" 14.. 

" 15.. 

" 16.. 

" 17.. 

" 18.. 

" 19.. 

" 20.. 

" 21.. 

•' 22.. 

" 23.. 

" 24.. 

" 25.. 

" 26.. 

" 27.. 

" 28.. 

" 29.. 

" 30.. 

" 31.. 

" 32.. 

" 33.. 

Organization. — The act organizing the township 
of Hohokus reads as follows: 

" An Act to set off from the. township of Franlclin, in the loiiiity of Bei-tjeu^ n 

iieir township, to he called the township of Hohokus. 

" Be U enacted by the Senote and General Assembly of the State of New Jer- 
sey, That all that pint of the township of Franklin, in the county of 
Bergen, that lies north of the following line : beginning at the Saddle 
River Creek, at the upper end of Daniel Perry's mill-pond, opposite the 
course of the road leading from the Saddle River road to Fairtield ; 
thence a straight course to said road ; thence along the middle of said 
road until it intersects the road leading from New Prospect to Paramus ; 
thence across said road, the course of the aforementioned road, direct to 
the Paterson and Raiuapo Railroad; thence along said railroad north- 
erly to the HoliokuB Brook ; thence along said Hohokus Brook westerly 
until it crosses the public road leading from Canipgaw to Paterson, at the 
upper end of John Haleted's mill-pond ; thence westerly along the line, 
between lands of Andrew G. .\ckerman, Abram J. Hopper, Henry Sturr, 
Conrad Sturr. and Peter H. Palis on the north, and Lewis Youmansand 
others on the south, to the middle of the road leading fioni Wycoff to 
Campgaw, at the southeasterly corner of lands of Peter H. Pnlis; thence 
westerly along the middle of said road to the division line between 
lands of Henry B. Winter and Daniel Thonuts; thence a straight course 
to the middle of the Y'aupob road, north of the house of David Bert- 
holf, at the intersection of the mountain road leading froni Wynockie; 
thence a northerly course through the Ramajto Mountain, parallel with 
the New York State line, to the line between the counties of Bergen and 
Paasaic, shall be and the same is hereby set off into a separate township, 
to be called and known by the name of the township of Hohokus, in the 
county of Bergen." 

It was also enacted that the township of Hohokus 
should hold its first annual meeting on the day ap- 
pointed by law for holding the annual township 
meetings in other townships in the county of Bergen, 
at the house of John W. Ramsey, at Mount Prospect, 
in said township of Hohokus. 

This act was approved Feb. 5, 1849. 

Civil List. — The following is a li.'^t of the principal 
tuwnship officers since 1849 : 

Freeholders, 1849, James S. Wanamaker; 1860-52, Elijah Conklin ; 1849, 
John G. A^ckerman ; 1850-51, Abraham Van Horn; 1852. Jacob I. 
De Bauu ; 18.'>3-54, 1S61-64, Peter P. Ramsey ; 1863, John W. Ram- 
sey; 18.34, Abraham Ackerman ; 1856-58,1868-70, Aaron Ackerman ; 
1866-68, John A. Winter; 1869-60, Andrew Van Buskirk, David P. 
Ramsey ; 1861-63, Andrew N. Hopper: 1864,1866, Thomas Henyun ; 
1866-67, Jacob H. Bamper; 1867-69, Garret H. Van Horn; 1870-71, 



336 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



1873-75, Aaron H. We«ter»elt; 1872, Henry P. Wnnunniaker; 187C- 
78, Cornelius Folly; 1879-81, John E. Hopiwr. 

Town»lii|i CkTks, lM9-.'il, I'elor P. Ramsey , 1850-52, Peter Ward ; 1853, 
Ri> haril II. Wunaniiiker; 1854-56. Isaac J. Stomis; 1855, llrnry R. 
Waniiniaker; 1857-59, Jaiob V. Herring; 1880, Abrani II. Ackor- 
iiian; I801-«;l, 1875-77, John A. Garrison, Jr.; 18(>4-C«, John W. 
BogiTt; I8G7 -09, 1879-81, JuhliQ.Voorlii'is; 1870, Andrew J. Wiuli-r; 
1871-73, Jolin G. Keler; 1874, Albert W. Couklin ; 1878, Daniel S. 
Waniuiiaker. 

Assessors, 1849-51. Abrani H. Lydecker; 1850, Edward Salyer ; ISS'i-.M, 
John Young; 1855, Abrani A. Van Riper; 1856-58, John W. House; 
1859, Christian W. Christie; 1800, Albert G. Lydecker; 1861, George 
W. Whitley ; 1802, Aliram Garrison ; 1803-06, Isaac J. Storms; 1S66- 
08, John E. Hopper; 18C9, Albert A. Lydecker; 1870, John W. 
Dogert; 1871, I>avid A. Pell; 1872-73, Matthew D. White; 1871-75, 
Stephen J. Terhune; 1870-78. James Sbuart; 1879-81, William H. 
Murray. 

Collectors, 1849-51, George Eslcr; 1852-54, Richard Christie; 1855-57, 
Juhii W. Rani»>y; 1858-60, Elijah Couklin ; 18GII, 1802-0:1, Andrew 
Winter; 1864-<)6, Garret H. Van Horn; 1807-69, Jolin Il.IIeniun; 
1870, John Q. Voorheis; 1871-73, Levi Hopper; 1874-70, John V. B. 
Henion ; 1877-79, George 1. Ryerson ; 1880-81, W. E. C^jnklin. 

Surveyors of Highways. 1849-51, Richard Christie, Nicholas Heniing; 
1852-53, James Crauler; 1852, James V. B. Terwiliger; 1853-54, 
18J)7-58, Martin Litchult; 1854-56, John P. Goclschius; 1855, Jacob 
S. De liauii; 1855-.56, Peter HowanI; 18.')7-58, John H. Terhune; 
1869-CO, Daniel I'. Bush, Onrret Ackermnn ; 1861-03, John V. B. 
Henion, William W. Way ; 1864-00, James Bertholl; 1864-00, 1874- 
77, David J. Curlough ; 1867-70, John A, Oiirrison, Jr., Peter G. 
Powel ; 1871-72, Peter G. Ramsey ; 1872-73. John J. Morrison : 1873- 
74, Peter T. Banta; 187.'i-77. James Bartulph ; 1878-81, William W. 
Packer; 1878-80, John E. Fox ; 1881, Lewis H. May. 

Superintendents of Schools, 1849-50, nul^ois Hasbrook ; 1851-53, Corue* 
lilis Mabie; 1854, 1850-57, Peter W. Bogort; 18.'>.'), Charles A. Breni- 
ner; mW-fiO, John A. Terhune; 1801-05, Albert S. Zabrlski.-; 1860, 
James A. Ackomian. After which the ollice i>f t(>wn^hip snperin- 
tentleut of schools was abolislied, and a county superintendeiil ap> 
pointefl with jurisdiction over all school torritui-)' in the county. 

Villages and Hamlets. — The most important of 
the villagts ill tin- towiishiii is Ramsey's, so named 
from Peter J. Ramsey, the original owner of the land. 
It was sold after iiis decca.so, aliout tlie year 18.'>4, at 
commissioners' sale, to William ,T. Pullis, the tract 
disposed of embracing si.xty acres. Mr. Piillis resold 
twenty-two acres to John Y. Dater, of Hohokus 
township, with whose advent an era of enterprise 
dawned upon the locality. Mr. Dater at once began 
the erection of buildings, and opened a store for the 
sale of general merchandise, adiling to this an exten- 
sive supply of coal and building materials. The 
earliist structure was of brick, and is still standing. 
At nearly the same time a iiotel was erected by David 
W. Valentine, which was consumed by fire, and the 
present Fowler House built upon the site. Mr. Dater 
next erected a building for the manufacture of car- 
riages and sleighs, for a long perioci did a thriving 
business, and ultimately leased to M. 15. Deyne, the 
present occupant. William J. Piillis then built a 
store, of which his son is now the projirietor. 

A station had been estiiblished on the completion 
of the Ramapo and Patcrson (now the Krie) Railroad, 
which was callcil Ramsey's, and a post-odiee was also 
locateil here by the government, with .\lberl (J. Ly- 
decker us the first postmaster, and John Y. Dater as 
his successor. As the location became more favora- 
bly known, capital floweil into the embryo village, 
residences were erected, business increased, and Ram- 



' sey's took its place among the growing towns of the 
county. It has since that time slowly but surely 
maintained its progress. There are now two stores, 
kept by George I. Ryerson & Hro. and James Pullis; 
two carriage-factories, owned by Harrisou Bull and 
M. B. Deyoe; one hotel, of which Frank Fowler is 
, proprietor; three churches, a large and flourishing 
school, and other minor business enterprises. 

The hamlet of Hohokus, formerly known as Hop- 
pertown, from the fact of its early settlement by the 
Hopper family, is situated in the extreme southea.stern 
portion of the township. It takes its name, as does 
the township, from the brook on whieh it is located, 
which furnishes a superior water-power, on which the 
factories elsewhere described are located. 

The spot has some historic interest attaching to it 
I from the fact of it-s being the residence of the widow 
of Col. Provost, to whom Aaron Burr ottcrcil his hand. 
The residence, quaint in appearance, and embowered 
in shade, is still standing. Hohokus is one of the 
stations on the Erie Railroad, and has two stores, kept 
by G. H. Bamjier and S. H. Vrecland, and a drug- 
store Viy A. II. Bender. G. J. Reiser is the po.st- 
master. 

Allendale is a hamlet of comparatively modern 
growth, and rather a place of residence than a centre 
of business importance. It is a station on the Erie 
Railroad, and was named from Col. Allen, one of the 
engineers engaged in the construction of the railroad. 
The land was first owned by John Lauback and Powlis 
Van Houten, and descended to their heirs, among 
whom were .lames and Henry Mallison, who em- 
barked in manufacturing and for a while were actively 
engaged in commercial ventures. There are now two 
stores, kept by Richard Ackernian and Smith Roswell, 
the latter of whom is also station agent and jiost- 
miuster. There are also two churches and a flourishing 
school located at this point. 

The land in the vicinity of Mahwah, which is also 
located on the Erie Railroad, was originally owned 
by Andrew Winter, by whom it was inherited from 
.lohn Winter. The Ramajio and Paterson i now the 
Erie) Railroad ]iiircha.sed land, erected a station, and 
christened it ^lahwah. Aside from its railway con- 
nections it has little significance. There is a hotel 
located hereowneil by .\ndrew Hagaman, and a store, 
of which .lohn Winter is proprietor. 

Darlington, a settlement on the banks of the Ram- 
apo Hiver, in the western portion of tlietownship, was 
formerly the site of the nickel-works of the Dickin- 
son Manufacturing Company, which made it the scene 
of much business activity. With the reriioval of this 
enterprise to a more convenient loeation departed all 
the glory of the once thriving hamlet. Mr. Darling, 
from whom the point was nanii'd, owns here an ex- 
tensive stoek-farm. 

Churches.— Ramapo Reformed Dutch Church, were 

its early and later history accessible, would prove a val- 

! uable acijuisition to the ecclesia.slical lore of the town- 



HOHOKUS. 



337 



ship. It was doubtless established asearly asthebegin- 
ning of the present century, or possibly before, and has 
been the place of worship of successive generations 
who resided in the vicinity and espoused the faith of 
this denomination, having formerly been familiarly 
known as the "' Island Church." Stated services are 
maintained, though the congregation is at present 
without a pastor. The |>resent consistory are Peter 
Messenger, John E. Fo.x, David Valentine, and An- 
drew J. Winter. A Sunday-school with fifty scholars, 
of which Andrew J. Winter is superintendent, con- 
venes on Sabbath morning. The pastor last settled 
over the congregation was Rev. Wm. H. Nasholds. 
The cemetery adjoining the church is of equal an- 
tiquity, and is the place of sepulture of many of the 
old families of the congregation. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church at Hohokus has 
always been designated as the " New Prospect Church," 
from the fact that in 1797, and for many years after, 
it was part of the New Prospect circuit. This cir- 
cuit was so extended as to require six weeks for the 
preachers to visit each appointment once, even while 
holding three services on Sabbath, and also services 
on alternate days of the week. 

For a long time the New Prospect Society had no 
stated place of worship, but convened in the houses 
or barns of its members. The present edifice was , 
erected in 1867, and is located a half-mile from Ho- 
hokus Station, in a region of farms and country-seats. 
It will accommodate with comfort six hundred peo- 
ple, and is attractively and even beautifully finished 
throughout, the interior being of chestnut with stained- 
glass windows and tastefully frescoed walls. The 
indebtedness on the edifice is entirely liquidated. 
The dilficulty of obtaining the records renders it im- 
possible to give the pastors in succession. The present ; 
incumbent is Rev. Elbert Clement. , 

The Archer Memorial Chapel is located at Allen- 
dale, and is a part of the New Prospect charge of the i 
Methodist Episcopal Church. It was erected in 1876 
by O. H. P. Archer, of New York, at a cost of ten 
thousand dollars, is completely furnished with bell, I 
heater, organ, etc., and will seat comfortably two 
« hundred and twenty-six people. Services are held 
on Sabbath evenings, when a large congregation con- 
venes for worship. A prosperous Sunday-school is 
also connected with this society. 

The True Reformed Church at Ramsey's was organ- 
ized on the 24th of May, 1824, and was the outgrowth 
of a separation from the Reformed (Dutch) Church. 
The causes of this departure from the parent church 
will -not be deemed as of essential importance in a his- 
tory of this character, and are therefore not given. 
The following persons who left the original body 
placed themselves under the jurisdiction of the True 
Reformed Church of America : Rev. James D. De- | 
marest, V.D.M., David Valentine and wife, David 
Christie and wife, Peter S. Bush and wife, Henry F. 
Forte and wife, John I. Post and wife, Peter Haring 



and wife, John J. Post and wife, John A. Ackerman 
and wife, William Emmit and wife, David C. Chris- 
tie and wife, Matthew Dougherty, Jacob Mitchel and 
wife, Widow Jemima Van Rhoder, Widow Margaret 
Wanamaker, Widow Isabella Donaldson, David 
Meyers and wife, Jacob Valentine, Elizabeth Christie, 
James P. Ramsey, Mrs. Abram Van Roda, Mrs. 
Charles Townsend, — making a total of thirty-six 
members. 

During the year 1826 a church building was erected 
one mile from Ramsey's Station, on the road leading 
to Darlington. Here regular worship was main- 
tained until 1868 (a period of forty-two years), when 
the inconvenience of the location caused a change to 
be suggested. Ground was partly purchased, and the 
remainder donated in the village of Ramsey's, and an 
edifice erected which, together with furniture, cost 
five thousand dollars. This was dedicated in the year 
of its completion. During the year 1875 the walls 
were frescoed, a new and effective heating apparatus 
added, and a new chandelier and an organ presented 
by Mrs. John Y. Dater. Several gentlemen in the 
congregation contributed liberally towards beautify- 
ing the edifice, which is now free of debt. It has a 
seating capacity of two liundred and fifty persons. 
The Rev. James D. Demarest, the first pastor, la- 
bored alternately between this church and the one 
at Monsey until 1855 or 1856, and at a ripe old age 
retired from the ministry. Rev. John Y. De Baun 
next received a call from the same churches, arid 
continued as pastor during a period of four years and 
six months, when a larger field was opened to him at 
Hackensack. The church was then served by supply 
and by stated supply, the Rev. Isaac J. De Baun offi- 
ciating until 1875. In April of that year Rev. Samuel 
I. Vanderbeck received aud accepted a call, and has 
continued his ministrations since that period, preach- 
ing both morning and evening. The church has a 
present membership of fifty-one, with an average 
attendance of one hundred persons. 

A prosperous Sabbath-school, embracing seventy- 
five names upon its roll, convenes on Sabbath morn- 
ing prior to the service. 

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 
at Ramsey's, was organized under the auspices of Rev. 
E. De Yoe, on the 1st of February, 1867. Soon after 
a committee consisting of James N. Bogert, George 
Hosey, Henry R. Wanamaker, J. W. Valentine, 
Martin Litchhult. David Carlough, and (Charles A. 
May were appointed to secure a building lot and erect 
thereon a church edifice. In the fall of 1867 a lot was 
secured of David Valentine, and the plan of the 
church having been drawn by Henry Rehling, work 
was begun by excavating for the foundation and base- 
ment. The contract for the erection and completion 
of the building was awarded in March, 1868, to Mr. 
Rehling, but, owing to delay in securing the lumber, 
operations were not begun until the fall of that year. 

The corner-stone was laid Sept. 12, 1868, with ap- 



338 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



propriate religious services, Rev. Henry A. Pohlman, 
D.D., of Albany, liaving preached the sermon in the 
house of Daviil Valentino, and Rev. L. 1). Wells, of 
Saddle River, togetiier with Revs. Deniarest and 
Van riensfhoten, of tiie Reformed (Dutch) Church, 
took part in the services. 

During tlje year 1869 the basement was so far com- 
pleted as to make it useful for the holding of regular 
services. On the i-^ith of March of the same year the 
following officers were elected, who, with their suc- 
cessors, were to constitute the Council, in accordance 
with the polity of the Lutheran Church, and at the 
same time, according to the laws of New Jersey, they 
were to constitute the boijrd of trustees: 

Martin Litchhult, .Tames N. Bogert, David Car- 
lough, and Thomas P. Ackerson, elders; Richard (.'. 
Straut, William S. Valentine, .lolin A. 8traut, and C. 
Quackenbush, deacons. 

The church was dedicated on the 6th of September, 
1871, Rev. E. Belfour, of Easton, Pa., preaching the 
sermon, and Rev. D. Kline, president of the Synod of 
New Jersey, togetlier with Revs. William .lulian, of 
Saddle River, J. R. Sykcs, of StewarUville, and the 
pastor, taking part in the services. Tliere were also 
present Revs. Johns, of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, and Searles, of the Reformed (Dutch) Church. 
The cost of the edifice was nearly five thousand seven 
hundred dollars, all of which, with the exception of a 
debt of nine hundred dollars, was li(iiiidatc(l. 

Rev. E. De Yoe, who was from the beginning pastor 
of this little flock, continued in that relation until | 
February, 1878, after which the congregation was 
supplied occasionally until October of the same year, 
when Rev. L. A. Burrell became |)a.stor,and remained 
until ,Iuiic 7, 18.S(l. The church was then without a 
minister until June 1, 1881, when Rev, J, W, I>ake, of 
Pennsylvania, received and accepted a call. The 
congregation was at first small, and from various 
sources help was extended, which rcsulteil in the erec- 
tion of the building. The worshipers (rradnally in- 
creased, until the number who were connected with 
the church since its first ince|)tion is two hundred and 
fourteen, while one hundred and sixteen children 
have been baptized. From the beginning a Sunday- 
school hiw been maintained, whidi is now in a prom- 
ising condition. .Ml the obligations of the society 
have been promptly li<]uidate<l, and but one hun<ire<1 
and eighty dollars of the old debt now remains iin|>aid. 
The present outlook is hopeful. 

Ground upon which to erect the Roman Catholic 
Church wius given by John Jacob Zabriskie in 181)4, 
the society having been organized and the church 
erecli'il under the care of Father .Mc.Nulty. He was 
8Uc<:eeded by Father Dennis, and he by Father Mends, 
of l'at<-rson, the present pastor. Services are held 
each Sabbath in summer, and on alternate Sundays 
in winter. The trustecM of the church are John Ray, 
John (tradin, and .Mrs. Cameron. A burial-ground 
with many imposing tablets adjoins the clinrch. 



The Mission Chapel of the Epiphany, Allendale, is 
the fruit of good seed planted by gentle and faithful 
hands. In .January, 1872, Mrs. Stephen Cable, moved 
with com|)assion for the lambs without a shephenl, 
opened her house for a Sunday-school. On Epiphany 
Sunday, twelve days after Christmas, the good work 
was begun, fifteen scholars and six teachers being 
present. The names of the teachers were Mrs. James 
Reading, a communicant of Christ Church, Ridge- 
wood, and a daughter of St. Mary's Hall, Burlington, 
X. .1., Mr. J. Reading, Mr. and Mrs. Harris, Miss 
Powell, and Miss Soutbwick. The school soon in- 
creased to seventy scholars, and other teachers en- 
listed, Mr. C. Conner and Miss Conner among the 
first. The enterprise enlisted the support of all 
Christian people, and friends aided the good work. 

The following summer a barn was fitted up com- 
fortably, and the school increased in favor. The con- 
tributions for the Sunday-school amounted in two 
years to one hundred and sixty-four dollars, and from 
1872 to 187t) nearly seven hundred dollars were rai.sed. 

In September, 1873, the first service for public wor- 
ship was held by the Rev. L. R. Dickinson. These 
services were continued at first monthly, and after- 
wards on alternate Sundays, and Hope Chapel, as 
it was then called, enjoyed the full service of the 
Protestant Episco|ial Church. The mission was placed 
in charge of the rector of Christ Church, Hidgewood, 
and during two years the faithful missionary horse did 
Sunday duty, driving to Ridgewood and returning, 
and then back again, a round of sixteen miles, that 
the flock might be fed in green pastures. .Vllerwards 
the Erie Railroad relieved him of this labor, and he 
rested, as a good Christian, from work. " Peace to 
his .ishes." 

In 1874, Mr. Daniel A. Smith became superintend- 
ent, and the school has ever since remained under 
his faithful care. The Christmas-tree has always 
been a regular feature of the Sunday-school. On 
Epiphany night the chapel is thronged with an eager 
multitude, carols are chanteil, and ripe fruit falls 
from that bountiful tree into willing hands. 

June 10, 1876, the chapel, built by earnest effort of 
young and old, aided by many friends, was ojiened by 
the minister in charge for divine service, which he 
continued every Sunday from that time. 

June 2')th, Bishop Odenheimer laid the corner- 
stone, and confirmed four persons. Nine liundreil 
and seventy-two dollars were contributed for building 
anil furniture, making in all sixteen hundred and 
sixty-one dollars. Mr. Smith wils a|>pointed lay 
reader under the minister in charge, and \\v uiiremil- 
lingly attenilcd upon his duties, coming from Brook- 
lyn every Sunday and freely giving his .services to the 
chapel. 

The same faithful teachers have continued from the 
first, and the school still prospers, having a roll of 
fifty scholars, with library of two hnndrcil aii<l fifty 
volumes, under charge of Mr, (ieorge Rowland. ,\ 



HOHOKUS. 



339 



beautiful banner, presented by Mrs. Piilis, of St. 
Luke's Church, New York, graces the chapel, and 
the infant class rejoices in another, the gift of Master 
Theodore Smith. On the Fourth of July, 1880, at an 
early coninuinion service, the chapel-bell, bought by 
offerings of the class in charge of Mrs. Harris, was 
first rung. The same morning witnessed the confes- 
sion of one who had long done what she could for this 
fold of the Good Shepherd. 

In the chancel a beautiful memorial window bears 
the names of Edith and Floy Reading, two little 
lambs taken together to the arms of the (lood Shep- 
herd. 

The total amount for building and other objects 
reported to May, 1881, is three thousand three hun- 
dred and eighty-nine dollars. The lot was the gift of 
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Cable. 

The Reformed (Dutch) Chapel at Ramsey's was 
erected in 1876, the ground upon which it stands 
having been donated by Mrs. William Halstead. 
The congregation was organized and the building 
erected mainly through the efforts of Messrs. Jacob, 
Isaac, and Abram Halstead, Dr. Van Dyck, and 
others. It may be regarded as an outgrowth of the 
Ramapo Church, the distance of the latter making 
regular attendance upon its services inconvenient for 
many worshipers. The Sabbath-school, which is 
steadily maintained and of increasing interest, con- 
venes every Sabbath. 

A Methodist Episcopal Church is located on the 
eastern line of the township, in which services are 
regularly held, though no facts of interest regarding 
it are obtainable. 

Manufacturing Interests. — On the Hohokus 
Brook are located the cotton-mills of C. A. and J. B. 
Wortendyke, which are furnished with both water- and 
steam-power. Forty hands are employed in this es- 
tablishment, the product of the factory being warp 
and yarn. The material used is purchased in New 
York, which city, together with Philadelphia, also 
furnishes a market for the products of the mills. The 
superintendent of these mills is Horace Holcomb, 

Cotton-Mills op John Rosexceantz. — The 
Rosencrantz mills were established as early as 1832 
by Elijah Rosencrantz, and are also provided with 
both steam- and water-power. They were formerly 
operated by Pratt Brothers. In 1839, Elijah Rosen- 
crantz became a partner in connection with his 
brother John, and in 1853 the former became sole 
owner. The mills are now exclusively owned by 
John Rosencrantz. Forty-two hands are employed, 
who are engaged in the manufacture of cotton warps. 
The mills are amply supplied with cardiug-machinos, 
and with 2862 spindles. The average capacity is 3800 
pounds per week, the material used being purchased 
in New York. Philadelphia ad'ords a market for the 
products of the mills. Elijah Rosencrantz is the man- 
ager, and John Donahue the overseer. 

P.\PEU-MiLL OF White & Co.— This mill was 



established by John White in 1837, and has since that 
time been successfully operated by various members 
of the family. It is furnished by power from the 
Hohokus Brook, and also with an engine, when the 
supply of water is inadequate. Fifteen hands are 
employed, and tissue and manilla paper are the grades 
manufactured. The capacity of the mill is one thou- 
sand pounds per day. New York furnishes the ma- 
terial, and that city and Philadelphia find a market 
for the products of the mill. 

Carriage-Factory of Harrison Bull.— This 
manufactory is located in the village of Ramsey's, and 
was established by Mr. Bull in 1867, having been the 
second enterprise of its kind in this immediate lo- 
cality. 

Carriages and sleighs of all descrii)tions are made, 
eight men being employed in this department of labor. 
A demand for work of a superior order has enabled the 
proprietor to produce some of the best vehicles in the 
county, purchasers having been found in all parts of 
Bergen County as well as in New York. A shop for 
repairing and trimming is connected with the factory, 
as also a blacksmithing department. The present 
commodious building was erected in 1873. 

Caeriage-Factory of M. B. Deyoe. — This fac- 
tory, which is located in the village of Ramsey's, was 
established by John Y. Dater in 1857, and at this 
early date did an extensive business in the manufac- 
ture of carriages, sleighs, and wagons of all kinds. 
It also embraced a shop where all varieties of black- 
smithing was done. Mr. Dater conducted it for twelve 
years, after which it was leased to Harrison Bull, and 
ultimately passed into the control of Mr. Deyoe. All 
varieties of road vehicles are made, and blacksmithing 
connected with the trade is also done. Twelve men 
were formerly employed, and seven are -at present 
constantly occupied in the various departments of in- 
dustry. 

The market for the wares of this factory is found 
in adjacent parts of the county. 

Hon. Rodman M. Price.— The family to which 
the subject of this sketch belongs is of English 
extraction, and traces its origin in this country to 
three brothers, John, Samuel, and Robert, who first 
settled in Connecticut. They engaged extensively 
in shipping, owned vessels, and were well supplied 
with worldly goods. The brothers sailed in their 
own merchantmen, and maintained their shipping 
interest in New England until the loss of valuable 
cargoes by shipwreck compelled its abandonment, 
when they came to New Jersey and settled in the 
Wallkill Valley, Sussex Co. John soon after re- 
turned to Connecticut, where he adopted the life of a 
mariner, and was never afterwards heard of. Samuel 
and Robert remained in Sussex County, where they 
engaged in agricultural pursuits. Zachariah, son of 
Samuel, was born Sept. 22, 1743, and married in 1772 
Mary Depue, a lady of Huguenot extraction, who 
was born Oct. 20, 1754. He owned large tracts of 



340 



HISTOliY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



land in Sussex County, including the present site of 
the village of Lafayette, where he operated a flouring- 
inill, caidiiig-mill, and distillery. He was an enter- 
prising and successful bu.siness man, and furnished 
supplies in hirge quantities to the patriot army dur- 
ing the trying days of the Revolution. Francis, his 
brother, was also a man of commanding influence in 
his day, serving as a captain in the army of the 
Revolution, and in civil life as a justice of the peace 
for many years. The family is largely represented in 
■Sussex County to this day, several of its representa- 
tives having tilled positions of trust and responsibility 
in the county and State. 

Of the twelve children of Zachariah and Mary 
(Depue) Price, Francis, father of our subject, was 
the eighth. He removed to the city of New York 
when ([uite young, received liis early education from 
those well-known teachers, Levi Kidder, John Gris- 
com, John Rutherford, and David Patterson. His 
father did not long remain a resident of New York, 
but purchased a farm at Wcehawkcn, Bergen Co., 
N. J., on the Palisades, fronting tlie Hudson River, 
where he resided until his demise. He participated 
actively in political life, and represented Bergen 
County in the State Senate for several years. As a 
business man, he was energetic and successful, and 
sustained the reputation of an upright and honorable 
man. His wife was the daughter of Col. David Mc- 
Camly, of Sussex County, a Revolutionary soldier of 
distinction, who contributed largely from his private 
purse to keep the regiment he commanded during 
that struggle in the field. 

Rodman M. Price was born in the McCamly man- 
sion, in Vernon township, Sussex Co., N. J., Nov. /), 
1818, and was the only son who grew to manhood. 
His early life was mostly spent on his tiither's estate 
in Sus,sex County. After the removal of the latter to 
New York City he attended the High School there, 
besides private classical schools of prominence, and 
after a preparatory course at the Lawreneeville I N. .1. ) 
Academy, entered the College of New Jersey at Prince- 
ton, 1834, soplKimore cliL-^s ; half advanced, when, ill 
health preventing his pursuing his collegiate course, 
remaining there with his father, he afterwards en- 
tered the study of law in the oilice of N. Dane Klling- 
wood, of New York City. His time was very much 
divideil between the study of his |)rofession and the 
general business of his father, and he never applied 
for adniissiiui to the bar. During his study of the 
law he exhibitc<l great taste and fondness for political 
subjects, and, his father being then in political life, he 
became an active member of the Democratic party at 
the age of eighteen, and addressed political assem- 
blages. In 1840 he was sent as a ilelegate to the 
National Democratic Convention at Baltimore, hav- 
ing previously been a member of severd State Con- 
ventions. 

At an early age -Mr. I'rice was united in nnirriage 
to Matilda Sands, eldest daughter of Capt. ICdward 



Trenchard, United States navy, and a native of New- 
Jersey. His marriage introduced him to a large circle 
of naval acquaintances. This association and bis fail- 
ing health led him to apply to President Martin Van 
Buren for the ai)|)ointment of jnirser in the navy, ami 
his appointment was readily and cheerfully made in 
November, 1840. 

Mr. Price's first orders were to the steam-frigate 
" Fulton," Capt. Newton, employed on gun and target 
practice at Sandy Hook. After a year's service in the 
" Fulton," Capt. Newton and Mr. Price were detached 
and ordered to the new steam-frigate " Missouri." At 
the time, 1842, she and her sister-ship, the "Missis- 
sippi," were the largest steamships in the world, carry- 
ing the heaviest guns known at that time, and con- 
sidered the finest specimens of steam naval architec- 
ture. The "Missouri'" continued cruising on our own 
coast and in the West Indies and Gulf of Mexico 
until 1843, when she was ordered to take Hon. Caleb 
Cushing, minister to China, to Alexandria, and on 
this voyage this noble ship was destroyed by fire the 
night alter her arrival in the harbor of (iibraltar. 
His detention for several months at (iibraltar allowed 
him time to visit the African coast, where he was the 
guest of the Marquis of Lome, now the Duke of 
Argyle, and participated in a hunting-party for wild 
boar on the African coast and in tlie south of Spain. 
When he left Gibraltar he had leave to travel in 
Europe, and conseijuently spent some time in Spain, 
France, and England, and acquired a thorough knowl- 
edge of the Spanish and French languages. Soon 
after his return he was sent to Pittsburgh on special 
duty, to disburse for the first iron steamship, the 
"Allegany," built by the government. Remaining 
there only a few months, he was ordered to join the 
sloop-of-war "Cyane," Capt. Mervine, and in August, 
1845, sailed for the Pacific. A war with Mexico was 
then anticipated, and the early occupation of Cali- 
fornia in that event contemplated. 

The "Cyane" joined the Pacific squadron. Com. J. D. 
Sloat, at Mazatlan, oti the west coast of Mexico, about 
six months after sailing from New York, having 
touched at Rio Janeiro, Valparaiso, and Callao. Re- 
maining only a few days at Mazatlan, she was ordered 
to the Sandwich Islands and Monterey, Cal., to leave 
a bearer of dispatches sent by the government to 
communicate with ('apt. Fremont, then supposed to 
be in Oregon or California. 

On returning to the squadron at Mazatlan, rumors 
existed that hostilities had occurred between the 
I'nited States and Mexican troops on the Rio Grande, 
and the squadron sailed for Monterey, where it arrived 
on the 3d of .Fuly, and formal possession was taken of 
Upper California on the 7th day of July, 184(5. Lieut. 
Ivlward Higgins, in charge of our flag to bo raised on 
the occasion, landed from the same boat with Mr. 
Price; and it is an interesting historical fact that they 
manned the hullictrih tlinl run up the fla;/ irhirli now 
fliialA over Ctili/ornia. 



HOHOKUS. 



341 



The business became so onerous to the prefect, with 
the only fee and reward of giving equal and exact jus- 
tice, tliat on the arrival of the sloop-of-war " Warren," 
bringing the declaration of war made by the United 
States against Mexico, Mr. Price volunteered to carry it 
to Commodore Stockton, who had gone down the coast 
to subdue the Californians in arms at San Diego and 
Los Angeles. After this hazardous service he joined 
his ship, then at San Pedro, and under orders to go 
to the lower coast of Me.Kico and destroy the enemy's 
shipping in the Gulf of California and blockade 
Mazatlan and San Bias. After blockading several 
months, which was most exposed service, during the 
hurricane and rainy season on that coast, the " Cyane" 
returned to San Francisco for provisions, and found 
that the enemy had driven out our small garrison at Los 
Angeles, and were in possession of the southern part 
of Upper California. The " Cyane" was- immediately 
ordered to San Diego, where Commodore Stockton 
was organizing and drilling his sailors to march upon 
Los Angeles; but, cut off from all resources by the 
enemy, the officers and crew of the " Cyane" went on 
shore, and were conspicuous in the battles of San 
Gabriel and the Mesa, which occurred in tlic land 
march of the naval expedition upon Los Angeles, 
and which restored the American supremacy in all 
Upper California, and gave peace to the whole country. 
After this the " Cyane" returned to the lower coast, and 
was present at the taking of La Paz and San Jos6, 
Lower California, and San Bias and Mazatlan. Mr. 
Price was one of the American commissioners ap- 
pointed to settle the terms of occupation of the city 
of Mazatlan, and urged as one of the conditions the 
abolition of the Alcabala duty, a tax levied upon every 
article brought into the city, and collected at the g.ites. 
This contributed to the maintenance of our force, for 
provisions and supplies came in abundantly, and made 
our occupation of the place acceptable to the Mexican 
people. 

After taking Mazatlan, Commodore Shubrick, who 
had succeeded Stockton, desired to take Acapulco, 
but his force was not adequate to do it and hold the 
Mexican places then held and occupied. 

In his intercourse with the officers there he found 
a decided opposition to the treaty just made, and a 
hope that it would not be ratified by our government. 
Fully impressed with these views, he became anxious 
to reach Washington before it was ratified, and with 
important dispatches he set out for that place, but 
arrived too late. 

He was able to give much valuable information as 
to Upper California, and asserted that "California is 
capable of sustaining as large a population as the same 
extent of area anywhere on the Atlantic coast." This 
was considered very wild. 

Mr. Price remained at home until the following 
December, during which time the discovery of gold 
placers was made, and there was every indication that 
a large emigration would go to California, and our 



navy and army force had to be greatly increased in 
the Pacific. 

It became desirable and important for the govern- 
ment to establish an agency in California to obtain 
all the money and necessary supplies required for the 
United States forces. From Mr. Price's knowledge 
of the Pacific and its resources, he was selected for this 
duty and given special instructions with extraordinary 
powers, which constituted him navy agent of the whole 
Pacific, the intention being to concentrate exchanges 
of the Pacific on New York, and, by his recommenda- 
tion, to control all the gold and silver produced and 
shipped from the Pacific ports of all South America, 
Central America, and Mexico, by drawing govern- 
ment bills against it. He sailed under these orders, 
in December, 1848, for Chagres. Mr. Price found 
San Francisco greatly augmented in population, and 
the greatest activity, enterprise, and speculation pre- 
vailing. On his arrival he opened a government 
office, and gave strict attention to his official duties. 
He found that a few lots of land which he had pur- 
chased for a small .sum at San Francisco the year 
before had become very valuable. The sale and im- 
provement of these lands identified him with the 
1 growth and prosperity of the place, and in all matters 
of municipal concern he was consulted, and was elected 
a member of the first town council, or ayuntamiento, 
to organize a city government. His life during that 
period was characterized by the greatest amount of 
labor, during which time, by the enhanced value of 
his lands and the improvements he had put upon 
them, he became a very rich man. When the election 
took place for delegates to the Constitutional Conven- 
tion, which had been called by Gen. Riley, without 
any previous knowledge, Mr. Price found himself 
selected by an almost unanimous vote a member of 
the convention. 

Mr. Price proved to be one of its most active, labor- 
ious, and influential members. The instrument which 
came from the united wisdom of this convocation was 
pronounced by Mr. Clay the best constitution that 
had yet been made for any of the States. 

At the election which followed the framing of the 
constitution, Mr. Price was voted for for Congress, 
receiving almost the entire vote of San Francisco, 
Monterey, San Diego, Los Angeles, and the entire 
coast; and his election was conceded up to the day 
before the official account and return had to be made 
by the Secretary of State, when returns were filed 
overcoming Mr. Price's vote by a small number, and 
the certificate was given to Edward Gilbert. A 
change of the national administration occurring in 
March, 1849, Mr. Price was recalled from duty at 
San Francisco, and ordered to report at Washington, 
and he left San Francisco in January, 1850, having 
been in San Francisco ten months, a period of un- 
paralleled excitement, high prices, prosperity, and 
growth. Mr. Price could have realized and brought 
away with him half a million of dollars made during 



342 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



the time, including his early purchases, and his rents 
were more than one liuudred thousand dollars per 
anmim. It is a curious fact that the hrst meeting of 
the Masonic society in California wjis held in his 
office, and the first lodge wa-s there organized. This 
society did great good. A hospital was organized and 
opened under its direction, and many a distressed 
brother received medical care and relief in a strange 
land away from home and friends. I'pon the occa- 
sion of his leaving a public hani|uet was given him 
by the citizens of San Francisco. Public and private 
tokens of esteem and friendship were showered upon 
him before leaving, all of which were lost on his re- 
turn. 

Mr. Price had made his arrangement.s to resign his 
commission in the navy on his return to Washington, 
having tbrmed a business house and copartnership 
with Mr. Samuel Ward, under the firm-name of Ward 
& Price, and Mr. Ward had preceded him to New 
York, and had there opened a banking-house to do 
business with California and Europe, Mr. Ward 
having previously been a member of the banking- 
house of Prime, Ward & King. Mr. Price was to 
furnish a large amount of capital. On his return he 
was detained several days at Ohagres, a very un- ' 
healthy place, and anxious to leave it, he took the first 
steamer that left, which was bound to New Orleans, 
and going from there to Washington. He took the 
steamer Orlean St. John, and on the Alabama River 
she took fire and was burned, and more than half the 
people on board were lost. Mr. Price was barely saved 
by Hwiniming, butall his effects were lost, including all 
his papers, private and public vouchers for disburse- 
ments on account of the government to a large amount, 
besides a very large amount of gold dust. This ca- 
lamity seemed to presage his future losses and enibar- 
riLssmenl.s, for his business affairs were unfortunate 
from that time. 

From the loss of his accounts and vouchers a set- 
tlement had to be postponed with the Treasury De- 
partment until duplicates could be supplied from 
California, which was rendered difficult from the un- 
settled state of that country. 

His olil friends and neighbors, on liis return, gave 
liini a public reception and banipiet at Jersey City. 
They had followed his sn<-ce.ssful and eventful career 
with deep interest, and gave him a generous and 
warm-hearted welcome; and in September of that 
year, LS^ft, only a few months after his rclurn, he was 
nominated by the Democratic convention of the Fifth 
Congressional District for tlieTliirty-seconil Congress. 
Mr. Price accepted the nomination, and wjis elected 
by a majority rif 170. During the period between 
his election and taking his seat, wliich was more than 
a year, he returned to California, and was warmly 
greeted by the authorities and his friends in San 
Francisco, as will appear from the following extract 
from the MiiniiiKj I'lml of June 24, IS-ll : 

"Of the nianv of <mr citizens who took an earlv 



interest in the establishment of this city and the or- 
ganization of its institutions, ami who have returned 
among us after a visit to the older States, none have 

' deserved or received a more cordial welcome than 

i Rodman M. Price, Esq. 

" Although of a school of politics opposed to those 
which it is our pride to represent, we shall hail in 
this newly-elected representative from New Jersey 
one who will outweigh all mere party considerations, 
and will insure one more true and well-informed 
friend of California in the councils of that general 
government to whose action at its next session we all 
look with so much interest." 

Mr. Price's business had been managed disastrously 
in New York, and his property in California had 
diminished in value. Devastating fires had swept 
over the city twice during his absence. This pre- 
vented Mr. Price from making the arrangements that 
he had anticipated to liquidate all the claims against 
his firm, which wsis dissolved. Still he returned with 
a consiikrable sum of money, which was handed over 
to the creditors of his late house, an<i he looked for- 
ward confiilcntly to the revenues of his California prop- 
erty relieving him from all embarrassments, as they 

' were still very large. On this visit he again explored 
the country, and contrasted its growth and population 
with what it was when the American Hag was first 
raised in July, 184(>, only four years before. He also 
spent some time upon his ranche of San (ieronimo, 
in Marin County, which he had greatly ini|)roved, 
and was at the time the most improved farm in the 
country. He returned just in time to take his seat as 
the youngest member in (Congress in December. He 
was distinguished for the faithful and close attention 
to the interests of his constituents, and the pnunpt 
and ready attention he gave to their wants. He wa-s 
successful in getting large appropriation.-^ for the im- 
provement of the Passaic River, and also in getting 
.some change in the tariff favorable to the interests of 
his constituents. .As a representative in Congress, he 
advocateil a distribution of public lands to the old 
Revolutioimry States for educational purposes, and (or 
the endowment of State insane asylums, and also for 
the homestead bill, granting land to actual settlers on 
the public domain, and opposed all grants of lands to 
railroails. He also prepared with great care and re- 
search a bill for a Pacific Railroad. 

He was again nominated for Congress, and one of the 
most spirited and warmly-contested elections ensued 
that hius ever taken place. The (qiposition nominated 
Mr. A. C. M. Pennington, who was elected. His 
frieiuls at once said, " Well, if he can't go to Con- 
gress he shall be (iovernor next year." 

At the next State Convention he was accordingly 
nominated for Governor, and Jan. 17, 1854, was in- 
augurated to serve three years. 

The administration of (Jovernor Price was emi- 
nently suc<'c.Hsful and satisfactory to the peiqde of his 
State. His various and import^int recommendations 




/• 




c' 



HOHOKUS. 



343 



and progressive views were carried out by the Legis- 
lature. He took the deepest interest in education, 
and devoted much time to this cause. In his inau- 
gural address he says, " It is a truth that the greater 
tlie intelligence of the people the greater the safety 
of our republican institutions. Whilst we abjure a 
property qualification for the exercise of the elective 
franchise, we would make a fair educational standard 
to justify the right. Property must be accountable 
for the liberal education of every cliild. . . . Educa- 
tion is calculated to diminish crime, and is essential 
to the great principle of self-government. It is our 
pride to be first in intelligence, first in defense of 
State rights, and first in the defense of the Union." 
He recommended in the same address the establish- 
ment of teachers' institutes and a Normal School. 
They were both established on the most liberal basis 
during his term, and he had the gratification of see- 
ing them both in successful operation. At the be- 
ginning of his administration his State was behind 
some of her sister-States in education, but at the 
termination her educational system was ecjual, if not 
superior, to any other State. 

A geological survey was commenced by his recom- 
mendation upon the most thorough principle, and 
was prosecuted during his administration with great 
zeal and accuracy, and with much valuable develop- 
ment. 

This survey was preceded by a topographical survey 
and good [ihysical map, and a precise chemical analy- 
.sis followed tlie examinations in the field. The details 
of the work were of such a character as to attract the 
attention of scientific persons generally, and by the 
law was under the entire direction of the Governor. 

During his administration the question of general 
and si>ecial banks became a very e.xciting one in the 
Legislature ; many old bank charters were about ex- 
piring, and they were unwilling to come under the 
general law and give security for their issues. Gov- 
ernor Price sustained the general law, and at one 
session vetoed more than thirty bank charters, but 
.such was the power of the banks they were afterwards 
passed by a constitutional vote. 

In the last year of his administration, his accounts 
remaining unsettled with the government from the 
loss of some vouchers and the suspension of others, 
a wide difference existed between the accounting of- 
ficers of the Treasury and Governor Price, and each 
claimed a balance. | 

To adjust this difference it was necessary for the 
government to bring a suit, as Governor Price was 1 
prevented by law from sueing the United States. The ! 
case came to trial in the United States District Court 
of New Jersey in March, 1S5G, and resulted in a 
verdict in favor of Governor Price. For the amount ; 
of the verdict and the large unadjudicated balance 
of his claim against the government he subsequently 
prosecuted with success before the Court of Claims. 

During the whole of Governor Price's admiuistra- ' 



tion his messages showed his entire devotion to the 
distinctive doctrines of the Democratic party, and 
his conservative State rights, national union senti- 
ments. 

After the close of his administration as Governor he 
devoted himself to private business pursuits, and es- 
tablished the Weehawken ferry between New York 
and New Jersey, which he managed for a number of 
years. The property was at that time owned by Gov- 
ernor Price's father, and at the death of the latter, in 
1864, was sold, his son settling up his estate. In 1861 
Governor Price represented New Jersey at the Peace 
Congress at Washington. In 1862 he took up Ids 
residence on his beautiful estate of Hazlewood, on the 
Ramapo River, that has since continued to be his 
home. Here he now lives in the peaceful pursuit of 
husbandry, devoting himself to the advancement of 
improved agriculture, administering with peculiar 
grace the hospitalities of an elegant home, and enjoy- 
ing the respect and esteem of a large circle of friends. 

Col. Ezra Miller. — The subject of this sketch is of 
Scotch descent. His father, Ezra Wilson Miller, was 
the oldest of the four sons of the late Capt. Thaddeus 
Miller, of Bedford, Westchester Co., N. Y., and of 
Mary Elizabeth Webb, of Edinburgh, Scotland. His 
mother was Hannah Ryerson, only daughter of the 
late George Ryerson, a wealthy gentleman of Pomp- 
ton, N. J. Both of Col. Miller's parents were pos- 
sessed of abundant means, and, owing to ill health, 
his father engaged in no business except that of di- 
recting his employers in the management of his farm. 

Col. Ezra Miller was born on the west shore of the 
Hudson, in Bergen County, on May 12, 1812, his 
parents occupying a quaint but richly-furnished farm- 
house which still stands within jilain view of and 
nearly opjiosite Fort Washington. Here he passed 
the first five years of his life. Subsequently the 
family removed to New York City, where they re- 
sided three years, and then to find a more healthy 
residence removed to Rhinebeck, Dutchess Co., N. Y. 
Three years later they changed their residence to 
Flushing, L. I., where Ezra Miller grew to man- 
hood, receiving a thorough English education. It 
was the design of his father that he should pursue 
the study of medicine, but the natural bent of his 
mind was in the direction of mathematical and me- 
chanical investigation, to which he paid much atten- 
tion, and which resulted in his becoming a successful 
civil, topographical, mechanical, and hydraulic engi- 
neer, a profession that he has followed more or less 
down to the present time. 

On Sept. 23, 1833, Col. Miller enlisted in a company 
of horse artillery belonging to the Second Regiment, 
First Brigade. New York State Militia. After an 
honorable service of nearly six years, during which 
time he filled the various oflBces in the company, he 
was on the 5th of August, 1839, appointed adjutant of 
the regiment, and July 2d of the following year he 
was commissioned lieutenant-colonel, in which ca- 



3+4 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



pacity he served until July 4, 1842, when he was pro- 
moted to a full colonelcy and placed in command of 
the regiment. 

In May, 1841, Col. Miller wa.s united in marriage 
to Amanda, daughter of Capt. Scth Millar, nf New- 
York, and removed to Fort Hamilton, residing on the 
" Post place," adjoining the fort. While here he 
took a warm interest in the efficiency of the United 
States troops stationed at that i)oint, and rendered 
material assistance to Lieut. Duncan, of the regular 
army, in command of Company A of United States 
artillery, and training his company successfully 
against the machinations of a superior officer at head- 
quarters, who had for some cause conceived a dislike 
for the young commandant, and who sought to curtail 
his chances of success, in the decline of his military 
discipline, by depriving him of the use of the accus- 
tomed sum of money for the yearly renting of a field 
on which to drill his company. Col. Miller counter- 
acted this influence by loaning Lieut. Duncan one of 
his meadows in which to drill his command. In the 
Mexican war, which followed sliortly after, Duncan's 
battery took a very important part, and gave ample 
evidence of the great value of its perfect drill. It 
saved the army at Palo Alto and Resaca dc la Palma, 
and throughout the campaigns of Taylor and Scott 
did the most effective service. 

In tlie month of April, 1848, Col. Miller removed 
with his family to Rock County, in the State of Wis- 
consin, which had just been added to the union of 
States. There he engaged in surveying the United 
States and State lands, with his residence at the new 
town of Magnolia. He at once took a prominent and 
influential place in the community, and was eleited 
to various county and town offices. For two terms 
he filled the office of justice of the peace with general 
acceptance. It is true that his unfailing good humor 
often led him to temper justice with mercy, but in the 
end the greater good was generally thereby accom- 
plished. It was (luring his first term of otfice that a 
constable brouglit a prisoner before him on a warrant 
for ivssault issued l>v a justice of an adjoining town. 
The colonel,. seated on a log in a grove near his house, 
listened to the constable's testimony against the pris- 
oner, who was a peaceful man when not under the in- 
fluence of licpior. On hearing llieciLse lliejustiee found 
it to be only a petty siullli', the result of a too free use 
of licpior at a chopping-bee, and after administering 
8 little good advice to the prisoner, at the same time 
receiving his promise to do better in the future, he 
dismissed the ciLse, ilirecting that the costs be paiil by 
the constable, to which that functionary readily re- 
ipondeil by pulling a fbusk I'roni bis pocket and treat- 
ing the court. 

The military reputation of Col. Miller followetl him 
to the West, and on July 4, 18.51 , he was appointeil by 
Governor Dewey to the colonelcy of the Kiglith Regi- 
ment State Militia, a position which he filled during 
his residence in Wisconsin. 



The following year (1852) he was elected a member 
of the State Senate from the Seventeenth District, 
comprising the county of Rock, then the most wealthy 
and populous, excepting Milwaukee, in the State. .\s 
a senator he served the State and his constituency 
with honor and fidelity, and was appointed by the 
Governor one of the managers of the State Institution 
for the Blind. After one term of faithful service as 
a rejiresentative he declined a renomination. as well 
as a remuneration for extra services rendered in be- 
half of certain local improvements. It wius during 
Col. Miller's senatorial term that the celebrated trial 
of Judge Hubbel occurred, in which the former took 
an important part. F'or this and other duties an e.xtra 
mileage was voted by both Houses, which Col. Jliller 
opposed, and he was the only member who did not 
draw pay for the same, the amount still standing to 
his credit on the books of the State treasurer. 

No great length of time had elapsed after the resi- 
dence of Col. Miller in the West before his naturally 
inquiring mind led him to investigate the condition of 
affairs in that growing section, and to suggest changes 
and improvements that might conduce to its more 
rapid growth and development. His principal atten- 
tion was directed to the railroad system of the country. 
He had been present at the birth of that system ; had 
traveled in the first trains, when stage-coach bodies 
were placed upon trucks and run u])on strap rails; 
when, in case of rain, the locomotive wius housed and 
horses substituted ; and when the construction of 
tracks, locomotives, and cars was in the most crude 
state. His acquaintance with these matters enabled 
him to perceive that improvements were necessary in 
order to facilitate transportation, making it reliable 
and exjieditious between the .seaboard and the far 
West; and he was not long in finding errors that 
needed correcting, particularly in the method of 
making up the passenger trains, which, though it 
might do for a speed of ten miles, or less, per hour, 
was dangerous to life at a greater speed. 

The height of the first cars wius two feet ten inches 
above the track, and the couplers were placed on a 
line with the sills, the buffers being on the same line, 
though separately constnicted. Subsequent improve- 
ments, however, raised the coach and car bodies, ren- 
dering it advisable to combine both buffer and coupler 
in one, and place them beneath the platform ami below 
the line of the sills, — which is the line of resistance to 
any longitudinal blow, — in order to admit of their 
coupling to the older cars. This depression of the 
line of resistance between the cars was the greatest 
error of the .\merican system of making up trains, 
anil led to that most fatal of all forms of railway ac- 
cidenLs, telescoping. About the year IK.'iS, while Col. 
Miller was engaged in the survey of portions of the 
Northwestern Railway, there were a number of acci- 
dents upon the great pas.senger lines, both Ka.st and 
West, in which cars were teli'scoped with fatal result-. 
owing entirely to the errors mentioned. Col. .MiUn 



ORGANIZATION OF PASSAIC COUNTY. 



345 



also discovered that the oscillation of cars acting in- 
dependently of each other, coupled as all of them 
were by slack links or chains, was one of the most 
fruitful causes of derailment, and that it could only 
be prevented by tension, or holding the cars firmly 
together ; and the result of long years of labor and 
experiment on his part was the invention of what is 
now known as the "Miller Pktform," a device that [ 
is now in general use on all the railroads of this 
country, and which is conceded to be the greatest life- 
saving invention ever placed upon rail, saving more 
than a thousand lives a year. 

The result of Col. Miller's labors in behalf of safety 
in railway travel has been to greatly diminish the 
number of accidents, to put an end to telescoping and i 
oscillation on all the railroads in the country, and to 
infuse a feeling of safety and comfort into the passen- : 
ger, the employ^, the manager, and the stockholder, j 
He has in his possession a large collection of letters j 
from presidents, managers, superintendents, master- I 
mechanics, car-builders, conductors, and engineers, j 
all of which bear ample testimony to the great value j 
of these inventions. 

Col. Miller has invented several other valuable im- 
provements for various purposes. He has letters j 
patent for his platforms in Russia, and has licensed 
that government to use them, and it is now a promi- 
nent feature of the national standard system of Russian 
railways. They are also used in nearly all countries, 
and will soon become the only system of making up 
trains. The colonel occupies a beautiful residence at 
Mahwah, Bergen Co., which his ingenious devices and 
excellent artistic taste have rendered one of the most 
beautiful rural homes in the United States. Here he 
loves to retire, away from the cares and anxieties of 
a large business, engaging in the cultivation and dec- 
oration of his lands, and by a spirit of enterprise 
benefiting the community in which he has located. 
Socially, he is the most affable of men, and his genial 
good nature and ready wit make him a welcome 
guest at many firesides. Occasionally he indulges in 
a European tour, where he studies the styles of archi- 
tecture and other improvements of the Old World. 

A gentleman who has been intimate with the col- 
onel since his boyhood says of him, "The colonel is 
one of the most genial and social of men, approach- 
able to all, frank, truthful, honest, faithful, and ex- 
ceedingly generous and charitable, and while his 
Scotch blood fires quickly at an attempt to wrong 
him, he is calm and forgiving." 

Col. Miller and his wife, who, like himself, is hale 
and active, have five children, three sons and two 
daughters, viz. : Ezra Wilson, Jordan Gray, Dr. Frank 
W., Amanda Josephine, wife of M. L. Hinman, of 
Dunkirk, N. Y., and Hattie M., wife of J. H. Van 
Kirk, of New York. All are married and settled in 
life, and have apartments especially provided for 
them at the spacious residence of their parents when 
visiting " home." 



CHAPTER XLVII. 

ORGANIZATION OF PASSAIC COUNTY. 

Boundaries. — The county of Passaic was organized 
by an act of the Legislature passed on Feb. 7, 1837. 
Its boundaries are thus defined in the act : 

"All those parts of the counties of Essex and Bergen coutaineil within 
the following boundaries and lines: beginning at the mouth of Yante- 
kaw or Third Kiver, ut its entrance into the I'assjtic River, being the 
present boundary of the township of Acquackanunk ; ruuning thence 
northwesterly along the course of the line of the said township to the 
corner of said line, at or near the Newark and Ponipton turnpike; thence 
in a straight line to the bend of the road below the house now occupied 
by John Freeman, in the township of Caldwell, being about one and a 
half miles in length ; thence to the middle of the Passaic Hiver; thence 
along the middle of said river to the middle of the mouth of the Pompton 
River, by tlie two bridges; thence up said river along the line between 
Bergen and Morris Counties to Sussex County ; thence along the line be- 
tween Stissex and Bergen Counties to the State of New York; thence 
easterly along the line between the two States to the division line be- 
tween the townships of Pompton and Fianklin ; Iheiice along said line 
dividing said townships and the towtisliipsof Franklin and Saddle River, 
to where it intersects the road commonly called Goetschius' lane; thence 
down the centre of said road or lane t ■ the I'a^saic Kiver; thence down 
the middle of the Passaic River to the place of beginning, be and the 
same is liereby elected into a separate county, to be called the county of 
Passaic; said lines shall hereafter be the division lines between the 
counties of Essex, Morris, Sussex, Bergen, and the State of New York, 
and the county of Passaic, respectively."' 

Civil Divisions. — The original civil divisions of 
Passaic County were Acquackanonk, taken from 
Essex, erected into a townshij) in 1G93 ; Manchester, 
included in Saddle River township, Bergen Co., prior 
to 1837 ; Pompton, erected as part of Bergen County 
in 1797; and AVest Milford, taken from Pompton in 
1834. In 1847 Wayne township was .set off from 
Manchester. Paterson township was erected from 
Acquackanonk in 1831, incorporated in 1851, en- 
larged in 1854 and 1855 by the addition of the present 
First and Second Wards, and again in 1869 by the 
annexation of a considerable portion from Little Falls 
and Acquackanonk. Little Falls wag set off from 
the latter township in 1868. Passaic was erected 
from Acquackanonk in 1866; in 1871 it was incor- 
porated as a village, and in 1873 received a city 
charter. 

The present civil divisions of the county are the 
cities of Paterson and Passaic and the townships of 
Acquackanonk, Little Falls, Manchester, Pompton, 
Wayne, and West Milford. 

Area and Taxable Valuation. — The area and 
taxable valuation of these cities and townships are 
as follows : 

Yri" Valuation. 

.\cre8. 

Paterson 6,:«7 $20,.'i7:!,llO 

Passaic 8110 2,01)4,425 

Acquackanonk 6,4.:0 l.-^tHMKIO 

Little Falls :i,251 4011,000 

Manchester 0.122 GM.hbU 

Pompton 27,715 647.K.iO 

Wayne l.n.7(H) 747.630 

West Milford 41,309 4S||,875 

Totals 106,734 ■ 827,953,340 

1 Nixon's Digest of the Laws of New Jersey, 182. 



346 



HISTORY OF BERGKX AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JEKSEY. 



POPCIITIOK. 

Falenwn: 1880. 1876. 1870. 

FlratWard 2,272 4,050 2,90* 

SecunJ Ward 5,782 4,636 3,20ti 

Thinl WhpI 7,G19 5,623 4,454 

F..iirtli WiirU 6,561 4,482 3,574 

Filtli War.l 7,505 5,520 7,-.!02 

Siitli Wnrii 4,148 3,318 4,113 

Seventh Wanl 5,G66 4,515 3,101 

Kichth Wnnl 9,396 6,870 4,044 

Siiitli Wnrd _.... 979 

ToUil city 50,950 38,824 33,579 

Paaaaic 6,632 4,8831 . ,.., 

Acquackanunk 1,782 1,631 J '■•"" 

LItlle Falls 1,404 1,456 1,282 

ManclieoIiT 1,613 1,3:!4 1,IG6 

Wayne 1.757 1,630 Ifiil 

I'omplon 2,251 l,.'>6(l 1,840 

Wc8t Milfonl 2,591 :;,472 2,66<) 

ToUU towu« 17,830 14,969 12,s:!7 

Pateraon 50,950 :W,824 :U,579 

Totol county 68,780 53,793 46.416 

The rate of increase of population in the county 

has been : From 184<l to 18.30, 3") per cent.; from 18o<i 
to 1855, 10 per cent. ; from 1855 to 1860, 20 per cent. ; 

from 1860 to 1865, 33 per cent. ; from 1865 to 1870, 
26 per cent. ; from 1870 to 1875, 17 per cent. ; from 
1875 to 1880, 27.8 per cent. 



CHAPTER XLVI I I. 
PASSAIC COUNTY CIVII, LIST. 

Jl-ntii:8 01- TIIK COMHIIN Pl.r.AS. 

1837, Oct :ll, Curnelliis G. Van Ripor, Nathaniel B<jaril, Huratio Monoii, 
Ahnihara K.versun : Nov. 14, Cornelius C. Blauvelt, John 8. Van Win- 
kle, John 11. Speer, Lamlnrt SytliolT, Evert H. Van Ness. 1S38, Feb. 
28, Daviil Itnrnett; Oct. 2t>, Cotnetins Van Wagoner, Samuel Van 
Saun. 1839, March 12, Nicholas .Smith, nc<>r|;e W. Colfax, Isiiac P. 
Cooley. 1840, Fob. 27, Davi.l H. Roev... 1841, Nov. 3, John Parke. 
1842, Oct. 28, Cornelius <;. Viui Riper, Horatio Moses ; Nov. 8, Corne- 
lius C. ninuvell, John S. Van Winkle, John U. Spcer ; Oct. 28, Abra- 
ham Uyenton ; Nov. 8, Kvert H. Van Noes, LanilKjrt Sylhoff. 1H43, 
Feb. 2:i, David Burnoll, George A. Ityenon ; Oct. 30, John K. Flood, 
Benjaniin Sandford, Tbomns Gould; Nov. 9, C-ornelius I. Wester- 
velt, Henry Whilely, Melanclhon S. Wickwaro; Oct. 30, llpnjamin 
N. Cleveland, EI>onezor Cobb; Nov. 9, Jacob Van llonton. 1844, 
Jan. 19, Cornelius I. Van Wagoner, Jacob Iterdan ; March 13, Ben- 
jamin Geroe. Henry Schoonmaker. 18-15, April 1, Peter P. Brown. 
1840, April 1, Robert Mc.rrell 1847, March 3, David Burnett ; April 1, 
(••irnelius G. Van Rilwr 1848, April 1, Nicholas K.Tcrhune. 1849, 
Fob. 28, G<Hjrge A. Ryei'son; April 1. Samuel A. Van Saint. 1860, 
April I, Peter P. Bniwn. 1851, April 1, Peregrine Samlfurd. 1H52, 
April 1. Henry P.Siminnns. 1853, April 1. Henry Cocbllnglon. ISiVl, 
April I, (iim-rt M. Cooper. \»G, Feb. 8, Poregrino Sandfonl. l^o7, 
April I, Il<'iijaniln N. Clovoland. 1858, April 1, Henry Coddingtou. 
18.'iU, April 1, Benjamin Genie. 1862, April 1, Martin Canavan, Ben- 
jamin N. Cleveland. I86:t, April 1, Patrick Agnew. lNr>4, April 1, 
Peregrine Sandford. Ig6.'i, June .',, Bernard O'Neill. I8ri«, March 
7, Garret Van Wagoner. 1867, .\prll 1, John N. Terhune. 1868, 
April I, John B. Daggers. 18<ia, Ajiril 1, Peregrine Sandfonl. 1872, 
April I, John N. Terhune. 1873, April 1, JoX'pli R. Ilnl,l»in. 1875, 
June 1, Peregrine Sandford. 1876. April I, Peregrine Sandford. 
1877. April 1. Jolin R. Daggers. I«78, April 1, Henry P. .Simmons 

JufTicn or Hit Pkaoii. 

18.17, Ih'l 11. C'.riieilMs G. Van RI|H-r, Nathaniel B<ianl, Horatio M>Ma, 
Abraham RyerM.n, Samuel Van .Saun, CharbmT. Wallace; Nov. 14, 
James King. Ni'liolas Sniitli, William A l'ol>b,John S. Van Winkle, 
IjimlK-rt Sylhofr, Rlihard 1. Jacobus. 1^.18, Fob 2N, Isaiuli .M. Cus- 
mond, David Burnett ; Jan. 19, Isaac P. Co«dey, John D. Merielis; 

t C«iiaua of PmmJc and Aoiuockanonk taken togathar In 187ii. 



Oct. 26, Cornalius S. Tan Wagoner. 1839, Jan. 26, John Parke, Cur- 
nelins C. Blauvelt, George W. Colfax, John B. Vanderver, John B. 
Vreeland; Nov. 7, J. R. Nnfle, Thomas Goulil. 1840, Feb. 27, David 
H. Reeve, Saniuel .\. Van Saun. 1841, March 9, Simeon Uart,Adriau 
Van Rijier ; Not. 3, John B. Sjieer. 1842, Oct. 28, Cornelius G. Van 
Riper, Horatio Moses. Abraham Ryerson; Nov. 8, John S. Van Win- 
kle, Richard I. Jacobus; Oct. 31, Charles T.Wallace; Nov. 8, LiimtH>r1 
Sythoff. 1843, Jan. 17, Isaac P. Cooley ; Feb. 13, David Burnett ; Jan. 
17, John D. Vreeland ; Feb. il, John Parke,George A. Ryerson ; Oct. 
.'10, John K. FIocmI, Peregrine Sandfonl. Henry E. Cooley ; Nov. 0. Sam- 
uel Rolierts, Cornelius I. Westorvelt, Henry Whitely, David 1. Alyea, 
Melancthon S. Wickware ; Oct. 30, EbeueEer Cot»b, Henry Schoon- 
maker. 1844, Jan. 19, CViruoliuB S. Van Wagoner, Jacob Berdan; 
March 13, Edward C. May, Charles Inglis, Cornelius A. Van Houten, 
John Vail, John P. Carroll, Barney 1. Spc-ar, John F. Board, Robert 
Rutan. 1845, May 1, George Stephens, Daniel Ruseell, Simeon Uarl, 
David Diniick, Horatio Mo^es, Benjaniin Geroe, Jacob Van Houten, 
John R. Nafle, David Burnett, Adrian Van Riper, Cornelius G. Van 
Riper, James Hincbnian, John A'ail, John A. Ryenkin. 184^, May 
1, Henry E. Cooley, Edward C. May. 1849, May 1, KolK«rt Rutun, 
Seaman Potter, Andrew Mead, George A. Ryen*on, John U. De Bow, 
John F. Board. 1850, May 1, John A. Miller, Andrew Mead, Cor- 
iielins A. Van Houten, Henri' Coddington, David Dimick, C^>rnelius 
G. Van Riper, Jolin Benson, Cornelius C. Blauvelt, Peregrine Sand- 
ford, Adrian Van Riper, Ricliard Bmwer, John Stagg, Benjamin 
Geroe, Garret Van Wagoner; .Vpril I, John Mc.\lvanah. 1V,1, Slay 
1, Ge^irge A. Ryervon, John Vail ; April 14, Daniel P. Laiilermun, 
Tii'imas McMickens, Charles T.Wallace. 185:1, April 11. James Van 
Ordon, Cornelius T. Wallace. 1854, May 1, David N. Shippee. 1855, 
May 1, Cornelius C. Bluitvelt, Peregnne Sandford, John Avison, 
Henry Coddington, John Benson, David Diniick, Garret Van Wtig- 
oner, Benjamin D. DoreniuK, William 31. Morrell, John F. Board, 
Cornelius G. Van Riper, William G. Smith, Peter Roperty, Henry 
McClany; May 12, John Stagg. 18.'.7. May 2, William K. Thomp- 
son; May 1, Bernard O'Neill, George A. Ryerson. 18^'>8, May 1, 
Francis Gallagher, Anthony S. Day, Tiii>nias Wickens, William S. 
Hunt, David N. Shippee. I.'^GO, May 1, John .Vvison. Peregrine 
Sandford, Henry C^Hldington, Itelijamin Geroe, Cornelius C. Blauvelt, 
Benjaniin D. Doremus, H. C. Hudson, John Benson, Samuel W. God- 
dard, .\braham Van Houten. 1861, 31ay 1,Johii J. Stagg, Andrew- 
Mead, John F. Boanl, Cornelius G. Van Rijier, Henry S<-h<K>nmaker, 
William Cook, Thomas Gould, John Donovan, John Flyiin, Joseph 
StaniHeld, Peter P. Brown, Jonathan B. Webb. lS6'i, May 1, Garret 
Van Wagoner, Martin Caiiavnn, Bernard O'Neill, George A. Ryer- 
son. 186:1, May I.John Wm. Rea, llerekiah S. Timbrel, Tiiomas 
Milkins, John Brilsli. 1864, May 1, David N. Shippee, M. II. Huyler. 
1805, May I, John .Vvison, BelOamin Gome, H. C. Hiubion, Orren 
Vanderhoven, George D. Doremus, Closes Drury, Charles P. (Jiiruee, 
John J. Stagg, William Cook, Andrew Mead, Cornelius G. Van Bi|i«r. 
1866, Slay 1, Edward M. Weiss, Jolin F. Boanl, John Donovan, T. W. 
Gurneo, James Cory, W. Oakley Roal, J. C. McConnell, William C. 
Doremus. 1867, May 1, A. Butterworth, G. S. Clliswell, BernanI 
O'Neill, George A. Ryerson. 1868, May 1, John llnisli, John Cniwn, 
Michael Quigley, Peter Rntan, Isaac Vescelius, Davi<l Diniick, Pliilip 
Schuyler, David N. Shippee. I8r.9, May I, E. M. Vanderhoven, Wm. 
H. Cliamberliii, Isaac Silcocks, John W. Berry, John C. Post, Abm- 
hani Ackennan. 1870. Blay I, John .\visoii,H. C. Hudson. Hexekiah 
ScoDebl, BeiOamin D. Doremus, William Cixik, J. M I'atman. Joel M. 
Johnson, John Preston, Ibila'rt Bridge, .Moses Detnsy, Roynior Sjieer, 
Francis J. Manson. 1.''7I, May 1, George C. Bock, James Cory, Al- 
liert B. Conkling, John Watson, Garret Vnn lloiileu, W. Oakloy 
Boat, John F. Board. 1872, May 1, James .\. Morrisse, George S. 
Chiswell, John R. Benlan, .Vbraham Van Houten, James iKiftus, 
Janu-s 11. O'Neill. 187:i, May 1, John H. Ijualne, Bernard O'Neill, 
John K. M.ins4in, Henry Muuy, George A. Ryerson, John Brush, 
Lawmnce McMaiius, J. C. McConnell, Peter Rutan. Christopher 
McKlernan, Benjamin D. Doremus, Edward N Tyson, David Dim 
ick, Alfred Van Riper, John DulTus, James A. Sproull. Abraham N 
Fotida. 1874, Slay 1, Peregrine .Sandford, Malarhl lligglns, John 
W. Berry, C SIcKiernan, Paul J. Vanderl^ck, Isaac Sllocks, Phlilg. 
Schuyler, Conrad Vreeland, Daniel O'Conneli. 1875, May 1, John 
Avlaon,John Preston, Jaojb SI. (latinan. George G. Halsb ad, Wil- 
liam CiHik, II. C. Hudson, Abrobam Vernieilen. llerekiah S<-"flel I, 
John «' Roe. 1870, May 1, Sblney Farrar, John B. Riilney, Jom- 
Diinond, l.eoiianl I.. Grear, Francis J. Manson, W. Oakley Root, Al 
vin Webb, John II. Brown. S. A. McGreg"i. 1877, Slay 1, Jam- 
Loftus, James A. Morriase, John K. Benlan, John McGowan, Geort- 



PASSAIC COUNTY CIVIL LIST. 



347 



S. Cliiswell, EliaB Van Ness, George A. Ryersoii. 187S, May 1, Pa- 
vid Diniick, James A. Norton, E'iward N. Tyson, Edmond Mead, 
James A. Sproull, C. H. Scheiisck, Lawrence McManiis, Mu-liael 
King, Peter RuUin, T. C. Stewart, Benjamin D. Durenins, Tunis Van 
Iderstiue, Alfred Van Riper. 1S79, May 1, James Dimoud, John J. 
Cadmus, Peregrine Sandford, Conrad Vreeland, Samuel A. McGregor. 
1880, May 1. John Avisou, John Preston, William Cook, H. C. Hud- 
son, J. M. Oatman, Thomas Mickens, John Van Vermeule, Charles 
A. O'Neill. ISSl, May 1, Sidney Farrar, Michael Nolan, John B. 
Pndney, W. Oakley Rnat, John D. C. Brown, Joel M. Johnson, Ed- 
ward M. Weiss, Leonard L. Grear, M. Liither Ward. 

COBONKRS. I 

1839, Oct. 26,1 Ralph Horenius ; Nov. 8, Jame.s J. Tichenor ; Nov. 9, Nathan- , 
ielTharp. 184U, Oct. 16, James J. Tichenor; Oct. 19, Avery Richards ; j 
Oct. 2(1, Cornelins C. Blauvelt. 1>41, Nov. 7, Cornelius C. Blauvelt ; I 
Nov. 9, James J. Tichenor. 1842, Nov. 2, Cornelius C. Blauvelt, James 
J. Tichenor, John Bowmiin. 1S43, Oct. 17, Samuel Roherts. 1844, 
Nov. 1, John Bowman. 1845, Nov. 11, Cornelius C. Blauvelt; Nov. 17, 
John Bowman. 1846, Jan. 3, .\drian P. Roome ; Nov. lu. Cornelius 
C. Blauvelt; Nov, 20, James J. Tichenor; Nov. 30, Johti Bowman. 
1847, Nov. 9, James Gordon; Nov. 18, James J. Tichenor. 1848, Jan. 
7, Hartman A. Vreeland; Nov. 17, Cornelius C. Blauvelt; Nov. 21, 
James J. Tichenor. 1849, Nov. 16, James Gordon. 1860, Nov. 22, i 
James Gordon ; 1851, May 6, John Vail (for Paterson) ; May 19, John 
Bensen (for Paterson); Sept. 20, Benjamin H. Bone; Nov. 18, John | 
Stagg; 1852, Nov. 15, Joseph Jackson ; 1854, Nov. 20, John P. Zeliff; j 
Dec. II, Barney Perriue; 1855, Nov. 22, John P. Zeliff, Alexander j 
Taylor. 1857, Nov. 14. John P. Zelifl, Simeon Garrison; Nov. 25, 
John Munroe. 1858, Nov. 16, John Bowman ; Dec. 1, Cornelius C. 
Blauvelt; Dec. 2, William Eckhart. 1859, Nov. 25, Cornelius C. 
Blauvelt. 1860, Jan. 5. John Bowman, Cornelius C. Blauvelt; 1861, 
March ;iO, Thomas D. Hoxsey. 1862, Dec. lU, John Stagg ; Dec. 29, 
John W. Rea. 1866, Dec. 31, Charles A. Monk. 1S67, Dec. 4, Henry 
Jones; Dec. 21, Henry Simmons; 1868, Dec. 15, John H. Cuueuiioveti. 
1869, Dec. 22, Abraham Butterworth. 1870, Nov. 29, Abraham But- 
terworth. 1871, Nov. 16, John W. Berry ; Nov. 17, John U«in. 1872, 
Feb. 28, George Denbolm ; Dec. 5, James C. Aniireaux. 1873, Nov. 
15, Abraham Butterworth, James C Aniireaux. 1874, Jan. 8, James 
A. Sproull; Nov. 11, Nixon Campbell. 1875, Nov. 12, C. D. Van Den 
Bylardt, M.D.; Nov. 13, Charles W. Myers, M.D. 1876, Jan. 29, Nixon 
Campbell. 1878, Nov. 14, William S. llnrd, M.D., Oswald Warner; 
Nov. 16, Charles A. Rutan. 

County Clerks. 
1837, Perigrine Sauford; 1837-42, George A. Ryei-son; 1842-52, John 
Keenan; 1852-61, Silas D. Caufield ; 1861-00, Thomas D. Hoxsey; 
1866-71, Benjamin W. Hoxsey: 1871-81, Jacob H. Blauvelt. 

SURROO.VTES. 

1837, Silas D.Canfield; 1837-42, Benjamin W. Vandervoort ; 1842-April, 
1845, Charles D. Ridgway ; April, 1845-November, 1845, David Bur- 
nett; 1845-55, John Hopper; 1856-60, John M. Gould; 1860-69, 
William Gledhill ; 1869-70, Zebulou M. Ward ; 1870-80, Isaac Van 
Wagoner; 1880, Henry McDanoIds. 



1837-39, Rynier S. Speer; 1840-42, Isaac B. Vanderbesk ; 1843, Moses 
De Witt; 1844, Nathaniel Lane; 1845-47, William Masters; 1848-50, 
Nathaniel Lane; 1851-53, William S. Hogencamp; 1854-56, William 
H. Quackenbush; 1857-59, Richard B. Chiswell; 1860-62, William 
Douglass; 1863-65, Nathaniel Townsend; 1866-68, Alfred Ryerson ; 
1869-71, Nathaniel Townsend; 1872-74, John Allen; 1875-77, James 
Blundell; 1S78-80, Albert A. Van Voorhies. 

Chosen Freebolders.'- 

By the act of Feb. 7, 1837, the -board of chosen freeholders aud their 
successors were constituted a body politic and cor|)orate in law, under 
the name and style of " The Board of Chosen Freeholders of the County of 
Passaic.'' The first meeting of the board was required by law to be lield 
" at the house now occupied by Barney I. Speer, inn-keeper, in the town- 
ship of Jlanchester, in the county of Passaic." It was held there ac- 
cordingly. 

Up to 1858 two chosen freeholdei-s were elected from each townsiiip 
and ward; from 1858 to 1868 there were two chosen from each township 

' Date of being sworn into office. 

- f^jmpiled by William Nelson, clerk of the board. 



and one from each ward of Paterson ; in 1868 two were chosen from each 
ward and township, as formerly ; in 1869 the number was reduced to one 
from each township and waid. 

Until 1872 chosen freeholders were elected for one year; in 1872 it was 
enacted that in this county they should thereafter be elected for two years, 
and the membeis chosen in 1872 were divided into two classes, — those 
from the First, Fourth, and Seventh Wards of Paterson, and from Little 
Falls, Wayne, Pompton, and West Milford going out in 1873, and every 
second year thereafter, and those from the Second, Third, Fifth, Sixth, 
and Eighth Wards of Paterson, and from Passaic (SecoTid Ward), Ac- 
quackanonk, and Manchester going out in 1874, and every second year 
thereafter. 

Where the figures are connected by a hyphen it indicates that the two 
years were in one term of the member. 
Ackerman, David D., Paterson, Ninth Ward, 1869-70. 
Adams, Joseph, Passaic, Third Ward, 1873-74. 
Aitchison, Wm., Paterson, Fifth Ward, 1865. 
Allen, Stephen, Manchester, 1853; Paterson, North Ward, 1854. 
Alyea. David I., Paterson, North Ward, 1854-55. 
Aycrigg, Benj., Acquackanonk, 1865. 
Beam, Conrad, Pompton, 1850-56. 
Beam, John V., Pompton, 1843^9. 
Beam, Joaiah, Pompton, 1851-62. 
Beam Joseph B., Pompton, 1856. 
Beattie, Robert, Little Falls, 1869-70. 
Beattie, Robert, Jr., Little Falls, 1872. 
Beaumont, John, Paterson, Fifth Ward, 1859-60. 
Benson, David, Wayne, 1871-72. 
Berdan, James D., Wayne. 1873-74, '77-80. 
Blauvelt, Cornelius C, Jr., Patereon, North Ward, 1855-56. 
Blauvelt, Jacob T., Paterson, Second Ward, 1869-70. 
Board, Edmund K., Pompton, 1854-55, '64-67, 
Board, Nathaniel, Pompton, 1837-42. 
Brooks, Munson S., Piiterson, Fiftli Ward, 1856. 
Brown, Henry M., West Milford, 1839. 
Brown, Pett-r P., West Milford, 1847. 
Buckley, John F.. Paterson, Fifth Ward, 1871-73. 
Bush, James H., Paterson, First Ward, 1868. 
Campbell, Michael, Paterson, Fifth Ward, 1878-79. 
Carless, .loseph, Paterson, Second Ward, 1878-79. 
Close, James, Patei-son, 184(.>-4l. 
Clover, Edward A., Paterson, Second Ward, 1876-77. 
Colfax, Richard H., West Milford, 1868-69. 
Colfax, Maj. Wm. W., Wayne, 1850, '55-57, '69-60. 
Conklin, Lewis L., Paterson, North Ward, 1866. 
Conkling, George W., Passaic, Second Ward, 1878-81. 
Cooley, Benj., West Milford, 1850-51, '57-58, '62-66. 
Cooley, Isaac P., West Milford, 1841-42, '45-46. 
Cox, Winfield S., Pompton, 1879-81. 
Debow, Gilliam, Pompton, 1875-76. 
DeCiimp, Chilion F., West Milford, 1844. 
DeCamp. Edward, West Milford, 1849-50. 
Decker, P., West Milford, 1855. 
DeGray, Wm., Manchester, 1867-68. 
Demarest. Daniel, Passaic, First Wanl, 1873-78. 
Demarest, Garret H., Manchester, 1847-49. 
Demarest, James M., Wayne, 1861. 
Demarest, John M., Wayne, 1850. 
Demarest, Peter S., West Milford, 1837-38.' 
Demarest, Samuel, Pateraon, East Ward, 1856-57. 
DeMott, George V., .\cquackanonk, 1878-81. 
Deyo, Wm., Manchester, 1853. 
DeWitt, Moses E., Paterson, 1839. 
Dickey, William, Pateraon, 1842. 
Doherty, James, Paterson, Eighth Ward, 1868-69. 
Doremus, Henry. Manchester, 1843^4; Wayne, 1847-49. 
Doremus, John G., Paterson. First Ward, 1871-74. 

Doremus, John H., Manchester, 1855-58 ; Paterson, North Ward, 1862-63. 
Doremus, John R., Manchester, 1865-66. 
Doremus, Nicholas J., Wayne, 1854-55, '61-63. 
Doremus, Peter J., Wayne, 1881. 
Doremus, Thomas P.. Wayne, 1857-58. 
Dowling, Daniel, Paterson, Seventh Ward, 1873-74. 
Drew, Peter, Paterson, North Ward, 1856, '59-61. 
Eckhart, Wm., West Milford, 1862. 
Fielding, Wm., Paterson, West Ward, 1863-04. 
Fitzgerald, Joseph J., West Milford, 1840. 



348 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Fonda, Alex. P., Acquackanonk, 1858-63. 

rrmnci«co, EJtranl, Little Full", 1«7I, f.l-Te, "79-81. 

Gnlluoay, Iliidsuu. Talcreou, ThInI Wanl, 1878-77. 

Ualviii, Patruk S., Piiauic, Kiret Wanl, 1881. 

Garrlflou, Jtilin 11., Manclieati-'r, 1805-66. 

OarriEKto, Simism O., Fifth WnrtI, 1855. 

Ueoip.^. Eduaril C, W<»t Millonl, 1881 . 

Ge-jrgc, Philip It.. Poniiilon, 1803, '08-70, '77-78. 

0«ru«, B^iiJHiiiiD, PaterMii, North Ward, 1858. 

Gledhill, Ji.seph, Patorsun, 18.S1-62. 

Grefiorj', iNimuel, West Mflford, 1807. 

HaK^duni, Henry, Patereori, S'lUtti Ward, 1859-61. 

llaiuwii, FnKlerick, Patetaon, Weist Ward, 1855-58. 

HarriooD, Jolin F., Miiiu-heHt(..r, 1838. 

ilortlDV, Philip, Piitereiin, First Ward, 1877-80. 

Hn)<><. Robprt, Palcmoii, Fifth Ward, ISCt. 

Heulj, Cornoliun, PaUTiwii, South Ward, 1806-07; Eighth Ward, 18C«. 

Uemiun, Juho, Passaic, Firet Wanl, 1879-80. 

Henry, David, Paterson, Fifth Wanl, 1800-68. 

Hlggins, Putcr, Putonion, Fifth Ward, lst'*^i9. 

Hilliard, Jamea R., Putorson, Em^l Ward, 1865-66. 

Hindle, John 11 , Puterson, Fourth Wanl, 1870-71, '75-«l. 

Hockonl>erry, Harmon, Palorson, West Ward, 1865; Third Ward, 1808. 

Hogan, John D , Pat<.r»on, Wettt Wanl, 1862. 

Hogi'ucanip, Wni. S., Manrheifter, 1840-41. 

Holland, Franklin. Palcr^on, Eighth Watxl, 187*-7i). 

Hoppi-r, Garret .V., Palcrson, 1851; Fifth Ward, 1861-02. 

Hopper, Peter, Wayne, 1868-09. 

Hopiwr, Peter A., Manchester, 1837: Patcrson, North Ward, 1867 ; First 

Ward, 1809-70. 
Huniithreyt*. .\iidrew, Paterson, Seventh Ward, 1871-72. 
Huntoon, .h>.^iali P., Patereon, Eiut Ward, lt).')3-54. 
Ingll.". JidiM. Paterson, Fifth Ward, 1857-48. 
Jatohun, rorneliua R., Wayne, 1862-04. 
Jacoliiis, Garret. Acipnickanonk, 1808-69. 
Jan.liuK, Richard .1., A<'<iuiickanoiik, 1847. 
Jacoliits, Wni. II., .\eiiinickanonk, 1850-57. 
JackH'tn, .Iiwepli, I'aterwnn, 18:i7, '4;l-.'iO, 

Jaqua, Sheluian. Paterson, East Ward, 1807; Fourth Ward, 1868. 
JoliiMon, Cliarleit F, Pompton, 18.'>7-58. 
Keenan, Patrick, Pater.iou, South Ward, 1857. 
Kelly, Piter, Paterson, South Ward, 1805. 
Keiieluin, William, Pntoraon, Seventh Ward, 1879-81. 
Kerwin, .Iidin, I'ateraon, Seventh Wanl, 1808-69. 
Keys, Janie», Paterson, Eighth Ward, 1878-79. 
Kliig.<laud, Jacob, Patnnioli, Thinl Ward, 1874-75. 
Kinwil, UenJ. E.. Manchester, 1807. 
Kip, Nichidas, Wayne, 1851 .53. 
Lane, Nathaniel, Paterson, 1848. 
Langwich, Wni II., Paterson, Third Ward, 1868. 
LariK., Chlllon. West Milfnrd, 1866-07. 
Laroe, Honice, West Milford, 18:17-18. 
Laroe, John J.. West .Milfonl, 1».'.0, '5H-01. 
Lofthousis (Iharles, MancheNter, 1H72-7.'*. 
Ix.vi.ll,i:harles P. Palenton, Sixth Wanl, 1876-70. 
MarPhenon, John A., Palenon, 1847, '49-50. 
Harsh, Elhia J., Paterson, 1840. 
Matches, Ibiliert, Little Falls, 1868. 
McAllister, Wm., Paterson, Weal Ward, 1853, '55-56. 
Mcfonnoll, Jacob «'., Weat Milford, IMiB. 
JlcGIII, Samuel, Paterain, Si'venlh Wanl, 1875-78. 
Mctirogan, Daniel, Patenon, West Wanl, 1859-01. 
McKenna, Andrew, Patenion, Eighth Ward, 188U-8I. 
Siclneriiy, Patrick, S.iilli Wanl, |s02-ia. 
Mead, Henry I, Wayne, 1KAI-5:I. 
Meail, Samuel ■>.. Weat Milford, 1847-49. 

Meeks, Allien V., Wayne, 1K08. ^ ' 

Meraells, John ■>., Acipiaikanonk, 1858-60; Paterton, North Ward, I8M- 

0.'i; Flnit Ward, 1868, 
Menelis, Peter, Ari|uackanolik, 1871-73. 

Menells, Peter K., Acipiai'kaniink, IS5'2, '.'.5-57. I 

Merseli», Peter li , Wajne. IHtifl-il7. 
Miller, James, Patenion, Sixth >\anl, ll<«0-81. 
Mills, Wllllani, Palen>in, Third Wanl, 1878-81. 
Monks, (imirge W., Pompton, 1857-58, '6ft. 

Morrell, K-lwanl, Pasuilc, Third Wanl, 1877-81. j 

Morrell, Wm. M., Ac>|Uackanonk, 1804-67. ' 



lltMes, Horatio, Pateraon, 18.18, '45. 

Munson, Israel, Paterson, West Ward, 1860-67. 

Murlagh, John, Paterson, Seventh Ward, 1870. 

Newell, Samuel, Aciptackanonk, 1874-77. 

Norton, Chandler D., Pompton, 1853-54. 

Oldliam, David. Little Falls, 1868 

Perry, Wm. S., Paterson, North Wanl, 1867 ; Second Ward, 1874-75. 

Petty, George, Manclieetor, 1851-52. 

Phelan. John, Paterson, Eighth Wanl, 1870-73.> 

Planten, tieriit, Manchester, I87I. 

Post, Cornelius 11., Paterson, North Ward, 1857. 

Quackenbush. John P., Wayne, 1870. 

Quackenliueh, Wm. H., Paterson, South Ward, 1853-64; Fifth Wanl, 

1864. 
Rafferly, Jahies, Paterson, Second Ward, 1880-81. 
Held, David, Paterson, l»:l". 
Held, Hugh, Paterson, South Wanl, 18.Vi-,S8. 
Reynolds, Abraham, Paterson, 1839-12. 
Rhinesmith, Daniel, Pompton, 1871-72. 
Bidgwuv, Charles D., Paterson, West Wanl, 1854. 
Ridgway, Wni., Paterson, West Ward, lf^3. 
Riggs. Jetur B . West Milford, ls:l9. '42-46, '48. 
Biker, John, Acquackanonk, 184.1—10. 
Rooney, Hugh, Pater*. n. Fifth Ward, 1870. 
Rutan, Peter, West Milfonl, 18.-.2-H. 
Ryerson, .\braliani M., Wayne, 1875-76. 
Byeretui, Garrabnint, Paterson, Fii-st Ward, 1875-76. 
Ryerson, George 1., Manchester, 1847-18, '.'>(>-5l, '54-64. 
Ryerson, Ini, Paterson, Second Ward, 1871. 
Ryerson, Jacob M., I'omptnn, 1843-19. 
Ryerson, John D., Wayne, 1804-65. 
Ryerson, .lohn Y., Ac<|uackanoiik, 1870. 
Byenioii, Martin J , Poin|iton, 1860-53, '60-61, '64. 
Kyenwin, Peter M , P..uipt..n 1837-42.= 
Sanfonl. Perigriiie. Manchesler, 1 S41 -42, '4.'i-16, '49-50. 
Scllonninakei , Daniel II , Aci|ilackanonk, 1853-54, '64. "SS. 
Schuyler, Isaac, Wayne, 1847-49. 
Senior, David J.. Pateiwn, Second Wanl, 1872-73. 
Sheeran, Patrick, Palerwui, Seventh Ward, 1868. 
Shields. Patf ick Henry, Paterson, Sixth Waixl, 1871-75. 
Sliurte, David. Munchealer, 1845-46. 
Sip, John, Ac.|uiickanunk, I84'J-5I, '61-62. 
Smith, Henry, Manchester, 1K6S-70. 
Smith, Joseph, .Man.hcKler lH.-,2. 
Smith, Oscar F., We.l Milfonl, 187:1-74. 
Speer, Peter G, Acipiacknnotik, 18:17-42. 
Speor, Rynlcr S., Aci|uackaiiouk, 1850-51, '67. 
Stagg. Wm. I., Manchester, 184.3-44. 
Slophen.1. Sitlnllel, Paterson, .South Ward, 1865-56. 
Stiles, James, Paterson. West Wanl, 18.S4. 
St. Lawrence. Patrick, Paterson, Fifth Wanl, 1874-77. 
Sutloii, Xeliulon, Pateiaon, Sixth Wanl, 1868-7U. 
Sturr, Peter 1., Manchester, l«i:4 
Sweeney, IMward, Patenion, South Ward, 1853. 
Terhiine, Nicholas It.. Aciiuackanonk, 1844-48. 
Terliune, Peter J., Paterson, IJuit Ward, 1853-55. 
Terhnne, St..|>hin, West Milford, 1S6I-55. 
Thonuon, William L., Pateraou. Fourth Wattl, 1808-69. 
TIce, Hinrad, Pom|iton, 18i,im;2, 66-67. 

TowuHeiid. .-Ni el S., Pomi'ton, 1882-63. 

Tnilihagen, John J., Wayne, 1K59-CO. 

Tnlley, Michael J., Patemoii, South Ward, 1864. 

Tattle, Socrates, I'ateisoti, l-jist Ward, \»'<: 

Van Rlarconi, Abraham t'., I'atemon, West Ward. 1S.',7. 

Van Ularcom, Hninl, Paterson, I843-M. 

Van lUen, Garret, W.«t Milford, 1840. 

Van Deursen, John, West Milford, 1841. 

Van Houteii, Adrian H., Manchester, 1842, '.M. 

Van II. alien, llalmagh, Malicliester, 1>70-81. 

Van Hon Jacob, Manchester, HtlS ^(). 

Van iloulen, John II., Palersun, ThInI Ward, 1871-73. 
Van Iloulen, John R., Paters.>ii, Ijist Wanl, 1856. 



t The ballol-lsix lieing upset In 1m7I, no return was made, and Mr. 
Phelan held over. 

< Mr. Uyei«on Is not re|sirt>Ml aa attending any meetlugs of the boaid 
dnrlng the year 1841, alttioilKh elected. 



PASSAIC COUNTi' CIVIL LIST. 



349 



Van Houten, Richard H., Paterson, East Ward, 1857-58. 

Van NesK, Francis, Acqnackanonk, 1849, '52. 

Van Ness, Hi-nry S., Pompton, 1859, '66, '08. 

Van NesB. Lucas R., Little Falls, 1877-78. 

Van Riln^r, Corni'lins G., Acquackiinonk, 1837-43. 

Van Riper, .lohli B., Acqnackanonk, 1856. 

Van Rijier, Uriah J., Wayne, 1858. 

Van Saun, Samuel A., Paterson, 1838. 

Van Voorhies, Albert A., Paterson, Second Ward, 1868. 

Van \Vi[ikle, Charles T., Acqnackanonk, 1854-.'i5. 

Van Wyck, John, Paterson, First Ward, 1881. 

Vondersmith, Eli W., Pasnaic, Third Ward, 1875-76. 

Vreeland, Andrew, Paterson, South Ward, 1854 ; Fifth Ward, 1855-57. 

Vreeland, Coruelius D., Wayne, 1864-56, '65-67. 

Vreeland, .lames C, Pompton, 1873-74. 

Vreeland, Thomas B., West Ulilford, 1856-o7, '59, 60-61, '68, '70, '75-80. 

Wait, Wni., Paterson, East Ward, 1859-64. 

Walls, Henry, Paterson, Eighth Ward, 1876-77. 

Wardle, Henry, Paterson, Fourth Ward, 1872-74. 

Waterhouse, James, Passaic, 1871-77. 

Westervell, Cornelius I., Manchester, 1837-;18; Paterson, 1852. 

Westervelt, Ralph P., Manchester, 1859-63. 

Whritenour, Peter H., Pompton, 1869. 

Wickham, Wm., West Milford, 1863-64, '71-72. 

Williams, Jeremiah, West Milford, 1843. 

Wilson, Nathaniel. Manchester, 1839. 

Wilson, Wm. T., Paterson, Third Ward, 1869-70. 

WooUey, John, Paterson, Fifth Ward, 1880-81. 

Zeliff, Peter, Acquackunonk, 1848, '51. 

Zeluff, David S., Paterson, Second Ward, 1868. 

Zeluff, John P., Paterson, Si.xth Ward, 1668. 

Directors of Ote Board. 
Beam, John V., Pompton, 1849. 
Blauvelt, Jacob T., Paterson, Second Ward, 1870. 
Deniarest. Daniel, Passaic, 1876, '78. 
Doremns, John H., Manchester, 1858. 
Fonda, Alex. P., Acqnackanonk. 1860-63. 
Francisco, Edward, Little Falls, 1879-81. 
Galloway, Hudson, Paterson, Third Ward, 1877. 
HeTiry, David, Peterson, Fifth Ward, 1868. 
Billiard, James R., Pateraon, East Ward, 1866. 
Hiudle, John H., Paterson, Fouitli Ward, 1871. 
Huutoon, Josiah P., Paterson, East Ward, 1854. 
Jaqiia, Sherman, Paterson, East Ward, 1867. 

Mercelis, John D., Acquackauonk, 1859; Paterson, North Ward, 1865. 
Ryereon, George I., Manchester, 184.S. 
Ryerson, Martin J., Pompton, 1850-53. 
Scho(»nmaker, Daniel H., .\cquackanonk, 1864. 
Shields, P. Henry, Paterson, Si.lth Ward, 1872-75. 
Terhune, Nicholas R., Acqnackanonk, 1845-47. 
Thomson, Wm L., Paterson, Fourth Ward, 1869. 
Van Blarcom, Biant, Paterson, 1843-44. 
Van Riper. Cornelius G., Acqnackanonk, 1838-42. 
Van Winkle, Charles T., Acqnackanonk, 1855. 
Vreeland, Andrew, Paterson, Fifth Ward, 1857. 
Vreeland, Cornelius I)., Wayne, 1S56. 
Westervelt, Cornelius I., Jlanchester, 1837. 

Clerhi of the Board. 
Blanvell, Cornelius C, 1839-42.' 
Burnett, David, ly45-.52, '56. 
Chisaell, George S., 1865-07. 
Crismond, Jo-iah M., 1838. 
Hendei-son, Archie, 1868. 
Iri^h, Hugh C., 1801-62.= 
Mead, Andrew, IS 7, '53-54, '56-60, 64. 
Nelson, William, 1871-81. 
Sandford, Perigrine, 1839, '43-44. 
Tlionison, Win. L,, 1862-Mi3. 
Webb, Alvin, 1869-70. 



1 Aiipointed April 2, 1839, tnce J. M. Crismond, absent since the pre- 
vious May. Mr. Blauvelt held the office until the next annual meeting. 
May 8, 1S39. 

2 Resigned Ang. 27, 1862. 

3 Appointed Aug. 27, 1862, vice H. C. Irish, resigned. 

23 



County Collectors. 
Fonda, Alex. P., Acqnackanonk, 1864-66. 
Garrison, Cornelius G., Paterson, 1841-42. 
Gledhill, Joselih, Patereon, 1846-46. 
Hayes, Williacn H., Paterson, 1875-81. 
Hockenberry, Harmon, Paterson, 1871-74. 
Hogencamp, Wm. S., Manchester, 1849-50. 
Hopper, Garret A., Paterson, 1854, '57. 
Moses, Horatio, Paterson, 1851-53. 
Ryerson, George I., Manchester, 1837-40, '43-44. 
Smylie, James M., Paterson, 1867-69. 
Taylor, Josepli N., Paterson, 1858-63. 
Thomson, Wm. L., Patereon, 1870. 
Van Riper. Cornelius G., .\cquackanonk, 1847-48. 
Van Winkle, Halniagb, Paterson, 1855-56. 

Counsel to the Board. 
Canflcld, Silas D., 1848-49. 
Drury, Henry S., 1879-81. 
Glodhill, William, 1864. 
Griggs, John W., 1878. 
Hobarl, Garrett A., 1872. 
Hopper, John, 1856-64. 
Pennington, Aaron S., 1846-47. 
Tnttle, Socrates, 1853, '66-71. 
Ward, Zebulon M., 1873-77. 
Woodruff, Absalom B., 1850-52. 



Jail Physicians. 



Blundell, Wm., 1869-81. 
Burr, Lemuel, 1856-58. 
Warner, Oswald, 1869-61. 
Wcller, Fredeiick S., 1857. 



Jail Wardens, 



Buckley, John ¥., May 12, 1874-70 ; May 13, 1879. 
Demarest, Samuel, Nov. 4, 1857: Nov 12, 1862-64.* 
Goodridge, Harmon B., May 11, 1869-74. 
Green, Nathaniel J., May 11, 1864-69. 

Mf.mbehs of the Legislature from Passaic Countt. 
1837.5— Council, Andrew Parsons ;« Assembly, Aaron S. Pennington, 

Henry M. Brown. 
1838. — Council, .\ndrew Parsons; Assembly, Henry 51. Brown, Henry 

Dorenuis. 
1839.— Council, Nathaniel B"ard ; Assembly, Elisha B.Clark, John F. 

Ryerson. 
1840. — Council, Nathaniel Board; Assembly, James Speer, John F. 

Ryerson. 
1841. — Council, Silas D. Caufield; Assembly, George I. Ryerson, Samuel 

A, Van Saun. 
1842. — Council, William Dickey ; Assembly, Martin J. Ryereon, Samuel 

A. Van Saun. 
1843. — Council, Silas D. Canfield; Assembly, William S. Hogencamp, 

Tliaddens Board. 
1844. — Senate, Cornelius G. Garrison; Assembly, George W. Colfax, 

Chileon F. D'Cainp. 
1845. — Senate, Cornelius G. Garrison ; Assembly, Chileon F. D'Camp, 

George W. Colfax. 
1846. — Senate, Martin J. Ryerson ; Assembly, Abraham Prall, Henry R. 

Van Ness. 
1847. — Senate, Martin J. Ryerson ; .\s3embly, Henry R. Van Ness, John 

M. Dennirest. 
1848. — Senate, Martin J. Ryerson; Assembly, Cornelius S. Van Wagoner, 

Oscar Decker. 
1849. — Senate, Silas D. Canfield; Assembly, Cornelius S. Van Wagoner, 

Tluunas D. Iloxsey. 
. 1850. — Senate, Silas D. Canfield; Assembly, Thomas D. Hoxsey, Benjamin 

Geroe. 
1861.— Senate, Silas D. Canfield. 
1852.— Senate, Thomas P. Hoxsey ; Assembly, Philip Rafferty (1), Jacob 

V. B. Van Blarcom (2), Coruelius Van Winkle (3). 
1853.— Senate, Thomas D. Hoxsey; Assembly, Philip lUfrerty(l), Charles 

H. May (2), John J. Laroe (3). 



< Resigned May 10, 1884. 

■> Dates of election, 

8 Elected over Simeon Brown by one vole. 



350 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



1854.— Senate, Thomu D. Hoxmj ; Aeienibljr, WlllUm U. Momll (I), 

John Scboonmaker (2), William C. StmttoD ^3). 
1665. — S^'imte, Jetur R. Kigpi; .\Mem>>ly, Benjamin Buckley (1), John 

J. Scliuuiiniiikirr (2), I'etvr II. Wliifenowe (3). 
1856. — Seriate, Ji'tiir B. Riggs; Aiwembly, Benjamin Buckley (1), John 

J. Brown (2), Jaraee B. Beam (3). 
1857. — Sfuate.Jetur & Rigg«; Aft«embly, Benjamin Buckley (1), Patrick 

Maginnis (2), RichanI Van Uouten (3) 
1868. — Senate, Bonjiimin Buckley; Asaenibly, Samuel Pope (I), Joel M. 

Johnson (J). RichanI Van Uouten (3). 
1869. — Senate, Benjamin Buckley; Aaserably, Samuel Pope (1), Joel H. 

Johnson (2). Ltoac P. Cooley (3). 
1860. — Senate, Benjamin Buckley; Asaembly, Samuel Pope (1), Socrate« 

Tuttle (2), Isaac P. Cooley (3). 
1861. — Senate, Benjamin Buckley; Ai^sembly, John N. TerhuDe {1), 

Suci^atea Tultle (2), Chaiiiller D. Norton (3). 
1862. — Senate, Benjamin Buckley; Assembly, Samuel Pope (1), Joeeph N. 

Taylor (2), Charles F Johnson (3). • 

1863. — Senate, Benjamin Buckley; Assembly, Aaron Kinler (1), Joeeph 

N. Taylor (2), Cliarlea F. Johnson (3). 
1864.— Senate, Benjamin Buckley; Assembly, Aaron Kinter (I), Garret 

Van Wagoner (2), Isaac D. BlaUTelt (3), 
1865. — Senate, Benjamin Buckley. 
1866. — Senate, Beujiimin Buckley; vVssembly, David Ueury (1),* Joseph 

R. Bahlniu (2), Kduurd A. Stansbury (3). 
1867. — Senate, John Hopper; Assembly, David Menry (1), Joeeph R. 

Baldwin (2), Albert A. Van Voorhta (3). 



1868. — Senate, John Hopper; Aosembly, John N. Terhnne (1), (tarret 

Van Wagoner (2), Isaac D. Blauvelt (3). 
1869. — Senate, John Hopper; As-'embly, Hugh Reid (1), Henry Hobbe 

(2), Charles P. Gurnee (3t. 
1870.— Senate, Henry \. WilliamH; Assembly, John O'Brien (I), Charlee 

Hemingway (2), Robert SI. Tarbet 13^. 
1871. — Senate, Henry A. Williams; Assembly, Henry HcDanolds (1), 

Charles llemiijgway (2), Robert M. Tarbet (3) 
1872.— Senate, Henry \. Willinms; Assembly, Henry McDanolds (1), 

George Barnes (2), Garret A. Huliart (3). 
1873 — Senate, John Hopper; Assembly, David Henry (1), John P. 

Zeluff(2). 
1874.— Senate, John Hopper; Assembly, David Henry (1), John P. ZeluS 

(2), Rolwrt M. Tarbet (3). 
1875. — Senate, John Hopper; Assembly, John W. Origgl (1), John San- 
derson (2), Joseph L. Cunningham (3). 
1876.— Senate, Garret A. Hobart; .\a8embly, John W. Origgs (1), John 

Sanderson (2), Joseph L. Cunninghani (3). 
1877.— Senate, Garret A. Hobart; Assembly, John Kennell (1), John 

O'Brien (2), John II. Rubinsuu (3). 
1878.— Senate, Garret A. Hobart; Assembly, George W. Oonkllng (1), 

John O'Brien (2), John H. Robinson (3). 
1879.— Senate, Garret A. Hobart; Assembly, Robirt A. Haley (1), John 

O'Brien (2), Thomas B. Vreeland (3). 
1880.— Senate, Garret A. Hobart ; Assembly, Jacob Latua (1), Robert B. 

Morehead (2), Thomas B. Vreeland (3). 



TABLE OF COUNTY KXPENDITURES, IS69-81. Compiled nv Wm. Nki*..n.' 











I. 


CVRREM 


Expenses. 






1878. 

994 87A 


1879. 

$24,600 
6,868 

9,123 


Appn 

1880. 

$34,003 
6,733 

9,158 


ipriated. 




1869. 

»14,779 
0,846 

5,944 


1870. 

$17,000 
5,000 

7,446 


I87I. 1 

824,160 
6,660 

6,978 


1872. 

$37,000 
6,800 

11,400 


1873. 

S(2.868 
7,844 

10,850 


1874. 

»32,398 
8,596 

6,819 


1875. 

S23,601 
G.089 

8,730 


1876. 

130,451 
6,593 

6,988 


1877. 
$27,407 


1881. 

$26,000 
8,000 

7,000 

1,000 
2,600 
4,400 
1.'250 
1,5110 
1,200 
600, 

2,000 
1,500 




6,878; 5,910 
9,496 1ll3'2.t 


Support of liiuntics, 


Support af lllliiilics, 













1 ' ' 


' 




2,400 
975 

2,505 
874 
490 

1,701 

1,055 

34 


4,108 
2„V'iO 
1,22" 
1,390 
1.267 
327 

2,470 
1,745 




i'2,588 


io,bi8 


6,888 


7,131 


8,578 


6,862 


6,964' 
1,549 
1,715 
2.081 
5.730 


6,676 
1,.360 
1,720 
1,458 
5,548 


6,399 


snTR 




809. ^61 


Coronore' iiiqueata 

Electii»ii8 

8lalionei7 

AdrvrtiitlnK, publishing. 


369 
1,159 
1,862 


889 
1,113 
2,675 


1,734 

996 

3,693 


1,0:15 
1,031 
2,957 


2,187 
1,268 
6,106 


1,161 
1.216 
7,809 


1.140 

1,080 
2,082 


1,828 
990 

1 671 

I 1,353 

1,071 

108 


IncMenlulH-SundriM.... 


\jii> 


6,611 


2,690 


4,690 


2,645 


684 


4,301 


2,679 


1,778 


Diiiiiem and horw- 
fetnl 


4,069 

894 




640 
20 


316| 
291 


503 
446 


688 
186 


266 

729 

3,697 





















2,295 
588 


921 

'6/>>;8 

1,000 
*70,8«2 


1,418 990 


662 


374 


soo 












894 










1 


:::v.".::::: 




:::::::::::: :::;;;;;;::; 










1 


$72,913 


<83,000 


" 

169,212 


190,702 




$68,394 $64,600 




$S7,2.'-' 


ToUl 


«49,781 


161,911 


(62,843: 


$56,8S» 


$66,34« 



Principal of lionded debt. 
Interest on boiido<l debt.. 

Bank di^onnts 

Special dfflcluncy j 



$2,000 $2,000 $9,000 
7,0531 10,897 12,662' 
3,986 4,154 2,896 



II. Prbt and Intrrkst. 

$10,000 JiO.ino $10,000 S8,6ao S9,000 $13,000 $18,090 $24,000 $22,0011 $22,000 

12,437 I9,0;l0 16,»!I5 14,980 14,997 14,000 13,492 11,667' 10,167 9,000 

6.805 6,920 5,.374 2,709 1,541 1,093 518 „...{ 154 200 

, '60,000 "411,000 <5,000 ! 



ToUl J $13,0391 $23,0611 $24,6481 



Public building* and 

grrinnda $7,9.34, $1,600 $11,300 

BrldKoe— I'aierom 52,9llO^ 56,490 40,164 

Arqiiackanonk'l 

)■ 11,4KS 11,1180 11,639. 
I'aneit 



$28,242! $35,9601 $91,269' $68,18) $26,638 $33,093 $32,010 $S5,6«7' $32,321 $31,'.>i> 
III. Public Works. 



$22,nOn $3,423 (10,976 $2,709 $2,0113 
•28,9X2 80,724 8,593 14,034 10,102 
2/>45 9,261 '.'43 1,012 1,776 



$3,000 «2,44I $1,900 $18,771 $IO,ono 

3,800 " 

175 



Ultlo Falls-... 
MMnr-boster.... 

W.ime 

I'<'ni|>t'>n 

West iliirord.. 



41191 

8.1167 

1,485 

14,161 

1,474 



18,187 
5,187 
6,700 
7.270 
1,664 



8,167 
1,'2'20 
610 
1,632 
1,194 



10,582 

900 

165 

34,000 

16,:|(I6 

1.642 



1,593, 
2,oo:ii 
7,094 
2,98.3 
3.786 
1,141 



2,H77 
!,'«•! 
2i2 
1.297 
3,948 
•2,009 



2,503 
4,606 
882 
3,779 
10,.5go 
1,23i 



1,212 
1,099 
366 
302 
4,8UI 
2,:i8;i 



473 
2.33 
507 
4.36 
996 
1,304 



2,779, 


3,485 


6,679 


1,9I2| 


594 


175' 


1,595 


4,241 


553 


377 


30 


160 


717, 


a 


81 


881 ' 


1,620 


335 


1,010 


1,681 


6911 


1.1.'>0 


1,672 


2,800| 



Total 



$07,916 $105,674 $«3,6'26 $05,072 $121,007 >S86.294 •$42,549 $24,826 $10,928 $12,856, $15,156 '>1I,233 
ttaO,738| $180,636 $162,217 $217,627 $239,967 (226,776 $169 440 $121,2-26 $102,416 $99,686 $106,612 $I28.WI0 



20,(H" 



$30,0ti(i 
$118,460 ' 



■ Fracti'>ns of a dollar are omitted In the above table, but are reckoned In the totals. * Including $5000 paid for turnplkee, the money being 
burrownt for the imrpote. ' Floating debt paid off. • To pay the loan maile for the purchase of the turnpikes Uiught In 1870. ' Including $35,045 
expended In rebuilding the Lincoln bridge. * Including $12,719 expended for fallen bridgMi, ' Including $069.17 expended 6ir fkllen bridges. 



FIRST COURTS AND ELECTIONS. 



351 



Hon. Joseph N. Taylor, Speaker of the House 
of Assembly in 1864, died at his residence in Pater- 
son, April 2, 1864. He was born Oct. 23, 1822, and 
had lived in Paterson from infancy, his parents be- 
coming residents of tlic city tlie same year he was 
born. Mr. Taylor was a very active and useful man, 
both in private and public life. Few have merited or 
received higher tokens of the confidence and esteem 
of their fellow-citizens. While successful in business, 
he was earnest and faithful in the discharge of his 
public duties, to which he devoted himself with char- 
acteristic energy and diligence up to the very last 
hours of his life. An obituary notice written at the 
time of his decease says, " He fell in the active arena 
of oflBcial duty, and when stricken the brain, from- 
excessive labor, had given away. There was no hope 
of his recovery. He reached home from Trenton 
only three days preceding his death, and rapidly de- 
clined till the fatal hour arrived. His social and 
genial character made him a great favorite, and his 
death was sincerely mourned, not only by the whole 
community in which he had lived, but by many scat- 
tered over different parts of the State and at its cap- 
ital, who attended his funeral in large numbers. 
Public offices were closed, and business in a great 
measure suspended in the city, while a sorrowing 
community paid their last tribute of respect to one 
whom they had learned to esteem and love for his 
many amiable qualities and excellent traits of char- 
acter. Mr. Taylor left a family consisting of a wife 
and three children, — two sons and one daughter. 
They are all deceased except Mrs. Taylor, who still 
survives and resides on the estate left her by her 
husband. 



CHAPTER XLIX. 
FIRST COURTS AND ELECTIONS. 

CouRT.s of Common Pleas and of General Quarter 
Sessions of the Peace were required Ijy the act of 
Feb. 7, 1837, to be held in and for the county of Pas- 
saic on the fourth Tuesday of April, the third Tues- 
day of July, the fourth Tuesday of October, and the 
first Tuesday of February, annually ; the Circuit 
Courts and Court of Oyer and Terminer and General 
Jail Delivery should be held on the fourth Tuesday 
of April and the fourth Tuesday of October; and 
until tlie seat of justice in and for the said county 
shall be determined, and a court-house built, or 
another place in said county shall be prepared there- 
for by the board of chosen freeholders thereof, the 
courts shall be held at the house now occupied by Ira 
Munn, in the town of Paterson. Due notice was re- 
quired to be given by the sherift' of Essex County in 
the newspapers published in Paterson and Newark 
for six consecutive weeks from and after the passage 
of the act. The courts first convened, as required by 



law, at the house of Ira Munn, now the Passaic Hotel, 
in Paterson, in the ball-room of which the altar ot 
justice for the county was first erected in April, 1837. 
They next held their sessions in the old Cross Street 
Methodist Church, where they continued to meet till 
the court-house was ready for occupancy in 1839. 

The election for determining the location of the 
county-se.at was held on the first Tuesday in June, 
1837. " 

The first Court of General Quarter Sessions of the 
Peace in and for Passaic County was held at the Pas- 
saic Hotel, in Paterson, beginning on the 25th of 
April, 1837. Nineteen justices of the county were 
present upon the bench, viz. : Abraham Reynolds, 
John K. Flood, Cornelius I. Westervelt, Nicholas 
Smith, Benjamin N. Cleveland, John Parke, .\ndrew 
Mead, Peter S. Demarest, Cornelius C. Blauvelt, Wil- 
liam. Colfax, James King, Simeon Hart, J. M. Cris- 
mond, David H. Reeves, Samuel S. Gregory, George 
E. Ackerson, Jacob Berdan, Henry Schoonmaker, 
Thomas Gould. 

The first business of the court was the granting of 
licenses to the following persons to keep inns and 
taverns in the county, at an assessment of ten dollars 
each : Thomas M. Armstrong, Jacob Rutan, Miah 
Van Riper, Josiah Beam, John Kershaw, John A. 
Post, John Riker, Peter G. Speer, Aaron Prall, Rich- 
ard R. Ryerson, Isaac H. Mead, James Rea, Henry 
Tifield, Benjamin H. Bone, Peter Archdeacon, Henry 
A. Hopper, Ephraim Corby, Moses Kanouse, Nehe- 
miah Brower, William L. Andrews, William Blanch- 
ard, Joshua Engell, .lohn A. McPherson, William .1. 
Craigg, Richard Mead, — twenty-five in all. 

John Wyley was appointed crier of the courts of 
the county. 

The Inferior Court of Common Pleas and Orphans' 
Court began their first session for Passaic County at 
Paterson, April .5, 1837. Judges present: Abraham 
Reynolds, William Colfax, John Parke, Jacob Berdan, 
David H. Reeves, Josiah M Crismond, Benjamin X. 
Cleveland, and John K. Flood. 

The first term of the Oyer and Terminer and Gen- 
eral Jail Delivery commenced at Paterson on Tuesday, 
April 25, 1837, Mr. Justice Hornblower presiding. 
The associate judges were Abraham Reynolds, Jacob 
Berdan, Benjamin N. Cleveland, William Colfax, 
David H. Reeves, John K. Flood, John Parke, and 
Josiah M. Crismond. Robert O. Robinson, Esq., 
sheriff. The following persons were empaneled as 
grand jurors, to wit; Abraham Goodwin, Andrew 
Parsons, David Roe, John Nightengale, Henry 
Whitely, James Close, Thomas Rogers, Horatio 
Moses, Robert Morrell, Cornelius G. Van Riper, 
Aaron A. Van Houten, Peter E. Merselis, Thomas P. 
Doremus, David I. Alyea, Frederick Petry, Daniel 
Shurte, Jacob B. Van Riper, Cornelius A. Schuyler, 
Gilliam Bartholf, Martin R. Beam, Joseph Board, Jr., 
Jeremiah Williams, John B. Van Duin. Elias B. D. 
Ogden. Esq., was prosecutor of the pleas. Most of 



352 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



the indictmenta at this term were for assault and bat- 
tery iiiid lor Helling liiiiiors unlawfully. 

Hon. Joseph C. Hornblower held the first Circuit 
Court in Paterson on Tuesday, the 2.')th of April, 
1837. No business being brought before it, the eourt 
adjourned for the term on the 26th instant. 

The lawyers who appeared at the first terms of the 
county courts were Elia-s 15. D. Ogden, James Keen, 
Daniel Barkalow, Silas D. Uanlield, James Speer, 
John Hopper, S. S. Morris, B. W. Van Der Voort, A. 
S. Penningt<in, William B. Sloan, Daniel Haines, J. 
D. Miller. All these practiced in the courts in 1837. 

County Buildings. — On June 26, 1837, the board 
of chosen freeholders decided to accept the site now 
occupied for the court-house and jail, and which was 
given for the purpose by " The Society for Estab- 
lishing Useful Manufactures." On July 11th the 
board adopted plans for the jail. On August 3d con- 
tracts were awarded for the mason-work for $i')84.'>; 
carpenter-work, S164'i; iron-work, eleven cents per 
pound. On August 17th plans for a court-house were 
adopted, and on September 12th contracts were 
awarded, — for the carpenter-work, ifSlOO; mason- 
work, S7000. On May 8, 1839, the board held their 
first meeting in the new court-house, and on .July liHh 
the building was dedicated. Up to .Vugust, 184(1, the 
co.st of the two buildings appears to have been .*2;),300. 
In 1871-72 the court-house was greatly enlarged and 
somewhat altered. 

In 18.33 the board decided to rebuild the jail. On 
December 7th plans prei)Hred by Mr. Nash, of Con- 
necticut, were adopted, the estimated cost being 
lf20,txi0. In the spring of 18.').') the building Wiis 
ready for occupancy, but wius not completed till ISo!). 
The cost was about $.35,000. In 1880 and 1881 the 
board awiirded contracts for enlarging the jail, to 
meet the increased demand upon its capacity, and the 
work is now nearly done, at a total cost of about 
$2."),0IMt. 

First Election. — Upon the organization of the 
county such inhabitants only as were of age and 
were frecliolders were entitled to vote. The oonsti- 
tutioii which remained in force till 1X44 reipiired 
that each voter should be of " full age and worth fifty 
pounds proclamation money, clear estate in the same, 
and have resideil in the county for twelve months 
preceding the election." The officers chosen by the 
people in each county were the members of the 
Council and A.ssenibly, and "one SherifT and one or 
more Coroners," to be electe<l at the same general 
county election. The people, at their township meet- 
ings, elected their constables and chosen freeholders. 
Justices of the peace, judges of the (Courts of Common 
Pleas, clerks of tlie courts, as well as judges of the 
Supreme Court, attorney-gcnoral, State secretary 
and treiLsurer, were chosen by joint meeting of the 
Council and Assembly and commission(><l by the 
Oovcrnor. 

The act organizing the county took eflect .April II, 



1837. All persons in oflBce in the respective counties 
of Bergen and Essex, except clerks, surrogates, and 
pro.secutors of the pleas, held over till the expiration 
of their terms. The judges of the Court of Common 
Pleas and justices of the peace holding over from 
Bergen and Essex Counties respectively were re- 
quired to qualify according to law in the new county, 
as if they had been therein a|)pointed. 

" And he it eiiacUd, That fntm and after ttio «aiil eleventh day of April 
noxt the then sherift of the comity of Kwex, in |>enon or l>y his under 
8lierifT, deputy, and. iti case of Ui« legal ditMil.ility of the hheriff, the cor- 
oners of the said county, shall execute all writs to him or them directed 
in the township of .\cqunckanonk and Paterson ; and the then sheriff of 
the county of Bergen, in [)enou or by his uuiler-sberiff, etc., shall exe- 
cute all %vriti) to him or them directed in the townships of Pumptun, 
Weiit Milfur\i, and Manchoitor." 

Robert O. Robinson, sherift" of Es.sex County, and 
Jacob C. Terhune, shcriH" of Bergen County, acted in 
the capacity required by the act until the election in 
Passaic County, on the second Tuesday in October, 
1837, when Rynier S. Speer was elected sherift'. A 
member of the Council and two members of the 
General Assembly were at the same time chosen. 
Mr. Andrew Parsons was elected to fill the former 
position, and Mr. Aaron S. Pennington the latter. 
These were the first representatives from Pa.s.saic 
County to the State Legislature. The constitution 
then required that the member of the Council should 
be a freeholder, "worth at letist one thoiisand pounds 
proclamation money," and that the member of .\s- 
sembly should be " worth at least five hundred 
pounds" of the same currency, both having a resi- 
dence in the county for one year preceding election. 



CHAPTER L. 

nENCU AND BAR OF I'A.SSAIO COUNTY. 

Til K organization of a county and the location of 
a seat of justice bring in due time a bench and bar. 
These are the necessary a|)pliances of jurisprudence, 
and in the older counties they have been of very 
gradual growth, from a rude and frontier state of so- 
ciety up to the most complete arningements for the 
execution of law and order of modern times. The 
county of Passaic, being taken almost full grown from 
Bergen in 1837, had at the beginning a number of 
able lawyers and judges who resided within its limits 
and sat upon the bench or practiced in other counties. 
.Vmoiig these were several whose biographical sketches 
appear in this chapter, — Hon. Elias B.D. Ogden, judge 
ofthcSupremeCuurl; Hon. Philemon Dickerson, Gov- 
ernor of the State and member of Congress; Hon. John 
Hopper, now judge of the District (^uirt of Paterson ; 
Hon. Aarim S. Pennington, one of the earliest mem- 
bers of the Legislature for the county, and for many 
years prosecutor of the pleas; Hon. Absalom li. 
Woodrufl", and others. A list of the prosecutors and 
judges of the Common Pleas of the county from 1837 



I 



THE BENCH AND BAR OF PASSAIC COUNTY. 



353 



to 1881 will be found in the chapter preceding this, 
and also an early history of the courts. We give 
below a list of the members of the bar of this county 

from the first to the present time, 1882, together 
with the dates of their admission, both as attorneys ! 
and counselors. For convenience of reference the I 
list is placed in alphabetical rather than in chrono- 
logical order : f 

Members of the Passaic Bar. 

Admitted Attorney. Admitted Counselor. 

1 Ballesay, J. J June Term, 187.'), j 

Beam. JoliiiR November " 1875. Nov. Term, 1878. 

Berry, Daviil J " " 1879. 

1 Board, David J " " 1844. 

Cahill. John F February " 1878. Feb. Te?m, 1881. 

sCiiilfield, AilKUstus " " 18.'»2. 

''Cantield, Silas D November " 18:12. 

Codditigtou, Henry K February " 1875. Nov. Term, 1878. 

*Comstock. All'ert " " 1873. Feb. " 1876. 

Creitnier. .loseph G November " 187;i. 

Dayton, Edmund E " " 187.^}. 

2 Diikei-son, Pbitemon ** " 18l:i. Nov. Term, 1817. 

Diclierson, I*liiIemou, Jr February " 18.^3. 

I Ditkerson, Edward N July " 1846. July Term, 1849. 

Donald, James D February " 18H0. 

Dniry, AiiKustusH June " 187(1. Nov. Term, 1874. 

Drury, Henry S November " 1872. Feb. " 1876. 

' DurliuK. Robert S June " 1872. 

1 Ely, George B April " 1848. 

Evans, James " " 1851. June Term, 1854. 

» Fonda, William A February ■' 1874. Feb. " 1877. 

Force, Munsi'n " '* 1878. 

2 Ki-oleigh, I'eler D .\pril " 1848. 

Fredericks, J. V. E June " 1875. 

Gould. JnbnM November " 1839. 

^Gledliill. William October " 1841;. Oct. Term, 1849. 

Gourley, Wi liam B June " 1880. 

Gaston, William F " " 1877. June Term, 1880. 

Griggs. John W^ November " 1.H71. Nov. " 1874. 

Harold, Louis V June " 1.879. 

Hilton, George S November " 1869. Feb. Term, 1872. 

Hobart, Garret .\ June " 1866. June " 1871. 

1 Hopkins, .\bram C November " 187t). 

Hopper, John September " 1836. Feb. Term, 1839. I 

Hopper, Robert I June " 1869. June " 1872. | 

2 Hoxsey, Thomas D November " 1851. Nov. " 18.54. i 

2 Keefe, Michael L " " 1868. " " 1871. 

2 Leazer, Edmund October " 1848. 

MacCarthy, John J February " 1879. 

Moore, Thi>nias M " " 1875. Nov. Term, 1878. 

2 0gden, Klia.s B. D May " 1824. May " 1829. 

lOgden, Frederick B Inly " 1,850. Feb. " 1854. 

2 Pennington, Aaron S February " 1821. *' " 1824. 

Paulison, John C November " 1869. Nov. " 1872. 

Pennington. William June " 1863. " " 1870. 

Prall, William M November " 1,877. Feb. " 1881. ' 

Pulver, Frank February " 1878. 

Reynolds. John H June * " 1879. 

2 Ridgeway, Charles D November " 1841. 

Rogers, Charles R April " 1851. 

Bogers, James H February " 1872. Feb. Term, 1875. 

Ryersou, Louis J November " 1.877. 

I Runyon. Charles H February " 1876. Feb. Term, 1879. 

Ryle. Peter November '* 1876. 

Samuels, Henry E June " 1.S79. 

' S'iiolfonJ, Andrew J November " 1858. 

Sauford, Charles E June " 1869. 

1 Savage. George W February " 1876. Feb. Term, 1879. 

Scott, Frank " " 1878 

Simonton. Thomas C, Jr " " 1877. June Term, 1880 

Smith, William M " " 1878. 

St. Lawrence, William J '* '* 1877. 

Stevenson. Eugene " " 1874. June Term, 1877. 

Stevens. Richard F November •' 1879. 

Stewart, .lames F June '* 1875. 

Stevenson. PreMon " " 1878. June Term, 1881. 

Stevenson. Edward I November " 1879. 

Stoutenburgh, J. E " " 1,874. Nov. Term, 1877. 

2Speer, James " " 1830. " " 1833. 

Tutlle,S..crates April " 1848. April " 1851. 

Tuttle, Charles M November " 1879. 

Van Cleve. Frank June " 1879. 

Van Hovenhurgh, Alfred A. ..November " 1878. 

Van Wagoner, Isaac October '* 1848. 

Van Buren, Charles C February " 1858. 

1 Van Wagoner, Garret S September " 1844. 

2 Vandervoort, Benjamin W... May " 1822. May Terra, 1828. 

Ward.Zebnlon M February " 1867. Feb. " 1871. I 

Weiss, Edward R November " 1877. ' ^ 

Wilcox. Albert .V June •' 1877. 

Williams, Henry A.. April " 1849. June Term, 1852. 

Williams, William H November " 1878. 

Woodruff, Absalom B September " 1844. Oct. Term, 1847. 

' Yon ngblood, James C June " 1864. June " 1867. 

^ Removed. 2 r»ei 



Elias B, D. Ogden, a son of Col. Aaron Ogden, 
was born at Elizabethtown in 1800. He graduated at 
Princeton College in 181i», was licensed as an at- 
torney in 1824, as a counselor in 1829, and was made 
a sergeant-at-law in 1837, being the last lawyer to 
receive that honorary title in the State of New Jer- 
sey. Soon after bis admission as an attorney he re- 
moved to Paterson, where he continued to practice, 
being prosecutor of the pleas of Passaic County for 
two terms, and in 1844 member from that county to 
the Constitutional Convention, in which he took an 
active part. 

In 1848 he was appointed by Governor Haines one 
of the justices of the Supreme Court, in the place of 
Judge Whitehead, whose term had expired. He was 
reappointed by Governor Price in 1855, and again by 
Governor Olden in 1862, having meantime, in 1858, 
returned to his native town and to the old homestead 
of his father. 

Judge Ogden was a man of strong intellect and of 
much natural sagacity, his attainments and abilities 
commanding high respect both at the bar and on the 
bench. In the political contest of 1828, Mr. Ogden 
took sides with Gen. Jackson, and soon became a 
Democrat, who.se principles he maintained throughout 
his life, being a moderate Union man during the civil 
war. In the early part of 18(55 he was attacked by 
pneumonia, which terminated his life. He was a 
member of the Protestant Episcopal Church, an ac- 
tive, influential member of the conventions of that 
denomination, and a trustee of the college at Bur- 
lington. 

Philemon Dickekson was a native of Morris 
County, N. J., having been born at or near Succasunna, 
in that county, in the latter part of the last century. 
In 1813 he was licensed as an attorney, in 1817 as a 
counselor, and in 1834 as a sergeant-at-law, a degree 
since dropped in New Jersey. After residing a few 
years in Philadelphia he removed, about 1816, to 
Paterson. He was elected to the Assembly in 1821- 
22. In 1832 he was elected to Congress. In 1836 the 
Legislature appointed him Governor, the Jackson 
party being then in the ascendency in that body. His 
brother, Mahlon Dickersoii, had been Governor in 
1815-17. As Governor, Mr. Dickerson was also chan- 
cellor, in which capacity his deci-ions gave general 
satisfaction. In 1838 he was again placed in nomina- 
tion by the Democrats for Congress. The whole six 
congressmen from New Jersey were then elected on a 
general ticket, and the returns from several townships 
were rejected on account of irregularities by thecounty 
clerks, which elected the Whig delegation, and Gov- 
ernor William Pennington gave them the certificate, 
in accordance with the returns certified to him. This 
led to a prolonged debate in Congress, and to great 
bitterness in New Jersey, but the six Democrats, who 
undoubtedly had the majority of the popular vote, 
were finally admitted to Congress. The contest is 
popularly known in New Jersey history as the " Broad 



354 



HISTORY OF BERGE.N A.ND I'AStiAlC CUU.NTlEiJ, .NEW JEKiJEV. 



Seal war." In 1841, on the expiration of his term in 
Congress, he was appointed hy President Van Biiren 
to the office of judge of the United States District 
Court for New Jersey, whidi position he lield 'until 
his death at Paterson on Dec. 10, 1862. He was one 
of the most highly-esteemed citizens of the town, and 
when the city was organized in 1851 he was elected 
the first president of the Council by a very decisive 
vote over the Whig candidate. The office was dis- 
tasteful to him, however, and ho declined a re-elec- 
tion. 

Aaron S. Penxikgton was born in Newark, in 
January, 1800, being the son of William Sanford Pen- 
nington, Governor of New .lersey in 1813-15. He 
was graduated at Princeton College in 1817, the 
youngest in his class, but one of the "honor men," 
and having been admitted to the bar in 1821, practiced 
in Newark until about 1828-29, when he removed to 
Paterson, where he passed the remainder of his life, 
marrying a daughter of John Colt at that place. Mr. 
Pennington was not fond of public life, and declined 
many nominations to public office, although, being a 
Whig himself, living in a Whig county, and with 
many influential relatives and family connections, he 
could have had almost any office to which he might 
have aspired. In 1837 he was elected to the .Vssembly 
as one of the first members from the newcounty of Pas- 
saic. He served in that body but one year, as in 1838 
he w;is appointed prosecutor of the pleas, the duties 
of which he discharged with great effectiveness until 
1848, after which date he held no office. In 184(:-47 
he was counsel to the board of chosen freeholders of 
the county. He was a man of fine bearing, tail, dig- 
nified, well built, and had a courtly air, which we are 
accustomed to associate with the idea of gentlemen of 
the " old school." For many years he was Deputy 
Governor of the Society for Establishing Useful Manu- 
factures of Paterson, and was counsel to the same 
corporation. He had a large and lucrative jiractice. 
For a long time he occupied what is now the City 
Hall, his office being where the receiver of taxe'* now 
is. He died suddenly, of apoplexy, Aug. 25, 18(10, at 
Paterson. 

JriKiE John Hhi'Pf.u was born on the homestead 
farm of his father, in the present township of Lodi, 
Bergen Co., on March 2, 1814. His graMdl'ather, 
Jacob Hopper, was a large land-owner and farmer in 
that part of New Jersey. His parents were John J. 
and Maria (Terhune) Hopper, both beingjof pure 
Holland lieseent. His father, who died in 1833, was 
a successful and enterprising farmer during his life- 
time. His farm, comprising about three hundred acres 
of land, extending from Pollifly to Saddle River, is 
now occupied by his second son, Jacob. 

Thc.Hubject of this sketch is the sixth of the nine 
children comprising the family, and was reared upon 
the paternal farm, lie received his early edu<'ation 
at the olil WiuMliingtoii .Veademy, iti Ilackcnsaek, 
mid 111 the Lafayette Academy of the same place. 



He was subsequently prepared for college under Rev. 
John Croes, teacher of a chissical school in Paterson, 
and under Thomas McGahagan, at the old academy 
at Bergen Town, now Hudson City. In the year 1830 
he entered the sophomore class of Rutgers College, 
New Brunswick, N. J., from which institution he was 
graduated in 1833, dividing the second honor of his 
ela.ss with Robert H. Pruyn, of Albany, afterwards 
minister to Japan. After his graduation he at once 
entered upon the study of the law in the office of 
Governor Peter D. Vroom, at Somerville, N. J., with 
whom ho remained for two years. The third ami 
last year of his jirofessional course was pa.ssed in the 
office of Elias 15. D. Ogden, in Paterson, and on Sept. 
8, 183G, he was licensed by the Supreme Court at 
Trenton to practice as an attorney-at-law and solici- 
tor in chancery in all the courts of the State. He 
received his counselor's license on Feb. 27, 1840. 

Immediately after his admission to the bar, Judge 
Hopper was admitted as a law partner with his late 
preceptor at Paterson, and the firm of Ogden it 
Hopper continued to do a successful business until 
the elevation of the senior member to the bench of 
the Supreme Court of the State in 1848. Judge 
Hopper continued in the practice of his profession 
alone until 1860, when his son Robert I. Hopper, upon 
being admitted as an attorney-at-law, entered into co- 
|)artncrsliip with him, and the present firm of John 
Hopper & Sou was organized, and has since enjoyed 
a large and extensive practice. 

During the entire time that Judge Hopper has been 
engaged in the practice of his profession he has been 
recognized as a lawyer of ability, not only well read 
in the profession, but possessed of those mental facul- 
ties that conduce to the attainment of success. He 
brings to the discharge of his professional duties a 
certain urbanity of manner, combined with an in- 
ci.siveness of thought and a clearness of exposition, 
that almost uniformly leads to a decision favorable to 
his client. His style is expository rather than showy, 
and he relies more upon the proper presentation of 
facLs than upon figures of rhetoric in- the treatment 
of his causes. He has been connected with most of 
the important trials that have occurred in his section 
of the State for many years, and he is recognized by 
members of the bar as one of the foremost represen- 
tatives of the legal profession in Northern New Jer- 
sey. He has been called repeatedly to fill public 
positions, where his professional abilities were in de- 
mand, and has discharged his functions with uniform 
fidelity and success. lie was town coun.sel of Pater- 
son from 1813-47; surrogate of Passaic County for 
two successive terms, 1845-55; counsel to the boaril 
of chosen freeholders, 1855-<34; and prosecutor of 
the ]ileas of Passaic County from 1863-68, and from 
1871-75, when he took his seat as State senator for 
the second time. 

Personally, .Judge Hopper is one of the most popu- 
lar men of his section. I lis manners are characterized 




y'^-^iyM- 




't/L 




^0-r>i ^c>t:<y^J y.^iyC'^^^ 



THE BENCH AND BAR OF PASSAIC COUNTY. 



355 



by an unvarying ease and grace, at once dignified and 
cordial, wliicli impress his friends witli the true worth 
of the man, wliile tliey win for liim their warm re- 
gard. In jjolitics he has always been a consistent ad- 
herent to true Democratic principles, and has long 
been a potent factor in the counsels of his party. He 
represented his county in the State Senate from 1868 
-71, and from 1874-77, and secured recognition in 
that body as an able and useful coadjutor in the im- 
portant work of legislation, serving as a member of 
some of the leading committees. He has always been 
in close sympathy with the various movements tend- 
ing to develop and advance the interests of the locality 
in which he resides, and as a member of the Paterson 
Board of Education did much towards establishing 
and perfecting the public school system of the city. 
He is one of the older members of the New Jersey 
Historical Society, is a member of the board of trus- 
tees of Rutgers College, N. J., and has been secre- 
tary of the Paterson and Ramapo Railroad Company 
since its organization in 1844, and also treasurer of 
the company since 1S51. He was appointed judge of 
the District Court of Paterson in March, 1877, and 
holds that position at the present time (1882). In 
1878 he was appointed one of the advisory masters 
of the Court of Chancery by Chancellor Theodore 
Runyon, and is still discharging the duties of that 
ofhce, which is one nearly equivalent to that of vice- 
chancellor, and involving the same line of judicial 
functions. 

Judge Hopper was married on June 16, 1840, to 
Mary A., daughter of the late Robert Imlay, a for- 
mer merchant of Philadelphia. The marriage cere- 
mony was performed in the same house (on Market 
Street, in the city of Paterson) in which he resides, 
and in which all of his children have been born. Six 
of the latter are living, viz.: John H., a member of 
the silk-firm of Hopper & Scott, Pater.son ; Robert 
Imlay, a graduate of the class of 1869, Rutgers, and 
a partner of his father; Mary A., wife of Frank W. 
Potter, late United States consul to Marseilles; James 
Burling, residing in Texas; and Misses Caroline 
Imlay and Margaret Imlay Hopper. 

Mr. Hopper now owns and occupies the same office 
in which he studied law with the late Judge Ogden 
from 1832 to 1833. 

Socrates Tuttle, a prominent member of the 
Passaic County bar, and one of its oldest practition- 
ers, was born at Colebrook, Coos Co., N. H., on Nov. 
19, 1819. The family origin in this country is traced 
back to the year 1640, when two brothers, John and 
William Tuttle, emigrated from England, the former 
settling at Ipswich, Mass., and the latter at New 
Haven, Conn. Lieut. Jonathan Tuttle, the grand- 
father of Socrates Tuttle, and a descendant of John 
Tuttle, was burn at Littleton, Mass.. Sept. 30, 1753. 
He was a brave officer during the Revolutionary war, 
and participated in the battles of Trenton and Prince- 
ton. On Aug. 6, 1781, he married Catherine Gray, 



born in Salem, Mass., in September, 1762, and had a 
large family of children. Of these, Jonathan Tuttle, 
Jr., born Nov. 10, 1782, was a teacher by profession, 
and jiassed the greater part of his life in Massachu- 
setts ; Amos H. was born Oct. 21, 1784, and died 
Aug. 15, 1791 ; Catherine, born Aug. 9, 1786, married 
Edward A. Reed, of Passumpsic Village, Vt. ; Asahel, 
born July 16, 1788, died in his youth ; Horatio Tuttle, 
born Dec. 22, 1790, was the father of the subject of 
this sketch ; Amos H. (2d) was born Aug. 10, 1792 ; 
Edward was born May 27, 1794; Socrates, born Nov. 
2, 1796, was a physician by profession, and practiced 
for more than fifty years at Barnet, Vt. ; William G., 
born Jan. 3, 1799, learned the trade of a blacksmith, 
and followed it during his early manhood, residing 
most of his life in Michigan, where he died a few 
years ago ; Sarah was born March 6, 1806 ; John, 
born Feb. 8, 1807, engaged in farming near Ann 
Arbor, Mich., during his life. 

Horatio Tuttle learned the trade of a blacksmith 
at Bath, N. H., in early life, and afterwards worked 
at that place for a short time. He subsequently re- 
moved to Coos County, in the same State, where he 
worked steadily at his trade until his death on Dec. 
31, 1842. His wife was Betsey Thomas, a native of 
Acton, Mass., who bore him a family of nine children, 
all of whom attained to years of maturity. She died 
Oct. 1, 1842. Jonathan Tuttle, born April 6, 1814, 
grew up at Colebrook, N. H., learned the trade of a 
blacksmith, and died in August, 1843. John Leighton, 
born Sept. 22, 1816, left his home in boyhood, learned 
the trade of a woolen-spinner, and afterwards removed 
to Paterson, N. J., where he labored as a machinist 
for several years. He died in Philadel])hia in 1863. 
Charles Martin, born Feb. 18, 1818, was educated at 
Barnet, Vt., studied medicine with his uncle, Socra- 
tes, and has practiced his profession at Littleton, N.H., 
since 1839. Elizabeth, born May 9, 1822, married E. 
A. Harwood, of Worcester, Mass., and resides there. 
William A., born May 8, 1824, learned the trade of a 
machinist, and resided at Paterson, N. J., until his 
death in January, 1869. Horatio Gates and Catharine 
Gray Tuttle were born April 22, 1827. The first was 
in the service of the government as a carpenter during 
the late war, and was last heard of at Chattanooga, 
Tenn., in 1865 ; the second passed her life as a teacher 
in Bergen County and Paterson, N. J., married a Mr. 
Nelson, and died in April, 1877. Mary, born Aug. 
23, 1830, married John Sargent, of Littleton, N. H., 
where she and her husband both died in the spring 
of 1881. 

Socrates Tuttle, the fourth of the children of Ho- 
ratio Tuttle, was early inured to a life of labor and 
toil. His parents were very poor, and his boyhood 
days were attended by many privations. His book 
education was received at the common schools of New 
Hampshire, which he attended three months of each 
year until he reached the age of twenty-one. The 
remainder of the time was passed in his father's 



356 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES. NEW JERSEY. 



blacksmith-shop, with the exception of a few short 
intervals of time, during which he worked at other 
pursuits, such jis brick-niaicing, team-driving, and 
farming, in the employment of others. He became an 
expert blacksmith, and worked hard at tiiat trade until 
he was twenty-two years of age. Having then formed 
a distaste for the business, and feeling that he was 
fitted for a higher, tliougli not more honorable, voca- 
tion in life, he left home with a Yankee boy's usual 
capital, — a jack-knife, a few dollars, and a brave and 
hopeful heart, — and located at Blue Ball, Monmouth 
Co., N. J., where he taught a subscription pay-school 
from December, 1841, until March, 1844. At that 
time he removed to Paterson, N. J., and entered upon 
the study of the law in the office of James Speer, of 
that city, with whom he remained until the latter's 
appointment as one of the judges of the Court of Er- 
rors and Appeals of New Jersey, about a year later. 
Mr. Tuttle then entered the office of Benjamin \V. 
Vandervoort, of Paterson, where he remained until 
his admission to the bar as an attorney-at-law and 
solicitor in chancery, in April, 1848. He at once en- 
tered upon the practice of his profession, and has con- 
tinued in it to the present time. He was licensed as 
a counselor at law in 1851. i 

When Mr. Tuttle first commenced the practice of 
law in Paterson, the field was well occupied for that 
early day, and he had to contend with such men as 
Judge Elias B. D. Ogden, Daniel Biirkalow, Aaron S. 
Pennington, Benjamin W. Vandervoort, Silas D. 
Canfield, .lohn M. Gould, John Hopper, and Absa- 
lom B. Woodrutr. The earnings of the first year were 
only four hundred dollars, but during that time he had 
manifested a peculiar talent for the law, had familiar- 
ized himself with the practice of the courts, and had 
drawn attention to himself as a hard-working, faith- 
ful, and promising member of the bar. His business 
grailually increa.sed from that time, until he found 
himself enjoying one of the largest and most lucrative 
practices in the city. At first it consisted largely of 
a collection and commercial litigation business, but 
general litigation came in upon him so rapidly that 
he was obliged to hand over the greater part of the 
former to his son-in-law, Hon. (5. .\. Hobart, and to 
devote himself to active practice in the court.^. He 
has been engaged in a large number of important civil 
cases, and in the defense of criminals has achieved 
marked success. He brings to the management of 
his cause^* a degree of force which few can command, 
ami handles the facLs of a cime with peculiar .-ikill and 
tael. He acted as the counsel of the Delaware, Lacka- 
wanna ami Western Railroad Company in accpiiring 
title to land for the Boonton Branch of that road, and 
also for the .Midland Railroad of New Jersey in the 
same direction. He was also coun.sel for the defend- 
ant in the celebrated chancery cause of Sigismund 
Dringer, at the suit of the New York, Lake Erie 
and Western Railway Company, which has lieeome 
familiar of late years, and from which he voluntarily 



withdrew in 1881 for good cause, and after having 
successfully sustained his case in the Court of Chan- 
cery. He also defended, by the appointment of the 
court, John Jonston, who was indicted for the mur- 
der of John S. Van Winkle and wife on Jan. 9, 1800, 
and who was the only person ever hung in Piissaic 
County. The proofs against Jonston were over- 
whelming. Mr. Tuttle wsus also the counsel of Wil- 
liam Dalzell, who wius indicted for murder committed 
during the (hirret Jlountain riot in 1880, but who 
was acquitted ; also of Koma Nyraen, charged with 
the murder of his father, in Aequackanonk t<iwn- 
ship, during the same year, and who was also ac- 
quitted. He had ius a partner from 1873 to 1880 
Hon. John W. Griggs, at ]>resent city counsel of 
Paterson. 

Mr. Tuttle hiis always taken an active interest in 
politics, being at first a member of the old Whig 
party, and afterwards an ardent Republican. He has 
held a number of important public offices, was clerk 
of the city of Paterson in 1851 and 1852, member of 
the board of chosen freeholders from the .same city, 
and in 1861 and 1862 represented the Second District 
of Passaic County in the State Legislature. The 
labors of this Legislature were necessarily heavy at 
that trying period, and he filled an important ]>lace in 
its deliberations, ami was a mendicr of the judiciary 
and other important committees. In 1871 and 1872 
he was mayor of the city of Paterson. He is a mem- 
ber and one of the trustees of the First Presbyterian 
Church of that city, a mendier of the board of man- 
agers of the Old Ladies' Home, and lends his support 
to every good work. He is literally one of the self- 
made men of the city, and has raised himself from 
the anvil to his present prominent position by sheer 
force of character and brain. He ])osse.sses marked 
individuality of character, and is decidedly original 
in his methods of thought and action. 

He married on May 2.S, IS48, Jane, daughter of 
Baltus and Esther Winters, of Paterson, who died 
June 14, 1840, leaving an only daughter, Jane, wife 
of Hon. G. A. Hobart, of Paterson. His second wife 
was Mary, eldest <l:iuglitcr of William Dickey, Esq., 
of Paterson, wh<im he married in Novend)er, 1852, and 
who died Aug 25, 1869. The children w<'re Charles 
M., a practicing lawyer of the city of Paterson ; Wil- 
liam D., a clerk in the office of the New York, Sus- 
i|uehanna and Western Railway Company at New 
York ; Minnie, whodicil in infancy ; Elizabeth Mur 
ray, who died at the age of three years; Ijilian, who 
died at seven ; and Augustus Hobart, born .Vug. 25, 
1869. Mr. Tnttle's [jriwent wife is Elizabeth A., widow 
of Dr. F. S. Weller, a surgeon in the L'nited States 
army, who was drowned off Cape Hatteras in Feb- 
ruan,'. 1862, and who was a leading physician in Pat- 
erson for a number of years. 

.VlisAl.oM B. WoonHl'l'K, son of William Paterson 
and Leah V. Woodrufl", wjis born in New Vernon, 
Morris Co., N. J., July 9, 1819. His grandfather. 



ant . 

Driiipcr, u. 

and Western Ku. 

familiar of late yoursi, 



THE BENCH AND BAR OF PASSAIC COUNTY. 



367 



Dr. Hezekiah Stites Woodruff", a physician of Mend- 
ham, N. J., died at Succasunna Plains, married Mary 
Blatchley, a sister of Dr. Henry and Al)salom Blatch- 
ley, of Pennington, N. J., who bore liim four sons. 
Dr. Ebenezer B. Woodruff, of Drakesville, died there. 
Dr. William P. Woodruff', father of our subject, prac- 
ticed at New Vernon, Paterson, Milford (Hunterdon 
Co.), in Virginia, and died at Mount Pleasant, in Ohio. 
Dr. Absalom Woodruff^, of Succasunna Plains, died 
at Morristown. Dr. Hezekiah Stites Woodruff prac- 
ticed at Succasunna Plains for many years, and died 
at Newark, N. J., and one daughter, Anna M., who 
married Rev. ,Iohn Van Lien, of Readington, N. ,T., 
died at Bloomfield, N. J. On his father's side A. B. 
Woodruff traces his descent from an English ancestry, 
and on the maternal side from Holland ancestors. 
He began life for himself at the age of sixteen, and 
for some three years was a clerk in a general store 
respectively at Milford, Millstone, and New Bruns- 
wick. Returning home to Milford, he studied medi- 
cine with his father and at German Valley for some 
two years, which was followed by two years' service 
as a school-teacher, one in German Valley, the other 
in the chapel on Schooley's Mountain, w'here he 
boarded with Rev. HoUoway W. Hunt. Resolving 
to turn his attention to the profession of the law, just 
before reaching his majority he entered the law-office 
of John S. Hagar, of Morristown, formerly a United 
States senator from California, but now a judge in San 
Francisco. He subsequently was a law student of 
William J. Hunt, of Chester, and for two years of 
Peter D. Vroom, of Trenton, and was admitted to the 
bar as attorney in September, 1844, and in October, 
1847, as counselor. 

Prior to Mr. WoodruflJ''s settlement as a lawyer he 
was appointed a master and examiner in chancery 
by Chancellor Haines, and for one term (1844-^5) 
served as engrossing clerk of tlie New Jersey Assem- 
bly, reporting its proceedings for the Noinirk Daily 
Advertiser. 

In the spring of 1845, upon the recommendation of 
William L. Dayton, he came to Paterson and began 
the practice of law. Previous to 1856 he was ap- 
pointed adjutant of the First Regiment Passaic 
Brigade, and was elected colonel, which office he 
subsequently resigned. He was appointed prosecutor 
of the pleas by Governor Newell, and served for five 
years, 1858 to 1863, declining a reappointment. He 
was, however, appointed again l)y Governor Parker 
in 1873, and served five years, and when his term ex- 
pired, there being no prosecutor, the court appointed 
him for the term. The most important cases tried by 
him during his incumbency of the office of prosecutor 
were the case of Charles Sanford and Joshua M. 
Beach, indicted for conspiracy in attempting to start 
a bogus bank, botli being convicted, in which case 
Mr. Woodruff" was opposed by learned counsel, — Za- 
briskie, Williamson, and others ; a case during his 
second term of office, of the State against James S. 



Preston and Ebenezer K. Rose, the former being sent 
to State's prison, the latter fined ; the case against 
James Hand, William Eakins, and Thomas Bromley, 
assessors of taxes, in which all were sent to State's 
prison for attempting to defraud the public. He also 
defended Van Winkle Bogert, connected with Libbie 
Garrahant in the alleged poisoning of Burroughs, 
clearing him ; the latter, although defended by able 
counsel, was sent to State's prison for life. In his 
official capacity as public prosecutor, Mr. Woodruff 
merited and gained the reputation of an able and 
impartial advocate, a fearless promoter of justice, 
careful in the j)reparation of a cause and strong in its 
presentation. " He is a lawyer of brilliant abilities 
and high standing, a good orator, an acute reasoner, 
and a most untiring worker." 

In only one case was he assisted by the attorney- 
general during his long term of office. 

In 1878 he was again aj)pointed by Governor Mc- 
Clellan to the same office, and served until appointed 
by Governor George C. Ludlow, in March, 1881, as 
" president judge" of the Court of Common Pleas, 
which place he now fills. 

Judge Woodruff" has always taken an active part 
in political matters, and in the spring of 1856 he 
bought out the old Putermn Iiitdligrnccr, converted 
it into an independent Democratic journal, and edited 
it in support of Fremont and Dayton during the Presi- 
dential campaign of that year. 

Politically he has been an independent Democrat 
of the Jeff'ersonian school, a part of the time voting 
with the Republicans until Grant's second term. In 
1872 he was the Democratic nominee for Congress in 
the Fifth District, and, although running ahead of the 
Presidential ticket in every ward and township of his 
county, was defeated by William Walter Phelps. This 
election took place just upon his return from Europe, 
where he had spent some time and visited the leading 
places on the continent. .Judge Woodruff has been 
interested in and a promoter of the interests of Pater- 
son during his residence there. He started the Belle- 
vue Nursery Company in 1870 in that city, for raising 
plants and flowers, and the first time the plants of this 
nursery were exhibited, about 1877, in Gilmore's Gar- 
den in New York, the geraniums took the first six 
prizes. This association was incorporated in 1871, 
but is now owned mostly by himself and son. He 
was formerly a director of the Passaic County Savings- 
Bank, the directors of which advanced the money to 
pay the depositors in full. Judge Woodruff" married, 
April 26, 1849, Isabella, daughter of Gen. George 
D'Wolf, of Bristol, R. I., and latterly of Cuba. She 
died in September, 1856. Their children are How- 
ard D'Wolf, a graduate of New York University with 
the highest honors of his class; Theodora D. W., 
wife of Thomas W. White, son of Judge White, 
formerly of New York Superior Court ; and Bonton^ 
who died while in his sophomore year at tlie New 
York University, noted for his fine oratory. 



358 



HISTORY OF BER(;KN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Henry A. Williams wa-s licensed as an attoriiey- 
at-law of New Jersey in 1849, being then a young man 
of twenty-four years, a re,sident of Paterson, where he 
has since remained. In 1862, 1863, 1864, and 1865 
he was elected mayor of the city of Paterson, both 
parties uniting to do him that honor in 1862 and 1863. 
He was again elected in 1867. During the war he 
rendered the city invaluable service by liis prudent 
and careful advice, freely given, and his indefatigable 
aid in raising the city's quota to fill the ranks of the 
New Jersey regiments. In January, 1868, he was 
appointed prosecutor of the pleas of Passaic County, 
holding the office for three years, when he accepted 
an election to the State Senate, to which he had been 
chosen by the Republican party in the preceiling 
November by the largest majority given to any can- 
didate up to that time. In the Senate he was an 
earnest, influential worker, and gave much time and 
labor to perfecting the law in reference to the taxa- 
tion of railroads in cities, iis well as to other ])ublic 
legislation, lie was very successful as prosecutor, 
although from his well-known conscientiousness he 
never urged a conviction where he doubted the guilt 
of the defendant. In 1874 he was appointed by the 
board of aldermen of the city of Paterson to be city 
counsel, and was reappointe<l in 1875, 1876, 1877, and 
1878. He has been counsel of the First National 
Bank since December, 1869; counsel of the Cedar 
Lawn Cemetery Company for fifteen years ; counsel 
of the Paterson Savings Institution for ten years, and 
of other corporations and institutions, by all of whom, 
as well as by the community generally, he is deemed 
an extremely .safe adviser. 

Garret .\. Hodart was born at Long Branch, 
N. J., June 3, 1844, and having graduated at Rutgers 
College in 1863, entered the law-office of Socrates 
Tutlle at Paterson. In 1866 he was admitted to the 
bar, and in 1869 was licensed its a counselor-at-law. 
In May, 1871, he wiis appointed i-ity connsei of Pat- 
erson, holding the otlice one year, when he was ap- 
pointed counsel to the board of chosen freeholders of 
the county, declining a re-election the next year, 
because of his election to the Assembly in the fall 
of 1872, fearing the two positions might conflict. 
Being re-elected to the .\ssembly in 1873, he was, 
without any effort on his part, chosen Speaker of that 
body, which difficult office he fllleil in the most satis- 
factory manner. He declined a re-election in 1875, 
but in 1876 was elected to the State Senate. In 1879 
he was rc-elccterl by 1S99 majority, the largest ever 
given to any candidate in the county. In 1881, and 
again in 1882, he was chosen president of the Senate. 
During his term in the Senate he has introduced 
probably more bills than any other member, most 
of them being of an important public nature. In 
1874 he was appointed recreiver of the New Jersey 
Midland Railroad, managing his trust no successfully 
that he paid a dividend to the unsecured creilitors. 
Upon the reorganization of llii> company lie was 



unanimously elected president, but resigned in a few 
months on account of the pressure of njore important 
engagements. He was also receiver for some time 
of the Montclair Railway and of the Jersey City 
and Albany Railroad. In the summer of 1880 he 
was appointed receiver of the broken First National 
Bank of Newark, and in six months had its affairs 
substantially closed up and the depositors paid off in 
full. In 1880 he wits elected chairman of the Re- 
publican State Committee, a position he still holds. 
He is counsel for many manufacturing and other cor- 
porations, and is director and counsel for half a dozen 
or more ini|iortant railroads in New Jersey, New York, 
and Pennsylvania. 

Thomas D. IIoxsky. — For many years there was 
no more striking figure in Pas,saic County politics 
than that of Thomas D. Hoxsey. He was born at 
Williamstown, Ma.ss., Oct. 28, 1815, where he received 
a common-school education, which he undertook to 
impart, when a youth of but sixteen or seventeen, to 
the youngsters of Michigan, where he remained for a 
year or two. Returning East he settled in Paterson, 
being engaged as a clerk in a dry-goods store for some 
years. Then he embarked in the manufacture of cot- 
ton for a time, making some money. His thoughts 
taking another direction, he studied law with Daniel 
Barkalow, and was admitted to the bar in 1851. In 
1841 and 1842 he w;is elected one of the school com- 
mitteemen of Paterson. In 1849 he was elected to 
the A.sscmbly, and re-elected in 1850. He was elected 
to the State Senate in 1852, on a platform i)ledging 
him to free banks and anti-monopoly generally. In 
the spring of 1S6I he was appointed county clerk to 
fill a vacancy, and in the ensuing fall was elected to 
that office for the term of five years. In 1867 he wius 
ai>|>ointed United States register in bankruptcy for 
the Fourth District of New .lersey, retaining the office 
for several years. He was also city counsel of Pater- 
son in 1872. In 1877 he acce|)teil the "(irccnback" 
nomination for Governor, making a most energetic 
canvass in a cause which he felt to be hopeless from 
the first. In 1880 he again made a like canvass, un- 
dergoing hardships which broke down his iron consti- 
tution, and, it was believed, brought about his death 
on May 30, 1881. For many years he had been iilen- 
tified with the militia system of the county, in the 
days before the war, and was commissioned brigadier- 
general of the Passaic brigade. He was a man of 
wonderful energy and vigor, strong in his likes and 
dislikes, was always opposed to slavery, loathed to- 
bacco and intoxicating liijuor in every form, was 
kindly to those in need, and was noted for his warm 
hospitality and his exceeding courtesy in his " Castle" 
at ilalcilon, where he ended his ilays. 



THE MEDICAL TKOFESSION. 



359 



CHAPTER LI. 
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. 

Early Physicians. — Tlie physicians locuted at 
Newarlj, Belleville, Bergen, Pompton, Paranius, and 
Hackensack were probably the earliest practitioners 
in the section of country embraced in the present 
county of Passaic. There were few, if any, resident 
physicians in any of the towns along the Passaic 
River until after the Revolution. The first physician 
in Paterson and vicinity of whom we have any knowl- | 
edge was Dr. Ebenezer Blachly, although the date of 
his settlement is not very definitely fixed. Dr. Wickes, 
in his " History of Medicine in New Jersey," says, 
" Dr. Ebenezer Blachly .settled in Paterson after the 
Revolution.'' It was probably a considerable time 
after, as late as 1791 or '92, if not later. This Dr. 
El)enezer Blachly was a son of Dr. Ebenezer Blachly, 
Sr., of Long Island, who, after his marriage to Mary 
Wick, settled near Mendham, Morris Co., where he 
died at the age of seventy, April 11, 1805. He was a 
young man about thirty-one when the New Jersey 
Medical Society was formed, in 1766, and for many 
years took an active part in that organization. Dr. 
Wickes relates the following anecdote respecting his 
tact and enterprise in securing what may have been 
the first body used for dissection north of Newark, 
or in the vicinity of Morristown. " On a certain oc- 
casion," says Dr. Wickes, " he obtained by exhuma- 
tion the body of a criminal who was hung and interred 
at Morristown, and conveyed it ou horseback to Mend- 
ham, about six miles off, for dissection. Upon meet- 
ing anj' one in the darkness of his lonely ride, he 
would talk to the subject as to a drunken man, 
telling him to sit upright and behave himself like a 
man, and thus reached home with it in safety. Dr. 
Hezekiah Stites Woodruff, who related this incident 
and married his eldast daughter, was one of his stu- 
dents, as were also Dr. William Leddell and Dr. John 
C. Budd. The former practiced in Mendham and the 
latter in Chatham. 

" Of his seven sons, five studied medicine.'' The 
oldest was the subject of this sketch, Dr. Ebenezer 
Blachly. He was born in 1760. He entered the 
American service under age, as surgeon's mate to a 
North Carolina regiment, which was encamped this 
side of the old Raritan bridge, in the winter of 1778, 
acting also as a volunteer assistant surgeon to a regi- 
ment of the Pennsylvania line. He was at the battle 
of White Plains, in October, 1776, in winter-quarters 
at Valley Forge in 1777, and in the battle of Mon- 
mouth in 1778. After the war he married Elizabeth, 
daughter of Col. Oliver Spencer, of Elizabethtown, 
and subsequently settled in Paterson, where he en- 
joys an extensive and successful practice. By this 
marriage he had nine children, two of whom studied 
medicine. The names of the children and dates of 
birth are as follows : Nancy, born July 7, 1783 ; Eben- 



ezer Spencer, born Aug. 19,1784; Henry Wickham, 
born April 17, 1786; Mary Jerusha, born May 5, 
1789; Juliana, born Aug. 11, 1791; Bayard Patter- 
son, born May 8, 1793 ; Eliza, born April 19, 1795 ; 
Joseph Warren, born Aug. 7, 1797; Oliver B., born 
Sept. 3, 1799. 

The following obituary of Dr. Blachly is taken 
from a local paper at the time of his death, Aug. 20, 
1812: 

"Diediit FenniugtoTi on the SOtli inst. Doctor Ebenezer Blaclily, of 
the town of Paterson, in this State. For some weeks he Imd been aljroaci 
for the benefit of his lieiiltli, but growing worse lie was unalile to return 
to liis family. He was buried in Pennington, with the most friendly and 
becoming attentioas of the inhabitants of the place. He was a man of 
rare activity acid promiititnde of mind. His enterprise and perse- 
verance were remarkable. He died in the meridian of his life and use- 
fulness. His family have sustained a heavy loss. His neighbors will feel 
the want ef his friendship and medical assistance. His connections will 
long deplore of the sincerity, zeal, and ability with whicli he performed 
the relative duties of life; and the friends of the Revolution have lost 
one more of the early asserters and defenders of the rights and liberties 
of our country." 

From another obituary we quote the following : 

... "He has closed the moruingofa sad and stormy life.replete with 
cares and exertions of mind and body. ... On tlie day preceding the 
morning of his exit he dictated a solemn charge to his dear friends, and 
at the closing scene bestowed, with great composure of mind, a benedic- 
tion on each of his relatives present. He retained his senses to the last, 
and wished for the moment to arrive when the divine will, to which he 
wished patiently to submit, would launch his soul into eternity, there to 
remain free from trouble." 

Ebenezer S. Blachly, son of the above, studied 
with his father in Paterson, attended medical lectures 
in New York, and became a successful practitioner in 
that city, keeping himself well up in the discoveries 
and literature of his profession. He settled on Green- 
wich Street, near Spring, and acquired a large prac- 
tice. " He was diligently attentive to the sick of all 
classes, courteous in his manners, and very successful 
as a practitioner." So says his brief biography.' 

His brother, Henry Wickham Blachly, was a prac- 
ticing physician at Pennington, N. J., and had four 
sons who became physicians, viz. : Ebenezer S., the 
eldest, who received his medical degree at Jefferson 
College, and practiced in Wayne.sburg, Pa.; Stephen 
L., a graduate of Jefferson Medical College, and who 
practiced in Sparta, Washington Co., Pa.; Joseph W., 
a graduate of Cleveland Medical College, who prac- 
ticed in Hunterdon County, N. J., where he died 
April 6, 1864 ; Henry W., the last of the sons in the 
profession, and bearing the name of his honored 
father, graduated at Cleveland, and is now (1881) or 
was recently practicing in Van Wert County, Ohio. 

This family of Blachlys were descended from 
Thomas Blachly, of Hartford, 1640; New Haven, 
1643 ; Brandford, 1645. He signed the agreement 
with those who migrated from Brandford to settle in 
Newark, but never came with them. He was of Guil- 
ford in 1683, when he sold his land in Newark to 
Thomas Huntington. 

' Wickes' *• History of New Jersey Medicine," p. 157. 



360 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



The following is from Conger's " Genealogies in 
Newark" : 

"Children of Ebenezer Biaciilv, of Huntington, 
L. I. : 

"Elizabetli, born March 8, 1708; Ebenezer, born 
Oct. 9, 1709; Anna, born 1711; Joseph, born 1712; 
Benjamin, born Aug. 6, 1718; Daniel, born Aug. 6, 
1720. 

"Children of Ebenezer Blachly (2d), of Milford 
township, near Pompton : 

" Francis, born Nov. 19, 1731, married Woods, 

Long Island. 

"Zophar, b. Nov. 23, 1733, lived at Roadston. 

"Ebenezer, b. Feb. 13, 1735-36, Mendham. 

"Miller, b. March 13, 1738, lived at Roadston. 

"Sarah, b. Nov. 23, 1739, married Daniel Robbins, 
Detroit. 

"Cornelius, b. May 23, 1741, died young. 

" Mary, b. Oct. 29, 1742, married Joshua Robbins, 
Detroit. 

"Marcy, b. March 31, 1745, married Daniel Mc- 
Kiniia. 

"Children of Ebenezer Blachlv and Marv Cooper 
Wick : 

" Mary, born March 9, 1759, married Dr. Hezokiah 
Stite.s Woodruff; Ebenezer, born Dec. fi, \7nu, mar- 
ried Elizabeth Spencer; Henry Wickham, born April 
12, 17(14; Absalom, born Fel). 7, nOo; William, born 
Oct. 3, 1707, died 1791 ; Daniel, born April 8, 17(!9; 
Nathan, born May 4, 1771, died early; Cornelius 
Camden, born Jan. 1, 1773; Hannah, born July IG, 
1774; Judith, born July 13, 177(!; Phebo, born Dei-. 
18, 1777; Temperance, born July 20, 1780." 

Wii.t.iAM I*ATKit.-<ON WooDuri'K is referred to 



He was a successful practitioner, although his atten- 
tion was largely given to his school. He removed 
from Acipiackanonk to I'aterson, where he also taught 
a school, and waa one of the charter members of the 
District Medical Society in 1844. He removed to 
Pompton, where he practiced till his death, which 
occurred at (piite an advanced age. 

Dk. Wii. 1,1AM CoLKAX, long a successful practi- 
tioner in Acquackanonk and Pompton, was the suc- 
ces.sor of Dr. Scudder in the former place. He was 
born in Pompton, and graduated at the College of 
Physicians and Surgeons in New York. Being a na- 
tive of Pompton, where the family estates were located, 
he retired there after his period of most active prac- 
tice, and there spent the remainder of his days. 

Garkit Tkiuh'xe, M.D.— The lamily of Terhune 
are of French origin, and belong to the stock of Hu- 
guenots who left their native country to avoid perse- 
cution, first settling in Holland, and subseiiuently in 
this country, on Long Island. They were among the 
early settlers of Bergen County, N. J., and by inter- 
marriages are connected with the most influential fam- 
ilies in the State. His grandfather, Nicholas Terhune, 
born near Hackensack, married a Jliss Paulison, who 
bore him several children. He was an ardent sup- 
porter of the Reformed Dutch Church, of which he 
was a member, and a substantial citizen of " olden 
time." He died in 1807, aged seventy-five years. 

His son Richard, born Oct. 21, 17(53, was a large 
farmer in the township of New Barbadoes, and held 
various offices of trust there. He was also a member 
of the Reformed Church at Hackensack, a man of 
more than average business ability, enterprising and 
thrifty, and looked to In the vicinity as a nianof irood 



by Dr. Weeks jus having practiced at New Vernon, judgment and sterling integrity. His wife, Hannah. 
Paterson, and Milford at an early time. He was a was a daughter of Nicholas Voorhis, and grand- 
son of Hezekiah f^tites Woodruff and Mary, daughter daughter of Lucas Voorhis, and bore him the follow- 



of Dr. Ebenezer Blachly, and was born Miircli 23, 
1785. After practicing for some time in the places 
above mentioned he removed to Ohio, where he 
died. 

Dk. Ben.iamin R. Scukdeh practiced medicine 
for many years at Actpiackanonk, where he was a 
successful and prominent physician till the close of 
his life. His remains lie In the burying-ground at 
PiLssalc. He wius a son of Richard Scudder, of New 
Providence, N. .1., and married Sally Wade, of Con- 
necticut Farms. His children are mentioned by 
Littell, as follows : 



ing children : Nicholas, Albert, Paul, (Jarrlt, subject 
of tills sketch, anil Peter R. 

Richard Terhune died .\ug. 5, 1824. His wife died 
in 1855, aged eighty-five years. 

Dr. Garrit Terhune, only surviving son in 1881, is 
the eldest practicing idiysician in Passaic County, 
and was born near Hackensack, in New Barbadoes 
township, Oct. 9, 1801. In early life lie received a 
good English and cla.ssical education; first studied 
medicine with Drs. Lambert Sytholf and David Mar- 
vin, and subsequently with Prof. John W. Francis, 
of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New- 



Susan married first Hugh Littell, second. Rev. ' York, where he attended one <-oursc of lectures, when 



Peter 1). Froeleigh, of Ac<|uackanonk, father of Peter 

D., lawyer; Rhixla married McRea ; Sally 

married .Jacob Van Riper.' 

Dit. LAMHEiir SY'niDKK practiced in .\c(|Uacka- 
nonk, and taught a chuisical school there from 182(1 
tr< 182(). He was a graduate of Princeton, and took 
his meilical degree at the I'niversity of Pennsylvania. 



,nl,.vl« 



the faculty seceiled from that college and be<-ame 
the faculty of Rutgers Medical College, from which 
latter institution he was gradualeil in 1827. 

For two years following his graduation he pra<-- 
ticed medicine in Hackensack, but in 1829 settled at 
Passaic, where he hits since remained in the conllmi 
ous prai-li(-e of medicine and surgery. I>r, Terhuru 
is known In his |irofe.sslon :us a skillful and judicious 
physi(-lan, devoted to the welfare of his patients, and 





^^^^^^fC^ 



t) 



The Ganiett family are originally from Virginia, the 
grandfather of the subject of this biographical sketch 
having emigrated from that State to Kentucky, and 
located in Jessamine County. He was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Eliza Moore, of the former State, to whom 
were born twelve children, among this number being 
Obadiah, whoso birth occurred Aug. 4, 1800, in Jessa- 
mine County, Ky. Here he spent the years of his boy- 
hood, and subsequently repaired to Lexington, Ky., 
where he was apprenticed to a tailor. He removed at 
the age of twenty to Danville, Ky., where he embarked 
in busines.". 

Mr. Onrnett was married to Miss Elizabeth Davis, 
of Boyle County, Ky., and became the parent of chil- 
dren, — Margaret, Kobert, Mary J. (Mrs. ISishop), Ed- 
win, O. v., Marcus, and Bettie. Of this number but 
three survive. The .subject of this biography, O. Y., 
was born in Danville, June 9, 1834, and passed the years 
of his boyhood in Boyle County, Ky. He later repaired 
to Danville for the purpose of pursuing his studies at 
Centre College. 

.■\t the early age of seventeen he determined upon 
ihf profci.iion of medicine as ime iidiiptrd to his tastes, 
and his later success has demonstrated the wisilom of this 
choice. He began his preparatory studies with Drs. 
Moore and Spillman, of Harrodsburg, Mercer Co., Ky., 



and continued them at Jefferson College, Philadelphia, 
where he graduated in 18.J-5. 

Danville was the scene of his earliest professional 
labors, after which he removed to Missouri. At the 
beginning of the late civil conflict Dr. Garnett enlisted 
in the Confederate service, and served as u surgeon 
during the whole period of the war. After a brief time 
spent in Kentucky he repaired to the North, and cho>e 
Paterson as a location, where he accepted a position as 
a drug clerk. 

Having speedily become identitied with the inhubi 
lants in a professional capacity, and by liis ability and 
surgical skill secured a considerable practice, he deter- 
mined to become a permanent resident of the city. His 
prai'tiec has greatly increa.scd. until it now affords Dr. 
Garnett but little respite from the unceasing toil of llie 
physician's life. The doctor is a member of the Passaic 
County Medical Society, and is also surgeon of the Erie 
Kailroad Company. Though not an active politician, 
his convictions are in harmony with the platform of the 
Democratic party. 

Dr. Garnett was on the 21st of October, 1856 marrieil 
to Mis,'* Mary S., daughter of Nimrod Harris, of Har- 
rodsburg, Ky. Both ho and his wife are dcvote<l to the 
tenets of the Baptist faith, and members of the Staunton 
Street Baptist Church of Kew York City. 




The origin of the Van Kiper family in America and 
the derivation of the name have been so fully alluded 
to elsewhere in the biographical department of this 
volume as to make a repetition of the facts unnecessary 
here. It is altogether probable that the branch from 
which the subject of this sketch sprang had for its pro- 
genitor Juriiien Tomasson, of the city of Kipen, in 
North Jutland, Denmark, who emigrated to the New 
Netherlands in 1663. Yerry Van Riper, the grand- 
father of Cornelius S., was born in Saddle River town- 
ship, Bergen Co., where he resided during his lifetime, 
and died of apoplexy at the age of fifty-four. He 
married first Miss Ann Vreeland, to whom were born 
three sons, — Simeon, Stephen, and Nicholas. By a 
second marriage he had daughters, — Ann and Jane. 

Stephen Van Riper was born Juh' 20, 1793, in Saddle 
River, where his life was passed in agricultural employ- 
ments. He was united to Sophia, daughter of Garret 
and Halanah Van Wagoner, whose birth occurred Dec. 
17, 1800. To this marriage were born children, — Jerry, 
Benjamin, Garret, Stephen S., Cornelius S., Nicholas, 
Ellen Jane (Mrs. Nicholas Vreeland), Rachel Ann 
(Mrs. John Banta), and Catherine Sophia (Mrs. Jacob 
Ackerman), but three of whom survive. 

The death of Mr. Van Riper occurred Feb. 11, 1870, 
and that of his wife Dec. 16, 1868. 

Their son, Cornelius S., was born Nov. 22, 1837, on 



the homestead in Saddle River, where his early life was 
passed at school in the immediate vicinity. He later 
repaired to Paterson and subsequently to Hackensnck, 
where he prepared for a collegiate cnurse. He entered 
Rutgers College at the age of fifteen, and two years later 
began the study of medicine under the auspices of Dr. 
A. W. Rogers, of Paterson, having meanwhile engaged 
in teaching at Clifton, N. J. Ue for a jieriod of three 
years attended medical lectures at the College of Physi- 
cians and Surgeons, New York, from which he gradu- 
ated in 1859. He decided upon Paterson as a favorable 
location, and at once became associated with his former 
mentor, Dr. Rogers, in practice. 

He was, on the 1st of June, 1859, united in marriage 
to Miss Sarah C. Hopper, of Bergen County, N. J., who 
is the mother of three children, now living, — Sophia, 
Irving, and Laura. Dr. Van Ripcr's abilities, together 
with the profound knowledge of medicine he evinced, 
enabled him speedily to acquire a considerable practice, 
which close attention to the needs of patients greatly 
increased. The doctor is a member of the New Jersey 
State Medical Society, and has been for three years 
president of the Passaic County Society. His political 
predilections lead him to athliate with the Republican 
party, though in no sense a party man. 

His religious convictions are in consonance with the 
worship of the Reformed (Dutch) Church. 





■t^/^^4:-^. 




THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. 



361 



sympathetic in cases of suffering and distress. His 
quick perception of cause and effect in cases of com- 
plicated disease enables him to diagnose and give 
judicious counsel readily, and his administrations 
have always been given as freely to the needy and 
worthy poor as to those in opulence. 

Dr. Terhune was one of the founders of the Passaic 
County Medical Society ; was its first president, and 
is the only surviving one of its charter members. 
He has been its president twice, and one of its cen- 
sors for many years. He is a member of the State 
Medical Society, and has frequently attended its 
meetings as a delegate from the County Medical So- 
ciety. Politically, Dr. Terhune is a Republican, and 
he is a supporter and member of the Reformed 
Church at Passaic. His wife, Elizabeth A., is a 
daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth (Anderson) Za- 
briskie, who was born July 25, 1805, and whom he 
married March 19, 1828. Their children are Dr. 
Richard A., a prominent physician of Passaic City, 
who was born Jan. (•, 1829, and graduated at the 
College of Pliysicians and Surgeons in New York, 
1850 ; Andrew Zabriskie, born Oct. 29, 1831 ; Nich- 
olas P., born Nov. 24, 1835; Ann E., born Dec. 14, 
1839, wife of R. Burnett Smith, of California ; Chris- 
tiana, born Feb. 1, 1845, wife of James B. Randol, 
of California. The Zabriskies of Bergen County were 
among its earliest settlers, and of Polish origin. 

Charles F. W. Myers, M.D. — The Myers family 
are of Prussian lineage, both the great-grandfather and 
grandfather of the subject of this biographical sketch 
having been born in the suburbs of the city of Berlin. 
The latter was twice married, and had by the first 
union three sons, — Arnold F. W., Charles, and George 
H. A., — while to the second marriage were born two 
daughters, — Lizzie and Mary. 

Mr. Myers emigrated to America about the year 
1825, and located in Maryland. After a brief resi- 
dence there he removed to Delaware County, Ohio, 
where his death occurred in tlie fifty-second year of 
his age. His son Arnold, whose birth took place 
during the year 1818, came with his parents when a 
lad to America, aud after spending much of his early 
life in travel settled in Buffalo, N. Y. He won some 
distinction as a courageous soldier in the Mexican 
war, and served through the entire period of the 
conflict. He was united in marriage to Miss Mary 
Weeland, of Lockport, N. Y., to whom were born 
four children, — Charles F. W., Minnie (Mrs. Morri- 
son Batchelor), George H. A., and Anna (Mrs. Syl- 
vester Shepherd). 

Mr. Myers survived his wife many years, and died 
at Bluflton, Ind., in his sixtieth year. 

Charles F. W. was born in Buffalo, N. Y., Sept. IG, 
1849, and passed the early years of his life at Colum- 
bus, Ohio. He afterwards removed to Delaware, Ohio, 
where much time was given to study, and later to 
teaching at Warren, Ind., to which place he removed 
for the purpose. During the year 1868 he repaired to 



the city of New York and embarked in business pur- 
suits. His ambition was not satisfied with the dull 
and uninteresting routine of commercial life, and in 
1870 he decided upon a professional career, and began 
the study of medicine with Dr. Austin Barnes. He 
was also at this time engaged in the drug business at 
Paterson. He attended one course of lectures at the 
Long Island Hospital Medical College, and at a later 
period two additional courses at the College of Physi- 
cians and Surgeons, New York, from which he grad- 
uated in 1874, as the class secretary. He then deter- 
mined upon Paterson as a congenial field of labor, 
where he located, and at once engaged in professional 
labor. Though still a young man, Dr. Myers has 
achieved a practice which is rarely attained save as 
the reward of labor and long experience. This fact 
is not less the result of professional ability than of the 
many popular elements of character which he pos- 
sesses. Soon after his removal to Paterson he was 
elected coroner, which office he held for three years. 
He was in 1878 elected city physician, and still fills 
the position. The doctor was in 1877 married to 
Miss Catherine F., daughter of Joseph Marshall, of 
Paterson. The principles of the Republican party 
are cordially supported by Dr. Myers, though the de- 
mands of his profession leave little time for partici- 
pation in political campaigns. He is surgeon of the 
First Battalion New Jersey State National Guards, 
and an active Mason. Both Dr. and Mrs. Myers are 
members of the Second Presbyterian Church of Pat- 
erson, in the prosperity of which they are greatly in- 
terested. 

J. S. BiBBY, M.D.— The Bibby family are of Eng- 
lish extraction, John Bibby, the father of the doctor, 
having been born in Lancashire, England, and married 
to Miss Margaret Anderson, who became the mother 
of children, — James S., Rachel, Hannah, John, Pe- 
ninnah, Alice, and Margaret Ann. 

The death of Mrs. Bibby occurred in 1870, her 
husband surviving her. Their eldest son, the doctor, 
is a marked example of the success that attends per- 
severance and fortitude under the most inauspicious 
circumstances. His birth occurred Feb. 23, 1843, at 
Wigan, Lancashire, England, where much of his early 
life was spent. With none of the advantages which 
attend youth under more favorable surroundings, he, 
while still a lad, engaged in the labor of coal-mining. 
During the time he was thus occupied his tastes were 
directed to the science of medicine, and his inclina- 
tions encouraged by association with a druggist in his 
native town. He thus became familiar with the nature 
aud effects of medicines, and was thereby greatly 
aided in his future career. He determined to emigrate 
to America, and in 1869 located at Colterville, Alle- 
gheny Co., Pa., where he engaged in his former occu- 
pation of raining. He still continued his medical 
studies, and was much assisted by the generosity of 
Dr. Foot, of the village above named, who placed his 
library at his disposal and directed his studies. So 



362 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES. NEW JERSEY. 



great was his desire to become proficient in this branch 
of science that books were his inseparable companions 
during liis leisure liours in the mines. He in 1872 
entered the Bellevue Hospital Medical College, from 
which he graduated in 1875. Paterson offered at this 
time a field for his energies, and became his perma- 
nent abode. His practice has since that date steadily 
grown, and his success in critical cases of surgery has 
demonstrated his skill. He is a member of the Pas- 
saic County Medical Society, and greatly interested 
in its prosperity. 

Dr. Bibby was on the Kith of March, 1881, married 
to Miss Hattie Estelle, daughter of David R. and 
Eliza Sluittuck, who have four daughters, — Isabella 
Eldridge (Mrs. ("atholina Lambert), Adelaide Eliza, 
Mary Ellen (Mrs. Robert Giimore), and Mrs. Bibby. 

The doctor is a Republican in his political views, 
but not an active worker in the political field. He 
afiiliates with the denomination known as Christian 
Brethren, of which churcli he is a member. 

CoRNKLlus Van Ripkr, M.D.' — The name of Van 
Riper, witli its multitudinousorthography (it issi)elled 
Van Reiper, Van Reyper, Van Ryper, Van Ripen, 
Van Reypen, and Van Reipen), is derived from the 
Latin word Ripn, whence originated the name of a city 
on the tiorth bank of the river Xibbs, in Jutland, Den- 
mark. Jutland was divided into four dioceses, the 
most southwesterly of whicli, lying along the (ierman 
Ocean, was called Ripen. This diocese wiis one hun- 
dred and forty-two miles long and fifty-seven miles 
wide, and w:m part of Cimliria Chersonesus of the 
ancients, where dwelt the warlike Cinibri, who at one 
time invaded the Roman empire. The city of Ripen 
is situated in latitude •').'>' 3t>" north, and longitude !)° 
10" east, and, next to Wibourg, is the most ancient 
city of Jutland. From this port in April, 1603, a vessel 
named " T Bonta Koe," " The Spotted Cow," sailed 
with eighty-nine pa.sscngers, among whom was Juriaen 
Tom;issen, for tiie New Netherlands. This young man 
was a native of the city of Ri|ien, and four years 
after his arrival married Pryntje Hermans. His death 
having occurred Sept. 12, 1695, some of his descend- 
ants assumed tiie name of Jnriance, now Yeriancc and 
Auryanseii, while others took tlic name of the ances- 
tral town and became Van Ripens, Van RIpcrs, etc. 
Tomas.sen received ofGucrt Coerten by his will, dated 
Feb. 5, 1671, a parcel of land lying in and about the 
town of Bergen, which Coerten had purchased of Philip 
Cartaret, May 12, 1668. Here he lived and died. 
Juriaen Tomasscn had children, — Thomas, Gerrit, 
Aellje, Chystyntje, Marcilje, Harman, who died in 
infancy, Jan, Harman (2), and Grielje. 

(.)f this number, Harman was born Dec. 6, 1686, 
and married, first, Maritje Fredericks, in 1709, and 
later, .Fuditli Stcinmets, in 1721. He removed to Ac- 
iiuackanonk, ami was (he parent of thirteen children, 



' Thi- f*ftii n'((»i<lliiK On' rftrly Imt'iry ..1 thp V.tii i(i|»*r Ininlly nr* 
nwlcily lAkcii fnim Wliifl''!'!'! " llUlorjr "f lliiilauii (k)uiilj'." 



the third son of whom was Abraham, born Jan. 25, 
1716, and who married Elizabeth Bradbury. They 
were the parents of three children, — John \., Philip, 
and Mollie. Of this number, John A. was born Feb. 
12, 1753, and married Leah, daughter of Abram and 
Anne Winne, in 1776. He was a soldier in the war 
of the Revolution, and resided at North Belleville, 
Essex Co., N. J. Their children were eight in num- 
ber, one of whom was .Vbrahain, whose birth oc- 
curred Sept. 15, 1782, and who married Maria Spear, 
daughter of John and Margaret Spear, in 1804. He 
represented his district in the Assembly during 1848 
and 1849, and for many years served as freeholder 
and justice of the peace. His death occurred in 
March, 1866. His fwc children were John A., .\bram 
Winne, Sarah, Eliza, and Margaret. Of this number, 
Abram Winne, father of the subject of this sketch, 
was born June 3, 1815, and on the 27th of November, 
1836, married Clarissa, daughter of John and Jane 
Kip. The Kip family i formerly spelled Kypel arc of 
Holland extraction, Hendrick, the i)rogenitor, having 
left Amsterdam in 1635. He had three sons, — Hen- 
drick, Jacobus, and Isaac, — who held municipal offices 
under Governor Stuyvesant, the second of whom re- 
ceived an e.\tensive grant of land, now embraced in 
the city of New York. One of these sons is the pro- 
genitor of John Kip, above named, who was a man 
of much business enterprise, and largely engaged 
with his sous in the grocery and lumber trade. Mr. 
and Mrs. Abram W. Van Rii)er had three children. 
Jane, who died in infancy, Cornelius, and Abram 
Harvey, both the sons being practicing physicians. 
Cornelius Van Riper was born Se|>t. 6, 1840, at North 
Belleville, N. J., where were spent the years of his 
boyhood. He later devoted himself to a thorough 
course of study at Bloomfield, N. J., which enabled 
him to enter the University of New York, from which 
he graduateil in 18(i3 with the degree of A.B., and 
is also a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. 
Having decided upon a professional career, he cho.se 
that of medicine, and soon after entered the office of 
Dr. Arthur Ward, of Belleville. He in 18ti3 became 
a student of the College of Physicians and Surgeons 
of New York, and received his di|ilon)a I'roin that in- 
stitution as a practicing physician and surgeon in 
l.Hiid. He then established himself in practice at 
Passaic, where he has since resided. 

Dr. Van Riper's thorough acquirements, together 
with natural gifts of a high order, speedily won for 
him an honorable jdace among the practitioners of 
the countv, and brought to him both a responsible 
and lucrative practice. He is an active member of 
the Pas,saic County Medical Society, and his election 
to the offices of vice-president and secretary of the 
society indicate the esteem in which he is held by bis 
professional co-laborers. 

The doctor was in 1S66 united in marriage t" Miss 
Ailrinnna, daughter of Hon. John N. and Sophia 
Terhune, of Dundee Lake, N. J., and granddaughter 




2^i?< 



THE MEDICAL PKOFESSION. 



363 



of Nicholas and Adrianna Terhune. They have had 
four children, — Carrie and Aimee, deceased, and two 
sons, Arthur Ward and John Terhune. Dr. Van 
Riper was one of the founders of the North Reformed 
Church of Passaic, of which he is a member, and was 
one of its first deacons. He has ever manifested a 
deep interest in educational projects, and has been 
for several years a member of the Board of Education 
of the city of his residence. He is in his political 
preferences a firm Republican, and has participated 
to a limited extent in local politics, though not with 
a view to official preferment. 

The doctor has a controlling interest in the drug 
firm of Van Riper & Co., though the arduous labors 
of his i)rofession preclude active participation in the 
management of the busine.ss. 

District Medical Society.— The District Medical 
Society of Pa.ssaic County was organized Jan. 16, 
1844, under the following commission, issued to its 
founders by the Medical Society of New Jersey : 

•'State of New Jersey. 

"By the Medical Society of New .lersey to Elias J. Marsh, M.D., Do- 
nation Binsse, M.D., Lemuel Burr, Garret Terhune, M.D , .letur R. Rigga, 
physicians and surgeons, greeting : 

" Your apiJlicHtion, requesting that a District Medical Society might be 
instituted, consisting of Elias .1. Blarsli, M.D., Donation Binsse, M.D., 
Letnuel Burr, Giirrct Terliune, M.D , and Jetur R Riggs, in the County 
of Passaic, was duly considered at a meeting of the Medical Society of New 
Jersey, held at Princeton, on the 14th day of November, Anno Domini 
1843, and it was therefore Toted that your request be granted. 

"Be it thei efore known, That, pursuant to the act of the Legislature 
of this State, the Medical Society of New Jersey doth appoint Elias J. 
Marsh, BI.D., Donation Binsse, M.D., Lemuel Burr, Garret Terhune, M.D., 
Jetur R. Riggs, pliysicians and surgeons, practitioners and residents 
of the county of Paa-saic, to meet at the couuty town on the 16th day of 
January, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, then and there to form them- 
selves into a society to be called the District Mi-dicul Svciety for the county 
of Passaic, in the State of New Jersey, for the purpose of electing otfi- 
cers. making by-laws, rules, and regulations, having ami using a common 
seal, and transacting such other business as they shall deem expedient. 

" In testimony whereof, the president, pursuant to the aforesaid vote 
of the society, has hereunto subscribed his name and affixed the seal of 
the corporation at Princeton, this 14th day of November, A.D. 1843. 
[seal.] ■ " Abram Skileman, President. 

•'Attest; William VtEnsny, Jvjt., Recording Secretary 
Medical Societr/ New Jerse^y 

The District Medical Society formed under this 
commission, like all such societies throughout the 
State, became, and ever since has remained, a branch 
of the State Medical Society, and has been annually 
represented by its delegates in that body. The con- 
stitution provides that "all physicians, graduates of 
the State Medical Society, or of any medical institu- 
tion in afiiliation with the American Medical Associ- 
ation, residing within the county of Passaic, shall be 
admitted into this society, in full membership, on the 
payment of the sum often dollars," and "each mem- 
ber shall pay annually to the treasurer the sum of 
five dollars, to defray the expenses of this society." 
Besides the usual officers the society has a " reporter," 
whose duty it is to " furnish to the chairman of the 
standing committee of the State Medical Society, on 
or before the first day of May in each year, or at such 
time as the chairman may request, a report of the 



state of health, prevalence of epidemics, remarkable 
cases, or any other facts having a relation to the sci- 
ence of medicine of which he may be cognizant that 
have occurred in this county during the preceding 
year." Upon the censors of the society devolve, per- 
haps, the most important work of all ; for it is their 
duty to see that no unworthy or ill-qualified person 
is recommended for the degreeof Doctor of Medicine. 
Hence this examining committee is generally com- 
posed of not less than five of the best local members 
of the profession. Among those who have served in 
this capacity in the present society are such names as 
Drs. Marsh, Terhune, Condict, Rogers, Burr, Weller, 
Whitely, Riggs, and Kent ; and among the later 
members, R. A. Terhune, Van Blarcam, E. J. Marsh, 
Van Geisen, Merrill, Quinn, J. A. Rogers, Blundell, 
Van Riper, Amireaux, Mackintosh, Warner, and 
others. 

The constitution of the society, adopted in 1844, 
has been amended from time to time, and the original 
by-laws and rules of order so modified as to adapt 
them to the exigencies of a growing and progressive 
body. The standard of the society has always been 
a high one, and while its members have aimed to con- 
serve the best traditions of the profession, they have, 
at the same time, been hospitable to the improve- 
ments introduced liy modern science and discovery. 

A large number of the members of the society since 
its organization have been graduates of the College of 
Physicians and Surgeons of New York, and others 
have received their degree in the best schools of New 
York and Pennsylvania. We give below a list of the 
names of members of the society since 1844, with the 
dates of their admission : 

1844. — Garret Terhune, Elias J. Marsh, Donation Binsse, Jetur R. Riggs, 

Lemuel Burr, William Magee, John Magee, Lambert Sythoflf, 

Alexander W, Rogers. 
1847.— P. H. Zabriskie, Robert J. Wbitely, Henry A. Hopper, Adam J. 

Hoffman. 

1848. Condict, Hatch. 

1849. — Edward Munk, William Henry Morton, Frederick S. Weller. 

1850.— Joseph E. Culver, Richard A. Terhune, John Quiui. 

1851.— Cliarles G. Adams. 

1852. — Michael Moss, Abraham Hopper. 

1853.— Ridley Kent. 

1855.— S. R. Merrill. 

1856.— S. A. Stewart. 

1857. — Henry Van Blarcom. 

1859.— Oswald Warner. 

1802.- Cornelius S. Van Riper. 

1865.— William Blundell. 

1866.— Orson Barnes, G. W. Terriberry, Thomas B. Dawner, .Albert B. 

Randall. 
1867.— Henry C. Van Gieson, R. Leal. 
1869.— G. H. Balleray. 
1870.— E. J. Marsh. 
1872. — Wm. Busse, Jas. C. Amireaux, Thos. J. Kane, James Mackintusli, 

Sarah F, Mackintosh, Patrick Cahill, Bogert, —ft— Herrick. ~~^ 

1875. — Jacob Hengler, James II. Casey, J. S. Bibby. 

1876, — Spencer Van Dalsen, Calvin Terriberry. 

1877.— John Bonter. 

1878.— John P. Paxton, Wm. S. Kurd, .lohn A. Rogers, E. S. McClellan. 

1879.— Philander K. Harris, Joseph Bidwell Wright. 

18S0.— William K. Newton, Henry Kip, J. W. Collins. 

ISSl.— Walter B. Johnson, Thomas F. O'Grady, Rush Near, James M. 

Stewart. 



364 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



The first oflBcers of the society were Garret Terhune, 

president; Jetur R. Rifrprs, viee-pre>sideiit ; William 
Magee, trejjsurer; and Lemuel Burr, secretary. These 
officers held their places only till the first Monday in 
April ensuing, the time appointed for the annual meet- 
ing of the society. Since then the following |)rcsidents 
and secretaries have been elected, and have served as 
indicated by the dates affixed to their names : 

Presidents. 
Garret Terhune, Jnii. 16 to April I, 1H44; DoDiilion UiiiKe, 1844-46 ; 
Jetiir R. KiKK«. 1S46-18; Eliiiii J. Murih, 1848-50; Linmel Burr, 
IKMl; Ali-xiiuder W. B»>gere, ISol; Frt'ileriik S. Wellcr, 18;')2-:>4; 
Jclur B. RiKgs, 1854-60 ; J. Quinu, 18.^6 ; Rul<«rl J. Wliiu-ly, 18.^.7-61 ; 
Ridley Kent, 18(11-02; Alexnniler W. Rogers, 1862-C5; Biilley Kent, 
I866-C8; Garret Terhune, 18C8-70; John Quinn, 187(1; Cornelius S. 
Van Riper, 1871-72; Oiwin Barnes, 187;t-76; Oswald Warner, 1875- 
ri; a. R. Herrill, 1877; Williani Blundell, Ig7g-8U; Ellas J. Uanih, 

188U-«1. 

SErRFTARlF-S. 

Lemuel Burr, Jan. 16 t4i .\pril I, 18-14; Lanil>ert Sythoff, 1844; Lemuel 

Burr, I84.'V-50; William H. Morion, lKi<J-52; Richard A. Terhune, 

1852-54 ; Rolwrt .1. Whitely, 1854-57 ; Ridley Kent, 1867-.^9 ; Oswald 

Warner, 1869-62; S. R. Merrill, 1862-05; C. S. Van Riper, 1866-68; 

Henry C. Van Gieson, 1868-70; G. H. Balleroy, 1870-7.!; Cornelius 

Van Rll>er, 1S73-75; J. C. Amireaux, 1875-78; Williani Kent, 1878; 

John A. Rogers, 1879-81. 

The present revised constitution an<l by-laws of 
the society were adopted at tlu- annual meeting in 
1880. 

Upon the death of Dr. Wellcr the society passed 
the following preamble and resolutions: 

•' Whereas, Frederic S. Weller, M.I>., who for nearly twelve yeais has 
been an active nicnther of this society, Ims heen removed hy death from 
all earthly scene" of uselulness ; therefore, 

" //.'so/reff. That while we how In hunihle snliniission to the Great An* 
Chor ol life in thin dUpensatlon, we record our sincere sorrow in the deep 
loss we have sUNtiiineii of one who endeared himsidf tu its all as a friend, 
anil who. n>* a iinifesxional brother, had rendered hinotelf eminent for his 
aliility and skill, and who In the practice of our|)rofes»ion ever displayed 
the honor and cuurtoty of the geutloman and the principles and gnicefl i 
of the Ohrtitian. 

** /^«ik>feed. That wo attend the funeral In a body as members of this 
society. 

*' WeJoVrerf, That a c«ipy of those resolutions bo sent to the family of 
our ilet:ease<l brother, and alE<o that they be published in the daily and 
weekly |m|terH of this city. 

"Ridley IIcst, Preni/Unt. 
"Henry Van Blaucom, .*^c. pro lem.'* 

.Iiiiiv Maijek, M.D., was a graduate ol the Medi- ; 
ciil riiivcrsity of the State of New York. 

W II, I.I AM Morton was a student of medicine under 
Dr. Ellas J. Marsh in 1H44. 

In the same year Roiikkt .1. Wiiitki.y was a stu- 
dent with Dr. William Magee; began April 10, 184.3; 
graduated at College of Physicians and Surgeons, 
N. Y., 1847. 

Wii.i.iAM C MAiiKK began study with his father, 
Dr. William Magee, in 1847. 

B. R. Fitch began the study with Dr. I,. Iturr .Iiiiie 
25, 1847. 

Dr. Wii.iiAM Maoee died 18o(»; Dr. MAH.SII, 1851. 

I'KTKii II. Van WAtioNER begun study with Dr. 
Wm. II. Morton, April 7, IS'iI. 

(iKoiiiir, ('i.AltKsoN filed his intention of studying 
medicine uniler Dr. Ridley Kent, of I'atcrson, Sept. 
1, 18G4. 



Dr. Henry Van Blarcom died in June, 1869. 
The society, at a special meeting, adopted appropriate 
resolutions. 

Dr. Or.sox Barxe-s die<l on Friday, Aug. 23, 1875, 
in the forty-sixth year of his age. The society, at a 
special meeting, took suitable action by the adoption 
of a series of appropriate resolutions. 

Dr. Robert J. Whitely died April 10, 1879. He had 
been for twenty-nine years a practitioner of medicine 
in Paterson and an active member of the Medical So- 
ciety. The society, in placing on record their appre- 
ciation of his personal character and professional 
worth, say, — 

" Dr. Whitely was a man of good intellectual abilities, of liberal sdn. 
cation, well read lioth in generHl and professional literature. He was 
honest and sincere in piir[H)M*, without pretence or dissimulation, can-fnl 
of his word, and circumK[kect in his do|>ortnient, kind in heart and cour- 
teous in demeanor, with a high sense of professional Intnor and pmpri- 
ety. In the practice of his profession he manifested ci>mprehenston and 
keen oWervation, uniting sound judgment and llumghtful caution with 
a fair measure of energy and decision, with faithfulness to the welfare 
of his patients, prompt attention to their wants, and unfeigned sympathy 
in their sulTerings. . . . He has left no enemies and many friends, and 
his memory will long be retained by us as that of an liononible associate 
and a skillful and trusted physician." 

In token of their respect and esteem the society at- 
tended his funeral in a body. 

Dr. Le.mvel Bi"RK pa.ssed from the scenes of his 
long and useful labors in the profession in June, 1878. 
He was one of the charter members of the society, 
and had practiced medicine in Paterson for nearly 
half a century. The committee of the society to 
whom was assigned the duty of reporting suitable 
resolutions on the occasion of his death said, among 
other things, — 

"We feel keenly that a vacancy is left in our midst, aud that th.nie 
to whom he has so faithfully iniiiisteretl throughout a long and well- 
spent life will still more deeply feel his loas and miss hb wise c4>unB«l 
and friendly greeting. . . . (hir city has lost one of ils best and most 
highly esteemed citizens, and society one of Its pillara of morality and 
virtue." 

Dr. Ridley Kent died in 1878. At a special 
meeting of the society, Drs. Rogers, Teal, and IJuinn 

; were appointed to prepare an obituary notice for jiub- 
lication in the Transactions of the New .Icrsey Medi- 
cal Society. The following is copied from the obitu- 
ary prepared by these gentlemen : 

" Ridley Kent was a native of Trowbridge, Eng- 
land, where he was born in 1810, being the son of a 
dissenting clergyman. .\t the age of fourteen he was 
apprciiticetl to a druggist of his native town, and hav- 
ing .served bis time he followed that calling for some 
years in England, and having come to America in 
1837, he opened an apothecary-store in New York. 
Four or five years later he removed to New Jersey, 

i and was soon after given a diploma by the State Med- 
ical Society to practice medicine, and for nine years 
practiced at New Providence. In 1S.">3 he was grail- 
tiated from the College of Physicians ami Surgeons, 

I New York, and a few months after removed to Pat- 

I erson, which was thenceforth his home. There he 



THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. 



365 



opened a drug-store, which he conducted for nearly a ! 
quarter of a century. He was an excellent, careful 
pharmacist, and a chemist of some ability. He had 
a large practice, although for the greater part of the 
time he preferred to receive patients at his office. He 
was a wide reader, and was especially fond of biblical 
study and research. For several years before his 
death he had the appearance of great age, and yet he 
was only sixty-eight when a stroke of apoplexy car- 
ried him oft' on Sept. .30, 1878." 

Dr. Alexander W. Rogers is the senior physi- 
cian in Paterson. His father was a clergyman in the 
town of Armagh, in the north of Ireland, where the 
subject of this sketch was born in December, 1814. 
When he was but a year or two old his father came to 
America, settling in Burlington County, near Phila- 
delphia, and after some years removed to Scotch , 
Plains. The future physician received an academic 
education, and then went to New York, where he ] 
studied medicine with Dr. Archibald Maclay, and was 
graduated from the College of Physicians and Sur- 
geons in 1836. He opened an office in Paterson a year 
or two later, then went away for one or two years, 
after which he took up his residence permanently in 
Paterson. For many years he has been one of the lead- 
ing physicians of the city, and, in fact, of the State. 
In 1879 he was elected president of the New Jersey 
Medical Society. For several years he has been a 
member of the board of examiners of teachers of Pat- 
erson. He is studious and scholarly in his tastes, and 
is a perspicuous writer. 

Elias J. Marsh was born Jan. 7, 1803, at Perth 
Amboy, N. J., his family being one of the oldest in 
that section of the State. After finishing a prepara- 
tory course he entered Columbia College, New York, 
and was graduated from that institution in 1824. 
Three or four years later he received his diploma as a 
physician from the College of Physicians and Sur- ' 
geons in that city, and sOon after opened an office at 
Paterson, where he remained until his death, Oct. 29, 
1850. He lived for many years in Van Houten Street, 
at or near the corner of Cross. He took a deep in- 
terest in the cause of popular education, and was 
elected a member of the school committee of the town 
in 1885-38. He was exceedingly charitable, and of 
him it might truly be said that " he went about con- 
tinually doing good," so that when he was buried 
hundreds of poor people whom he had befriended 
stood on the sidewalks weeping as his remains were 
borne by. His death was felt to be a public loss, and 
many of the leading citizens thought it only fitting 
that the public should erect a monument to his mem- 
ory, which was done, bearing a suitable inscription 
testifying to the love and esteem in which he had been 
held by his friends and neighbors. Dr. Marsh left a 
son of the same name as his own, who, nearly twenty 
years after his father's death, established himself in 
Paterson, where he is now one of the leading physi- 
cians of the city. 
24 



Eegistebed Physicians Peacticino in the County of Passaic in 1881, 
WITH THEIR Respective Places of Residence and Places and Dates 
OF Graduation. 1 

PaJerBon. 

James C. Amireaux, Long Island Medical College, 1872. 
George H. Balleray, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 1869. 
John H. Banta, BcUevue Medical College, 1879. 
Jones S. Bibby, Bellevne Medical College, 1875. 

William Blundell, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 1861. 
W^illiani Busse, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 1872. 
0. v. Garnet, Jefferson Medical College, 1855. 
Michael Gillson, University of New York, 1881. 

Philander A. Harris, University of Michigan, 1872 ; College of Physi- 
cians and Surgeons, New York, 1873. 
Jacob Henggler, New York Medical College, 1857. 
William S. Hurd, University of New. York, 1877. 

Walter B. Johnson, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 1878. 
Thomas T. Kane. Long Island Medical College, 1872. 
Henry Kip, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 1877. 
William Kent, Long Island Medical College, 1872. 
Theodore Kopschina, Berlin, Prussia, 1877. 
James H. Mackintosh, Bellevue Medical College, 1872. 
Sarah F. Mackintosh, Women's Medical College, 1872. 
Elias J. Jlarsh, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 1858. 
S. Randolph Merrill, Jefferson Medical College, 1854. 
Michael Moss, New York State Medical Society, 1852. 
Charles F. W. Myers, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 

1874. 
Rush Near, Long Island Medical College, 1880. 
"William K. Newton, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 

1877. 
Thomas F. O'Grady, Bellevue Medical College, 1880. 
John P. Paxton, Long Island Medical College, 1872. 
John Quinn, Medical Society of New Jersey, 1850. 
AIexai]der W. Rogers, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New Y'ork, 

183C. 
James M. Stewart, Jefferson Medical College. 1880. 
Calvin Terriberry, Bellevue Medical College, 1872. 
George W. Terriberry, Bellevue Medical College, 1866. 
Spencer Tan Dalsen, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New Ygrk, 

1876. 
Tompkins Van Dyke, Bellevue Medical College, 1880. 
Henry C. Van Gieson, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 

1866. 
Cornelius S. Van Riper, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 

18.'iO. 
Oswald Warner, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 1854. 
John W, Was, University of Michigan. 1878. 
William H. Whitly, Georgetown University, 1866. 
Joseph B. Wright, University of New Y'ork, 1879. 
J. Edward Van Bylardt, Medical Society of New Jersey, 1845. 

Passaic. 
James W. Collins, Bellevue Sledical Collfge, 1872. 
J. C. Herrick, Long Island Medical College, 1865. 
Frank H. Rice, Vermont (Woodstock), 1854. 
Garret Terhune, Medical Society of New Jersey, 1834. 
Richard A. Terhune, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 

1850. 
Cornelius Van Riper, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 

1866. 

Bloomingdale. 

Henry V. Day, University of New York, 1876. 

LiUle Falls. 
Edward A. Keeler, University of Maryland, 1880. 

Mark Van Winkle, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 
1848. 

Oakridge, 

Theodore D. Coursen, Bellevue Medical College, 1880. 

W. S. Coursen, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 1848. 

Pompton. 

George F. Newcomb, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 
1877. 



1 From the report of the Committee on Registration of the District 
Medical Society of Passaic County. 



368 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Wml ili{ford. \ 

Bobert G. Maini, Jeffenon Medical College, 1863. | 

HOMlIOI-ATllIC. 
PatfraOH. 
John H. Bradsworth, Xew York IloUKuoiiathic Medical College, 1881. 
William F. Decker, Sew York IToina-opathic Medical College, 1876. ' 

A. B. Kelierer, Hahiienianii Medical College, I'hiladelpliia, 1880. i 

Porter T. KlDiie, New York HoiniLM)|>athlc Medical College, 1872. 
Theodore Y. KinDe, .UlwDy Medical College, 1862. 
Frank D. Vreelaud, Sew York Ilomawpathlc Medical College, 1879. 

Charlea A. Church, Sew York Medical College, 1871. 

John M. Howe, Caj^tleton, Vermont, 1844. 

Norton C. Ricardo, Sew York Romieopathic Medical College, I8fl9. 

l.UtU FalU. 
Jacob M. R. Gedner, Sew York Honncopathic Medical College, 1869. 

ECLKCTIC. 

Pittenon . ' 

DaTis P. Borden, New York Eclectic Medical College, 1873. \ 

L. H. Borden, New York Eclectic Medlial College, 1872. 
Harriet Montague, New York Eclectic Medical College, 1876. 

Pompton. 
Charlea H. Archer. Sew Y'ork Eclectic Medical College, 1867. 

School not knfnm. 
Samuel J. Liggett, rniveraity of PennHylvania, 1878. 
Louis Philipi)e Ossa, Wai^hinglon L'niveraity, 1876. f 

John C. G. Robertaon, lioyal College of Surgery, Edinburgh, Snrgeiy 
and Midwifery, 183fi. 

Lift of TrantlaUonM R«giMt^retl. 
John R. Leal, Berkshire Medical College, 1849. 
E. S. McClelInn, Oliio Eilectic Medical College, 1851. 
M. A. MackinUish, Bellevne Medical College, 1879. 
John \. Rogera, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Sew York, 1875. 
Francis A. Dacumer, having practiced medicine twenty years, is exempt ; 
from the law of registration. 

RuHAitn .V. TKKiirxF., M.D., son of Garret Ter- 
huin- and Eli/iibotli Ziibriskie, wns liorn in Hackcn- 
sack,BergeuC(>.,Jan. '.1,1829; graduateii at tlie College 
of Physicians and Surgeons in New York in 1850; 
coniuienccd ]iractire in Acqnnckanonk (now city of 
Piijisaic) immediately afterwards, anil lias practiced 
here ever since; is a member of the State Medical 
Society, and was .secretary of the District Medical 
Society in 1>('>2 and 1854; married in ISlll, Emily L. 
Morrell, daughter of Alverson Randol, of Newburgh, 
N. Y. 

Wii.MAM Fri.i.KKTos Dkcker, M.D.— Richard 
Decker, the grand father of the subject of this biograph- 
ical sketch, was born in the Clove, Wantage town- , 
ship, Sus.sex Co., where many years of his early life 
were passed. Having determined to remove to Orange 
County, he piirchaae<l a farm near Goshen, the county- 
seat, and made it his residence until his later removal 
to Middletown, his pre-sent home, where he is the 
manager of the Orange County Milk A.s.Hociation. 
He was united in marriage to Mrs. .Tiilia Decker, of 
Su-ssex County, and had children, — John H., Bow, 
and Henrietta, the latter of whom died in early child- 
hoo<l. Of this number, .John H., father of the doc- 
tor, was born April !*, 1881, and died Kept. 3, 1878. 

The ycar» of his boyhood were spent in Sussex 



County, N. J., his birthplace. At the age of fourteen 
he removed with his parents to Orange County, and 
varied his time between school and labor upon the 
farm. He was married in 1853 to Miss Elsie T., 
daughter of .ludge Stephen W. Fullerton, of Wawa- 
yanda township, in the above county. The birth of 
Mrs. Decker occurred Jan. 19, 1832. Judge Fuller- 
ton was a man of scholarly attainments, and filled a 
distinguished position during his lifetime. He not 
only wore the judicial ermine, but was a member of 
the State Legislature before the construction of rail- 
roads, and was conveyed in his carriage to Albany to 
attend its sessions. His three sons were attorneys, 
two of whom — Judge William Fullerton and Stephen 
W. Fullerton — have attained marked success at the 
bar. To Mr. and Mrs. Decker were born eight chil- 
dren, of whom Dr. William Fullerton is the eldest. 
His birth occurred April 30, 1855, his boyhood having 
been passed at school, first at Goshen and later at 
Middletown, after which he completed his studies at 
Amenia Seminary, Dutchess Co., N. Y. He entered 
the Homo'opathic Medical College, New York, in 
1873, meanwhile residing with Prof S. P. Burdick, 
M.D., and graduated as valedictorian of his class in 
1876. He at once entered the Ward's Island Honinn)- 
pathic Hospital, where a year was spent in attendance 
upon its patients. The doctor was then invited to 
take charge of the Brooklyn Maternity, where he re- 
mained until his removal, in .\pril, 1877, to Paterson, 
having succeeded to the practice of Dr. David Neer. 
Here he is also extensively engaged in the dnig busi- 
ness. Dr. Decker has by his abilities and untiring 
devotion to business greatly increased both practice 
and business, the demands upon his professional skill 
being constant :vs well as lucrative. 

He was married in 1878 to Miss Sara, daughter of 
Jonathan Johnson, of Paterson, to whom was born 
one daughter, Elsie. 

The doctor is in his political faith a Republican, 
but less devoted to party success than to the cause of 
right and good government. He is a IVesbyterian in 
his religious associations, both he and Mrs. Decker 
being members of the Second Presbyterian Church of 
Paterson. 

Dr. Cuarlf,.* a. CnrKCH, of Passaic, N. J., was 
born at Norwich, N. Y., on the first day of Decem- 
ber, 1839. From early childhood he showed a strong 
inclination towards the medical prot'ession. He was 
a frail and irritable child, but he could be entertained 
and amused indefinitely by any one that would play 
patient and let him iday doctor. He would leave any 
other amusement for this, and of it seeme<l never to 
tire. 

As he grew to years of underslniiding the desire to 
be a thoroughly educated and qualified physician and 
surgeon became the ambition of his life, growing with 
his growth and strengthening with his years. But the 
financial crisis of 1857 so cripplc<l his father's re- 
sources that at eighteen years of age he found it neues- 




-^.0^x4^, ^^ ^ 



THE MEDICAL PKOFESSION. 



367 



sary to forego study and give bis energies and strength 
to business interests at home. 

When twenty-one years of age, his father having 
partially retrieved his fortunes and re-established a 
prosperous business, offered him a separate portion of 
it, which had been built up and established mainly by 
his own efforts. Not being in condition financially 








./ 



C^i 




%;//^^ 



^ 



to pursue his studies, and this being the best that 
offered, he accepted it, still hojiing, however, that in 
the near future the way would be opened for him to 
pursue his long-cherished plans for professional study, 
and still occupying his leisure hours with such read- 
ing a.s would be most useful to him should he ever 
succeed. 

When twenty-two years of age, being dissatisfied 
with his literary attainments, he entered the Norwich 
Academy as a student, at the same time continuing 
the management of his business affairs. 

It was during these school-days, a revival of religion 
being in progress in the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
under the pastorate of the Rev. William Searls, that 
he was led to consider the claims of a religious life 
and to yield himself to Christ. He united with the 
church in which he was converted, and has ever since 
taken an active interest in the prosperity of Christ's 
kingdom, having held almost continuously official re- 
lation in the church of his choice. Here also he 
formed the acquaintance of Miss Hattie Heady, a 
teacher now pursuing advanced studies in preparation 
for further labors in that profession. Two years later 



he persuaded her to be satisfied with one scholar, and 
got himself elected to that position for life. This 
bargain was officially approved by their pastor, Rev. 
William Searls, on the twenty-fifth day of May, 1864. 
To the influence of his wife, her self-denial and en- 
couragement, is due very much of his success. His 
home has always been not only a place of rest, but of 
inspiration as well. 

In 1867, with a pleasant home, a prosperous busi- 
ness, and a promising outlook in a pecuniary point of 
view, he found all his hopes in this direction blasted 
by the complete failure of his health. An effort was 
made to continue the business with the assistance of 
others, but it was worse than a failure, and he was 
compelled to dispose of it. 

Relieved of business cares health slowly returned, 
and with it the restlessness of a naturally active but 
unoccupied mind. While in this condition he acci- 
dentally met the representative of an insurance com- 
pany looking for a local agent. The result was that 
he soon found himself a full-fledged insurance man. 
Here his business tact and enterprise were soon mani- 
fest, for within two years from this beginning, and in 
spite of poor health, his business became one of the 
largest in that section of country, and sufficient to 
afford him a modest support. 

With returning strength there came the old longing 
for professional life, and, as it seemed, a prospect of 
the possible fulfillment of long-cherished plans in that 
direction. 

In 1868 he formed a partnership in the insurance 
business to secure the necessary leisure, and entered 
the office of George W. Avery, M.D., of Norwich, 
N. Y., as a student. 

The winter of 1869-70 he attended the Hahnemann 
Medical College of Philadelphia, and the following 
winter the New York Honneopathic Medical College ■ 
of the City of New York, from which latter institu- 
tion he received his diploma conferring the degree of 
Doctor of Medicine in March, 1871. He was imme- 
diately appointed resident physician of the hospital 
of the Five Points House of Industry, where he 
served nearly a year, leaving the most satisfactory 
professional record ever made in that hospital, or 
probably any other, for out of nearly a thousand 
cases of all manner of diseases which came under his 
care he was only obliged to report two deaths, both 
from marasmus, and both in an incurable condition 
when he took charge of the wards. 

After leaving the hospital his father expressed a 
desire that he should return to his native place to 
practice, which he did, establishing a successful and 
growing business. But after the death of his father, 
believing that Passaic was a more promising field, in 
February, 1876, he moved to that city, succeeding to 
the practice of Dr. .lohn Nottingham. From this 
favorable beginning his practice has steadily increased 
year by year. 

Dr. Church's success in medical and surgical prac- 



368 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



tice is principally due to three things : first, he en- 
tered upon the study of liis profession with a mind 
matured and disciplined by years of active business 
life; this enabled him to take higii rank as a student 
at medical college and to sustain himself creditably 
during his first year in all the tests of scholarship 
which were ajiplied to the students in the graduating 
class; second, he has a natural adajitation to and a 
sincere love of his profession ; and third, lie devotes 
himself with untiring effort to the good of those 
committed to his care. 

Thix)I)Ore Y. Kixne, M.D.— The Kiunc family 
are of English lineage, the earliest representatives in 
America having been two brothers, wlio suffered exile 
as a consequence of their religious belief, and sailed 
for the hospitable shores of the New World in the 
vessel that immediately followed the "Mayflower." 
In a direct line of descent from one of these brothers 
sprang Cyrus Kinne, the great-grandfather of Dr. 
Kinne, a brief r^-sunn' of whose life is here embodied. 
Having determined to leave New England, Cyrus, 
above mentioned, settled in Central New Y'ork. He 
was the father of ten children, each of the sons of 
whom was given a section of land, on which he located 
and pursued the calling of an agriculturist. 

Among these sons Wiis Prentice, who re.--ided, as 
did his brothers, in Onondaga County, and who served 
with distinction in the war of 1812. He was married 
to Miss Elizabeth Kinne, and had children, among 
whom was Elbridge, the father of Dr. Kinne, horn 
May 2G, ISliI, in Onondaga County, where he, during 
his lifetime, cultivated the lands he inherited. He 
was united in marriage to Miss Sophronia, daughter 
of Rev. Seth Young, of the above county, to whom 
were born six children, the eldest being Theodore Y., 
whose birth occurred Aug. 27, 1838, near Syracuse. 
His early life was pa.ssed in an uneventful manner, 
first at the neighboring school at home, and later in 
Syracuse. He was educated for the acaiieniy at West 
Point, which he entered in 1858. Having determined 
the following year upon a civil career, be chose the 
profession of medicine, and began his studies under 
the direction of Dr. A. 15. Sbipman, of Syracuse. 
He continued them at the Albany .Medical College, 
from which be graduated in Deeemlicr, 18(52. He at 
once established himself in practice at Syracuse, Jiml 
there remained until 18l>4, when he entered the army 
iw assi.'ttant surgecm of the One Hundred and Eighty- 
fourth New York State Volunteers. From this field 
of labor the doctor was transferre<l to the United 
Slates service. Dr. Kinne was in 18(!1 united in 
marriage to Mis-s Ella, daughter of (iartoii Notting- 
ham, of Syracuse. They have had children, — Wil- 
liam Y., Ella Louise, and Amelia May, of whom two 
survive. Dr. Kinne removed in 1M()(> to Paterson, and 
established himself as a representative of the honneo. 
]iatliic school of medicine. Here his thorough pro- 
fessional knowledge, together with the wide experi- 
ence he enjoyed during his military career, enableil 



him at once to secure an extended practice. His 
skill in diagnosis and success in critical cases of sur- 
gery, especially of gyniecology, greatly enhanced his 
reputation, and placed him at the head of the pro- 
fession as a homa?opathist. As a consequence his 
labors are arduous, and leave but little leisure for 
other employments. The doctor is a member of the 
State Ilomo'opathic Society, and also of the American 
Institute of Homa^opathy. He is a Republican in 
polities, but in no sense a politician. Roth the doctor 
and Mrs. Kinne are active members of the Market 
Street Methodist Episcopal Church, and contribute 
largely to its prosperity, the former having acted as 
delegate to the General Conference of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, and held many offices of trust 
within the gift of the denomination. 



CHAPTER I. II. 
THE NEWSPAPEUS OF PASSAIC COUNTY.' 

The lack of old files and other data make it ex- 
tremely dilBeult to present a strictly accurate history 
of the newspapers of Paterson and vicinity, so far as 
the precise dates are concerned. The first paper pub- 
lished within the limits of the present city, so far as 
records and recollection go, was the Pulrrsnn lin-, a 
small weekly, started in 181(), which was continued for 
about a year. This was followed by the Benjen JCj- 
preas, which was first issued in 1818, and lasted a little 
over a year. The few copies of this old paper that 
are extant are rare and valuable as old relies rather 
than for any ])articularly interesting reading matter 
that they contain. The Cuuricr was established in 
1820. It was, for those days, a bright weekly journal, 
and was continued with more or less success until 
1824. The Chronicle was its contemporary, having 
been started in 1821, and its demise appears to have 
occurred about the same time as that of the ('mirier. 

The first paper established in Paterson with any 
degree of succe-ss and financial prosperity wius the 
Pittrrfn Intelligencer, which was first i.ssued in 182.'», 
and continued till 1856. Warren & Day were the 
publishers, and it was printed in the second story of a 
building that stood on the site of the present tobacco- 
factory of Allen \ Dunning, in Van Houlen Street. 
It was a respectable, high-toned, reliable family jour- 
mkl, with decided Whig propensities, but withal inde- 
pendent. The few existing files of this paper are the 
most valuable authority of the pivst history of Pater- 
son, starting as it did when the place was only a small 
village, and lasting until it was (piite a prosperous 
city. It remained essentially in the same hantis for 
almost the entire period of its existence, Thomas 
Warren continuing sole proprietor after Mr. Day's 

■ ('anlribiitod kj J. K. Crowill. 



HIS' 



*l 



THE NEWSPAPEKS OF PASSAIC COUNTY. 



369 



death, and keeping it until he finally died himself, 
literally "in the harness," from a paralytic stroke. 
Mr. Warren was a taciturn Scotchman, of very retired 
habits, and with a great dislike for public assemblages, 
which he studiously avoided. He seldom bothered 
himself with writing editorials, but usually "led off" 
with the news of the week. He was upright and 
stern in character, and seldom changed his miud after 
once coming to a decision. He was a heavy loser by 
the great bank failure, which made him somewhat 
morose afterwards, and for the last year of his life he 
seldom left his office. 

In 18.56 the IntelHiiencer was merged into the Mirror, 
which was the first dail)' newspaper of Paterson, and 
was started in 1855 by McClellan & Halstead. Dr. 
McClellan is still (1882) living and practicing medi- 
cine in Paterson. He was a lively, brisk, and gos- 
sipy writer, but the time had riot yet arrived when 
the place could support a daily paper, and it was dis- 
continued iu 1856, and the material sold to a Mr. 
Phelps, who had also bought the IideUUjencer stock, 
and removed it to the Woodruff building, in Main 
Street. Soon after that the office fell into the hands 
of Col. A. B. Woodruff, who started the Independent 
Democrat, a sort of campaign paper, to represent the 
Democracy, the regular Democratic paper at that time 
showing an inclination towards Fremont, to whose 
advocacy it subseijuently turned, out and out. The 
Independent Democrat was a spicy, sarcastic, and ably- 
conducted paper during the short time that it lasted, 
under Col. Woodruff's charge. He sold it to James 
L. Gilion, who ran it till he sank twenty-three thou- 
sand dollars, all he had in the world ; but the trouble 
was that he was an aristocratic gentleman, entirely 
too high-toned to manage a paper in a plebeian town 
like Paterson. He sold the paper to his brother, 
John H. Gihon, who was the very opposite of his 
predecessor, being a regular "rough and ready," but 
withal good-hearted and sociable. He was one of the 
best after-dinner orators that Paterson ever boasted, 
and being possessed of much eloquence, he was popular 
as a lecturer. He was fearless and outspoken, and so 
lacked judgment in his attacks that he got into fre- 
quent altercations, and his face was marred with scars 
he had received in personal encounters. He was 
more successful as an editor than his brother, but 
finally discontinued the Democrat to accept the posi- 
tion of secretary to Gen. Geary, in Kansas. Subse- 
quently he published the book entitled " Geary in 
Kansas," which proved very popular and acquired a 
large sale. When Gen. Geary was elected Governor 
of Pennsylvania, Mr. Gihon was selected his secretary, 
and remained in that State till his death. 

The Iron Horse was a monthly J^aper, principally 
devoted to locomotives and machinery, and published 
by William Wright. He had it printed in New York 
and delivered it himself in Paterson. After being run 
about a year, Mr. Wright discontinued it iu .luly, 1856, 
and started the Jiepub/ican, iu partnership with a Mr. 



Reynolds. It was a campaign sheet, advocating Fre- 
mont's election. On Nov. 12, 18.56, Mr. Reynolds went 
to New York with several hundred dollars to buy print- 
ing material, but did not return for several days, when 
he came back without a cent, representing that he 
had been out of his mind. That was more than the 
Republican could stand, and the Guardian having 
come out for Fremont, Mr. Wright's proposition to 
consolidate the Republican with the Guardian was 
accepted by the proprietor of the latter. Mr. Wright 
from thence and for many years continued a leading 
spirit in the editorial fraternity of Paterson. He was 
a tall, well-built Irishman, with a remarkable predi- 
lection to pedestrian tours. On one occasion he 
walked to the Delaware Water Gap and back, " sim- 
ply to see the country." As a boy he worked in 
Rennie's chemical-works at Lodi, in Bergen County. 
He afterwards taught a district school uear Little 
Falls; but one Saturday afternoon, while on the way 
to Paterson, he was assaulted by a highway robber 
and desperately wounded. However, he succeeded 
in overpowering his assailant, and broughthim to 
the Paterson jail. He wrote the descriptTon of the 
first locomotive built in Paterson, which created such 
a furore that it resulted in his starting the Iron Horse, 
before referred to. He was a very restless character, 
and startled people by his suddenness. One day in 
1859, without a word of warning even to his partners, 
he wrote his valedictory on the Guardian, saying that 
he was tired of editorial life, and desired to devote 
himself to finances, and write articles for the New 
York papers only when he felt like it. An amicable 
settlement was made with his partners and he left, 
but he subsequently returned to take editorial charge 
of the Paterson Press, in which connection he is 
further referred to in the sketch of that paper. 

Several references have been made to the Guardian, 
and the connection of Mr. Wright with it leads di- 
rectly to a notice of that paper. In a certain sense 
the Guardian is the offspring of many fathers, for it 
is the river, so to speak, of which nearly all the papers 
heretofore mentioned were the tributaries. There was 
an almost direct descent from paper to paper, of the 
material of the first publication in Paterson, — the 
Bee, in 1816, — down to the Guardian. The Bergen 
Express absorbed what was left of the Bee, and thence 
the remnants of the office descended to the Courier 
and the Chronicle, the Intelligencer, the Republican, 
the Mirror, and other occasional publications in suc- 
cession, till at last it reached the Guardian office, 
which was a sort of newspaper anaconda, swallowing 
everything that came along. Thus can the Guardian 
be called the lineal descendant of the first Paterson 
paper. 

The Passaic Guardian, as it was first issued under 
that name, was started in 1836 by Andrew Mead. 
Mr. Mead was in his way a character. He was small, 
very lame, and a great sufferer from physical troubles, 
and these maladies had in a measure affected his mind. 



370 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



80 that he was quick-tempered and morose. His mind 
was* also badly aflected by the death of a beloved 
nephew who wii-s killed in the war. He was a genius 
in his way, and carved out whole fonts of type with 
his penknife, together with large poster-cuts and small 
engravings, and if his office needed anything he gen- 
erally went to work to make it himself. In tliis way, 
starting with nothing, he aciiuired (]uite a fortune. 
He served several years as clerk to the board of free- 
holders, and finally died of a cancer that started from 
a little pimple on the back of his head. He published 
the Guardiiin for ten years, and sold it to Lewis R. 
Stelle, previously an attach6 of the New Brunsvick 
THtne». Mr. Stelle took charge in 1846. He was a 
sedate, highly-respectable citizen, but rather a heavy 
and uninteresting writer, and it was only his conser- 
vative, economical habits that enabled him to continue 
the paper on a financial ba.sis that paid its expenses. 
Desiring to embark in the manufacturing business, 
Mr. Stelle in 18.54 sold the Giinrdian to Orrin Van- 
derhoven, a wide-awake, restless, and energetic char- 
acter, who from that time to the present has been a 
prominent spirit in Passaic County journalism. He 
in.stilled into the newspaper business a degree of en- 
thusiasm and energy previously unknown. He found 
the old oftice a curiosity-shop of the incongruous 
accumulations of years, — a veritable graveyard of half 
a dozen defunct predecessors. He brought to Pater- 
son the first Hoe cylinder press, a piece of machinery 
that has a history of its own. It was one of the first 
presides made by that celebrated inventor, and was 
used originally to print the labels and wrappers for 
"Townsend's Sarsa](arilla," the "father of patent 
medicines." Joseph T. Crowell, a New York printer, 
and afterwards senator from Union County, N. J., j 
received a government contract to ])rint all the post- 
office blanks for the country, and he had to buy all 
the printing-presses that were available. The " Sar- 
saparilla" i)re.ss was for sale and he bought it. He 
found it buried under dirt and rubbish in a Hrooklyn 
cellar, took it out, cleaned it up, and it ran as good 
as new. It went down four stories in two great fires 
in New York City, and finally fell info the hands of 
Mr. Vanderhoven, who brought it to Patcrson. It is 
to this day running in the (iiinnliiiii office, apparently 
as good as ever. Mr. Vanderhoven conducted the 
Guardian alone in a lively and wide-awake manner j 
until .May T), 18.56, when Hugh Crowell Irish moved ! 
his printing-office to Paterson from .Vuburn, N. Y., 
anil went into jiartnership with " Van'" (as he was by 
this time and ever afterwards called), thus cloubling 
the facilities of the establishment. The Guardimi 
was then issued as a tri-weekly. Mr. Irish occu|)ied 
one of the first residences on Auburn Street, then • 
" way out in the country," and he named the thor- 
oughfare after his |irevions home. The Tri- Wnkhj 
Gunrdi'in hoisted the ISuelianan ticket at llie head of 
the paper before his nomination, and advocated his 
election till Oct. 24, 1856, when, in consei|Ucnce of the ' 



candidate's coming out in favor of the extension of 
slavery to free territory, the paper, which was of the 
Douglius stripe of Democracy, turned over to Fremont, 
as being nearer the representative of the principles 
that it advocated. After that campaign the paper 
returned to the regular Democratic sui)port, and has 
remained steadfast to that cause ever since, through 
thick and thin. 

The TVi- Weekti) Guardinn ])roved such a success 
that it was decided to issue it daily, and absorbing 
the Independent Democrat, and taking William Wright 
into the partnership, as before stated, it first appeared 
as a daily paper on Nov. 17, 1856, the publishers being 
Vanderhoven, Irish iS: Wright. It contained four six- 
column pages, and wius decidedly the most res|)ectable- 
looking production in the newspaper line that had up 
to that time made its appearance in Paterson. The 
editorial and composing-rooms were on the corner of 
Main and Van Houten Stnets, in the second story of 
the Continental Hall building,^ an<l the pre.ss-rooni 
and Job-ofiicc were on the second fioor of the present 
Guardian building, on the corner of Broadway and 
Main Street. There was a grocery on the first AaoT, 
and the third story was known as " Washington Hall," 
and wa.s the lodge-room for the meetings of all the 
Masonic bodies of Paterson. In this buililing was 
placed the first steam-engine ever used in a Paterson 
printing-office. The jmper wasrun on the old "Sarsa- 
parilla" press. The Guardian prospered, but Mr. 
Wright suddenly and precipitately retired from the 
firm in 1859, as already mentioned, and the firm again 
became Vanderhoven it Irish. Mr. Irish, although 
not a literary man. was a gentleman of sterling char- 
acter and great business ability. He was ujiright and 
honest, and a model of probity, and he deserves much 
credit for establishing the paper on a sound financial 
basis, Mr. Vanderhoven's forte being more in the lit- 
erary and political line. In 18(!2, however, Mr. Irish 
became tired of the drudgery of the printing business 
and retired from the firm, and started a grocery-store 
in lower Main (then Parke) Street. Just then the 
country was in great distress, for the Kcbellion had 
assumed its mo.st formidable and threatening dimen- 
sions. The Confederates were marching towards 
Washington, and President Lincoln's call for volun- 
teers was an appeal that Mr. Irish's patriotism could 
not withstand, and he sold out his stock of groceries 
by auction and turned his grocerv' .store into a re- 
cruiting-office. Many of the well-known Paterson 
printers of the city joineil the company he raised, 
which WHS attached to the Thirteenth Regiment of 
New Jersey Volunteers as Company K, and .Mr. Irish 
was appointed ca|>tain. The regiment left Newark 
on the Ist of September, 1862, and on the 17th of the 
same month Capt. Irish was killed at the battle of 
.Vntietjini, at the head of his company. A terrific 
volley from an amiiuscade at the flanks of the regiment 
surprised the men, so that they temporarily wavered, 
and the captain raised his sword and shouted, " Rally, 



I 



THE NEWSPAPERS OF PASSAIC COUNTY. 



371 



boys, rally !" He had hardly uttered these words when 
a bullet pierced his heart and he tell dead. His body 
was brought to Paterson and buried with great pomp, 
the whole city going into mourning, and banners bear- 
ing his last words were hung in front of many public 
and private buildings. 

Capt. Irish was succeeded as Jlr. Vanderhoven's 
partner of the Ouardian by Lawrence Holms, a 
Scotchman ; but this partnership proved to be a very 
unprofitable one, for the two members of the firm fell 
out and got into a chancery litigation that lasted for 
over a year. There was a bitter contest for a while for 
the possession of the establishment, and frequent per- 
sonal encounters ensued. The lawyers of each ad- 
vised them that in a partnership fight, " possession was 
nine points of the law," and while Mr. Holms was out 
making arrangements to carry out this idea, Mr. Van- 
derhoven came into the office and took possession and j 
intrenched himself in the building, living and sleep- 
ing there, and not leaving it for several weeks. The 
business was wellnigh ruined, and the paper was issued 
witli much difficulty. The stock of white paper gave 
out, and some days it was issued on colored posterpaper 
and manilla wrapping-paper. Mr. Holms obtained 
an injunction against Mr. Vanderhoven's issuing the 
Ouardiitn, and for a while he published it under the 
name of the Patersonian. The referee's report to the 
chancellor was in Mr. Vanderhoven's favor, and the 
courts finally gave a decision that Mr. Vanderhoven 
was the rightful possessor of the office ; but there 
were such subsidiary terms that it was almost impov- 
erished, and for a long time it was a question whether 
the Guardian would collapse or continue. 

In the mean time Andrew Mead had started the 
Falls Citij Register, which he first issued in 1855 as a \ 
weekly paper. In 1858 it was changed to a tri-weekly, ! 
and in 1859 it was issued as a daily. For the most of 
this time it was edited by George Maginnis, son of 
ex-Comptroller Maginnis, a renuxrkable young man, 
who could remember and report a whole sermon or 
lecture, or even a whole day's court proceedings, ver- 
batim, with marvelous accuracy, without ever having | 
taken a single note or memorandum. The lirgister 
was Democratic in principles, but never obtained a 
very wide circulation and influence. In 18(35, while 
Mr. Vanderhoven was at the lowest depths of de- 
spair with the Guardian, Mr. Alvin Webb, a former 
fellow-printer, of New York, happened to come to 
Paterson and buy out the Register, and the next week 
it was consolidated with the Guardian, and the paper 
was published for several years under the name of 
Tlie Guardian and Falls City Register. The latter 
part of the title was after a while dropped entirely. 
The name of the firm after the consolidation was 
Vanderhoven & Webb. Mr. Webb was an affable, 
popular business man, and from this time on, with 
the exception of occiisional libel suits, natural re- 
sults of Mr. Vanderhoven's style of journalism, a 
degree of unprecedented prosperity settled down upon 



the Guardian establishment. The business was all 
consolidated in the one office on the corner of Broad- 
way and Main Street, its facilities enlarged, and the 
circulation and business of the concern increased, 
till it became a very profitable establishment. 

In 1872, Messrs C. M. & A. Herrick, of the New 
York Atlas, desiring to invest in a provincial journal, 
were induced to visit the Guardian establishment, and 
thinking it a good opportunity, ofl'ered Vanderhoven 
& Webb fifty thousand dollars for the paper. This 
offer was accepted, and the new firm took immediate 
possession. With ample capital and ripe experience 
in journalism, the new proprietors introduced im- 
provements in the mechanical department, and in- 
creased the facilities of the editorial department in a 
manner that soon put it on a more successful and in- 
fluential basis than ever before. They brought with 
them as assistant editor Mr. Hugh M. Herrick, a 
gentleman of many years' experience in journalistic 
and political life, whose editorial articles soon became 
recognized as authority far beyond the limits of the 
city and county, — a position he was able to assume on 
account of his wide personal experience with leading 
men of the day. The pajier was at the same time 
made less personal and more conservative in its tone, 
great care was put on its make-up and proof-reading, 
and it rapidly increased in prosperity, till it has now 
become one of the most extensively circulated and 
successful Democratic papers of the State. The 
junior member of the firm, Anson Herrick, died of a 
pulmonary complaint in 1878, and his brother. Carle- 
ton M. Herrick, succeeded him as sole proprietor, and 
has continued as such to the present time (1882). 
The still increasing prosperity of the paper is the 
best evidence of its being in good hands, and it has 
become a valua'ole property. The proprietor has pur- 
chased a part of the corner of the " Church Block 
building," on the corner of Broadway and Washing- 
ton Street (forty feet on Broadway and ninety feet on 
Washington Street), to which place the office will be 
removed in 1883, and it is the intention to make it 
the model newspaper establishment of the State of 
New Jersey. 

The Weekig Guardian, for country subscribers, is 
still issued, and published on Fridays. The Guardian 
is strictly and uncompromisingly Democratic, but in- 
dependent and outspoken in its views and opinions. 
A special feature is its telegraphic news, each even- 
ing's issue having the most important news from all 
parts of the world that appears in the New York 
papers of the following morning. The Guardian has 
long been a recognized authority on local events and 
city items, and that department of the paper has for 
many years been conducted by Joseph E. Crowell, 
who has been connected with the Daily Guardian, 
with the exception of a few years' absence in the war, 
and two years as proprietor of the Passaic City Herald, 
ever since the first issue of the paper. Until the 
spring of 1881, Mr. Crowell wrote all the locals alone, 



372 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



but since that date he hiis been assisted by Mr. Levi 
R. Trumbull, a newspaper writer of considerable ex- 
perience and untiring industry. Mr. Trumbull is the 
author of " The Industrial History of Paterson." 
Carleton M. Herrick, pr()i)rietor: Hugh M. Herrick, 
assistant editor; and Messrs. Crowell and Trumbull, 
of the local department, now comprise the editorial 
staff of the Guardian. John Stagg is superintendent 
of the mechanical and printing department, and 
James C. Sigler is foreman of the composing-room. 
This paper originated the system of employing female 
compositors when it was first commenced, and that 
has been the custom ever since. The wives of some 
of the most prominent men of Paterson to-day were 
formerly compositors in the Guardian office. The I 
present establishment is complete in all its branches, 
with a well-stocked job department and finely- 
ecjuipiiod press-room. The newspaper is printed on 
a double-cylinder Hoe press, made to order, capable 
of printing six thousand papers per hour. The pres- 
ent daily circulation of the Daily Guardian is three 
thousand copies. On occasions of special news or i 
excitement the edition runs up to four thousand, and 
even five thousand. 

The Paterson Daily and Weekly Preff was estab- 
lished Sept. ly, 18G3. It was the fruit of the labors 
of a few energetic Union men of the city, who 
wanted a newspaper to represent that sentiment in 
the great struggle for the life of the nation then pend- 
ing. The following is a copy of a printed circular 
sent out for their final meeting, which will show the 
purpose of the projectors of the paper : 

i^PrivaU and Cot^fidential.) 

" PatebSON, Aug. 12, 1803. 
*' Dk*r Sib,— a meeting of the Biitwcribera to the fund for eataMisliiiig 
in ttiis city a daily and wffkly payer, (leToted to t)ie support of tlie Kon- 
oml government in itM endeavor to put down the great Uet>ellion aguinst 
human freedom, will bi' held at Derrom'H Hall, West Street, this evening 
(We<ini'!tdRy),al eight o'clock, for the |>urpo8oof concluding ail necesjwry 
nrrnngementM for the Mime. 

*' It i« of the highest importance that ever; one should he present who 
haa promised or who desires to aid in this iiulisitonsahle enterprise. 
" By onier, 

" I.. R. STr.l.LE, Chairniau. 
"Jonit CooK»,Scer«(<ir^." 

It 8cems proper in a case like this that the names 
of these public-spirited stockholders should be put on 
permanent record. They were as follows, in amounts 
from five hiimlrcd ilolhirs to twenty-five dollars, the 
latter being the value of a single share: 

Darius Wells, K/.ra ()sbr>rne, James Dunn, Thomas 
Seager, the Machinists' .\8.sociation, James M. Sniylie, 
CharlcH Keeler, .Tohn Byard, W. & A. Stouten- 
borough, Charl(S( Danforth, Thomas Curtis, ( iarret I. 
Blauvelt, .lames .Fuckson, David (}. Scott, Henry C. 
Stimpson, David H. Ucaii, Henjamin Buckley, H. B. 
Crosby, F. C. Beckwilh, H<lwin T. I'rall, James 
Nightengale, .losiali P. Iliintoon, .rohnson Brothers, 
James Stiles, William A. Butler, .\. S. I'ennington, 
•John Swinburne, .lohn K<lwards, Andrew Moscr, D. 
Miller, Benjamin Crane, E. C. May, .\diim Carr, John 



Bentley, Jacob Mcrcelis, A. P. Fonda, R. B. More- 
head, C. M. K. Paulison, John J. Zabriskie, Robert 
Rennie, H. O. Hedge, William Gledhill, J. S. Chris- 
tie, John J. Brown, William H. McCully, James S- 
Whitfield, John C. Bensen, .Tames W. Hewson, Wil- 
liam S. Hudson, Henry M. Low, Ira Ryerson, Dr. 
Whitely, Louis R. Stelle, S. Tuttle, John Mortimer, 
Robert Handee, Isaac Van Blarcom, John Cooke, 
James Peacock, William Cooke, E. X. Stansbury, 
Eugene Ayers, E. B. King & Co., Peter Adams, Sher- 
man Jaqua, Nathaniel Lane, Richard Van Houten, 
John P. Post & Son. 

A capital of a little over six thousand dollars Wiis 
subscribed, with which presses and material were pur- 
chased. A publication office was secured at the south- 
west corner of Main Street and Broadway. No formal 
incor]ioration was entered into, but the publication of 
the pa|>er was confided to William Wright and (ieorge 
S. Chiswell, under a one year's lease at a nominal con- 
sideration, with the understanding that they should 
have the use of the capital and fixtures, and make 
what they could out of the business ; the only stipula- 
tion being that the paiicr should be an advocate of the 
principles of the I'nion Republican i)arty. These 
gentlemen began the publication of the paper, as be- 
fore stated, on Sept. 19, 1863, under the firm-name of 
Wright & Chiswell. The Daily Pretf issued on that 
date was a sheet twenty-two by twenty-eight inches in 
size, and the " Weekly'' the same size. 

Wn.l.IAM WiUiillTwasa native of Belfast, Ireland- 
He came to this country a young man of twenty-five, 
and engaged in school-teaching and literary ])ursuits. 
He was a man of remarkable energy, and a writer of 
great ability. X book he |>ublished on "The Oil 
Regions" exploded many fallacies pertaining to the 
excitement over the petroleum discoveries in Penn- 
svlvania. Before his connection with the Prcn as 
editor he had essayed the publication in Paterson of 
a little sheet called The Iron Home, and had also been 
engaged in editorial work on the New York Commer- 
cial Advertijicr, Xeir York Timen. New Yort Krrning 
Post, and other papers. He also edited a campaign 
sheet, called the Paterson Pr/iulilinin, in the Fremont 
campaign, and afterwards became associated with Mr. 
Orrin Vanderhoven in the editing of the Paterson 
Guardian, with which the Repuhlicnn was merged. 
One of his favorite themes was finance, and he was 
fond of descanting on that tojiic. His fund of gen- 
eral knowledge was prolific, and he ha<l a iiuaintncss 
of expression that gave a singular charm to his 
writings. He only remained editor of the /VeM 
' until Feb. 1, 18<>5, when he resigned that position, 
and was succeeded by George NN'urls, who was in- 
vited by a committee of the stockhohlers to assume 
editorial charge. Mr. Wright, after leaving the 
Pretf, wrote some interesting letters from the South- 
west for the Xew Yort Time*. He also undertook the 
establishment of a darling project in the publication 
of a magazine devoted to |K>litics, theology, sociology, 



THE NEWSPAPERS OF PASSAIC COUNTY. 



373 



and the industrial arts, called the Monthly Beview. 
Only four numbers had been issued, when the strong 
frame of Mr. Wright was laid on a bed of sickness, 
which soon culminated in his death, at his residence 
in this city, March 14, 1866. 

George S. Chiswell, who has most ably filled the 
responsible post of publisher and business manager 
of the Press from its inception to the present day, is 
a native of Paterson, having been born here on Jan. 
1, 1836. He learned the trade of a printer, partly in 
this cit)' and partly in New York, working on the 
Paterson Intelligencer, Guardian, etc. Mr. Chiswell's 
careful attention to the practical and mechanical work 
of tlie establishment has done very much towards es- 
tablishing the Press in the high position it now occu- 
pies. On the resignation of Mr. Wright, Mr. Chis- 
well entered into a copartnership with George Wurts, 
under the firm-name of Chiswell & Wurts. 

George Wurts was born at Easton, Pa., Sept. 13, 
1820. From very early life he devoted himself to lit- 
erary pursuits. His first journalistic work was done 
for the Newark- Adrertiser, in 1861, just at the begin- 
ning of the civil war. After a short service on the 
reporters' staff of the Advertiser, he accepted an en- 
gagement as reporter on the .yeunrk Mercury, and 
soon became its editor. While engaged on this paper 
he corresponded for the New York Times and Erening 
Post. On the starting of the Brooklyn Union he be- 
came associate editor of that paper, retaining that 
position until, on Feb. 1, 186-5, he left it to assume 
his duties as editor of the Press. It is a somewhat 
notable coincidence that the Brooklyn Union and the 
Paterson Press were both started on the same day, 
and in almost precisely the same way, — by an asso- 
ciation of Union men. Mr. Wurts has remained edi- 
tor of the Press from the date mentioned to the pres- 
ent time, and during his incumbency the paper has 
risen to occupy a commanding position among the 
journals of the country. Besides his editorial work, 
Mr. Wurts has written considerably in prose and 
verse for some of the leading periodicals of our coun- 
try, including the old Knickerbocker Magnzine, Conti- 
nental Monthly, Harper's Magazine, Northern Monthly, 
Harper's Weekly, Sc-ribner's, etc. He was president of 
the New Jersey Editorial Association in 1876, and 
during the legislative sessions of 1880, 1881, and 18S2 
served as secretary of the New Jersey Senate. 

During the period of its existence the Press has 
been enlarged twice. It was increased on Jan. 1, 
1866, from its original size of twenty-two by twenty- 
eight to a sheet of twenty-four by thirty-six inches. 
On April 1, 1867, it was further expanded to twenty- 
eight by forty-two inches, at whicli size it still remains. 
The firm of Chiswell & Wurts, although bound by 
no agreement to do so, and all leases and other papers 
holding them having expired for years, nevertheless 
felt it a matter of honor to purchase the shares of 
stock held by the original subscribers, and did so from 
time to time until they had acquired them all. In 



course of time the business and property of the estab- 
lishment had increased to such an extent that it was 
thought by the jiartners advisable to form a stock 
company, which was done on the 1st of February, 
1881, the capital stock being seventy-five thousand 
dollars, all being held by Messrs. Chiswell and Wurts 

' and their respective wives. The title of the corpora- 
tion is " The Press Printing and Publishing Company," 
and its officers are as follows: President (also editor), 
George Wurts; Treasurer (also publisher), George S. 
Chiswell ; Secretary, Cornelius H. Stagg. The edi- 
torial and reportorial staff includes William L. R. 
Wurts, as.sistant editor; Charles A. Shriner, local edi- 
tor; Adolph W. Rotheim, city reporter; Orrin Van- 
derhoven, suburban reporter; C. H. Benson, legisla- 
tive reporter. Joseph Mosley and Albert W. Stagg 
have been foremen respectively of the newspaper and 

I job departments since the organization of the estab- 
lishment, with a brief interval in the case of the for- 
mer, spent in an attempt to start a new daily paper 
called the Bulletin. 

The publication office of the Press is now at 269 
Main Street, it having been removed thither from its 
original location on May 1, 1870. The three floors 
of the entire building are used. The counting-, com- 
position-, and press-rooms are among the finest and 
most commodious in New Jersey. The paper is printed 
on a double-cylinder Hoe machine, with a capacity of 
about four thousand per hour. 

Paterson has a large German population, and a 
sketch of the papers published in that language will 
be read with interest. In September, 1868, the An- 
zeiger fiir Paterson was started as a Republican weekly 
by Mr. Carl Petermann, and was printed at the office 
of the New Jersey Freie Zeitung of Newark. In Sep- 
tember, 1869, the Paterson Volksfreund, Democratic, 
was started by Max Miiller, and printed in the Guar- 
dian office. In 1871, Mr. Petermann sold the Anzei- 
ger to August P. Richter, and that gentleman, on Dec. 
26, 1871, took Charles D. Boeger into partnership. 
Jlr. Boeger bought a Gernum office in New York, and 
removed it to Paterson, and from that time the An- 
zeiger was printed in the latter city, in the rear of Mr. 
Dreher's house, No. 94 Market Street, and the press- 
work was done in the office of the Daily F^-eas. The 
name of the paper was then changed to the New Jer- 
sey Staats- Zeitung. In July, 1872, Mr. Richter sold 
his interest to Mr. Boeger. Mr. Miiller, of the Volks- 
freund, had in the mean time been prostrated with 
consumption (from which he subsequently died), and 
Mr. Boeger bought out the Volksfreund, and com- 
menced issuing it as a semi-weekly, and the New Jer- 
sey Staats- Zeitung was continued as an independent 
weekly paper. Mr. Boeger increased his business, till 
he was able to purchase the property at No. 94 Mar- 
ket Street, and he fitted up a complete office with im- 
proved machinery, and since 1877 the Volksfreund 
has been issued as a tri-weekly. It is the intention 

I shortly to change it into a daily. Another German 



374 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



paper, called the Pastaic County Journal, was started 
in 1877 by Otto Stutzback, but it did not prove suc- 
cessful, and after being run about eighteen months the 
Diatorial of the establishment was removed to New- 
York one night, and the paper never again appeared. 

Tlie Paterson /Mbor Standard was started by Jo.seph 
P. McDonnell on Sept. 28, 1878. For four years 
previously the Labor Standard was published in New 
York, and edited by Sir. McDonnell. The transfer 
of the paper to Paterson was mainly owing to the 
nine months' strike of the cotton-spinners employed 
by K. & H. Adams. Mr. McDonnell was the leader 
of this .strike, and at the request of the workingmen 
he moved to Paterson. About two weeks after the 
first issue of the paper Mr. McDonnell was indicted 
by the grand jury for libel, the charge against him 
being the use of the word "scab'" in relation to the 
persons who filled the places of the striking cotton oper- 
ators. Mr. McDonnell was tried and convicted, and 
sentenced by the court to pay a fine of five hundred 
dollars and costs. The fine was immediately paid 
voluntarily by the people whose cause he had been 
espousing. In February, 1880, Mr. McDonnell was 
again tried for libel, the charge being that he pub- 
lished a letter from Michael Wenton, a brick-maker 
in the brickyard of Clark & Van Blarcom, at Sin- 
gac, in which it wius stated that the men were over- 
worked and starved, and housed in places no better 
than pigstys. Michael Wcnton, the author, was tried 
with Jlr. McDonnell, and both were found guilty and 
sentenced by the court to two months' imprisonment 
in the county jail and to pay costs of court. During 
his imprisonment Mr. McDonnell continued to edit 
his paper from the county jail, and on his release, on 
A|)ril 1, 1880, there was a great popular ovation 
tendered him. The Labor Standurd wjis made an 
organ of the county government, and in 1881 was 
appointed lus one of the State papers to print the laws, 
etc. It is independent in politics, supporting men of 
either party who favor labor measures. It is a special 
advocate of trade-unionism, reiluction of the hours 
of labor, and increa.sed wages, and has very promi- 
nent men on its corps of contributors. The Paterson 
Family Herald is a weekly paper, issued from the 
office of the iMhor Standard, and under the same pro- 
prietorship. It was startt'd on .Jan. 1, l.ss], and is 
devoted to family literature. 

The llninr .Imiriinl is a temperance paper, started 
in 18K1, and edited by W. II. H. IJartram, ostensibly | 
published weekly, but really issued at the convenience 
of the publisher. 

There is a large Holland element in Palei-son, and , 
they receive their intelligence from home through the 
columns of ilu- Trlfiiraph, a weekly paper, started in 
the early part of 1881, andeilited by llmry Heewkes. 

The Bulletin, a daily paper, published by Mosley 
& C'router, was run for several months in 187<!-77, 
but after a precarious and unsuccessful career sank 
into oblivion. 



There have from time to time been other publica- 
tions of a transient nature issued in Paterson, but the 
above comprise all that can legitimately come under 
the head of " newspapers." 

The Piumiic Citij Item (weekly) was .started on .July 
9, 1880, by Alfred Speer, and was the first |)aper ever 
issued in that place. Mr. Speer, who had no previ- 
ous experience in journalism, apparently made the 
venture successful, for the paper has been published 
regularly ever since. 

When Mr. Orrin Vanderhoven sold out his interest 
in the Paterson O'narilian, he built an otlice in Passaic 
City, and started the Patsaic Citij Herald (weekly). 
In 186(5-67, Joseph E. Crowell, of the Guardian, was 
his partner, after which he returned to his old posi- 
tion on the Paterson paper. In 188], Mr. Vander- 
hoven took another ]mrtner, anil the i>aper is now pub- 
lished by Vanderhoven A Morris. The first part of 
the Herald':! existence was disastrous, and many be- 
came ruined in damaging verdicts for libel suits, but 
latterly its career has been l&ss cloudy, and it now 
seems to be a successful publication. " Van," who so 
many years was a ruling spirit in Paterson journalism 
and State politics, is now getting advanced in years, 
but he bears his years lightly, and occasional outcrops 
of his old activity manifest themselves, and few men 
are more widely known throughout New Jersey. 
Generous to a fault, and with no idea of financial 
management, and an insatiable mania for speculating 
in real estate, he has made and lost a do/en fortunes, 
lie would neglect his business for a week to benefit a 
friend, and would leave his paper at any time to take 
a visitor out to show him the beautiful scenery and 
sights of the town with his own enthusiastic descrip- 
tion. " Van" has for many years been one of the 
" characters" of Paterson and vicinity. The Pa*»aic 
Daily viaa started on July 15, 1881, and is issued from 
the Herald establishment, but under dillerent man- 
agement, — an incorporated stock company. 

The Pii.i.iiiic City Daily Xeirs was the first daily 
paper of that place, and was started on -Xug. 1, 1877, 
John J. Frost and .\rtliur Sawyer being the jiroprie- 
tors. In (Jctober of the same year Mr. Frost retired 
from the firm, and it has been e<)ited and published 
by Mr. Sawyer since that date. It confines it.«elf 
strictly to local nuitter, and is independent in politics. 



CHAPTKH Mil. 

PASSAIC COUNTY IIIBLE SOCIETY. 

Tims society was organizeil as an auxiliary to the 
American Bible Society, at a meeting hebl in the 
Cro.ss Street Methodist Episcopal Church, Paterson, 
Aug. 31, 1846. Lewis .\tterbury, Sr., Esq., presided, 
and Kev. \V. H. Hornblower was chosen .secretary. 
The committee appointed to draft a constitution con- 



PASSAIC COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY. 



375 



sisted of Rev. Messrs. Weed and Reed, and Messrs. 
Horatio Moses, Absalom B. Woodruft', and Peregrine 
Sandfbrd, who reported a constitution wliicli wa.s 
unanimously adopted. 

The officers chosen for the ensuing year were 
John Colt, Esq., president; Rev. Ebenezer Wiggins, 
vice-president; E. Boudinot Atterbury, treasurer; 
Rev. W. H. Hornblower, secretary. The executive 
committee consisted of the secretary and treasurer, 
e.r-officio, and of James Jackson, Wright Flavel, Ben- 
jamin Buckley, Davis Miller, and A. W. Docson. 

The organization being thus completed the meeting 
adjourned. The society met for the first time, at the 
call of the executive committee, at the First Presby- 
terian Church in Paterson, on Sunday evening, Oct. 
4, 184(5. At this meeting were present Hon. Freder- 
ick T. Frelinghuysen, of Newark, and Rev. Noah 
Levings, D.D., financial secretary of the American 
Bible Society, who delivered addresses on the occasion. 
Messrs. John Colt, E. Boudinot Colt, and Richard Van 
Houten became life members at this meeting, so con- 
stituted by paying fifteen dollars each at one time, or 
twenty dollars iu two installments. These conditions 
were changed at the first annual meeting to ten dollars 
each for adults, and five dollars each for children, 
with a present of a Bible to the former worth one dol- 
lar and a half, and to the latter a pocket Bible worth 
one dollar. 

The first annual report of the executive committee 
was made April 13, 1847. The committee had estab- 
lished a depository at the book-store of Mr. Milton 
Scars, in Paterson ; Rev. H. T. Hopkins had been ap- 
pointed colporteur for Pater.son and vicinity, and 
Bibles and Testaments had been sold to the amount 
of $27.04. It was reported that the colporteur had 
visited every family in Paterson, Dublin, Sandy Hill, 
and Manchester, — 1964 families, of whom 3.39 were 
Roman Catholics. Out of 1625 Protestant families 
visited, only 33 were found destitute of the Bible, and 
17 too poor to purchase it for themselves. Of course 
these were supplied gratuitously. One item men- 
tioned by the colporteur is that he found only " nine 
professed Protestants who totally rejected the Bible." 
He sold during the year 93 Bibles and 1.^2 Testaments, 
amounting to the sum of $80.57. 

The treasurer's account showed that the whole 
amount of donations for the year w.as .$119.07 ; amount 
of sales, $108.12; total, $227.19. Expended for books, 
$164.83 ; colportage, $44.95 ; total expenditure, $209.78 ; 
balance in treasury, $17.41. 

A Pompton township branch was organized April 
9, 1823.' On the 1st of February, 1847, this branch 
society was reorganized, and made auxiliary to the 
Passaic County Bible Society, with the following 
officers : Rev. Horace Doolittle, president ; Charles 
Board, vice-president; Cnarles D. Norton, secretary ; 
and John V. Beam, treasurer. This society was 

1 Organized at the church in Bingwood. 



composed of such men, in addition to the officers 
above named, as Jacob M. Ryerson, Joseph Board, 
Thomas Wallace, Peter M. Ryerson, John P. Whitte- 
more, George W. Colfax, M. J. Ryerson, Thomas R. 
Hill, Daniel Blauvelt, Cornelius Schuyler, and others, 
and was an active and useful organization. During 
the first few years of its existence " the township was 
thoroughly explored and plentifully supplied with 
Bibles and Testaments, besides liberal donations from 
time to time were paid over to the American Bible 
Society." " We therefore," says the report made at 
its reorganization, " look back, and with great pleasure 
acknowledge the venerable origin of this society, and 
revive the record of its benevolent labors in circula- 
ting the good word of God." 

At that date (1847) the Pompton society numbered 
fifty-two annual members, who had become such upon 
the payment of fifty cents each. 

The Passaic County Bible Society has now been in 
existence thirty-five years. To give a detailed report 
of its active labors from year to year during this en- 
tire period would consume more space than we have 
at command ; we must, therefore, be content with a 
few summary statements. During the war of the 
Rebellion the society furnished pocket New Testa- 
ments in large numbers to the soldiers serving in the 
army from this county. The annual report, Nov. 
5, 1862, speaks of this work as follows: "The great 
work of our society during the past year has been the 
distribution of Testaments and Psalms among our 
soldiers. There have been given, at the expense of 
this society, to volunteers from the county of Passaic 
about fifteen hundred volumes, at the cost of (say) 
three hundred and seventy-five dollars. The contri- 
butions to the funds of our society have been fully 
equal to those of former years, and in some cases 
have been larger than ever before." In the report for 
1863 we find further allusion to the subject of New 
Testaments for the soldiers : " The whole number of 
men enlisted in Passaic County from the commence- 
ment of the war up to Aug. 7, 1863, is eleven hundred 
and fifty-nine. All of these have been supplied with 
Testaments." 

At the annual meeting in 1862 the society expressed 
its deep sense of loss in the death of its venerable 
and beloved president. Rev. W. R. Bogardus, who 
had served the society for many years as its chief 
officer ; of the Hon. Theodore Frelinghuysen, for six- 
teen years president of the American Bible Society, 
and of Rev. John C. Brigham, D.D., for thirty-six 
years corresponding secretary of that institution ; and 
resolved that, in view of the example and earnest 
services of these men in the dift'usion of the Scrip- 
tures, the society felt called upon to renewed dili- 
gence in the good work. 

Chaplain Francis E. Butler having died in the 
service of his country, the society, at its annual meet- 
ing in Paterson, Nov. 12, 1863, appointed a committee, 
who reported the following : 



37i; 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



" lte*olmt. That in the uiiUmely death by the casualties of war of 
Rev. Francis K. Butler, late the efficient and t^loved chaplain of the 
Twenty-fifth Regiment N. J. Vols., our society has lost an able advocate, 
whose manly Christian character was an ornament tu the church of 
Christ, and the memory of whose virtues will long be cherished by all 
who knew him." 

The death of President Lineoln was made the ocxa- 
sion, at the annual meeting of the soeiety in Septem- 
ber, 1865, for the adoption of the following brief 
record : 

" mitrtiU, We recall with gratitude the favors and fiicilitles received 
by the American Bible Society from our lamente<l lute President, Abra- 
ham Lincoln, in sending the Holy Scriptures, by means of government 
transportation, through the lines of our armies to the Southern States 
and churches; therefore, 

" Setotvtd, That it is becoming in us tu make this record of our sorrow 
on account «if the death of our President, an event that has shadowed 
and saddened our hearts amirlst tlie joy of returning peace." 

The presidents of the society have been as follows: 
John Colt, Est]., 1846 ; Rev. Ehenezer Wiggins, 1847 ; 
Rev. William R. Bogardus, 1848-61 ; Rev. John Gas- 
ton, 1861; Dr. John M. Howe, 1862; Col. Benjamin 
Ayerigg, 1863-^38; Hon. .Martin J. Ryerson, 1868-71; 
John Cooke, 1871-73; John C. Vandervoort, 1873; 
Rev. J. H. Duryea, D.D., 1.H74; Rev. David Magie, 
D.D., 187.^; Rev. T. Walters, 1876; Rev. J. H. Dur- 
yea, D.D., 1877-79; Rev. Marshall B.Smith, 1879-81. 

The following have been the secretaries of the so- 
ciety : Rev. W. H. Hornblower, 1846-.'il ; Rev. Ste- 
phen Ward, 1851-.32; Rev. Michael Ellison, 1853-5.'"); 
Rev. James M. Freeman, I8.').'); Kev. Thomas H. 
Smith, ]X,56; J<din H. Hobinson, 1857-61 ; Rev. W. 
H. Hornblower, 18til-6S ; Rev. Mason Gallagher, 
1868-70 ; Rev. J. L. Hurlbut, 1870 ; Rev. J. H. Fitz- | 
gerald, 1871; Rev. David Magie, D.D., 1872; Rev. 
G. J. Van Neste, 1873-75; Rev. W. N. Searles, 1875- 
77; Rev. Charles D. Shaw, D.D., 1877-81. 

The following have served the society as treasurers 
since its organization : E. Boudinot .Vtterbury, Esq., 
1846; James Jackson, 1847-51 ; Edward Clark, 1851- 
56 ; John Cook, 18.56-66 ; John Mortimer, 1866-76 ; J. 
C. Christie, 1876-81. 



CHAPTER 1,1V. 
ACQI'ACKANONK (CITY OF PASSAIC). 

General Description. — The present township of 
Ac<|iiackanonk is a small piece of territory comparcil 
with its originiil area. In 1693, the dale of its erec- 
tion as a municipality in Essex County, it contained 
all that portion of the present cminly of Pa.s.saic lying 
on the southwest of the l'a.s.snic River, embracing 
what are now the First and Second Wards of the city 
of I'alerson, the city of Pa.s.saic, the t<>wtishi)i of Little 
Falls, and the township of Acquackanonk. Paterson 
— that part of the present city .southwest of the river 
— was set off as the " township of Paterson" in 1831, 
and Acquackanonk was still further reduced by the 



erection of Little Falls from its territory in 1868, and 
the incorporated village of Passaic in 1871. The lat- 
ter was raised to the dignity of a city in 1873. Thus 
the several steps appear in the reduction of the an- 
cient town of Ac(|U!ickanoiik to it-s prtsent dimen- 
sions. It is now a i)iece of territory nearly in the 
shape of the letter A, with its apex taken otT by the 
Little Falls line on the west, its two feet resting on 
the Passaic River, eastward, and intervening between 
them the city of Pa.«saic, taken out of the former 
territory of the township, and resting also on the Pas- 
saic River. The southeastern and northeastern lines 
of the township are straight lines, the former separa- 
ting it from Essex County, and the latter from the 
township of Little Falls. The area of the present 
township is about twelve square miles, or seven thou- 
sand four hundred and forty acres. 

Physical Features. — .Vcquackanonk lies in that 
section of the triiissic or red sandstone formation on 
the east of the First Mountain, being included be- 
tween the latter and the Passaic River. It is there- 
fore chiefly a sandy |ilain, with the exception of the 
hills which lie along the river and the |)ortion of the 
First Mountain along its western boundary. The 
Passaic River flows along its eastern side, forming 
rapids, which are extensively utilized for mills and 
manufactories as far down as the old " Landing," 
which was anciently the head of navigation from 
Newark B.iy. The soil is goixl farming and fruit- 
land, anil its desirableness for homes attracted settlerM 
at an early time from Bergen, New York, and Newark. 

Name of the Township. — According to Heckewel- 
dcr, as ijuoteil in Gordon's '"Gazetteer," the name 
Acquackanonk signifies "a place where gum-blocks 
are made for grinding corn." If this be the correct 
origin of the word, the Indians may have used blocks 
made of the gum-tree for the jiurpose of crushing or 
grinding their corn, as they used flat .stones, and some- 
times stones hollowed out like mortars, for that pur- 
pose. This is the only authority we have tis to the 
meaning of the name .\cquackaiioiik, and we confess 
it appears to us rather doubtful. Like most Indian 
names in the early records, we tiiid this spelled in a 
great variety of ways. We give as examples only 
five or six, as follows: Haque<)uenunck, Achquacku- 
nunk, Hockquackanong, .Vchqiiegenouch, Ac(|Ueqne- 

nOllIlL', Aqllikiillnllg. 

Early Settlement. -In tliis townsliip was made 
the first .settlement by Europeans in what is now 
Passaic County. The fi)llowing litis been furnishetl 
by a careful historian, William Nelson, Esq., of Pater- 
son : " The first real estate transaction relating to 
property within the present limits of Passaic County 
occurred in Ili7S, when an Indian chief .-old what is 
now known as the Dumlie Islaml ithen called .Mcne- 
henicke) tu Hartman Michiel.sen, an enterprising 
Dutchman from the town of Bergen. Hartman per- 
fected his title in 1685 by getting a jiatent from the 
East Jersey proprietaries, he agreeing to pay for the 



CITY OF PASSAIC. 



■All 



island the munificent yearly quit-rent of 'one fatt 
henn." In tl\e former year, also, Christopher Hoogh- 
laud, a Now York merchant, bought a tract of two 
hundred and seventy-eight acres in the present city of 
Passaic, selling out two years later to Hartman 
Michielsen. The latter having thus become interested 
in the locality, induced a number of his neighbors at 
Bergen to join with him in the purchase of a large 
tract all along the river up to the Falls. March 28, 
1679, tiiey bought of the Indians the coveted terri- 
tory, paying for it in ' coats, blankets, kettles, powder, 
and other goods,' and on March 16, 1684 (168.5, N. S.), 
they received a patent for the land from the East 
Jersey proprietaries.' This deed was nominally for 
five thousand five hundred and twenty acres, but the 
bounds described actually comprise twice that area, 
to wit: from the Third River up the Passaic to the 
Falls, thence to Garret Keck, and along the face of 
the steep rocks southwesterly to the present county 
line, thence to the mouth of the Third River. This 
tract was called 'Haquequenunck,' a name still sub- 
stantially preserved, after innumerable vicissitudes of 
orthograpliy, in the title of the present Acquackanonk 
township. . . . The Acquackanonk patentees were 
Hans Diedricks, Garret Garrctsen, Walling Jacobs, 
Elias Michielsen, Hartman Michielsen, Johannes 
Michielsen, Cornelius Michielsen, Adrian Post, Urian 
Tomassen, Cornelius Roelofsen, Symon Jacobs, John 
Hendrick Speare, Cornelius Tubbers, Abraham 
Bookey, — fourteen in all. 

" Diedricks was quite a prominent citizen of Bergen, 
and did not remove from there. Garretsen (the son 
of Garret) came from the town of Wageningen, in 
Holland, whence he and his children were often 
spoken of as Van (from) Wageningen, whence Van 
Wagoner; others of his descendants retained the 
name Garretsen, now generally called Garrison. 
Walling and Simon Jacobs were sons of Jacob 
Jacobs, of Bergen, and their de.scendants are the 
numerous Van Winkles. The Michielsens were sons 
of Michiel Jansen, quite a noted man in his day, who 
first settled at Rensselaerwick, then at New York, and 
then at Communipaw. His descendant.* took the name 
of Vreeland. Adrian Post was the son of Capt. 
Adrian, who came to this country in charge of a col- 
ony to settle on Staten Lsland, but he afterwards lo- 
cated on Bergen Point. Urian Tomassen is the ancestor 
of the very many Van Ripers in Passaic and Bergen 
Counties. Cornelius Roelofsen (son of Roelof, or 



1 The above act of the [proprietaries seems to have been confirmed by 
the Governor and Council of East Jersey, May 30, 1684, for we find the 
following in the records of the Governor and Council of that date, page 
109: 

"The petilion of Hans Dedricke, Eliiw Mekellson, and Adrian Post, 
in behalfuftliemselves and other inhabitants of Aquaquanouncke, setting 
forth that they had purchased, by order of the late Governor Carteret, a 
tract of land containing five thousand five hundred and twenty acres, 
which is to be divided among fourteen families of them. Those settled 
pray that they may have a general Patent of the same. It is ordered 
that, the Indian sale being recorded, arrearages of Rent paid, a Patent 
be made and granted them at one half-penny per Acre yearly Bent." 



Ralph) was the progenitor of one branch of the Van 
Houtens, some of whom still occupy land in Acquack- 
anonk, inherited from him. John Hendrick Speare 
has descendants in every part of the county, but par- 
ticularly in Passaic and Acquackanonk. The Van 
Blarcoms and Wester\-elts of tlie present day would 
scarcely recognize Cornelius Lubbers as an ancestral 
name, yet the former certainly, and the latter prob- 
ably, are lineal descendantsof that gentleman. Abra- 
ham Bookey was a weaver, but as the industrious 
Dutch vrouws did their own weaving, he soon re- 
moved from Acquackanonk to New York, and left 
none of his name in this county. 

" So much for the first property-owners in Passaic 
County. They probably took possession of their pur- 
chase in the autumn of 1683, and possibly a year 
earlier. Their settlement was made along the river- 
bank, up as far as the present Main Avenue bridge 
in Passaic, fourteen farms of equal size (about one 
hundred acres) being laid out along the river, and 
allotted by mutual agreement to the several patentees. 
The rest of the tract was similarly apportioned from 
time to time as the settlement grew until 1714, when 
the last division was made. Some of the ancient di- 
vision lines between these tracts retained until very 
recently their Dutch name of divaarsUjn, corru[)ted 
into.' cross-line.' One of them runs through Acquack- 
anonk township, about half-way between the river 
and the mountain. York Avenue (now East Eigh- 
teenth Street) in Paterson was another. Broadway 
and Willis Streets in Paterson mark the division 
lines between farms laid out a century and a half 
ago. 

" Acquackanonk, being at the head of navigation 
on the Passaic, very early acquired considerable com- 
mercial importance, and was the ' Landing' where sup- 
plies were received from sloops for a territory extend- 
ing as far northwest as Orange County, N. Y. The 
agricultural, mineral, and manufactured products of 
the interior were shipped at the same place for New 
Y''ork City. This commercial supremacy was enjoyed 
for perhaps a century ; the completion of the Paterson 
and Hudson River Railroad in 1832 was a fatal blow 
to this great interest, but there are sanguine people 
who still fondly hope to one day see Passaic once 
more a great ' port of entry. " 

The Hoag'land Patent. — The following is a copy 
of the Hoagland Patent, received from Sir George 
Carteret, the original proprietor, who received his 
title from the Duke of York : 

" I, George Carteret, Knight and Baronet, have given and granted to 
Christopher Hoogland two tracts of land lying and being at Haquicke- 
nock on tlie Pisawack Eiver, to wit; 

"First, one hundred and fifty acres of land, beginning at a stake 
planted by a small fall or small brook ; thence running N., as the little 
fall or brook runs, 42 chains to a tree in the swamp (low ground) marked 
on four sides, standing by the little fall or brook ; thence running E. N. E. 
18 chains toa stump marked on four sides, standing by the road; thence 
running south 29 chains to a stake marked on four sides, stauding by an 
Indian burial-place; thence running east 30 chains along the bank of 
the river past an Indian hut ; thence running south 35 chains to the 



378 



HISTORY OF BKKGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



poiot of tlio neck; tlience runniug northweet by west 4<> chains to tlio 
(itake) place of begiDtifng. Bouiide*! Kouth and eaut l»y the I'isawack 
River, west by a mnall briK>k ur Tall, and north in part by land not yet 
Bunreyed, and In part by the «aid river. 

** Also 12U acres lying adjoining on tbe west siile of the aboTe-nien- 
tioneil brook or fall, Iwginuing at a tree In the swamp (low ground) 
standing in the (twtinip marked on 4 siden; thence running west south- 
west ^ cbnlns to twu whiteHHik trees marked ou4 8ide«; thence run- 
ning ftoiith 40 ctiains to a blnck^'ak tree marke^l on 4 sides with 4 cuts; 
thence running eai^t northeast 34 chaintt along said little brook or little fall 
to a stake planted on the top of a small hill or mountain ; and thence run- 
ning OS the little fall »r brook ruuH to the tlrst-uomed tree; bounded or > 
limited on the north, south, and west side by land not yet surveyed, and 
on the east by a smaU stream, as will better appear in a sketch of the said 
tract ofland hereunto annexed; tbe whole containing 278 acres English 
measure. Which two tracts of land he, the said Christopher Hooglandl, 
shall have and hold to himself, hit* heirs and awigus forever; giving 
and paying yearly to the said proprietor, hif heirs and assigns, un every 
25th day of Munh, Hccording to Engliith reckoning, a liatf-|>enny lawful 
Kngliflh money for each and every of the said acres, or the equivalent 
thereof in such current payment as the cttunlry gives as the mercantile 
price for the value of English money; the first payment of wliich said i 
rent shall l>egln from the 25th of March, which shall be in the year of 
our Lord 1680. 

" Given, etc., the 15th day of July, in the Year of our Lord 1678, and 
iu the 30th year of the Reign of Charles II., etc." 

This copy has the following memoranda indorsed I 
upon it: 

'• Yearly rent 11 shillings, 7 pence sterling. Bullen's second Record 
Pattent, page ful. 4. I 

"Translnteil from a copy which is supposed to be a Dutch translation I 
of the Knglisli original ; but the copy is iterhaps \W to 15(1 years old, i 
perhaps contemporaneous with the original.** 

Tliis patent, known in later years as the Stoffel's 
Point* Patent, contained two hundred and seventy- 
eight acres, and embraced that portion of the present 
city of Passaic bounded north by Monroe Street, east 
by the Passaic River, west by Prospect Street to the ! 
Rig Rock, and on the soutli by a line running eiist- 
ward fnini I5ig Roek to the Passaic River. It wjis 
sold to Hartman Michielsen (son of Michiel). At , 
the time this patent was located (1(>78) no other land I 
had been surveyed in the vicinity, for the patent says, j 
"bounded or limited on t!ie nortli, south, and west 
side by land not yet surveyed." 

We insert also in this conncetion, :is part (tf the 
historical record of that early time, the patent to the 
fourteen original proprietors. It is in the words fol- 
lowing, to wit : 

■'This iNni.NTtkr. made the XVth of March. Anno Dm. UIS4. and in 
the XXXVIth year of the reign of our Soverelgne U>nl King Charles 
the Second over Enghtnd. etc., Between the I.^ird» Proprietors of the 
Province of l^liut Now Jerney of the one |»art and Hans Dliderick, Cnr- 
ret (iarretson, Walling Jacd*. Kliiu Machiolwm, Hartman Miichtelson, 
Johannes Miichiolstn, 0»rnellui Machielsen, Adri.tn Post. I'rian Toma- 
•on, C^irneltnii Ib'wtMfHxn. Synion .laoob^ .lohn H.udrick SjK'nre, C4)rne- 
liu* Lub.ni.ond Abraham ll.H>kry. of the other part, witneaaeth that the 
wild I>ords Proprlebjm, as well for and In consideration of the sum of 
rifty p.iund» i»l*'rling money in hand paid by tbe said Hans Dlederlck. 
(inrret (iarretaon. Walling Jatobs, Elhw Machlelaon, Hartman Machlel- 
•on. .lohannca Machlelsttu, Cornelius Machiotsitn. Adrian P<«l, Urian 
Tomason, Cornelius R^iwlofaon, Symon Jacnl«, John Hendrick Speare, 
Cornelius I,ul»er*. and Abraham Hotkey, t." the (Jovernor of the aald 
Pro>lnro, to and for the use of the said I'n.priet-irs thereof, the sum 
Iwlng In full pa) ninnt and din* hartie of nil iirrears of quit-rent* fur Uie 
lands hereafter granted, Uio receipt whereof the said (iovernor doUi 

> "Stoffel." Iwing the Dutch for ClirliUipher, this lllle is taken from 
Christopher HoaglaDd, theoriglDal patentee. 



hereby acknowledge, and there<if and of every part and parcel thereof 
doth acquit and discharge them and every of them, as also for the rents 
and services hereinafter reserved, have aliene<l. granted, bargained, and 
sold, and by these jiresents do alien, grant, l>argaln, and m^H unto the 
aaid Huns Diederick, (iarret (larretson. Walling Jacobs, Eliaa 3lachlel- 
seii, Hartman Machielsen, Johannes Machielsen. Cornelius Machielsen. 
Adrian Potft, I'riau Toiuas^en, Cornelius Row]of»en, Symon JacoUsJolin 
Hendrick Speare, Cornelius Lubl^rs, and Abraham Hookey, and their 
heirs and assigns, a certain tract of land, situate. lyeing,an<l bidng upon 
the Pissaic River, in the county of E«sex, and calhnl and known by the 
name of Haguequenunck : Beginning at tbe Northennost Umnds of the 
town of Xewark, and so running fi-om the lowest part to the uppermost 
part thereof, as far as the steep rocks or mountains, and frvm the aaid 
lowermost part along PIsaick river to the Great Falls thereof, and to 
along the steep rocks and mountain to the uppermost part of Kewark 
bounds aforeimid, as It Ih more plainly demonolrateil by a chart or 
draught thereof, made by the late Surveyor-fieneral, together with all 
rivers, ponds, creeks, isles, islands (Hartman 's Island, which |iarticularly 
belongs to Hartman Muchielson, only cxcepledi.and also all inlets, l»ays, 
swamjis, nmrxhe.'i, nieudows, {tnsture-flelds, fences.- woods, underwoods, 
fishings, hawkings, huntings, fowlings, and all other appurtenanci-« 
whatsoever thereunto belonging and appertaining (half jwrt of the gidd 
and silver mines, and the r\>>'alties of Uie Lords Proprietors also ex> 
cepted): To have and to hold the said tntct of land and premises, and 
every part and jurcel of the same, to them the said Hans Die^leriik.ttor* 
ret (iarretson. Walling Jacot»s, Ellas Machielrieii, Hartman Machielsen, 
Johannes Machielsen, Cornelius Maihielsen, Adrian Pont, I'riaD Tomas- 
sen, Corneliufi Rowlofson, Syniou Jacobson, John Hendrick Speare, 
Cornelius Lubbers, and Abraham B«H>key, their hein and assigns, and 
to the use of them, their heirs and assigns forever, to be holden In fee, 
and common soccage of them the Lords Pmpriotors, their heirs and a»- 
algns, as of the selgnory of East Greenwich, yielding and |>aying there- 
for yearly unto the aald Lords Pniprielorv, their heirs and assigns the 
chlefe or quit*rent of fourteen (Kiunds of sterling money, or the value 
thereof yearly Atr the N«id tnict of land upon every five and twentieth 
day of March forever hereafter in lieu and stejid of the half-penny |^r 
aero mentioned in the Concessions, and in lieu and stea<l of all other 
service** and doniand;* whatsoever: the firvt payment to be made upon 
the 25th day of March, which shall l>e in the year of our LonI one 
thousand six hundred and eighty -elx. And the said Hans Dietlerick, Gar- 
ret Garretseii, Walling Jacob*. Elins Machielsen, Hnrtnuin Machiels4>n, 
Johannes Machielsen, (\>rnelius Machielsen, Adrian IV>st, I'rian Tomas- 
sen, Cumeliiis Rowlofsen. Synion Jac<^>bs, John Hendrick S|H>are, Cor- 
nelius Lubber, and Abraham B<.>okey do hereby for themselvee, their 
heirs anti a^Nigns, covenant, promise, and agree to and with the said Lords 
Proprietors, their helis and iuw<igns, that they, tliclr heln< and assigns 
shall well and truly pay or cause to be paid unto the said lAtrds Proprietors, 
their heirs or iissigns the said yearly ch)efeori|uit-rent of fuurteen pounds 
sterling money or the value there^tf for the said tract of land, at or upon 
the five and twentieth day of March every year forever hereafter lo the 
Receiver General which shall from time to lime l>e appointed by the said 
Lords Proprietors, their heirs or asKigns, without fraud, ci>vine,or delay : 
ProvidisI, always, that if the said yearly tlef or quit-rent shall tie ttehlnd 
an<l unpaid, iu part or in nil. at any of the days or times u|>«.m which 
the same irt to be paid as aforesaid, that then and so often, it shall and 
may U' lawful to and for the LiTds Proprietors and their heiis by their 
or any of their servants, agents, or aasigns, ten days a^er such neglci't 
or non-puynient of the said chiefe or quit-rent, into the aforesaid lands, 
with all the appurtenances, or into any part or imrcel thereof, to enter 
and there destn\ln, and the dlfitrew or disti eases then taken to lead, 
drive, carry away, Impountl.and In their cust^Mly to detain until the said 
yearly chiefe or quit-rent s«> being l»e)iind and un|iaid, together with all 
costs and cluirgeft nf such distress and imiK>undlng sliall l>e fully |>aid 
and coutente<l to the said Lord!> Proprietop*, their heirs and assigns. 

In Witm:s!« whereof, the l>eputy Governor of this pp'Vinco and the 
niiOor i>Hrt of his council for the time being, to one |iHrt,have sutwcrltied 
their names and affixed the common seal of tlie said Province, and to 
the other part hereof Uie aaid Hans Deidrr4>ck, Garret Garretmm, Wal- 
ling Jacol*, EliaM MachlelMUi, Harlntan Macbielson, Johannes Machiel- 
son, I'ornetlus 31ai:liiels»n, Adrian Post. Urian Tomaaon, Cornelius Ut>w- 
lofson, Symon Jarol«, John Hendrick Speare. Cornelius Lubber, and 
Abraham Bookey have Interchangeably oet their han<ls and Keats the 
ilay and year flmt above written. 

> Reference is probably here ma<le to the Impntvementa made by stime 
of the |witentee«, iia they had had |KM«esaion under their Indian deed 
alMUt cIoTen year* preceding the date of t)ii- patent. 



CITY OF PASSAIC. 



379 



*' Gawen Laurie, Thomas Codrington, Isaac Kingsland, Benjamin 
Price, Henry Lyon, Jjinies Emott, Dep. Sec^tj. 

'' Memnrandnm. — That it was mutually agreed by and between all the 
said parties to the within-mentioned patent, before the signing and seal- 
ing of the same, that a neck of land lying within the bounds of this 
patent, containing two hundred and seventy-eight acres, called and 
known by the name of Stofell's Point, formerly patented to one Chris- 
topher Iloagland, and since sold to the withio-named Hartuian Machiel- 
son & Company, be also excepted out of this patent or grant, and it is 
hereby accordingly excepted, 

"Gawen Laurie, Thomas Codrington, Isaac Kingsland, Benjamin 
Price, James Emott, Dep. Sec^y., William Saodfurd. 

" State of New Jersey : 

" I, Thomas S. Allison, Secretary of the State of New Jersey, do hereby 
certify that the foregoing is a true copy of a deed recorded 
[seal.] in Liber A of Deeds, and page 1C4, as taken from and com- 
pared with tlie original record in my office. 
" In testimony whereof I have hereuntti set my hand and affixed my 
seal of office at Trenton this seventeenth day of April, eighteen hundred 
and fifty-tive. 

"Thos. S. Allison, 

"Sec. of Stale:'' 

Acquackanonk in 1778. — An officer of the Revo- 
lutionary i^rniy, who passed through Acquackanonk 
and Paramus in 1778, gives the following statement, 
which we quote from Barber and Howe's " Historical 
Collections of New Jersey": 

"Tliese towns are chiefly inhabited by Dutch people; their churches 
and dwelling-houses are built of rough stone, one story high. There is 
a peculiar neatness in the apjieai'ance of their dwellings, having an airy 
piazza supported by pillars in front, and their kitchen connected at the 
ends in the form of wings. The land is remarkably level, and the soil 
fertile, and being generally advantageously cultivated, the people ap- 
pear to enjoy euse and a happy competency. The furniture in their 
houses is of the most ordinary kind, ancl such as might be supposed to 
accord with the fashion of the days of Queen Anne. They despise the 
Bnperfluities of life, and are ambitious tt.) appear always neat and cleanly, 
and never to complain of an eujpty purse." 

Development of the Water-Power at Passaic— 

Along the immense water-power ot" this section of 
the Passaic River were located the farms of the early 
Dutch settlers more than two hundred years ago. 
They were a conservative, agricultural people, each 
devoted to his moiety of the ancient patent, with 
little thought of developing the gigantic resources 
of the rapids which flowed along the borders of their 
quiet homesteads, save by the erection of a common 
grist- and saw-mill, which served the wants of the 
settlement for many generations. Precisely at what 
date the first mills of this description were erected we 
have no means of determining. Ti-adition says that 
Richard Banta owned mills early in the present cen- 
tury above tide-water on the Passaic, and that these 
mills had been built before he came into possession 
of the estate through his wife, whose name was Post. 
The first persons known to the laws of New Jersey 
who appear to have had a "shrewd eye" to the pros- 
pective advantages of the water-power in this section 
were John S. Van Winkle and Brant Van Blarcom, 
who in 1828 obtained an act of the Legislature entitled 
"An act authorizing John S. Van Winkle and Brant 
Van Blarcom, their heirs and assigns, to erect a dam 
across Passaic River." The act goes on to recite: 

" Wheri:as it has been represented to the Legislature of this State by 
the petition of John S. Van Winkle and Brant Van Blarcom and others 
that they are the owners and occupants of certain premises on which 



grist- and snw-mills are now erected on the Passaic River, about one 
mile above the tide-waters; that by the erection of a dam eight feet 
high at the site where the old dam is erected, or at some point between 
that Hud the island in the river immediately above the same, a water- 
power might be erected which may be made to be a valuable acquisition 
to that part of the counties of Bergen and Essex which are in its im- 
mediate vicinity, by erecting woiks upon an extensive scale, should the 
aid of the Legislatuie be obtained in promotion of their views: and as 
an improvement of this kind is called for by the landhnldeis on both 
sides of the said river, which does now already belong to the said John 
S. Van Winkle atid Brant Van Blarcom ; therefore, 

"1. Be it eitiu'ied by the Council and Geuertd Afsembhj uf this State, and it 
is hereby ewicled by the atUhfrify nf the smue. That it shall and may be 
lawful for the said John S. Van Winkle and Braut Van Blarcom, their 
heii-s and sissigus, or either of them, to build or erect and maintain a 
dam, not exceeding eight feet high, at the old site of their present dam 
on Passaic River, or between that and the island in the said river imme- 
diately above the same, and adjoining lands or privileges obtained by 
them, and to divert the waters of said river sutticiently to accommodato 
any mill, mills, or other water-works which they may see cause to make 
or erect; provided, they shall not enter upon the landsand tenements of 
any person or persons whatever witliout leave in writing first had and 
obtained of the owner or owners thereof: nor shall anything herein 
contained be construed as affecting or taking away the rights of any 
person or persons, body politic or corporate, whatsoever, if any such right 
or privilege now exists. 

"2. And be it enacted. That for the purpose of improving the naviga- 
tion of the Passaic Riverfromthetide-waters to Paterson, under any law 
now in force or hereafter to be enacted, the Legislature shall liavepnwer 
to authorize the construction of a lock or locks in the said dam, to be 
erected at the proper charge and expense of the person or persons erect- 
ing and constructing the same, their heirs or assigns ; provided alirays^ 
that in such case the said dam shall be raised and kept in repair by said 
persoi: or persons, their heirs and assigns, so as not to lessen the supply 
of water intended to be secured by the first section of this act, or if the 
same shall be thereby diminished, that the jierson or persons so erecting 
the t;aid lock or locks as aforesaid, their heirs or assigns, shall make full 
compensation in damages for the same to the said John S. Van Winkle 
and Braut Van Blarcom, their heirs or assigns." 

Messrs. Van Winkle and Van Blarcom made but 
little progress in the direction of carrying out the 
large plans foreshadowed in their charter. The want 
of capital was probably the great hindrance to their 
enterprise. However, they erected a wooden crib or 
dam across the river, began the excavation of a canal, 
and carried on operations on a limited scale for a few 
years. 

The Dundee Water-Power and Land Company. 
— In 183:^ the development of the water-power at- 
tracted the attention of several wealthy and enter- 
prising business men, chietiy of the town of Pomp- 
ton, then in Bergen County. Among them were 
Jacob M. Ryerson, Peter M. Ryerson, Russell Steb- 
bins, A. R. Thompson, and others. These gentlemen 
and their associates procured a charter from the 
Legislature in 1832, entitled "An act to incorporate 
the Dundee Manufacturing Company." As this com- 
pany is the same as that now known as the Dundee 
Water-Power and Land Company, it may be well to 
copy its original charter in full, and also to refer to 
some of the supplementary acts thereto. The charter 
of 1832 is in the words following : 

"An Act to incorporate the Dundee Mnnn/nclurinff Company. 
" 1. Be it enacted by the Council and General Anfembly of this Staff, and 
it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That Jacob M. Ryerson, 
Peter M. Ryerson, Russell Stebbins, A. R. Thompson, William Chase, 
and their associates shall be and are hereby incorporated and made a 
body politic by the name and style of 'The Dundee Manufacturing 



38U 



UISTOllY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Compttny,* aud eliall hare power tu raise by trulMcription, in sharM of 
fifty dolliira each, a capital of one )n)iulre<l and Afiy tbuueaud dollars; 
and thf said pt-rsuus above named, or nny tlin-)' of t)it.>ni, are hereby 
ap|K>intod cuDinii!b>ioneni to reci-ive HutwcriptKin fur the suid sum, by 
opening lKx>k8 for ttiat puriHMe at Pompton, in the county of Itergon, by 
giving public notice of the time and place of opening i<a.id boiikH ut tt-tutt 
Iwuweelcs previous, by advertisement in a newspaper printed at Newark, 
Palerson, and tlie city of New Yurk ; and a& soon as one thousjind shares 
shall be subscribed, the said cominii^siuners, orany three of theui, may, 
by public notice as aforesaid, call a meeting of the stockholders of said 
company for an election of fivp directors, nach of w hum shall be a stock- 
holder, to be vulvd fur by the >said stockholders according to their re- 
spective shares, in person or by proxy, the said commit«ioncrs, or any 
three of them, to be inspectors and Judges of. such first election; and 
the said direcloix when elected shall choose one of their number to be 
their president; and the directors of the said company shall annually 
thereafter, by public notice as aforesaid, call meetings of the stockhold- 
ers for election nf directors of sjiid company, and shall appoiut three of 
the stockholders, not being directors, as inspectors of such election ; suid 
directors shall continue in office until such election be complete, and 
Bhitll at all tiuDs have power to make by-laws for the government of 
said company, not repugnant to tlio laws of the I'nited States nor uf this 
State; and shall also have power to call in said stock as shall be re- 
quired, in installments of five dollars on each share, by giving public 
notice its aforesaid. 

"2. And bt it enacled^ Tliat the said company niay, for the purptwe 
of manufacturing iron, cotton, wool, and other article!*, tlie manufacture 
of which shall not be prohibited by the laws of this State, bu>', rent, and 
hold such lands, tenements, and water-power in the said con nty of Bergen, 
or otherwise to seize or liecome i>os8essed of,and hold or convey, any real 
or personal estate as may be necessary and useful fur thepuriHisusi afon^ 
said, and the same may sell, let, or otherwise dispose uf, as they shall 
deem iiroper; and that the suid company, by the said cor|K>rat<> mime, 
may sue and be t^ned, plead and be impleaded, iti all ct>nrts eslahlii^hetl by 
the cunstitntion or laws of this State; may have a couimon seal, and 
alter or renew the same at their pleasure; and shall have, enjoy, and 
exercise all the rights, p«>wer8, and i)rivileges pertaining to corpoiate 
bodies and necessary fur the puriHJses of this act. 

"3. And l>e U eiwflcd. That a dividend of the profits of the said com- 
pany shall l>e annually made by the said directors among the Ktuckiiold- 
ers of the Bind contfiany ; and the books of the said coni|>any shall at all 
times be op'<-n for the inspection of Miid stockholders. 

"4 And he it enacted. That the slock <tf the said cunipany shall be per- 
sonal property, and transferable u]H)n the hiHiks of said company; but 
that no |>arl of the funds of tliis company shall )>e used for t>anking, or 
other puqxtses not plainly indicated by the iirovisions of this act. 

"6. .-Irid be it enacted. That it may be lawful fur the Council and Gen- 
eral AHsembly of this State, for good cause, to repeal or mmlify this act 
OS Ihey shall think fit." 

I':.s.^f.| March 1-5, 1832. 

A .supplt'iiiL-ntal act, passed Feb. 18, 1833, provided 
" tliat the said company, for tne purposes mentioned 
in the second section of the act to which this is a 
supplement, may liuy, rent, take and hohl, or other- 
wise seize and hecome jioHsesseil of and hold all such 
lands, tenements, and water-power, and otlu-r real 
and personal estate in the county of Essex as may be 
necessary and useful for the purposes aforesaid, and 
the same may convey, sell, let, or otherwi.se dispose 
of, as they shall deem proper." This act empowered 
the company to declare all unpaid stock forfeited 
whirli •shotild remain unpaid for tliirly days after the 
tinn' appointed f«>r it,s payment by the directors; pro- 
vided for the election of the directors by ballot, and 
made it unlawful for the comj>any to divide or pay 
to the storkholdiTs any of the capital, or to diminish 
it in any way, without the consent of the Legisla- 
ture. 

The following act, passed in 18')8, shows what the 
company proposed, and the obligations they assumed 



with respect to the improvement of the navigation of 
the Passaic River: 



" Whreiit, The Dundee Manufacturing (^ni[>nny, in order more effect- 
ually U> carry out the objects of their incorporation, desire to improve 
the navigiition of the Passaic River t>etwcen the city of Paterson and the 
mouth of Weasel BriK)k, and to increase their capital stock, and it ap- 
pearing that it would be beneficial to the public that said navigation 
should be improved in the manner pn)|)osed ; therefore, 

" 1. Be U ciiactfd by Uie iSeuaie and Gnierat Assembly o/ Oi« State of Keir 
Jersey, That it shall and may l>e lawful for the Dundee Mannfacturing 
Company to improve the navigation of the river P.utsjtic between the 
mouth uf Wea^el Brook and some convenient iwlnt within the cor^Ktrate 
limits of tlie city of Pateraoti, by canal or canals, or iiy mating a slack- 
water navigation, or by Intth, as may from time |o time be deumeil neces- 
sary or useful, and to construct, make, erect, and execute? one or more 
canal or canals, ilam or dams, as may be necessary or useful to effect the 
improvement of the navigation of the said river in manner aforesaltl, 
which said canal or canals shall be at least eeventy-flve feet wide at 
water-line, and not to exc<wd one hundre^l and fifty feet in width, in- 
cluding enilinnkmenls.and the water therein to be at least four feet deep 
throughout. 

"2. And be it enncted, That it shall and may be lawful for the said 
company to construct, make, and execute towing-palhs, and all the 
jocks, works, devices, wharfs, toll-houses, and offices uecettsary or proi>er 
for the use of said i^anal or caiuils, dam or dams, and for the improve- 
ment of the navigation of said river in manner aforesaid: and It shall 
and may lie lawful for the said company, by theirpresidentand directors, 
and by any a^cnt, i-ngineer, superintendent, or contractor, ur any other 
person or persons employed in the services of >aid company, to enter, 
from time lo time ami at all tinres, upon all lands, w hether covered with 
water or not, fur the |mr|hi8o of exploring or surveying the route or 
routes for Slid canal or canals, and lucaiing the &tid dam or dams, and 
the Several oilier works aLK>ve s]>ecified, doing thereunto no unnecessary 
damage ; and when ttie Niid route or routes sinill have been fixe<l u|>on, 
and its several works located by the presiilent and directors of said com- 
pany, or a m^orit.v uf them, and a survey thereof, including such lands 
as they may desire to occupy ur overflow in the const i-uttion and main- 
tenance o( their siiid L-anid ur canals, dam or dams, or other woiks hereby 
authorized to be made and constructetl, de|Ktsile<l in the i»ffice of the 
secretary of state, then it shall and may be lawful fur ihem, and for any 
officer, agent, superintendent, engineer, contractor, or any iK-rsoii or jwr- 
sons employed in the service of ^aid coni|Ktny, at any time lu enter u|Hin, 
lake iMjssession of, have, hold, and use, all and ^ingular, such lands, 
waters, ami streams, subject to such cumpi'nsatio to l>e made therefor 
as is hereinafter directed; prvrided o/ir<i^K, that l>eforemid ct>m|miiy himll 
take, liuld, and uhe such lands, waters, and streams in manner aforesaid, 
except fur the pur|>ose of surveying said runte or mutes as aforesaid, they 
shall make payment, ur tender of payment, to the owner or owners there- 
of, uf conipeiitcitioti .'iri<l ilamage!< therefor, lu tw ascerlaineil and fixeil nn 
is hereinafter directed, unle]i>s the consent of such owner or owner* for 
that pur|H)<<e be first obtained. 

" :i. And he it enacted. That when the safd company, or its agents, can- 
not agree with the owner ur ownersof such re<piited land<t, watery, or 
streams, for the use or purcliase thereof, and the damages 8ustalne<l l>y 
such owner or owners, or when, by reason of the legal Incajiacity or 
absence of such owner ur owners, no such agreement can l*e made, a 
particular description uf the hin<l, water, or streams so ret^nirtsl for the 
use of said cum|winy in the construction of said eanal or canals, dam or 
diiniM, or other works or structures afunwaid, shall Ik' given in writing, 
uiulor the oath ur uffinnatlon of s<mie engineer or proper agent of mid 
company, aiul also the nauie or nnmes of the occn|kant or (>ccu|uints. if 
any there be, and of the owner or owners, if known, and their rMidence, 
If the same can tie ascertaineil, to one of the Justices of tlie Supreme 
Court of this State, who shall cause the said cominany to give notice 
theroof to the pemuns Interesteil. if known and in this State, or if un- 
known or out uf this Slate, to make publiratiun thereof, lu he shitll di< 
rect, for any term ni>t le«<< tliiin twenty days, and to as-ign a |Nirlirular 
time and place fur the api>ulnttneiit of the commissiuiiers, hereinafter 
nauKKl, at which time, u|ion satisfactory evidence to him of the service 
of publiaition of such notice as aformid, he shall appoint, under his 
hand and ^eal, three dislnlereftted, impartial, and judicious freelir>|ders, 
not resident in the country in which the lanils, waters, ur streams In cun- 
trovorsy lie, or owner or owners reside, commiseiunen to rxauilne and 
appraise the said lands, waters, ur streams, ui>on such notice to be given 
to the jienfJiis interested as shall l>e directed by the Justice making such 



CITY OF PASSAIC. 



881 



appointment, to be expressed therein, not le>is than twenty days; and it 
shall be the duty of the said commissioners, having first taken and sub- 
scribed an oath or affirmation before some person duly authorized to 
administer an oath, faithfully and impartially to examine the matter in 
question, and to make a true report according to the best of their skill 
and understanding, to meet at the time and place appointed, and proceed 
to view and examine the said lands, waters, or streams, and to make a 
just and equitable estimate ur appraisement of the value of the same 
and assessment of damages; and after taking into view the benefit 
which will result from the making of said canal or canals, dam or dams, 
and the improvement of the navigation of said river, iis aforesaid, to the 
owner or owners of said lands waters, ^^r materials, shall report what 
sum, if any, shall be paid by said company for such lands, waters, or 
streams, and damages aforesaid, which report shall be made in writing, 
under the hands and seals of the sjiid commissioners, or any two of them, 
and filed within ten days thereafter, together with the aforesaid descrip- 
tion of the land, watere or streams, and the appointment and oaths or 
affirmation aforesaid, in the clerk's otiice of the county in which the 
lands, waters, streams, or materials are situate, to remain of record 
therein; which report, or copy thereof, certified by the clerk of said 
county, shall at all times be considered as plenary evidence of the right 
of said company to have, hold, use, occupy, possess, and enjoy the said 
lands, waters, or streams, and of the said owner or owners to recover 
the amount of said valuation, with interests and costs, in an action of 
debt, in any court of competent jurisdiction, in a suit to be instituted 
against the company, if they shall neglect or refuse to pay the same for 
twenty days after demand made of their treasurer, and shall from time 
to lime constitute a lien upon the property of the company in the nature 
of a mortgage ; and the said justice of the Supreme Court shall, on ap- 
plication of either party, and on reasonable notice to the others, tax and 
allow sucli Costs, fees, and exi)enses to the justice of the Supreme Court, 
commissioners, clerks, and other persons performing any of the duties 
prescribed by this section of this act, as they or he shall think equitable 
and right, and to order and direct by whom the same shall be paid, under 
the circumstances of the case. 

"4. And be U enacted, That in case the said company, or the owner or 
ownere of the said lands, watei-s, or streams, shall be dissatisfied with 
the report uf the commissioners named in the preceding section, and 
shall apply to the justices of the Supreme Court, at the next term after 
the filing of the said report, the court shall have the power, upon good 
cause shown, to set the same aside, and thereupou to direct a proper 
issue for the trial of the said controversy to be formed between the said 
parties, and to order a jury to be struck, and a view of the premises or 
mateiials to be had, and the said issue to be tried at the next Circuit 
Court to be holden in tlie said county, upon the like notice and in the 
same manner as other issues in the said court are tried ; and it shall be 
the duty of the jury to assess the value of the said lands, watei"s, streams, 
and damages sustained, having regard to the benefits aforesaid; and if 
they shall find a greater sum than the said commissioners shall have 
awarded in favor of the said owner or owners, then judgment thereon, 
with costs, shall be entered against the said company, and execution 
awarded therefor; but if the said jury shall be applied for by the said 
owner or owners, and shall find the same or a less sum than the company 
shall have offered, or the said commissioners awarded, then the said costs 
to be paid by the said applicant or applicants, and either deducted out of 
the said sum found by the said jury, or execution awarded therefor, as the 
court shall direct; provided, that such application shall not prevent the 
company from taking the said lands, waters, or streams upon the filing 
of the aforesaid report, and payment, or tender of payment, of compen- 
sation and damages as aforesaid. 

''5. And be it enacted. That it shall be the duty of the said company to 
construct and keep in repair good and sufficient bridges or passages over 
the said camtl or canals, where any public roads cross the same, so that 
the passage of carriages, horses, and cattle on the said roads shall not be 
prevented thnieby ; and also, where said canal or canals shall intersect 
the farm t>r lands of any individual, to provide and keep in repair a suit- 
able bridge or bridges as aforesaid, so that the owner or owners and 
others may pass the same. 

" 6. And be it enavteJ, That the said company are hereby authorized to 
demand and receive such svim and sums of money for tolls and the trans- 
portation of persons and every species of property whatsoever on said 
canal and canals and such slack-water navigation as they from time to 
time shall think reasonable and proper ; jirur/rf^t/, that they shall not 
charge more tlian at the rate of four cents per ton per mile toll for the 
transportation of every species of property, nor more than five cents per 
mile toll for the carrying of each passeuger on the said canal and canals 
and the said river between the places aforesaid; provided also, that not 



more than one-half of the rates of toll provided in this section shall be 
charged to farmers actually residing on the line of the said improve- 
ments for transporting lime or other fertilizing materials. 

"7. And be it enacted. That under the powers, restrictions, and condi- 
tions stipulated and prescribed in this supplement, it shall be lawful for 
the said company to alter any part of the route of the canal or canals, 
if in constructing the same they meet with any insurmountable obstruc- 
tions, arising from rticks or other physical cause, making compensation 
to owners, as hereinbefore provided. 

"S. And be it enacted, That the said canal and canals, and the river 
Passaic, and the works to be erected thereon in virtue of this supple- 
ment for the transportation of passengers and freight as aforesaid, shall 
be esteemed a public highway, free for the transportation of passengers 
or any goods, commodities, or produce whatsoever, on payment of the 
established tolls; and the said company, and their grantees and lessees, 
may use the waters thereof at their mills and works for mannfacturing 
purposes ; provided, that the navigation of said canal or canals or of said 
river shall not be thereby in anywise hindered or obstructed. 

"9. Andbf it enacted. That the stockholders of the said company shall be 
and they are hereby authorized to increase the capital stock of said com- 
pany five hundred thousand dollars, by increasing the number of shares 
for that purpdse. 

" 10. A7}d be it enacted. That the nnmber of directors shall be seven, 
instead of five, as heretofore, and that they shall be elected annually 
on the first Tuesday in March in each year; and the directors last chosen 
and the survivors and survivor of tliem, shall continue to act until a new 
board shall be duly elected and qualified to act. 

"11. And be it enacted. That no part of this act shall be so construed 
as to authorize or empower the said company to take by assessment, in 
manner aforesaid, any lands whatever for the purpose of erecting thereon, 
any of their mills or manufactories, or houses for their workmen, agents, 
orothei-s; hut nevertheless the said company may take and hold such 
lands as they may deem suitable for the erection of mills, manufacto- 
ries, dwelling-houses, and other erections pertaining thereto, by purchase 
or contract with the lawful owner or owners thereof, and not otherwise. 

'• 12. And be it enacted. That the shares of stock in said company shall 
be deemed personal property, and shall be transferable in such manner 
as said company shall by their by-laws direct." 

Under an act passed March 14, 1861, the company 
put their bonds upon the market to the amount of one 
hundred thousand dollars. These bonds were sold, 
and the payment of the principal and interest secured 
by a mortgage upon tlie whole property, franchises, 
and chartered rights of the company. Early in 1864 
the mortgage was foreclosed in the Court of Chancery, 
and a decree of the court issued for the sale of the 
property. It was proper and desirable that the prop- 
erty, franchises, and rights to be disposed of should 
vest in the purchasers, and they be enabled to reor- 
ganize and become a new body politic and corporate, 
to take the place and ]3roceed with the business of the 
old company. Doubts being entertained whether this 
could be done under a certain act passed March 15, 
18.58, entitled " An act concerning the sale of rail- 
roads, canals, turnpikes, and plank-roads," without 
an enabling act for the purpose, the Legislature, on 
the 18th of March, 1864, passed the following; 

"1. Be it enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of 
iVetc Jersey^ That whenever the said property, franchises, and chartered 
rights of 'The Dundee Manufacturing Company' shall be duly sold, 
conveyed, under and by virtue of the decree of the Court of Chancery, 
and the execution thereou recited in the preamble of this act, it shall 
and may be lawful for the pnrchaseror purchasers thereof to reorganize 
and become a new body politic and corporate, in fact and in law, in the 
mode and manner prescribed in and according to the terms and stipula- 
tions of the said act entitled, ' An act concerning the sale of railroads, 
canals, turnpikes, and plank-roads," and shall have and enjoy all the 
powers, riglits, and privileges conferred by, and be subject to the pro- 
visions, limitations, and conditions in said act, excejit as herein other- 
wise provided ; and they shall thereupon be entitled to and have all the 



382 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



righu, privilege, and fniucliiw», and bv subject to all llie condlUons, 
limitation*, and reetHctiona cuntained in tlie act under wliicli ttie said 
* Tlie Pundeo Manufacturing Company' was created, and In tlie oupple- 
ments tllereto, ho far ait the namv shali t>e in force at tlie time of 8ucb 
■ale and conveyance, except im tierein otherwise enacted, provided tiiat 
tuch new corporation may l>« orpani7*d witli any number of peraous 
not lew than Ave, and witii a capital stock of not lew than one hundred 
thousand dollars, to l>i- divided among such purchoaiT or purchaaem, aud 
bis or their associates in the ratio and itcconling to the amount of pur* 
cbaae money, or tlie amount otherwise l>y them respei-tively coutrihuted 
to the said capital stock, under the direction and uutliurity uf such pur* 
cboiter or purchasen<, and provided also that tile stockholders of such 
Dew corporation may at each annual election for directore thereof ap- 
point one or more inspectors of such election, who shall not l>e stock- 
holders. 

"2. .<nrf te U en.ic(f<(. That all proceedings of the said 'The Dundee 
Manufacturing Company' for the use or overflow of lands and assess- 
ment of damages, or otherwise, ami umleterniined at the time of sncli 
sale and conveyance, may be continued in the same nmnii'-r and upon 
the same conditions as if such sale and conveyance had not been made, 
and shall Inure to the use and benetit of such new corpt>ration. 

"3. Ami be il maclrd. That this act shall take effect Immediately." 

By an act approved Feb. 22, 1870, the company was 
empowered to issue bonds to the amount of two hun- 
dred and fifty tiiou.sand dolhirs. >[arcli .'U, 1S71, tlie 
company wa.s alloweil tn increase their rapital stock 
to the extent of ten thousand additional sliares. By 
an act passed Feb. 14, 1872, the name of the company 
was changed to " The Dundee Water-Power and I>and 
Company," by which it is still known. The same act 
also provided for the location of an office in the city 
of New York. 

Little wiis done towards the practical carrying out 
of the company's plans for utilizing the water-power 
until 1861. This was owing to the difficulties in the 
way of obtaining the necessary lands whereon to lo- 
cate their works and improvements. The farmers 
who owned the lands on the Point, now occupied by 
the company's works and real estate, and by the va- 
rious mills of the manufacturers and their tenement- 
houses, were John .\ckernian, John J. Vreeland, and 
Jacob Vreeland. These gentlemen, in view of the 
prospective improvements i)ro|)osed liy the company, 
and not without feelings of reverence for their ances- 
tral acres, held their farms at so high a price that for 
a long time the projectors of the walcr-power scheme 
and their successors were unwilling to procure a title 
on such terms. Various propositions had been made, 
but all had proved un.successfiil. .\t length the 
Dundee Manufacturing Company, in ISill, purchiused 
two of the farms at the ])rice asked by the owners, 
and the way was thus opened for them to proceed 
with an enterprise which has had a most important 
bearing on the progress of Passaic, both as a village 
and a city. It is not too much to say that this inter- 
est more than all others liius conlriliuted to the build- 
ing up of the place. 

TiiK Co.mi'any's Works. — The Dundee Water- 
Powcr and Land Company's Works consist of a dam 
across the Pas-saic Kiver at tlie foot of Dundee Lake, 
and of the Dundee Canal, which, by a fine system of 
engineering, I'ondiictH the water to the various mill- 
sites, situated from a mile to a mile and a half below 
the dam. The whole length of the canal is about 



one mile and a half, and it is of sufficient capacity to 
sup|)lyany amount of water required for manufactur- 
ing. The dam is of solid masonry, forty-tive feet in 
thickness at the bottom and si.x feet at the lop, and 
the span of the river four hundred and fifty feet in 
length. The locks for the admission of water into 
the canal have twenty-four wickets, and the gate- 
keeper occupies a snug cottage built for him at the 
west end of the dam. The expansion of water caused 
by the overflow above the dam is called Dundee 
Lake, and is simply a widening of the Passaic in that 
locality. By the length of the canal the head of 
water obtained at the mills is twenty-two and a half 
feet. 

The company own a large amount of real estate, 
wliich is laid out into city lots, on the west side of 
the canal, above Vreeland Lake and the city water- 
works, and also on the east side, between the canal 
and the river, extending down to the Point, or, in 
other words, occupying the space which lies in the 
bend of the river, and is bounded by the canal on the 
west. A considerable ])art of this latter section has 
been sold to actual residents, land given whereon are 
a church and a school, and thus a considerable popu- 
lation has been added to this part of the city. 

The Comi'AXY's Kaii.ro.vd. — A charter was ob- 
tained by the company for a railroad March 20, 1872. 
The preamble sets forth as follows : 

" If'/irreoA, the increasing manufacturing business on the pro|M?rty of 
the suld company, the name of which by a previous supplement haa 
been changed to 'The Dnntleo Water-Power and Land Company,' and 
the wants of the people in the neighborbootl thereof rci)nire that there 
should be railroad communication with the princi|Nftl markets of the 
country ; therefore, 

" Be U enacied by thr fifnale and Oeitenti Aaamnbisf of the ^aU of Xew Jerat^t 
That the said Dundee Watcr.l\>wer and Ijaiid Company are authorized 
and eu))>owered u> survey, lay out, construct, mainbtin, and o|>erHte or 
lease a railntiul n|HUi and from or near to the pru|KTIy owne<l by them, 
to connect with the l'nteiiB«ui and Hudson Kiver Ibiilroail, now u)tenited 
by the Krie Itiiilway Comltauy, in some convenient [Ktint in the county 
of I'itssaic, with as nniny bntnches on their proiK.rty as the said com- 
{tuiiy may deem prt>p<>r b> facilitate their business, and that additional 
brauchim on their prop<<rty can t>0 located from time to time a^er the 
first location." 

The railroad thus chartered was located from But- 
terworth & Son's chemical-works along the line of 
the principal mills, and thence by a curved line 
through a part of Monroe Street to a connection with 
the Krie Koad at the depot on Main .Vvenue. Il wits 
not built, and probably never will be upon that route. 
Upon the location of the Short-Cut of the Erie 
Freight Line on the east side of the Passaic River, it 
was decided to locate this spur road so as to connect 
with the new line of the Krie. Il has therefore been 
located so as to run from the principal mills by a 
curved line to the head of Dundee Island, and after 
crossing the narrow portion of the river at that point 
to pa.Hs through the centre of the island U> near ita 
foot, whence it will cross the main branch of the 
Passaic River, and intersect the new freight line di- 
rectly eiust. This route will involve the construction 
of two important bridges, one at the bead of Dundee 



CITY OF PASSAIC. 



383 



Island, and one of greater extent near the foot of the 
island, connecting with the main shore on the east 
side. At this writing the construction of the road is 
in progress, and it will probably soon be completed 
and put in operation. 

Incorporation of Passaic. — Prior to the incor- 
poration of Passaic as a village in 1871, a spirit of 
progress had been rife in the place, and had mani- 
fested itself in many public and private improve- 
ments of a substantial and permanent character. 
Among these may be mentioned the various works of 
the Water-Power and Land Company in preparing 
the way for the manufacturing interests which from 
1863 to 1873 gave an impulse to the growth of the 
place in population, and made it necessary that a dif- 
ferent form of municipal government from that of the 
township should be extended over it. A local writer 
thus speaks of the progress of the place in 1806 : 

" The wide-awake little village of Passaic has entered upon a career of 
progress which if continued for a few years will make it one of the 
most important towns in the 8tate. The extensive Dundee Worlis wliea 
fully devehn>ed will be sufficient to secure a permanent advancement of 
the material interests of the place, but aside from these there !■« a spirit 
among the penpla akin to that exhibited by some of those Western 
communities where towns and villages have sprung into existence, 
" ' As from the stroke of an enchanter's wand.' 

"In harmony with tliis progressive spirit a movement to secure the 
incorporation of the town by the Legislature hits recently been inaug- 
urated, and a public meeting of the citizens is to be held tliis week, 
when, it is presumed, definite action will be taken to procure the requi- 
site legal organization to elect a board of supervision or borough officers. 
Nearly all the property-owners are in favor of the establishment of some 
organization of tliis character, and very little if any opposition to the 
project is iiniicipated. 

"Several new buildings are now in course of erection on the property 
of the Passaic Land Improvement Company, designed for private resi- 
dences, and it is stated that fifteen more buildings of a like character 
are to be begun during the coming spring. In addition to these present 
and prospective imjjrovcments, anew liotel is nowin course of construction 
by Mr. Alfred Speer, whicli will become a material ornament to the town. 
The building is eighty feet in length by Bfty-four feet in depth, and four 
stiiries iu height. The ornamental brick-work on the front is said to be 
superior to any in the State. The entire designs were made by Mr. Speer, 
and every brick was laid under his immediatf eye. The lower cellars, 
of which there are two, will be used by Mr. Speer for the storage of his 
wine, and they are so arranged that the temperature will uot vary five 
degrees during the entire year, and will be perfectly free from any kind 
of moisture. A number of gentlemen in New York are now negotiating 
with Mr. Speer with a view of changing some of the interior arrange- 
ments, and when completed they purpose throwing open to the public a 
hotel which will bo second to none in the State. 

"The citizens of the village, feeling that Mr. Speer had j'erformed a 
highly creditable work iu the erection of his elegant building, and that 
it was worthy of some substantial recognition by them, presented him 
with a large flag last Saturday evening, whicli was an occasion of great 
interest. The Hag was procured by Mr. Aaron Van Iderstine, and pre- 
sented by 5Ir. Jiinips A. Norton, president of the literary society, in the 
following highly patriotic language; 

"' Mr. Speer, — By invitation of a few of your fellow-citizens, I con- 
sented to perform the very agreeable duty of formally presenting you 
with an American flag. I say the agreeable duty, for with every 
American it ought to bo a matter of pride to be thought worthy of being 
made the spokesman of his fellow-citizens in a transaction so dignified ; 
for whatever may be the occasion on wliich that symbol of power and 
greatness can be appropriately introduced, I consider that occasion dig- 
nified by its presence. 

'"To your liberality and public spirit, sir, this village is indebted for 
the erection of a building whicli is an ornament, and has long been a 
necessity. It is in recognition of that public spirit that your fellow- 
citizens, at the instigation of Mr. Aaron Van Iderstine, have decided to 



present to you this flag, and to my mind it is apparent that no other gift 
could BO comprehensively express their appreciation of your cfibrts. 

"'What besides that flag can so ipiickly and so forcibly remind an 
American citizen of his importance as a man? To be an Araeriran 
citizen, sir, is to be the possessor of the highest attainable title of nation- 
ality ; and when one realizes that he forms a part of sucli a nation — 
shares its glnry, contributes to and participates of its power— he feids, 
or ought to feel, the liveliest emotions of gratitude and patriotic pride. 

** *Such, I doubt not, are the emotions that thrill your lieart when you 
look upon this batiner and recall the glorious sacrifices of those who 
have fallen in defense of its integrity; and believing this, I can think of 
nothing which your fellow-citizens might proffer as a gift that would be 
more agreeable to the nobler impulses of your manhood. 

"'Accept this flag, sir, and with it plea.se accept the kindest wishes of 
its donors for your continued prosperity and liappiness.' 

" To this address Mr. Speer replied as follows ; 

" ' Gentlemen, — I am taken by surprise, and aUi at a loss to know how 
to express my feelings. What have I done to merit this splendid token 
of your regard ? Such a glorious emblem, and so unexpected that I am 
incapable of expres.sing a thousandth part of my obligations, my grati- 
tude and thankfulness for this honor conferred! This is certainly one 
of the happiest hours of my life to find myself surrounded by so many 
friends. I must assure you I now for the first time in my life feel rich ; 
for I think there is no greater wealth on eaith than to be in the hearts 
of your townsmen and neighbors, anti there is no better evidence than 
on an occasion like this. I labored hard and at late hours to make that 
building not only substantial and useful for my business as a matter of 
profit to myself, but to make it an ornament to our town, and a credit to 
the neighborhood. Hoping it will be an inducement for othere more 
capable than myself to supersede it by designing and erecting something 
far superior, whicli may be more profitable to the people generally. I 
have always thought there is no reason why Passaic should not only be 
the resort for city merchants and bankers, the depot lor Paterson lum- 
ber, but that it should become the principal depot for other merchandise, 
and the great manufacturing centre of the State. 

'"It depends not so much on capital as on the industry, energy, and 
perseverance of its inhabitants. These are sure to bring success. I for 
one hope to throw my energies and the result of my labor in this place. 
If we only co-operate and pull together nothing can stand in our road 
to accomplish any good result. We may have good buildings, good side- 
walks, street-lights, and police regulations, and all the regulations of a 
first-class town. But let me particulaily beg that we niny alwavs co- 
operate with each other in the advancement of morals and the suppres- 
sion of vice and rowdyism that now appear to be on the increase here. 
May we always be aiming at the great texture of which that noble flag 
is the emblem,— Union. I thank you, my friends, and I promise never 
to disgrace that valued gift by allowing it to be trailed by traitors. " But 
long may she wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave," 
until the blue square shall all be filled with iu)t only thirty-two. but 
with a hundred, blazing stai-s of freedom !' " 

The first brick building in the village was tlie ware- 
house of Mr. Speer, erected on Main Avenue in 1865. 
No sidewalks had yet been built in Passaic. The 
meeting above referred to, which gave an impulse to 
the movement for incorporation, was held in the ball- 
room of the old Banta House, wliich had been first 
built as a parsonage in 1715, and was also a fort for 
the protection of the bridge across the Passaic, the 
basement having narrow windows through the thirty- 
inch wall for port-holes. Part of the old wall is still 
standing. The meeting having become somewhat 
enthused with the idea of improvements in the vil- 
lage, a committee wns appointed to get up a petition 
to the Legislature for an act of incorporation. The 
act was secured in 1871. Commissioners were ap- 
pointed consisting of Dr. Richard A. Terhune, Wil- 
liam S. Anderson, and John T. Van Iderstine. Alfred 
Speer was elected president of the village, and with 
the commissioners inaugurated the work of laying 
sidewalks and other improvements. These four men 



384 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



graded and laid five miles of sidewalks, paying the 1 
expenses out of their own pockets, and trusting to 
the corporation to be subsequently reimbursed. The 
population of the village at that time did not exceed 
1000. Its growth was rajiid for the two following 
years, and in 1873 a city charter was adopted. 

The following-named persons have held the office 
of mayor of the city: Benjamin B. Aycrigg, 1873-79; 
Bird W. Spencer, 1879-8.3. 

Tiic city clerks have been Michael Beirne, 1873- 
80 ; James A. Norton, 1880-82. 

C. M. K. Paulison. — In speaking of the impetus 
given to the growth of Passaic, it is proper to allude 
to the enterprise of C. M. K. Paulison, whose energy 
and liberal expenditure of money did so much to de- 
velop the city. 

Mr. Paulison was born at llackensack, Bergen Co., 
Oct. 30, 1824, and was a descendant of one of the old 
Dutch families. His father was Paul Paulison, who 
graduated from Princeton College in 1794, and died 
at Hackensack in 1832, in the sixty-second year of 
his age. His mother was Mary Cleveland, who died 
at Passaic, N. J., in 1873, in the eighty-first year of 
her age. He entered mercantile life in New York 
City at an early age, and acquired some property. 
When tlie California gold fever broke out he was 
among tlie first to emigriite to the new El Dorado, and 
engaged in business in San Francisco, where he soon 
became a leading spirit in all that was calculated to 
advance the material interests of the new settlement. 
He took a prominent part in the formation of the 
municipal government of San Francisco, and was 
one of the first aldermen of the city, being elected 
over the .subse<iuently noted filibuster. Walker. Sub- 
sequently Mr. Pauli.son returned to the East, and was 
chosen president of the Ninth Ward Bank, in Abing- 
don S(|uare, New York. He wi\8 one of the forty men 
who met at the Astor House and organized the Re- 
publican parly on the platform of " free speech, free 
soil, free men, and Freiiiont." When the Internal 
Revenue Bureau was organized, Mr. Paulison was 
appointed collector of the old Fourth New Jersey Col- 
lection District, then comprising Bergen, I'assaic, 
Morris, and Sus.scx Counties, with the townships of 
Essex County. He resigned the ofiice about I.S'lt. 
In 18t)4-(5.5 he bought large traet.s of land at what was 
then known as " .\cquackanonk Landing," and pro- 
ceeded to lay out streets, and wius one of the principal 
founders of the present city of Passaic. It was then 
a mere village, while now it ba.i nine thousand in- 
liabitnnts. 

Tile land purchased by Mr. Paulison embraced por- 
tions iif the Van Wagoner property, known as the 
Hill in this city, extending from the Erie Railway 
over to Bloomfield .\ venue, and from Prospect Street 
to Paulison .V venue. 

Tlie first avenue Mr. Paulison laid out through the 
corn and potato field wa.s named by him (iregory 
Avenue; he next laid out Pennington Avenue, Pafisaic 



Avenue, River Street, and built a number of houses. 
He made a great deal of money by his real estate 
speculations, but he was always over-sanguine, and 
expected to make a great deal more, so that instea<l 
of keeping what he got, he was continually investing 
it in new enterprises. He had the satisfaction of see- 
ing Passaic grow apace while his own fortune dwin- 
dled. He laid out a beautiful park, and erected the 
finest conservatories in New .Jersey, which he stocked 
with the very choicest botanical collections. He pro- 
jected and was largely instrumental in completing 
the water-works which supply the city of Passaic 
with water, and in a score of other ways proved his 
value lus a good and public-spirited citizen. In 1872 
he commenced the erection of a mansion of Moorish 
arcliitecture upon his beautiful grounds, called Park 
Heights, upon which he had expended some $200,000. 
The brownstone was taken from a quarry owned by 
him in the northern part of the city. The crash of 
1873 put an end to this enterprise. It was a misfor- 
tune that a hundred thousand men besides Paulison 
met with in the year 1873, — all men in the race for 
land speculation became blind, and nearly all were 
ruined never to rise again. But Pauli.son wius not one 
who would give up. A few years ago he went to East 
Tennessee and bought heavily of walnut timber, 
but owing to unforeseen difficulties this speculation 
also failed. Then he was ajtijointed register of the 
Land Office in Arizona, where he rejoined his old 
friend Gen. Fremont. Here he was stricken down 
with disease, and died of hemorrhage Oct. 22, 1881. 
His remains were brought to Piu^saic, aiul his funeral 
held at the Methodist Episcopal Church on Oct. 9, 
1881. 

Mr. Paulison in 1846 married Anna Shepard, who 
survives liim and lives at Pa.ssaic, N. ,1. By her he 
had two'sons, — viz., Washington Paulison, now living 
at Passaic, and Charles Shepard Paulison, born Oct. 
24, 18r)2, who died at Passaic unmarried, on the ISth 
of August. 1873. 

Mr. Paulison was a pa.ssionate lover of music, and 
was at one time president of the New York I'liilhar- 
monic Society. He loved nature and flowers, ami the 
conservatory he built on the site of his projected 
grand residence iu Pa.ssiiic was one of the handsome-st 
private eolleclions in New .Tersey. 

Water WorkB.— In 1871, C. M. K. Pauli.son in- 
duced several citizens of Patcrson and Passaic to join 
him in the formation of a company for the supply ot 
Passaie with water. The Acqmiekanonk Water Com- 
pany was fornu'd, with a ca|iital stock of twn hundred 
thousand dollars, and was incorporated in .\ugust, 
1S72. The works of the company are located on 
Monroe Street near Vrceland's Lake, and the water 
for the supply of the city is taken from the Pa.ssaic 
River, — -that portion of it which p.i.sses throngli the 
eanal of the Dumlee Water- Power and l<;ind Com- 
pany. It is pumped up into a reservoir about fine 
mile distant on Passaic Heights, an<l supplies for 



CITY OP PASSAIC. 



385 



daily consumption in the city about seven hundred 
thousand gallons. The cost of the works was some- 
thing over one hundred thousand dollars. The offi- 
cers of the company are John Reynolds, president ; 
R. A. Terhune, M.D., vice-president; John J. Brown, 
treasurer, Paterson, N. J. ; W. Paulison, secretary and 
superintendent. 

Newspapers. — -Passaic has two daily and two 
weekly newsi)apers. 

The Passaic Item was established July 9, 1870, by 
Alfred Speer, and was the first newspaper in the 
place. Mr. Speer was induced to establish a local 
printing-press and paper for the purpose of develop- 
ing the interests of Passaic, and as a means of adver- 
tising his own extensive business. In this way he 
has made it profitable, and at the same time has fur- 
nished a lively paper of local interest to quite a large 
circle of readers. It is still under his own editorial 
management. The Item is an eight-page weekly, 
twenty by thirty inches in dimensions. It has been 
quite successful as an organ of retrenchment and re- 
form in the aftairs of the city government. 

The Passaic City Herald (weekly) was established 
in August, 1871, by Orrin Vanderhoven. It is in 
size twenty-eight by forty-two inches, thirty-two col- 
umns, and Democratic in politics. 

At the same office is published the Passaic Dailij, a 
sprightly little paper, devoted to local news and the 
interests of the city. It was started July 14, 1881, by 
the Passaic Printing and Publishing Company, under 
whose auspices it is at present continued. 

Mr. Vanderhoven is one of the veteran journal- 
ists of New Jersey, having been formerly editor and 
proprietor of the Paterson Guardian from the date of 
its inception till the founding of his present paper in 
1871. 

The Passaic City Daily JVeios was first published by 
John F. Frost and Arthur Sawyer, Aug. 1, 1877. It 
is a twenty-column paper, twenty-six by forty-two 
inches in size, published every day, and is devoted to 
the local interests of Passaic, being independent in 
politics. Arthur Sawyer is now the editor and pub- 
lisher, Mr. Frost having retired in 1878. The Daily 
A'eics bespeaks enterprise in its management and read- 
ing matter, and is a successful contribution to local 
journalism. 

Passaic Manufactures. — One of the important 
industries of Aequackanonk in the earlier days was 
a foundry, erected near the bridge about 1840. This 
was established for the purpose of casting stoves for 
the New York market, and gathered around it quite 
a number of families, so that for .some years that part 
of the town was quite a bu.sy and thriving hamlet. 
The proi)rietor, Mr. Blanchard, established a store 
there, and the first Methodist Church in the town 
was erected near the foundry. 

Dr. Benjamin Aycrigg, a wealthy gentleman from 
near Hackensack, purchased a farm in this vicinity, 
and built an elegant residence. In order to carry out 



his plans of improving and beautifying his place, he 
bought the premises of the foundry and its ap- 
purtenances, demolished the buildings and converted 
the land into a pasture. The church stood there until 
it was removed to the village by the society, the better 
to accommodate its members, who had become more 
numerous in that section. The destruction of the 
foundry, which employed quite a large number of 
men, was felt to be a serious blow to the business of 
the place. 

On Wesel Brook, where the Passaic Bleachery now 
stands, Mr. Guilard, a Frenchman, had established 
silk-print works as early as 1840. He built a three- 
story wooden mill and a brick dye-house, which he 
occupied with his business. The premises were sub- 
sequently occupied by Messrs. Charles and George 
Baldwin, of Massachusetts, from about 1857 till the 
property was leased by Mr. Watson, the founder of 
the present bleach-works. 

The first factory erected upon the Water-Power 
Company's Canal was by Mr. Atterbury, of Trenton, 
the president of the company. It was a small brick 
building, with a foundry in the rear, for the purpose 
of manufacturing anvils, and is now used for making 
rubber floor-cloths and other such purposes, on the 
corner of Passaic Street and the canal. The New 
York Steam-Engine Works were next erected, then 
followed the wire-mill, then the print-works of 
Messrs. Reed & Barry, and the rest in order, until the 
ten large mills which give to Passaic the character of 
a thriving manufacturing city took their places upon 
their respective sites along the immense and inex- 
haustible water-power supplied them by the Dundee 
Company. 

The mills and manufactories of Passaic at the pres- 
ent time are the following, with the dates of their es- 
tablishment, and other statistics respecting the kind 
and amount of their production : 

Waterhouse Brothers. — The buildings of this 
firm .stand on the site of the paper-mill erected by 
Condit and others of Jersey City, and which passed 
into the hands of the Water-Power Company, and 
was burnt down in 1869. 

Messrs. Waterhouse purchased the premises in 
1867, and erected the main building in 1870. This 
building is one hundred and thirty-three by seventy 
feet, and four stories high, with an extension one hun- 
dred by seventy feet. In 1875 they erected an ad- 
ditional building one hundred and forty-two by forty- 
seven feet, and part four stories high, surmounted by 
a cupola. These buildings are very substantially 
built, and fitted up with the best machinery. The 
product of these extensive mills is fine cassimeres, 
flocks, and chemical extract for destroying cotton in 
woolen rags. They employ 150 hands. Of the cassi- 
meres, 4000 yards per week are produced ; of the flocks, 
about 800 pounds per day ; and of the extract, about 
6000 daily. The proprietors reside in Passaic, but 
have an office in the city of New York. 



386 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Reei> & Harky"s Dye- and Print-Works. — 
Established in 1869. The buildings are of brick, 
modern style of architecture, and cover about three 
and a half acre^. This firm handle cotton goods ex- 
clusively, and employ from AOO to tJOO hands, chieHy 
men. The firm Iuls remained unchanged since the 
bu.sines3 was established in 1809. 

A. N. Ackerman'8 (formerly firm of Ackerman & 
Hopper) Steam Saw- and Planin<;-Mili,. — Estub- 
lished in 1869, by A. N. Ackerman and Adrian Hop- 
per. The latter retired in June, 1881. The pro|ierty 
is valued at about twenty thousand dollars, and the 
yearly product amounts to about forty thousand dol- 
lars. Fifteen men are employed. The business of 
the mills is planing, moulding, turning, and scroll 
sawing, making brackets, balusters, newels, packing- 
boxes, etc. The mills are at the foot of Kiver Street. 

Basci! & Sons' Woolen-Mills.— In 1862, Basch 
& Oddy commenced manufacturing flocks and shoddy 
in one of the buildings belonging to the present es- 
tablishment. The amount of the business was then 
small, but it continued to increase. Mr. Jacob Basch 
purchased the interest of Mr. Oddy about 186(!, and 
admitted his son Henry as a member of the firm 
of Jacob Basch & Son. In 187t! he purcha.sed the old 
wire-mill and site of the Dundee Water-Power an<l 
Land Company. They tore down the frame building, 
and in 1876 cleared and graded the premises and 
erected thereon the fine buildings of their present 
works. They are all of brick, fire-iiroof, and a modern 
style of architecture. They also built four hundred 
feet of dock on the Passaic River. The main mill 
or factory is one hundred and forty by fifty feet, four 
stories and basement, and surmounted by a tower. 
In this building is produced a fine grade of fancy 
ca-ssimeres. There are employed in both mills one 
hundred and seventy-five hands, and the annual pro- 
duct amount-s to six hundred thousand dollars' worth 
of fabrics. In addition to the two mills the firm 
liavo other buildings, consisting of machine-shop, 
boiler-house, dye-house, and ])icker-house, the wliole 
establishment being one of the finest in the State. 

In 187S, James and Charles Bsisch were admitted 
to partnership, the firm being since known as Jacob 
Basch & Sons. 

The Dindee Chemical-Works, Joseph Butter- 
worth & Son, were established by the present proprie- 
tors in 1879. They employ aliout .{H hands, and manu- 
facture of the goods named in tlie fi)llowing list to 
the amount of :f20,()00 j>er annum : Sulphuric acid, 
nitric acid, aqua fortis, muriatic acid, acetic acid, 
a<|Ua ammonia acid, nitrate of copper, muriate of cop- 
per, acetate of copper, nitrate of iron, muriate of iron, 
nitrate of tin, crystals of tin, chloride of zinc, stannatc 
of soda, iron liquor, oiline, acid for nitro-glycerine, 
copperas, nitrate of iron. i 

Pahsakt Bleachery, John Watson, proprietor. 
Mr. Watson began the bleaching business in 1'a.s.Haic 
in 1863, in a building on the site of the present 



works, leased of the proprietors. In 1868 he pur- 
chased the premises. In 1872 the buildings burned 
down, and Mr. Watson immediately rebuilt the 
works. The main building of this large establish- 
ment is one hundred and eighty by sixty feet, with 
two one-story extensions, one one hundred by one 
hundred feet, and one seventy by thirty-five; there 
are also two one-story buildings sixty by sixty feet. 
The water used for bleaching purposes is taken from 
We.-el Brook, which is very i)ure, being spring-water. 
The projirietor employs 60 hands, and the aggregate 
business amounts to $1(10,000 a year. 

The RiTTENHofSE MANiFACTrRiNo Company 
is a large joint-stock establishment, of which Mr. 
Charles H. Animidown is manager; Edward H. Am- 
midown, ])resident; and S. A. Clark, treasurer. Their 
buildings, of which the principal mill is two hundred 
and sixty by sixty feet, and three stories, with wings, 
store-houses, shops, etc., were erected in 1876. They 
manufacture blankets and all kinds of woolen goods, 
producing yearly an aggregate of 600,000 pounds ; 
3W hands are employed, and the product in dollars 
probalily anmunts to half a million a year.' 

Steamboats, etc. — Two steamboats, the " Cora 
Mandel" and the "Alfred Speer," make daily trips 
between Passaic and Newark. 

W. S. Anderson & Co. run a barge for the trans- 
portation of lumber between Passaic and Albany. 
Mr. Anderson has been a resident of Piissaic all his 
life, and his heavy lumber liusiness has been one of 
the chief enterprises of the place. 

Educational. — The early settlers of Acquackanonk 
maile provision for a common neighborhood school 
almost as soon as they had established a church. 
The patentees set apart a portion of land for both 
jiurposes, and for more than a century the church 
and the school-house stood side by side upon the 
same ground or upon adjoining lots. At what time 
the first school-house was built on the ground near 
the Reformed Church is not known, nor is any defi- 
nite information accessible respecting the character 
of the schools taught there. It is probable that they 
were first taught in the Dutch language, and em- 
braced only those rudimentary branches common to 
such schools at an early day. When the necessity 
arose for higher education the children of the more 
wealthy were either sent from home, or some classical 
scholar, either a minister or a physician, established 
a sehocd for the more advanced stu<iies in the neigh- 
borhood. Thus we learn that Dr. Blachley taught a 
classical school in Acquackanonk, in connection with 
the practice of his profession, early in the present 
century, and that he also taught a similar school 
subsequently in Paterson. 

A .school-hou.se stood on a lot adjoining the old 
Acquackanonk Church as long ago as can be remem- 



> TlttTi* nrp ncvrnil ottiiT mllU, t>ul, nftor ililigent Mpplicattnn, no 
■U(UUca uf thorn haro li««ii obtained. 



« 



CITY OF PASSAIC. 



387 



bered by the oldest citizens now living, and tradition 
points back to a much earlier period, when a building 
used for a school stood on that spot. The last edifice 
which stood there was built on ground granted by the 
consistory of the Reformed Church for school pur- 
poses, and when the building ceased to be used for a 
school it was torn down and the property reverted 
to the original donors. It was torn down in 1871, 
when the school building on Passaic Street was 
occupied. 

In 1853, Dr. John M. Howe removed from the city 
of New York to Acquackanonk. He was a man of 
wealth and influence, and became a large land-owner 
and benefactor of the town. In 1856 he was elected 
town superintendent and president of the board of 
school trustees. Being interested in the cause of 
education, and there being no school-house in town 
except the old dilapidated building on the church ; 
lot, he agitated the question of building a new school- 
house, called a meeting of the citizens, and procured 
a vote in favor of raising five thousand dollars for 
that object. The plan, however, was defeated by the 
resi>tance of the minority, several persons entering 
their protest, and one justice of the peace informing 
Dr. Howe that if he proceeded with the building he 
would put a stop to it by legal process. 

Dr. Howe then built a private school-house, pri- 
marily for the benefit of his own family, employed his 
own teachers, and fixed the terms of admission for 
others who were disposed to send their sons and 
daughters there to receive its benefits. Thus Dr. 
Howe's Academy, as it was called, became a noted 
institution, and flourished for many years. It was 
kept in successful operation until the necessity for it 
was superseded by the establishment of the present 
public school system of Passaic, including its High 
School, in which are taught the usual academic 
branches. Dr. Howe was an earnest worker in bring- 
ing about this important change, and in inaugurating 
the free public school system of the State. He is at 
present a member of the State Board of Education. 

PuBLir Schools. — The public schools of Passaic 
rank among the best in the county. They consist of 
a High School, which receives pupils suitably pre- 
pared for it from all parts of the city, and of four 
grammar and primary schools, located in different 
sub-districts. The edifice of School No. 1 is situated 
on Passaic Street ; it accommodates the High School, 
together with the grammar and primary school of the 
first sub-district. The building is a fine brick struc- 
ture, two stories and ample basement, surmounted by 
a Mansard roof and tower, in modern style of arciii- 
tecture and equipments, and will seat five hundred 
pupils. The High School has a library and limited 
apparatus, and it is worthy of note here that the 
schools are all supplied with text-books, slates, and 
stationery at the public expense. Ten teachers are 
employed in the High School building, including the 
grammar and primary departments, and the principal 



of the High School is principal of all the depart- 
ments. The building was erected in 1870. 

School No. 2 occupies a building situated on Ber- 
gen Street, in that part of the city called Dundee. 
The edifice is a good brick structure, capable of seat- 
ing three hundred pupils. At present there are four 
teachers employed. The building was erected on 
land given by the Dundee Water-Power and Land 
Company in 1873. 

School No. 3 accommodates the people in the vicin- 
ity of Passaic Bridge, and at present occupies a rented 
building. It will accommodate about sixty pupils. 

School No. 4, situated on Howe Avenue, occupies 
a wooden building, which was erected in 1877, and 
enlarged to twice its former size in 1881. It will now 
seat two hundred and thirty pupils, who are under 
the instruction of four regular teachers. This build- 
ing is one of the neatest and most cheerful school 
edifices in the city. 

The school population of Passaic is about two 
thousand, according to the census of 1881. The 
whole number of teachers employed is nineteen. The 
number of pupils in the High School is ninety ; in the 
grammar schools, one hundred and fifty. 

The first class was graduated at the High School in 
1873. 

Education in the village was confined to a single 
school district, with its three trustees, up to April 21, 
1874. At that date, upon an amendment of the char- 
ter, a board of education was formed, consisting of 
nine members, three from each ward. The district 
trustees then in office continued, in addition to the nine 
members of the board, until their terms of office ex- 
pired. The original members were as follows : 

Edo Kip, Rev. M. B. Smith, T. B. Stewart, Ibrmer 
trustees of the district, holding over under the char- 
ter; James Wright, James S. Biddell, E. K. Halstead, 
from the First Ward ; George W. Demarest, C. Van 
Riper, M.D., Andrew Foulds, from the Second Ward; 
E. W. Vondersmith, Daniel A. Smith, Benjamin Ayc- 
rigg, Ph.D., from the Third Ward. 

The presidents of the board have been as follows : 
Rev. Marshall B. Smith, 1874-78; J. Manley Acker- 
man, 1878-79; Rev. Marshall B. Smith, 1879-80; 
George W. Finch, 1880-81 ; Rev. P. F. Leavens, 
1881. 

The secretaries have been Andrew Foulds, 1874-78; 
S. M. Birch, 1878-79; Joseph H. Wright, 1879-80; 
Dewitt C. Cowdrey, 1880; Isaiah W. Sylvester, 1880. 

The principals have been : School No. 1, including 
the High School, Samuel W. Rice, 1870-81 ; George 
W. Calkins, A.M., 1881. 

School No. 2, Sarah E. Stanburrough, 1873-79; 
Mary L. D. Wilson, 1879-81 ; Lena Garrison, 1881. 

School No. 4, Manda Millington, 1877. 

The Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Ac- 
quackanonk. — The first patentees of Acquackanonk 
were a religious people, brought up in the doctrines 
and form of worship of the Reformed Church of Hoi- 



388 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



land. Like their brethren in other settlements in 
New NetherUind, their earliest care was to provide 
themselves with preaching and with religious instruc- 
tion ; and in many comnuinities, before they were 
able to settle a minister among themselves perma- 
nently, they encouraged and cheerfully rewarded the 
occasional visits of clergymen frr>m the older settle- 
ments. Thus New York, Bergen, and Kingston-on- 
the-Hudson supplied for a time several Dutch con- 
gregations in East New Jersey. 

The first preacher in this vicinity of whom we have 
any knowledge was Dominie Petrus Tassemaker. The 
ancient church records of Ilackensack commemorate 
in the Dutch language his doings at that place at the 
following dates: " Anno 1686. Dominie Petrus Tas- 
semaker luus found here, at Ackiiisack, the follow- 
ing church niembers." . . . 1686: The memories of 
Do. Petrus Tassemaker, transcribed from the rough 
minutes, are the following: 

" Ist. The 25th (July) Petrus Tassemaker, here at 
Ackinsack, baptized these children. . . . 

"There are herein written the memoirs of Domi- 
nie Petrus Tassemaker from the year 1686, showing 
who were clioseii and ordained as elders and deacons 
over the church at .Vckinsack, as follows: Hcndrick 
Jorse ( Brinkerlioof J as elder over the east ; Albert ^ 
Stevense as elder over the west. And as deacons: 
Hendrick Epke, as deacon over the east, and Vulkert 
Hanson over the west. And on Sunday, July 25th, 
they were invested with their offices by Do. Petrus 
Tassemaker." 

In the Long Island Historical Society's Memoirs, 
vol. i., is the journal of two Labadist missionaries 
who visited this country in 1679-80, and visited Ac- 
quackanonk and thcOrcat Falls of the Pa-ssaic. They 
met Tassemaker at the church in New York on Sun- 
day, Sept. 24, H>79. and learned from him tliat he 
was from Utrecht ; that he was a student, and ex- 
pected to be ordained that day or within a few days 
thereafter. We learn also that on Sunday, October 
29tli, he preached at Bergen, and about November 
7th sailed in a yacht to his field of labor on the 
South Kiver (Delaware). The Labadist missionaries 
afterwards licanl him preach there at one of his sta- 
tions, and rather uncharitably criticised his sermon. 
But we will not ijuotc further from this interesting 
jourinil. In 16M2, Dominie Tassemaker accepted a 
call from the chnr<'h at Schenectady, N. Y. While 
there he visited Ilackensack two or three times, and 
it is believed that he preached at the same time to the 
people of Acquackanonk, although of the latter there 
appears to be no positive evidence. In February, 
16!K), when the French and Indians destroyed Schen- 
ectady, this devoted pastor fell a victim in the com- 
mon massacre, among his beloved people, he and his 
wife and two colored servanLs, besides others of the 
inhabitunto, being but<-hered in the dead of night. 

<)K(iASIZATION OF THE ACQI'AC'KANONK ClIl'KCII. 

— We are not able to tell precisely when the Acquack- 



anonk settlers organized a church. It may possibly 
have been under the irregular ministry of Dominie Tas- 
semaker,about the same time that he ordained elders of 
the church at Ilackensack, 1686. There is reason to 
believe that a church record wius kept here, similar 
to that at Ilackensack, although none such has been 
found. The oldest volume of this church record ex- 
tant, including list of members, baptisms, marriages, 
election of elders and deacons, and acts of consistory, 
was begun in 1726. The list of elders and deacons 
prior to that date was transcribed from the Ilacken- 
sack records; the list of births and ba|)tisms from 
family Bibles, apparently ; the other records begin 
with that year. There is, however, an older collec- 
tion of memoranda, contained in a little volume of 
unruled paper, found several years ago, together with 
other ancient miscellaneous church papers, at the 
house of Mr. Richard Tcrhune, in Lodi. This record 
gives, week by week, the amount of collections taken 
up at each Sunday service during a period of thirty 
years, together with various items of expenditure, 
going back to June 12, 1693, when the collection 
amounted to eighteen stivers, about $l.S(i. This 
minute and tietailed account of Sunday services in- 
dicates that there was a regular church organization 
here as early as June, 16'.tS; how much earlier we 
cannot say. But in an ancient Dutch document, dated 
April 10, 1693. a parcel of land at Acquackanonk, 
leased by Walling Jacobs to his son-in-law, Hermanns 
Gerrets, is described as " beginning by the river on the 
King's road, the full breadth of the lot (one of the 
subdivisions of the Ac(|uackanonk patent), and so 
upward, except the public churchyard." This is the 
earliest reference which has yet been found to the 
Acquackanonk Church.' The " public churchyard" 
referred to is that wherein the dust of the first settlers 
and of their descendants has reposed <iuring the past 
one hundred and eighty years. Unfortunately, the 
original deed of the church property was lost as long 
ago as 1766, when a new confirmatory or quit-claim 
deed was executed by the heirs of the first patentees. 
Guillaume Hcrtliolf was first a " voorliser" in the 
two congregations, Ilackensack and .Vcquackanonk, 
living in the latter place, as appears by a document 
drawn up by himself, dated April 10, 1693, in which 
he describes himself as schoolmaster and authori/e<l 
writer (or dinere schrijver), residing "at the village 
of Acquiggenonk."' The jieople of both congregations 
desired that he should become their minister, and sent 
him with a memorial utnmimously signed to the I'hussig 
at Flushing, where he appeared Sept. 2. 1693. The 
Classis sat the next day for the consideration of the 
petition, which was attended to, according to the fol- 
lowing record : 

" In SnnioN, SopL 3, )6a3.— Article 5. aullli>umi< Bvrtlinlf, menU<iDc<l 
umirr Arttclp 9 In y»*«(enl«j*i i**!!!!*!), apiH*rwl «n<l iirT*oiitc<l hi* ;»rt|. 
tlon In Uio nunic t'f Ilia church ami cungrPKnIlufi In New NrUicrlanda. 
Th« Cluila, Ukinf Into canddiration tha anxioua dtalra of the church 



> Nalaun M8S. 



CITY OF PASSAIC. 



389 



there for the stated ministry of tlie word and ordinances, and their pecu- 
liar attachment to the person of Mr. Bertliolf, and being unwilling to in- 
terpose any hindrance, deem it proper to admit him to a proof of his gifts 
and qnalifications, the examination to he conducted by tlie president, and 
to be held fourteen days hence." 

The records of the Classis show that at the time 
appointed, Sept. 16, 1693, he appeared before that 
reverend body, and " exhibited such proofs of his 
qualifications that the Classis granted the request of 
the churches of Hackensack and Acquackanonk," 
and he was accordingly ordained by the laying on of 
hands. The expenses of Dominie Bertholf to Holland 
were defrayed by the two churches which he was 
to serve.' At that day, and for more than a century 
after, the Dutch Churches in America were dependent 
upon the ecclesiastical sanction of the Fatherland for 
the valid ordination of their ministers, and usually they 
received the rite from the Classis of Amsterdam. The 
transition from this time-honored custom to a recog- 
nition of the right of a local Classis to ordain minis- 
ters for the American Churches involved one of the 
most bitter controversies known to the first century 
of the Reformed Dutch Church in America. 

In February, 1694, Dominie Bertholf retiirned to 
America, and became the first regularly installed 
pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church in New Jersey. 
The following is a notice of his return, recorded by 
himself in the " Kerkboeck,'' or church record, at 
Hackensack : 

"Anno 1694, on the 24tli of February, Guilaen Bertholf arrived from 
Zeelandt, witli a legal Classiail license to serve as preacher. Shepherd 
and Teacher over Acquiggenouck and Ackinaack, and was received by 
the Church with great affection." 

The first act of his pastoral office appears to have 
been the ordination of a joint consistory for both the 
churches, although it was doubtless distinct in all 
things except as to the support of the minister, whose 
time was divided between the two congregations. We 
read : 

"On the 18th March the male members from Ackinsack and Acquig- 
genonck assembled at Acquiggenouck in the name and fear of God, and 
having invoked the Lord's holy name, they chose as Elders over the 
said places our brethren, Hendrick Jorese over Ackinsack and Eleijas 
Vrelandt over Acquiggenouck. And as Deacons, Hendrick Epke and 
Jurrian Westerveldt for Ackinsack ; and Bastiaen van Gijsse and Hessel 
Pieterse, for Acquiggenouck, who were invested with their office three 
Suuda,vs later by their minister, G, Bertholf, for the church at Ackin- 
sack." 

The first sacrament was administered in 1694, prob- 
ably in both churches. Sejitember 16th of that year 
is the following record : " The sublime and holy sac- 
rament was held by the minister at Ayequesge- 
nonck." The collection on that day amounted to 
twenty-six guilders and five stivers. 

The salary of Dominie Bertholf was one thousand 
guilders, or twenty-five pounds yearly, from each of 
the churches, paid by the churches half-yearly in 
turn. It was often in arrears, and on one or two oc- 
casions the good dominie donated the balance due 
him to the church erection and repair fund. The 

.' Taylor's Annals, 172. 



church, however, raised considerable contributions for 
missionary purposes as early as the year 1709, and 
even earlier. 

The territory of the two congregations, or what may 
be termed the minister's parish, in those days ex- 
tended from Belleville on the south to Tappan on the 
north, from the Hackensack and even the Hudson on 
the east to Pompton on the west. But the visitations 
of the laborious pastor were not limited by the bounds 
of even this extensive field. About 1697 he organ- 
ized the church atTarrytown, and afterwards preached 
there occasionally ; and in March, 1699, he ordained 
deacons and elders in the church at Raritan, where 
he ordinarily ]ireached twice during each year and 
administered the sacraments.- He doubtless installed 
the Rev. Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen (that an- 
cestor of a family since distinguished in the State and 
nation, in the pulpit, on the battle-field, in the national 
councils, in college, and in law) over that church in 
1720.' Being for fifteen years or more the only settled 
Dutch preacher in New Jersey, Mr. Bertholf had in 
consequence a general supervision over all the 
churches of his faith in the colony. 

Dominie Bertholf continued to serve the church as 
its faithful pastor till the year 1724, when death put 
an end to his earthly labors. The records of the 
church do not show the number added during his 
ministry of thirty-one years, but about two years after 
his death the list appears to be one hundred and 
ninety-six, including Acquackanonk, Second River 
(Belleville), and the Ponds, near Pompton. A large 
number of active members must have died during 
this period. He received into the Hackensack Church 
during the same time two hundred and forty-two by 
profession and twenty-six by certificate.' It is be- 
lieved that in all his various labors at home and 
abroad he received into the church fully one thousand 
members. 

First Church Building. — Exactly at what date 
the first church edifice was built is not known, but it 
is believed to have been erected in 1702. The Ac- 
quackanonk people had been preparing for the con- 
summation of this desirable object much earlier, and 
both the minister and the members of the congrega- 
tion had laid up something towards a fund that should 
be appropriated towards the erection of a church. 
From various items of account it appears that quite 
a large sum had been laid by in the " poor chest," as 
the treasury of the church was called. Probably the 
first church was ready for occupancy about 1706. It 
stood on or near the site of the present edifice, in a 
triangular piece of ground given for church, school, 
and burial-place by the original patentees. This piece 
of ground lay in the form of a triangle between the 
line of the Hoagland or Stoffel's Point Patent, the 

2 Taylor's Annals, 176 ; Messler'B Memorials of the Raritan Churcfai 
159-163. 

3 Taylor's Annals, 17fi. 

* Romeyn's Hackensack Church, 46. 



39U 



HISTOllY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Van Wagoner line, and the Passaic River, and was 
given by the general consent of the patentees to the 
Reformed Dutch Church of Acquackiinonk. The 
original deed, as has already been mentioned, \V!U< lost 
some time prior to 17GG, but on that date the heirs of 
the original patentees executed another deed to the 
church. 

After the death of Dominie Bertholf in 1724, and 
before the settlement of a new |)astor, the celebrated 
Dominie (iratcheus Dubois, minister iti New York 
from 1699 to 1751, officiated here several times, and 
at one time, in 1724, was paid " five pieces of eight," 
a Spanish coin then in common circulation, and at 
another time forty shillings. ''S\x pieces of eight'' 
were paid to " Dominie Santfort" (Santvoord, of 
Staten Island) for supplying the pulpit once during 
the year 1724. 

The diflSculties attending the settlement of a new 
pastor may be inferred from the fact that subscriptions 
pledging a sufficient amount for the preacher's salary 
had to be raised in Belleville, Acquaekanonk, Pompton, 
and Ponds, the various interests and j)roclivitie,s of all 
these .separate communities had to be consulted, rules 
and stipulations agreed upon, and all this sent to Hol- 
land, in order that the reverend Classis of Amsterdam 
might determine upon a minister to send out who would 
be willing in advance to accept of the conditions ])ro- 
posed. To raise the subscription to the reipiired 
amount of eighty pounds for the preacher's salary, 
and to transmit the papers to Holland, and to receive 
the pastor sent in return, consumed at least eighteen 
months, and it was not until late in 172.") that the 
church was again supplied with a settled minister. 
The second [lastor at Acquackanonk was the Kev. 
Henricus Coens, from Holland. lie ap|>ears to have 
set sail from his native land in October, 172o, and ar- 
rived here some time late in the autumn. Into the 
particulars of his ministry, or of those who followed 
him, it is impo.ssible lor ns to enter in this necessarily 
brief record. The pastors who scrveil this church 
from its organi/iation to the present time, and the 
periods of their respective ministry, may be briefly 
summarized as follows: Guilliam Bertholf, 1G93-1724; 
Henricus Coens, 172.5-35; Johannes Van Driessen, 
1 7.'{.')-4>( ; David Marinus, 1752-73; Henricus Schoon- 
maker, 1774-181(;; I'eter D. Kroeligh, ISKI-i'.; Ben- 
jamin C. Taylor, 1825- 2S; Christian .1. I'ouleson, 
1829-31; William R. Bogardus, 1831-.56; .1. Pascal 
Strong, 1850-69; John Gaston, present pastor, 1869. 

From these data it appears that the church of Ac- 
quackanonk h:us had eleven pastors during a period 
of one hundred and eighty-eight years, making an 
average of a trifle over seventeen years for each |>as- 
torale. We can only add a few brief notes touching 
the life of each of these men. Dominic Bartholf has 
already been spoken of at considerable length. 

That Rev. Mr. Coens was widely esteemed is evi- 
dent from his having been called to Millstone, N. J., 
to ordain and install the first consistory there. May 



18, 1727.' He also enjoyed the personal friendship 
of Dominie Vincentius Antonides, the distinguished 
preacher of Long Island, whose pulpit he wiis warmly 
invited to supply in May, 1726. The Long IsUiikI 
minister addresses him as " Rev. Godly and learned 
sir, The Master Henricus Coens, faithful servant of 
Christ's gospel in his church at Agtquakenong.'" 
The church records contain the following notice of 
his death and burial: "The Master Hend. Coens, 
late ordained preacher and minister in the Agh<|uech- 
nonk Church, fell asleep in the Lord the 14th day of 
February, in the year 1735, and was buried here in 
our church." This pastor was the compiler of the 
church records, which begin in 1726. 

Rev. Johannes Van Driessen is spoken of as one of 
the most marked men of his day, ami in some im- 
portant respects a representative man, embodying in 
himself that yearning for independence that was al- 
ready making it.self felt in the ecclesiastical as well 
!is in the political circles of America. He was called 
to this church from Kinderhook, where he was piistor, 
and also of the Cierman Church of New Paltz, Aug. 
4, 1735, and remained in the pastorate of the church 
till 1748. He was the son of Rev. Petrus Van Dries- 
sen, minister at Albany, 1712-28, missionary to the 
Mohawks in 1722, and founder of the Reformed 
Dutch Church at Kinderhook.' Rev. Johannes Van 
Driessen was a line cla<sical scholar, having attended 
the High School of Harderwyck, in the north of 
Holland, three years before entering upon his study 
of theology at Utrecht. He was ordained and licen.sed 
as a preacher by a Congregational Council of eleven 
ministers, convened, at Yale College, New Haven, 
April 13, 1727. I'p to this time the Reformed Dutch 
Church in America had ilepended entirely upon the 
church of Holland to ordain ministers and send them 
out hither, entailing a severe burden upon tlie churches 
here, which had to bear the expenses of the minister's 
voyage, besides causing long and wearisome delays 
generally. Mr. A'an Driessen was the first Keformed 
Dutch preacher in .Vmerica who had not been regu- 
larly licensed or ordained by the Classis in Holland. 
This irregularity was not countenanced by the ma- 
jority of the American Church, and Mr. Van Dries- 
sen sulfered seriously in consequence of the con- 
tumely it brought upon him during his entire min- 
istry. But his excellent character and abundant 
Christian labors sustained him, and his able preach- 
ing always commanded a hearing. Independence of 
character and an outsjioken frankness were among 
his strongly-marked peculiarities, .\pril (i, \~'M, a 
new church edifice was cotisecrati^d near the present 
Poinjiton Steel- Works, and Mr. \'an I)rie.-4sen preached 
the sermon, anil also ordained the members of the 
new consistory. From this time till the close of his 
pastorate he had charge of the two churches. 

I Mmalitr'i Momorialii, 2.'4. 

> Aulugniph Irlli-r uf V. Aliloiiiilm; Nelaoii M8S. 

■ Uoc. Hilt. N. T.. Tul. III. 016-17. 



CITY OF PASSAIC. 



391 



Under the pastorate of Rev. David Marinus, in 
1755, the Totowa Cliurch at Paterson was organized. 
From that time forward he had charge of the churches 
of Acquackanonk, Totowa, and Pompton, until his 
dismissal from the pastorate in August, 1773. 

New Church Epifice. — The old church, erected 
between 1702 and 1706, although frequently repaired, 
became in the lapse of half a century unfit for use, 
and in 1760 steps were taken towards the erection of 
a new and more commodious building. It was quite 
a common practice in those days to raise money for 
all sorts of purposes by lottery. A State lottery had 
been in operation for fifteen or twenty years, and lot- 
teries had been authorized to raise money to build 
bridges, colleges, and churches. It is believed that 
funds were authorized to be raised in this manner to 
build the new church at Acquackanonk, although 
diligent search has failed to discover the law to that 
ell'ect. Money may have been so raised under a gen- 
eral law, and no special enactment have been re- 
quired. The church records furnish abundant evi- 
dence that the lottery scheme was actually put in 
operation in 1761. Take the following: 

" From the Managere of the Achquechnook Lottery, given for the 
building of a Dntch Cliurcli at Achqiiechiionk, 200 Tickets. 
" Beginning ut No. 831-1000. 
" Idem, 311-340. 
"The 28 Feb. 1761." 

The new church was undoubtedly built about this 
time, although there is no record extant certifying to 
the fact, nor scarcely a tradition as to the appearance 
or character of the building. Some paper or record 
may yet be discovered throwing light upon the sub- 
ject. 

Rev. Henricus Schoonmaker, previous to his set- 
tlement at Acquackanonk, was in charge of the 
churches at Poughkeepsie and Fishkill, N. Y. In 
the call extended to him by the church it is said, 
"And all prefer you. Dominie Henricus Schoon- 
maker, preacher at Poukeepsie and Fishkill, of your 
piety and talents being well assured, and our whole 
church being unitedly inclined towards your person ; 
we choose you, therefore, with the full consent of our 
congregation, as our ordinary pastor and minister, 
for and among our Low Dutch Reformed Church at 
Achquechnonck, in order among us to preach the holy 
gospel, to catechise and administer the sacraments, as 
also the church discipline to administer, besides in 
the lawful meetings of the consistory, prudently and 
faithfully, and moreover everything that pertains to 
the office of a faithful servant of Jesus Christ, accord- 
ing to God's holy word and the church decrees of the 
national Synod of Dort, 1618 and 1619." 

This call took effect May 1, 1774, and Mr. Schoon- 
maker remained in charge till 1816. He was born in 
^ Rochester, Ulster Co., N. Y., July 18, 1739. He was 
' licensed in 1762 or 1763 by the Coetus, and was called 
to the churches of Poughkeepsie and Fishkill ; but 
his ordination was bitterly opposed by the Confer- 



entie partisans, who got possession of the church at 
Poughkeepsie where the ceremony was to take place 
and locked and barred the doors. In this extremity 
Dominie Schoonmaker's friends brought out a wagon 
under an apple-tree before the church, and from that 
impromptu pulpit the Rev. John H. Goetschius 
preached the sermon, and the candidate knelt and 
was ordained there. He served very acceptably and 
with great success until his churches required preach- 
ing in English, which was beyond his power, and 
hence he accepted the call to Acquackanonk. The 
Rev. Dr. Livingston once remarked that Dominie 
Schoonmaker was the most eloquent preacher in the 
Dutch language whom he had ever heard in this 
country. 

The Rev. Dr. Meyer, pastor of the churches at 
Totowa, Pompton Plains, and Fairfield, having died 
Oct. 27, 1791, the Totowa Church the year following 
proposed to the Acquackanonk Church to share the 
benefits and expenses of Mr. Schoonmaker's preach- 
ing. The arrangement was entered into, and the 
pastor took charge of both churches, giving an occa- 
sional Sunday to Preakness. He remained in the 
faithful discharge of his duties as long as his increas- 
ing age and infirmities would allow him to labor suc- 
cessfully, and, upon the provision of the churches for 

I his comfortable support during his natural life, re- 

I signed Feb. 13, 1816. 

I Rev. Peter D. Froeligh was installed March 9, 

' 1817, and dismissed April 29, 1825. Near the close 

I of his pastorate, in 1825, the question arose as to the 
propriety of baptizing children of non-professing 
parents, or where one of the parents was not a pro- 
fessor of religion. The custom had prevailed of bap- 
tizing all children indiscriminately, and its propriety 

I seems not to have been called in question until Dom- 
inie Froeligh called the consistory together on the 
25th of March, 1825, and informed them that he 
" could not conscientiously administer the sacred 
ordinance of baptism to infants unless one of the 
parents was a professor of religion." The consistory 
called a special meeting of the church to vote upon 
the question. Twenty-one members sustained the 
position of the minister, nine declined to vote at all, 
and one — Mr. Garret J. Speer — voted for the contiu- 

' uance of the old custom of ba])tizing infants without 
regard to the profession or non-profession of their 

{ parents. A large part of the congregation claimed 
that the meeting was called unfairly, and the contro- 
versy which arose was the cause of serious difficulty 
and dissension in the church. The Classis of Para- 
mus was appealed to, and after serious consideration 
dissolved the pastoral relations of Mr. Froeligh with 
his congregation. This was done April 29, 1825. 

Rev. Benjamin C. Taylor was installed Sept. 25, 
1825, and resigned to accept a call to Bergen, June 
19, 1828. He was an able, scholarly, and earnest 
preacher, and his contribution to the literature of the 
church in his "Annals of the Classis of Bergen and 



392 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Hackeosack" has left an enduring monument to his 
memon-. 

Rev. Christian Z. Paulison, the next pastor, served 
the church two years, trotn 1829 to 1831. 

Rev. William R. Hogardus, who succeeded him, 
was installed pa-^tor of the church June 22, 1831. He 
was horn in Fishkill, N. Y., Feb. 24, 1789, and grad- 
uated at Union College in 1814. He resigned his 
long and useful pastorate Jan. 3, 1850, to take efl'ect 
on the 1st of May following. Soon after his rcsigna- ] 
tion he removed to Paterson, where his wife died, and 
he soon after removed to Kiuderhook, where he died 
in February, 1862. 

Rev. J. Pascal Strong, the tenth pastor, was in- 
stalled Dec. 21, 1856, and resigned June IS, 1809, 
after a successful pastorate of thirteen years. The 
North Reformed Chnrch of Passaic being organized 
at that time through his instrumentality, he became 
the first pastor of that body, where he remained some 
years. At the time of his call to Passaic he was pas- 
tor of the Third Reformed Church of Jersey City. 
Dr. Strong graduated at Rutgers College in 1845, and 
from the theological seminary at New Brunswick in | 
1850. 

Rev. John Gaston, the present pastor of the church, 
was born in Somerville, N. J., on Nov. 12, 1825. He 
is a son of William B. Gaston and Elizabeth Kirk- 
patrick, sister of Rev. .lacob Kirkpiilriek, D.D., de- 
ceased, of Ringoes, N. J. Mr. (iiiston is a graduate 
of the theological seminary at New Brunswick in 
the class of 1852, in which year he settled in the 
ministry at Pompton, where he remained in the pas- 
toral charge for ton years. He then removed to Sau- 
gerties, Ulster Co., N. Y., and reinaiiieil in charge of 
the church there until liis removal to Acquaekanonk. 
He was instjillcd over the old church at this place 
Oct. 10, 1869. 

In 1859 the old cluirch was enlarged by the addition 
of -sLxteen feet in length to the original building. 
This wius done at a cost of $;!8IHt. The lecture-room, 
or chapel, was built in 186<». In 1861 considerable 
additions were made to the parsonage at a cost of 
about two thousand doHars. The parsonage farm 
consists of about twelve acres. 

Number of resident communicants, 3.50; number 
of Sabbath-selioi)l scholars, 275 ; number of Sabbath- 
schonl ti:i<liir<, L'.H. .liiniis A. .'^proull, su|>erinten(lent. 

Methodist Episcopal Church.— The first meetings 
of the Methodist denomination in Pa-ssaic, or Acquaek- 
anonk, were held alinut 184<t, in the ball-room of the 
old tavi-rn afterwards known as Speer's Hall.- About 
that time a number of workmen fmm South Jersey 
were employed at the foundry then recently estab- 
lislie<l at Pas.saic Bridge, and were mostly of the 
Methodist faith. The meetings were started for their 
benefit and for such others as might become inter- 
ested. I'revlous to this movemetil the old Reformed 
Dut^'h Church had furnished spiritual food for the 
whole community. 



Rev. Mr. Van Zant was tlie first Methodist preacher 
in the village, and held services in the hall or ball- 
room till the first church of the denomination was 
erected, about 1S43. This building stood opposite 
the foundry at the bridge, where it remained until it 
was removed to the village, and was occupied till the 
society erected the present large and elegant church 
edifice. The old building, somewhat remodeled, is 
the present City Hall. 

The first organization was known as St. George's 
Methodist Episcopal Church, and retained that name 
until the reorganiziition in August, 1876. The so- 
ciety was reorganized on account of the financial 
embarrassment which met the old society at the 
moment when it had a.ssumed a heavy responsibility 
in erecting and clearing of debt the new and costly 
church. The corner-stone of this church was laid in 
1871; the building was completed and ready for 
dedication when the financial crash of 1873 came on, 
rendering it impossible for the society to carry out 
its plan ot raising the money to pay otf the debt on 
the day of dedication. Those who had been relied 
upon to aid most largely in lifting the debt at the 
dedication were on that very week so seriously 
affected by the financial disaster as to be unable to 
meet their expectations, and a general feeling of 
depression prevailed. The debt remained a burden 
to the society, and the beautiful edifice was tiiially 
sold under a judgment, and was purchased by Mr. .1. 
M. J'uller, of New York. In order to take the church 
from Mr. Fuller, assume the responsibilities of the 
debt, and go forward to the attainment of an unhur- 
denc<l and prosperous future, the society was reor- 
ganized, according to law, under the name of the 
First Methodist Episcopal Church of P;uHsaic, in 
August, 1876. The new board of trustees consisted 
of Williain Doolittle, president; C. A. Church, M.D., 
secretary ; H. B. Caverly, treasurer; George R. Howe, 
Prof. S. W. Rice, Edward McConnell, and Joseph 
.\dams. 

On the 7lli of September, 1876, Mr. Fuller and 
his wife executed to the trustees of the new society a 
deed for the church property. The property is valu- 
able, and the society will undoubtedly pay ofl" the 
debt still remaining upon it, and will have one of the 
most beautiful church edifices ami situations in this 
portion of the State. 

The church is a semi-Golhic structure »( brown and 
white sandstone, and will conveniently seat eight hun- 
dred persons. It is situated upon a rise of ground at 
the intersection of two well-shadeil streets, and is the 
most attractive and imposing object in that part of 
the city. 

In accordance with a rule adojited by the boanl of 
trustees, the church never suspends its two regular 
services each Sunday during the year. The present 
membership is about 250, with a Sunday-school of 
275 teachers and scholars. 

The preachers in charge since 1851 have been : 



i 



# 




^^^0,. /5-(yv{^^^r 



CITY OF PASSAIC. 



393 



Rev. Mr. Lohead, Alexander Mead, Rev. John Faull, 
Rev. Sylvester Armstrong, Rev. S. L. Bowman, D.D., 
Rev. John Keyes, Rev. John F. Hurst, D.D. (now 
bishop). Rev. John S. Swaim, Rev. T. E. Gordon, Rev. 
Henry M. Simpson, Rev. Benjamin F. Simpson, J. M. 
Howe, M.D., E<lwin F. Hadley, Theodore Hagerty, 
Rev. Alexander Craig, Rev. E. V. King, Rev. George 
H. Whitney, D.D., Rev. William Day, Rev. J. R. 
Bryou, Rev. James W. Marshall. 

The True Reformed Church of Passaic— This 
churcli, like all those of the order to which it belongs, 
originated in the controversy of 1822-25, in which 
exceptions were taken by part of the Reformed 
Dutch Church and ministry to the modified Calvin- 
ism promulgated by Dr. Hopkins. Those objecting 
to the Hopkinsian doctrines of atonement and natu- 
ral ability, and adhering to the old confession of the 
Synod of Dordrecht, styled themselves the True Re- 
formed Protestant Dutch Church, and have since 
maintained a separate ecclesiastical organization. 

" The True Reformed Church of Acquackanonk" 
was organized by the Classis of Hackensack in April, 
1825, with fifty-six constituent members. The first 
consistory wius composed as follows : Elders, Walling 
J. Van Winkle, Garl-it Bush, Abraham Lindford, 
John G. Van Riper; Deacons, Henry Schoonmaker, 
Garrit Cadmus, Henry Kirk, Andrew B. Van Bussum. 

The church was incorporated under the name of 
" The Ministers, Elders, and Deacons of the True Re- 
formed Church of Acquackanonk," June 15, 1825. 
The Rev. Peter D. Froeligh was the first pastor, and 
remained in that relation until his death in February, 
1828. Since then, a period of over fifty years, they 
have had but one pastor, the Rev. John Berdan, whose 
portrait and biographical sketch appear herewith. 
This venerable minister, who has been in the service 
of the church of his first choice for more than half a 
century, was reared as a farmer, and although not 
possessing the advantages of a collegiate education, 
received upon examination by the Classis a high com- 
pliment for his self-acquired attainments and scholar- 
ship in polemic divinity, and in the Hebrew, Greek, 
and Latin languages ; and, contrary to the usual cus- 
tom of the Reformed Church, was licensed to preach 
without the requisite of a college diploma. His mem- 
ory and intellect were remarkable in early life, and 
he still retains them in an unusual degree for one 
of his age. For many years he preached both in 
Dutch and English to equal acceptance, discoursing 
from the same text to a Dutch congregation in the 
afternoon which he had elucidated to an English- 
speaking congregation in the morning. Mr. Berdan 
accepted a call to the pastorate of this church in 
August, 1830, having preached six months as a candi- 
date. He was ordained in October, and installed in 
December, 18.30. 

The church edifice is of stone and brick, and was 
erected in 1825, on a lot given for a church and 
burying-ground by Mr. Abraham Ackerman. 



Rev. John Beedan. — About two hundred years 
ago, during the French persecution, Berdan, one of 
the Huguenots, came to America with his wife and 
son, named John, and purchased a tract of land on 
Long Island, which is now the siteof the city of Brook- 
lyn. His wife dying, he married again, and had two 
daughters by his second wife. 

John and his step-mother did not agree. He left 
home with a spade and axe, and settled in Hacken- 
sack, N. J, where he married and had six sons — named 
Richard, Rynear, Albert, John, David, and Stephen 
— and one daughter, who married Cornelius Kip, of 
Preakness. He purchased farms for his sons and set- 
tled them all in Bergen County. All raised fiimilies, 
except Stephen, who died unmarried. 

Richard and Rynear occupied adjoining farms in 
Slotterdam, running from Passaic River to Saddle 
River Brook. Richard married Charity Van Winkle, 
died, and left his farm to his sons, John and Jacob, 
— the former occupying the east half, and the latter 
the west half. John died March 5, 1824, aged eighty- 
five years, nine months, and five days, and left his 
farm to his son John, who remained on it until his 
death, and then left his estate to his sons, — John, 
Richard, and Stephen. The two last named are still 
living. 

Jacob continued on his farm until April 19, 1810, then 
sold it and purchased a farm in Preakness, on which 
he died Nov. 29, 1815, aged sixty-nine years, seven 
months, and ten days. He left his son Richard at 
Slotterdam, who married a great-granddaughter of his 
uncle Rynear, and died childless. His other sons — 
Jacob, John, and Garret — went with him to Preak- 
ness. Jacob resided on a part of the farm, was justice 
of the peace for forty and judge for fifteen years. 
He died in his eightieth year, and left his son Richard 
on the farm, which he occupied with his sons. John 
is our subject. Garret resides on his part of the farm 
at present, and is eighty-one years of age. 

Rynear lived and died on his farm, adjoining his 
brother Richard, and left it to his son John, who died 
and left it to his son Rynear, who at his death left it 
to bis son John, who is the present owner, with his 
sons, Rynear and Garrabrant. 

Albert lived and died on his farm in Preakness, and 
left it to his sons, John and Jacob. John left, but 
Jacob remained till his death, and left it to his sou 
Albert, who continued thereon until his death, and 
left it to his son Jacob's children. Jacob resides on 
it at present, being about eighty years old. John had 
several sons, viz. : Albert, who went to Canada and 
settled there, where his offspring are at present ; David 
went to Western New York, and had a large family. 
One of his grandsons was captain of the sharpshooters 
in the late war. Tunis and Jacob died in New Jer- 
sey; neither had a son, but had daughters. John re- 
sided and died in the Goftle neighborhood. His sons 
— Richard, John, Henry, Jacob, David, and Albert 
—have all died, excepting Henry, who went West. 



394 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Ricliiird, Jacob, ant) Daviil each have left a son named 
John, who all at present reside at Paterson. 

John remained on his farm in Uackensack until 
his death, and left it to his sons, — John, Isaac, and 
Henry. Isaac, son of Isaac, is present owner of i)art 
of his grandfather's farm. Henry died in Uacken- 
sack, in his ninety-eighth year, the la,«t of the old 
cousins. He was an officer of the Revolutionary war, 
and an unwavering Democrat until his death. 

David, on Red Hill, near Hackensack, died and 
left his farm to his son John, who at his death left it , 
to hissons, — David, .\lbert, Daniel, and Peter. David I 
continued on the farm until his death, and his de- i 
scendants reside on it still. 

Rev. John Berdan was born at Slotterdam, Saddle 
River township, Bergen Co., N. J., on Feb. 5, 1797. 
His father, Jacob Berdan, was twice married, — first 
to Sarah Van Emburgh, who bore him tliree children, 
Richard, Charity (who married Peter Voorhis), and 
Leah (who married Jacob I. Zabriskie) ; and sec- 
ondly, to Catharine Billue, an English lady, whose 
children were Jacob, John, and Garret, mentioned 
above, and an infant who died young. 

The early life of John Berdan was passed upon his 
lather's farm at Slotterdam, where he wsis educated 
at the district school. Ui)on the removal of his father 
to Preakness, in 1810, he accompanied him, and upon 
the death of the former in ISlo he inherited a portion 
of the paternal farm, and remained thereon until 1824, 
and then removed aliout a mile farther south. On .Inly 
25, 181(!, he married Leah, daughter of David and 
Anna (Van Sanii) Demarest. In 1828, feeling a spe- 
cial call to consecrate himself to the service of (iod, he 
commenced the study of theology under the care of the 
Cla-ssis of Hackensack of the True Reformed Dutch 
Church, with Kev. James G. Brinkcrholf, of .Mount- 
ville, Morris Co. After a year and a iialf of faithl'ul 
and prayerful study he was examined before the 
Claswis, and was licensed to preach in April, 1830. On 
the first Sabbath in May of that year he preached as 
a supply in the pulpit of the True Reformed Church 
of Acipiackanonk Village I now Piussaic), and in July 
following rec«'ived a call to settle as permanent pastor 
from that church, atnl also from the church at Kng- 
lisli Neighborhood and Hackensack. He delayed his 
formal acceptance of either call until alter October, , 
in which month he was formally ordained to the ' 
ministry by the Cliussis, and was installed pastor of 
the chnrch at ,\cf|Uackanonk in Deccndier following. 
He hius continued in the same pulpit for the past fifty- 
one years, and though now in the eighty-fifth year of 
hi.s age, is still performing the active duties of the 
pastorate, preaching in the morning of each Sabbath 
at Pa.ssaic, and in the afternoon in Paterson. He 
has resided in the latter city since lHri4. 

Mr. Berilan is widely known througliout this whole 
section im a clevoted, ellicienl, and venerable pastor, 
who hax throughout a long and faithful ministry sus- , 
tainedan important relation to its evangelical growth. 



He has lived a plain, modest life, and devoted him.self 
entirely to the imparting and exemplification of the 
Master's teachings. For four years he preached each 
Sabbath afternoon in the Dutch language to the Hol- 
land settlers at Pa.«.saic, and ha*; united in marriage 
nearly one hundred couples of that race. He is a close 
student, systematic and regular in his methods, and 
hiis averaged during his long service as a Christian 
minister over one hundred sermons and lectures a 
year, and can tell to this day the text from which he 
preached on any day during fifty-one years, and the 
passage of Scripture read. His memory runs back to 
the pioneer days of the country, long before Pat<?rson 
existed, and when the site of that busy city was prac- 
tically a wilderness. He is well preserved, has never 
used tobacco or liquor in his life, is tall, erect, and 
well developed, — a man of strong nerve, and one of 
the last representative- of that race of giants that laid 
low the forests of our virgin country and submitted 
its soil to the share of the husbaixlman. Jlrs. Berdan 
died May 24, 1879. During sixty-three years she was 
the faithful helpmeet of his life, and, having died in 
the faith, wait.-* beyond the tide for her venerable hus- 
band, whose labors below must nccc-*sarily .-ioon enil. 

The cliildren of Mr. and Jlrs. Berdan have been 
Catharine, wlio first married Piiilip Van Bussum, and 
then Samuel Ho])per, of Ridgewood, Bergen Co. ; 
Hetty Ann, deceased, wife of Jacob Horn ; Jacob, 
who resides in Paterson ; Christina, who married 
Cornelius Berdan, and who is also dead ; Maria, who 
married William H. Ilellings; Jane, wife of Charles 
A. JlcCall, of Newark ; and Rachel, who became the 
wife of Beuajah M. Beardsley, of Paterson. Eighteen 
grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren of 
this aged couple are still living, seven of the latter 
having died, and fifteen of the former. 

Baptist Church of Passaic. -In May, I8i)4, Rev. 
Saiiuirl .1. KrKi|pii, iIkii pastor of the First Baptist 
Church of Pator.-ion, in an interview with ^Ir. William 
J. Boggs, inquired into the religious privileges of the 
Baptists residing in Passaic, when the latter informed 
him that while several other denominations were here 
represented, the Baptists, numbering about twenty- 
five persons, had no church nor organization in the 
village. Mr. Knapp then suggested the propriety 
of adopting immediate measures to secure Baptist 
preaching, whereupon a notice and call were issued 
by Mr. Boggs, for the jmrpose of taking into consid- 
eration the propriety of holding divine service every 
Sabbath and a prayer-meeting every week. Pursuant 
to such notice, a meeting was held at Mr. Bi>ggs' resi- 
dence on the evening of May 27, 18G4, attended by 
the Baptists residing in the village. Mr. Boggs was 
chosen chairman, and after the usual dcvoti(mal ex- 
ercises stated the object of the meeting. Some dis- 
cussion wa.s had, and it was decided that inasmuch 
a.s tiie Kev. IS. J. Kiuipp had very generously con- 
sented to preach gratuitously for them every Sabbath 
afternoon, and .Mr. Alfred Speer hail ollereil the free 



CITY OF PASSAIC. 



395 



use of his hall, meetings should begin on the first 
Sabbath afternoon in June. Upon an interview had 
by Mr. Boggs with Mr. C. M. K. Paulison, the latter 
consented to organize a choir and take charge of the 
mu.sic, wliich was done in such a manner as to elicit 
high commendation, Mr. Paulison also furnisliing an 
organ for the Sunday services. 

In accordance with the decision of the meeting, the 
first public service was held in Speer's Hall on the 
5th of June, 18(!4, everything indicating a prosperous 
beginning for the new movement. In November fol- 
lowing a church organization was formed at the resi- 
dence of Mr. Boggs, under the name of" The Passaic 
Baptist Church." The constituent members were the 
following, who united upon letters of dismission from 
the churches where they had formerly resided : 

William J. Boggs, Catharine A. Boggs, John Dur- 
kin, Mary Paulison, Emma H. Boggs, David B. 
Sickles, Mary E. Sickels, Joseph P. Boggs, Maria Van 
Riper, Francis A. Ward, Theodore P. Boggs, Char- 
lotte A. Post, Washington Paulison, Helena D. Smith, 
Richard Shugg, Maria A. Shugg, Sarah Durkin, J. E. 
Ambrose, Sarah T. Ambrose, Barney Banta, Margaret 
Banta, Elizabeth Lewis, — twenty-two members. 

The first deacons were John Durkin and William 
J. Boggs ; the first clerk, Joseph P. Boggs, who held 
the office till quite a recent date. 

On the afternoon of April 16, 1865, the ordinance 
of baptism (immersion) was administered for the first 
time in Passaic, by the Rev. Samuel J. Knapp, to 
eight candidates, in the presence of a large number of 
interested spectators. 

By the voluntary removal of Rev. Mr. Knapp from 
the pastorate f)f the First Baptist Church of Paterson 
to the South Baptist Church of New York City, greatly 
to the regret of the Passaic Church, he was obliged to 
close his temporary and gratuitous labors with the 
latter, whom he had served with great acceptance for 
a period of nearly two years. On the 13th of June, 
1866, a call was extended to Rev. Franklin Johnson, 
D.D., which he accepted, and entered upon the duties 
of his pastorate Aug. 20, 1866. The church gradually 
increased from this time forward. 

A Sunday-school was established under favorable 
auspices on the first Sunday in July, 1866, with Wil- 
liam A. Denholm, Esq., as superintendent, and Theo- 
dore E. Boggs as secretary and treasurer. 

Upon the removal from Passaic of Prof. U. C. Hill, 
who had served the church as organist, C. M. K. Pauli- 
son, Esq., president of the New York Harmonic So- 
ciety, consented to act in that capacity, discharging 
its duties much to the satisfaction of the church and 
congregation. After worshiping for three and a 
half years in Speer's Hall, it was decided on Feb. 3, 
1869, to commence the erection of the present church 
edifice on Gregory Avenue. The corner-stone of the 
building was laid with appropriate ceremonies on 
June 15, 1869, and the edifice was dedicated in Janu- 
ary, 1870. It is a neat frame building, furnished with 



organ, carpets, etc., and has the convenience of a bap- 
tistery and dressing-rooms. The cost, including furni- 
ture, was about six thousand dollars. 

In April, 1872, Rev. Dr. Johnson dissolved his pas- 
toral relation with the church in order to accept a call 
to the Sherman Avenue Baptist Church of Newark, 
N. J., where he remained but a short time, when he 
accepted a call to Cambridge, Mass., where he is still 
laboring as a successful pastor and able preacher of 
the gospel. The vacant pulpit at Passaic was sup- 
plied for a time by the Rev. John McKeen. The 
succession of pastors since has been the Rev. Messrs, 
Kelsey, Kirkham, Waters, McMichael, and the present 
pastor. Rev. Mr. Smith. The church maintains a good 
degree of prosperity and has a flourishing Sunday- 
school. 

North Reformed Church of Passaic— This church 
was originally constituted of about forty families, who 
withdrew from the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church 
of Acquackanonk, and organized under the ministry 
of the Rev. J. Pascal Strong in 1869. In the same 
year they erected the neat and tasty edifice in which 
they have since worshiped on Jeft'erson Street, designed 
originally for a chapel, and to be superseded at some 
future day by a more substantial and costly church 
edifice. The congregation own the entire block, on 
which is also a commodious parsonage, erected at the 
same time as the chapel. The grounds are adorned 
with shrubbery, and are very beautiful. 

Rev. Mr. Strong remained pastor until 1872, and 
was succeeded by Rev. Charles D. Kellogg, who offici- 
ated as pastor until 1879. The church was then sup- 
plied until April 1, 1880, when the present pastor, 
Rev. Asher Anderson, began his ministry in this 
church. 

Mr. Anderson is an alumnus of Rutgers College, 
class of 1870, and of the theological seminary at 
New Brunswick, 1873, and was pastor at Fishkill, 
N. Y., from 1875 till his settlement over this church. 
The church has a membership of one hundred and 
eighty, representing about one hundred families, and 
a Sunday-school numbering two hundred and forty. 

St. John's Church.— The parish of St. John's Prot- 
estant Episcopal Church of Passaic was founded 
through the labors of the Rev. Henry Beers Sherman, 
M.A., rector of Christ Church, Belleville, N. J., who 
held services here occasionally in connection with his 
own parochial charge. The first step towards the 
formal organization of the parish was taken at a 
meeting held on the 31st of October, 1859, at the 
house of David J. Anderson, Esq. Col. Benjamin 
Aycrigg was called to the chair, and Gilead A. Smith 
was chosen secretary. The following persons were 
then nominated as wardens and vestrymen, who, after 
the public notice required by law, were duly elected 
at a meeting held in Speer's Hall on Nov. 30, 1859: 

Wardens, Benjamin Aycrigg, F. W. Tompkins ; 
Vestrymen, D. J. Anderson, R. A. Terhune, P. C. 
Coffin, G. A. Smith, W. S. Anderson. 



396 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



The first place of the meetings of the parish for 
business and for divine service was in Speer's Hall, 
which was leased to the parish by Mr. Alfred Speer 
for SIGO piT annum, payable quarterly. The Rev. 
Henry Beers Sherman otticiated for the parish quar- 
terly from Eiister until Dec. 22, 1859, when the Rev. 
Samuel Clements, A.M., was .settled as rector. 

Mr. Clements was an alumnus of the University of 
Pennsylvania and of the Theological Seminary of 
Virginia, and a man of acknowledged piety and de- 
votion to the work of the ministry. For several years 
he had been rector of St. Michael's Church, Trenton, 
N. J., but on account of ill iiealth he had been com- 
pelled to resign the charge of that large and im- 
portant church, and aft«r some time spent in travel- 
ing in Europe, he returned to this country and settled 
over this parish as its first regular minister. The 
parish then consisted of eight families and twelve 
communicants, and a Sunday-school numbering only 
thirteen scholars. Shortly after renting the hall an 
organ was placed in it at a cost of $462..50. 

On the 24th of May, 1860, the Rev. Mr. Clements 
resigned the rectorship to accept the chaplaincy of 
Kenyon College, and until October, 18()0, the parish 
was .served by clerical supplies. At the last-men- 
tioned date the Rev. Marshall B. Smith was installed 
as rector. 

On the 29th of October, 18G0, steps were taken for 
the erection of a church edifice. It was at first pro- 
posed to builil of stone, but this plan w;us changed for 
that of the beautiful wooden structure which now 
adorns the site. This building was finished and con- 
secrated on the 16th of April, 1862, and cost, in- 
cluding lot and organ, about $7000. The present 
rectory, a commodious wooden structure, was erected 
in 1H77 out of the proceeds of the sale of lots belong- 
ing to the parish. 

The Rev. Marshall B.Smith resigned the rectorship 
April 26, 1867, which was reluctantly accepted by the 
parish. In 1868, Rev. Samuel Clements, of Ohio, was 
unanimously called to take charge of the parish as 
rector, but he declined, ami the Uev. Henry Adams, 
of Iowa, was calleil, and cntcreil upon his duties Sept. 
6, 1868. He closed his services with the parish Nov. 
28, 1869. The Rev. Sidney Dealey was instituted 
rector July 9, 1877. 

\Var<lens since the first: Henry Kyre, .\pril "), 1H63; 
(icorgc II. Evans, .\pril 4, 1H64; .lacob K. Dunham, 
April 22, 1867, 

Vestrymen: John li. IVll, Henry l^yrc, .Vpril 16, 
1860; Frederick A. Pell, David Roe, April 10, 1861 ; 
H. D. Law, April 7, 1862; Walstein S. Brown, Wil- 
liam lihodes, Edward Mesnard I'cll, April 6, 1863; I 
K. H. Blakr, .I.e. Marselus, Hr)n. D. Holsmaii, April 
4, IHCl; .lames A. Norton, Levi H. .\ldin, .\pril 2, 
1866. 

St. Nicholas' Church i Roman Catholic i was 
built in I86H. Previous to that Rev. Father Schandel, 
of St. Boniface's Church, Patcrson, visited Passaic 



and said mass in the factories. Father Schandel then 
became the first resident pastor, and remained two 
years, or until August, 187.3, when the present pastor. 
Father Louis Schandel, took charge of the parish. 
The number of families connecteil with the church is 
about 230, and there is a ])arochial school of about 
240 scholars, under the tuition of three Sisters of 
Charity. 

First Presbyterian Church.— The First Presby- 
terian Church of Passaic was organized March 6, 
1867, by the Presbytery of Newark (New School), 
and became connected with the Presbytery of Jersey 
City at the date of the reunion of the Old and New 
School bodies. It was constituted originally of 
twenty-two members. The congregation worshiped 
for nearly two years in the liall of Dr. Howe's Acad- 
emy, and lor the ne.xt two years in a hall at the foot 
of River Street. In 1870-71 the church edifice on 
River Street was erected, and was first occupied July 
23, 1871. The church has made steady progress 
during the decade since its organization, and now 
numbers 16ii members. It has a Sunday-school of 
170 scholars and teachers. 

The church was finished under the ministry of Rev. 
Philo F. Leavens, then a licentiate, but ordained and 
installed as piustor in 1868, in which relation he has 
ever since remained. 

German Presbyterian Church. — The German 
I'n-liylcriaii Cljurcli of l';i-.saic is an organization 
which grew out of the occa-sional preaching of the 
pastor of the German Church at Carlstadt, Bergen Co. 
It was organized by the Presbytery of Jersey City, 
March 24, 1873. It consists of about forty members, 
and maintains a Sunday-school and public worship 
in the German language. It is under the pastoral 
care of Rev. F. O. Zesch, pastor of the (ierman Pres- 
byterian Church at Carlstadt, N. J., and has always 
worshiped in the leclurc-room of the First Presby- 
terian Church. 

The First Holland Church of Passaic is at present 

(1881) without :i p:i^t(ir. Services :iiiil Sunday -school 
arc usually maintained here in the Dutch language, 
and the congregation have a neat wooden church edi- 
fice. The dates of organization and erection of the 
building we have been unable to ascertain. 

The Union Chapel at Pius.saic Bridge is undenom- 
inational, and supplied by dill'crent ministers. It was 
built in 1878, and maintains evening services and 
Sunday-school. 

Besides these churches and places of worship, there 
is a neat chapel nt Clifton, and another also at Dun- $ 
dec, or in that part of the city on the Dundee Canal, ( 
in which are fine Sabbath-schools and occasional g 
prcacliiiiir. t 

Washington Place Holland Church.— Thischureh f 
was organized in 1876, and first met in the Dundee 
Chapel. It nuiintains services in the Dutch Ian- i 
guage. In 1877 the congregation purchased a lot in 1 
Witshington Place, and in the saiui' year erected the 



I 




A 



f/0-<L^^(2^.ccr- £^..jc.<cJf. 



CITY OF PASSAIC. 



397 



present church edifice. It is a wooden structure, and 
cost, including lot, between three thousand and four 
thousatid dollars. A parsonage has also been built 
adjoining the church. The Eev. William Gravi has 
been the only pastor. The membership is about 120 ; 
Sunday-school, 70 to 100. 

Societies.— Passaic Lodge, No. 67, F. and A. M., 
convened under dispensation June 30, 1864; con- 
stituted Feb. 7, 1865. The founders of the lodge 
were Robert H. Blake, Rev. Marshall B.Smith, John 
E. Bolton, Richard A. Terhune, M.D., Joseph B. 
Knight, William S. Anderson, William L. Alden, 
Theodore L. Snelling. 

The first officers were M. B. Smith, W. M.; R. A. 
Terhune, S. W. ; John E. Bolton, J. W. ; R. H. Blake, 
Treas. ; T. L. Snelling, Sec. ; W. L. Alden, S. D. ; J. 
B. Knight, J. D. 

The lodge numbers about one hundred. It first 
met in Speer's Hall, remained there till the hall was 
burnt in May, 1877, then rented the hall of the 
Knights of Pythias, and in the mean time a new 
lodge-room was fitted up by Mr. Herman Schulting 
at the corner of East Main and Passaic, where the 
lodge has comfortable and permanent quarters. 

The present officers are F. B Lawrence, W. M. ; 
J. B. Knight, S. W. ; William E. Church, J. W. ; 
J. S. Bidden, Treas.; Daniel Demarest, Sec; Wil- 
liam O. Talbot, S. D. ; Benjamin Hadley, J. D. ; J. 
Francis Hadley, Organist; John H. Grear, Tyler. 

Solar Lodge, No. 171, I. O. O. F., established 
March 12, 1873, with about fifteen members. Present 
number is fifty. 

The first ofiicers were E. L. Warren, N. G. ; Wil- 
liam Hendry, V. G. ; E. Boden, Sec. ; J. Rosenburg, 
Treas. 

Present officers : Corridan Moran, N. G. ; Anthony 
Kievet, V. G. ; Edward Price, R. S. ; E. Mills Shuit, 
P. S. ; Levi Aldous, Treas. 

Lodge first met in the Kipp building, near corner 
of River and Main Streets. Moved the Kipp build- 
ing, corner of Main and Jefferson Streets, G. A. R. 
Hall, in June, 1881, wliere it is located at present. 

Benevolent Lodge, No. 48, Knights of Pythias, was 
organized May 11, 1870, with twenty-eight members. 
There are about forty-five members at present. The 
lodge meets every Thursday in Pythian Hall, on Main 
Avenue. 

The present officers arc John Jelleme, C. C. ; H. 
M. Ross, V. C. ; Adrian Norman, Prelate; C. W. 
Kievet, M. at A. ; Edward Morrill, M. of E. ; Charles 
Houser, M. of F. ; Charles Higbie, K. of R. and S. ; 
John Royle, I. G. ; D. Van Blarcom, O. G. ; Trustees, 
William Abbott, James Watson, John Royle. 

George G. Meade Post, No. 7, Grand Army of the 
Republic, was established June 27, 1873, .John Knox 
commander. Organized with ten members; eighty- 
three at present. 

The present officers are Charles Denholm, C. ; 
John Emerson, S. V. C. ; Richard Oaks, J. V. C. ; 
26 



William R. Powell, Chaplain ; William H. Hoffman, 
Q. M. ; William Rushmer, Adjt. 

Past Commanders are John Knox,' William R. 
Powell, James A. Sproull. Jleets in Grand Army 
Hall, corner of Lexington Avenue and Jefterson 
Street, one of the finest halls in the State. 

Military.— State Guard, Company B, Fourth Regi- 
ment, organized in the fall of 1879, F. B. Lawrence, 
captain ; R. B. Tindell, first lieutenant ; Richard 
Morrill, second lieutenant. Headquarters of com- 
pany. Military Hall, fronting on Military Square. 
Regimental lioadquarters, Jersey Avenue, Jersey City. 

Miscellaneous Notes.— The fine brick block be- 
longing to William S. Anderson stands on the old 
Drummond place of Revolutionary times. Robert 
Drummond lived here in the Revolution. He w;is a 
pioneer to the British army when it passed through 
New Jersey en route to tlie Delaware, and was a Brit- 
ish major-general. He fled to England, where he died 
after the war. 

Just above Anderson's building was the Revolu- 
tionary bridge destroyed by Capt. John H. Post and 
his neighbors, which checked the progress of the 
British. Some of the piles on which it stood are still 
seen at low water. It is about a mile below the head 
of tide-water. 

Capt. John Post lived at Acquackanonk. He gave 
the first serious check to the British while pursuing 
Washington through the Jerseys by getting a num- 
ber of his neighbors together and cutting down the 
bridge across the Passaic at the Landing. For this 
exploit Washington made him a captain in the Con- 
tinental army. He was ninety-seven years old when 
he died, and his wife was one hundred and six. Their 
tombstones stand side by side in the old Dutch bury- 
ing-ground near the church. 

One of the old landmarks of Acquackanonk is the 
Van Wagoner house, built in 1778. It is of stone, one 
story high, and was the ancestral home of Mrs. Henry 
P. Simmons, who was born here in 1819. The house 
stands near the bank of the Passaic, not far south of 
the old Dutch Church. The line between the Van 
Wagoner Patent and the gore on which the church 
stands is now Gregory Avenue, and the old mansion 
stands within two rods of the street. It is in a good 
state of preservation, and has been newly roofed and 
painted by Judge Simmons. 

Alfred Speer w.is born of humble parentage near 
Belleville, N. J., Nov. 23, 1823. His father, Henry 
Speer, a shoemaker, who had learned his trade in 
Newark, N. J., when it was but a village, never rose 
above being a foreman in a custom (ladies') shoe-store 
in New York. He died poor, leaving a wife and two 
children; the oldest, Alfred, in his early childhood 
was brought up by his grandfiither, Henry I. Speer, a 
poor, hard-working farmer, who lived on his small 
farm, situated on the west bank of the Passaic River, 

^ Deceased. 



398 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY, 



two miles below the village of Aaiuiickanoiik, now 
the city of Passaic. His education wu^ liniitod. The 
only school was two miles distant, and the only time 
he could be spared from work wa.s during the winter 
months, and his schooling never exceeded four or five 
quarters. 

At the early age of fifteen young Speer was bound 
out as an apprentice to learn the cabinet-making 
trade at Newark, N. J. He boarded with his em- 
ployer, and received twenty-five dollars per year for 
each year until the age of twenty-one. Out of this 
salary the apprentice had to i)ay for his washing and 
buy all his clothing, so it can be easily seen what 
economy he was obliged to practice. Boys were not 
known to have overcoats nor wear kid gloves in those 
days. Young Speer's tastes did not run in that me- 
chanical direction at that time: it was for a literary 
life he yearned, but, being poor and with a limited 
education, at the age of twenty-one liis first thoughts 
were to start a shop in the country at his native place, 
with the hope of getting sufficient work from the 
neighborhood to enable him, by working half the 
week, to earn enough to coinniund the otlier half for 
study and experiment. With this object in view he 
built a shop near his grandfather's farm-house. The 
New York Evening Post, a year or two ago, in speak- 
ing of Mr. Speer*8 success as a wine producer,. says, — 

" It nmy serve a good p»rpo«o, ad nii oxnmplf of what enorKy will ac- 
cuniiiliHh, to Dotice briefly Mr. Siwor'a cart-er. Thrown u|Km tho world 
whon n child, he wns at flflecn yenrn of age apprenticed to a cahlnot- 
niak?r, who agreed to lH)ard him, teach him the trade, and give hini 
tweiity-flv© dnllarB a year for liii clothes until twenty-one yean* of age. 
Any one who served an apprenticeship forty-livo years ago knows whut 
IhHt means,— leu houra in the shop, and a rest from lalwr in tlieeveuing, 
which wriM generally eijoyod in splitting wood, milking cows, and hy 
daylight In tlic morning weeding giirdenK, and with making flreti and 
'doing chores.' K\ this i>erlod of his life yonng Speer had an ambition 
to become a literary nuin, and every spare moment whs devoted to etiidy. 
Ho devised vanoud expedients to secure funds for the purchaM of books, 
and almost invariably got np long before day in the niorniug to study an 
hour or two before beginning the morning chores. At the expimtion 
of bin apprentlceohlp ho re*dved to start a Am)\> of bin own, of cnnr?*o on 
a smnll H^ale, in his native villnge of Piiiwiilc. A friend leaseil him a 
piece of ground, whereon he bull! him u !<))op with liis own bands, and 
got all the business of the neighborhood, whleh was scant enongb. 
Often he hss come to New York, l>ougbt the stuff for a bureau or aofa, 
shipped it by mil, and returned home on foot, a distance of twelve miles, 
not having mt>ney loft to pay his fare. He would then turn the raw 
material Into furniture, which wouM prmlnce funds enough to make itn- 
other trip for still nmre material to the city. 

'* Energy and deternilmitlnn to succeed suuD bmught their reward,and 
In a few ymm be had a larger sh"p and %vaj« able to employ several jour- 
neymen ; but, notwithstanding his apimrent sncces*. he viw ntiU with- 
out capital. To supply this ho was In the habit of making Journeys 
thniugh the aiuntry, taking a circuit of ten or fifteen mile-, carrying 
with him his tools and varnlsh*|H)t. Thus armed he would call at the 
farm-houses, repair furniture, rovarnlsb the chairs and tables In the 
• licat njoms,' an'l t»ccaiibmally sond a jwcnllarly crnz.y and dearly-cher- 
Uhed piece i»f antl'iuo furnllurt> to his shop \» Iw * miule us good as new.' 
In this way he arcumulaled enough to buy his shop and the lot on whkh 
It stiKxl, and wK>n after tb" bouse and gruuinln whUh he now •n-cnptesas 
adwfdllng. iMiring this cbxie application to buslneM he found lime to 
employ his lnv«>ntivo families, which he did In devising a piano on an 
•uUrely nr>w plan, for which he obtnlniH] a intent. He also Invented 
and pati^ntivl a window-faatenor, now In general uso ; since then the 
much talke<l-4if traveling sidewalk for rapid transit In cities. Want of 
meani (which In Ims case Included time a* well as money) lm|K>lled hini 
reluctantly to parUally aUindon his Idea of a literary life, and ho turned 



bis attenlion to horticulture and arlioriculture as a means of recreation 
(thus proving that the busiest men have the most leisure), and inciden- 
tally to those puniults manufactured some wines, which he stored for 
his own use. 

" Ambitious to enlarge his oetablishment, he started out with his win- 
dow-fusteneni, intending to sell the patent right of different States, and 
invest the proceeds in the other invention or In ntaking and storing 
wines. When in New Orleans he found his imtent right poor slock, 
and not wishing to leave Louisiana without at least clearing his ex- 
penses, he sent home for a Iwutkct of hiit wine. This he used as a samptt, 
and took large orders In New Orleans and Mobile. This unlooked-for 
success led him to the amcluKion that nnytbing that appealed to the 
sense of taste, es|>ecially the bibulous tasie, would prove more profitable 
than window-fasteners or new style pianos, and hf at once returned 
tiome and directed his attention to fruit and wine-muking. 

"From a small beginning, and in spite of obataclee of no ordinary 
kind, he bits attained great success lui a vine-gn>wer. His Mount Pn-^pect 
Vineyanls are at I'assaic, on which are raised vine-" of diff«>rent varie- 
tiea, some of the moet difficult to bring to maturity. Among them is 
the imported 0|>orto graite, from which is made the Port grape wine, 
which rivals in every quality the SiMinish Port. As may be supposed, 
the utmost care and unceasing attention during ten years tA costly ex- 
periments were neces8ar>' to luing the Oporto gru|K' to a l^earing ptdnt, 
iit which lime iliousunds of vines sickened and died during our winters 
and springs. A few, however, survived, and they, after fight and ten 
years* nursing, at last lH>came hiirdy, and formed the stock from which 
vigorous layers were made foi' propagnting. The vines thus obtained 
have now l>ecomo arcUmnted and thrive well. Having passed all the 
' vicissitudes of our climate, they become healthy, vigorous, and prolific 
bearers. The grapes are alluwe<l to hang until October, when tltey 1-- 
come 'dead ri|M?.' They are then gathereil anti put in the w|ne-pr«—- , 
whence the Juice is conveyed in pipes to vats, where It is allowed to re- 
main. 
"The average production of the vineyarils contndled by Mr. Speer Is 
\ about lhirty>two thousand giillons a year. 

" Mr. Speer has devot'-d over twenty years to the study of vinous foi^ 
mentation. He first commenced in a snntll way by making fruit wine* 
from currants and berries, and soon became interested in the planting of 
, vineyard" at Paswic, N. J., where he has i-xpende<l thoiisantls of dolbtrs 
' in experimenting on the cultivation of foreign wine gra|H*s and In the 
' employnieul of the most skilled wine-growers of Europe. Mr. Sp<er 
, was the drat in this country who extensively advertised American wines. 
I "S4> nt|Hdly has the demand for Socbilile (a clareti and Port gmp'- 
wine of New Jersey production lncrp)ise<l, that it waa fouml neceaHiii > 
to enlarge the celliimge and stomge accummotlatlons, and a fine thiee- 
1 story bnililing, one hundreil feet front, ha^ l»een erected, having under- 
neath several collars, one within another, where any degree of tem|>era- 
turo am l»e steadily muintained. 

" What he began as an ex|terimeni hus prove<l the stepping-stone to 
fortune, and lii> now lian the mi«t extensive vlneyanls and wine-vaults 
In the (jiDtern States, aiol an office and saleeroom at No. 1(1 Warren 
Stre<<t, New York. Notwlthnlanding his many engagements, hn sllll 
found time to spare to fultilt the duties of a gtuKl citixen by taking an 
arlive }>arl In every niovenieiil llint lendeil to the welfare of the village. 
In 1H67 he miw that grading and |Htv{tig the streets would etdiance the 
value of pmperty largely, ni, after obtaining the nei-essary authority 
from the Legislature, at It he wont, devoting an entire year, without 
Intpe or prtwpecl of reward, to the enlerpriHe. He gnided and laid over 
Are miles of sidewalk in aluitit flve months, and the result Is seen In the 
fact that more house* have been erectwl In Passaic «lnring the p ist twelve 
yenn than in one bundietl years before, and handsonio villas and cot- 
tager dot the landsrap«< In <>vtry direction. As a consequence. Ibe vnluo 
of prtiperty has more than diuibUtl, and, although there are mitny l>e«u- 
tiful sites for buildlngfi, they are held n\ largely enhnnce<l prices as com- 
|iar<H| with two ycjirs ago. His Port grape wines liave acquired a world- 
wiilo n'pulntion among ph\sii-iiinB, and are used in hvwpltals as the best 
wine for medical pnriH)ses,and are Inrgely used by churcheti for commu- 
nion." 

In I.S70, Mr. Speer being owner of considerable 
property in Piissair, whirh he had pureliased from 
time t(» time <hirin;r the five years previous, wa>* deeply 
int<.'rested in the welfare of the city. He coneeivetl 
the idea of starting a printing-office and publishing a 
newspaper in the interests of the village. Accord- 




-^^-2^, 




^-y^i^^^/c:^^ 



I 



CITY OF PASSAIC. 



399 



ingly, Jan. 9, 1870, the first copy of the Weekly Item, 
an independent four-page paper, was issued. Before 
six months had expired he found it necessary to en- 
large the paper, which he did to eight pages, and it 
is yet published and edited by Mr. Speer. 

Since the Item was started two daily papers have 
sprung up in Passaic, each published by estimable 
parties, whom Mr. Speer brought to Passaic at difl'erent 
periods as foremen in his office, in which capacity they 
each served faithfully until they started for them- 
selves. 

Mr. Speer is also the inventor of several new and 
useful improvements not yet fully developed ; one is 
a new method for rapid transit in cities, called " Speer's 
Traveling Sidewalk," about which there was so much 
excitement a few years ago when the New York Legis- 
lature passed a bill giving Mr. Speer a charter for 
building it the whole length of the city of New York. 
Large capital stood ready, and but for the veto of 
Governor Dix it would have been built. The plan is 
a novel one, and is said by eminent engineers to be 
practically a series of platforms connected together, 
forming an endless train of cars, to be run continu- 
ously without stopping, by stationary engines. The 
most ingenious thing about it is the plan by which 
passengers are to get on and off' the train without 
stojiping it; even if run at a speed of fifty miles an 
hour, an old man or one on crutches can get on and 
off as easily as to get from one chair to anotlier on his 
own piazza. This invention Mr. Speer is still working 
to have introduced on some short route to prove to 
the traveling public its practicability. Mr. Speer has 
done much for the prosperity of Passaic. He built 
the first public hall in the city ; he secured by sub- 
scription the first set of street-lights, purchased the 
lamps, and had them placed on wooden posts about 
the streets; procured the change of the name of the 
village from Aciiuackanonk to Passaic ; was the first 
to apply to the representative in Congress to get the 
government to improve the navigation of the Passaic 
River; and he has expended hundreds of dollars in 
grading the streets and laying the first crosswalks and 
sidewalks in the village. In various other ways he 
has aided in its improvement and encouraged a gen- 
eral spirit of enterprise. 

William S. Anderson. — The Anderson family are 
of Scotch extraction, and at an early period located 
in Bergen County, John, the grandfather of the sub- 
ject of this biographical sketch, having resided at 
Hackensack. He was an extensive merchant, and 
both in New York City and in New Jersey conducted 
business interests of great magnitude. He was united 
in marriage to Jliss Catherine, daughter of Christian 
Zabriskie, of Paramus, to whom were born children, 
— David I., John, Maria (Mrs. Abram Berry), and 
Jane (Mrs. Andrew Parsons). The death of Mr. An- 
derson occurred at Hackensack, after a life of ex- 
tended usefulness. The birth of his son, David I., 
took place at Hackensack, in November, 1792, where 



his boyhood and the principal portion of his life was 
spent in business pursuits. He was married to Miss 
Anna Strong, of New York City, whose ancestors 
were prominent during the war of the Revolution, 
and filled many important public trusts. To Mr. 
and Mrs. Anderson were born children, — Helen (Mrs. 
Price), John, who resides upon the homestead in Ber- 
gen County, Catherine (Mrs. Aycrigg), and William 
S. The death of David I. Anderson occurred at his 
home in Bergen County in 1873. His son, William 
S., was born in 1827, at Hackensack, and the early 
years of his life were spent at the home of his parents 
in Lodi township. His boyhood was uneventful, 
having been chiefiy spent at school in Middletown, 
Conn., and elsewhere. The family having removed 
in 1848 to Passaic, Mr. Anderson, after attaining his 
majority, became a clerk in the lumber and coal office 
of Anderson & Post, and at the expiration of a period 
of years was admitted as a partner. This business 
was eventually controlled and is still conducted by 
him. He was first married to Miss Clara, daughter 
of John A. Post, to whom were born children, — John, 
William S., and Kate C. The death of Mrs. Ander- 
son occurred in 1872, and Mr. Anderson was a second 
time married to Miss Sarah, daughter of Richard Ter- 
hune, of Lodi. They have two Children, — Richard 
and Sarah. Mr. Anderson is a Republican in his po- 
litical predilections, and while manifesting a laudable 
interest in public affairs, is indifferent to the honors 
of office, which have repeatedly been proffered and 
declined. His attention is entirely devoted to the de- 
mands of his business enterprises, he being the rep- 
resentative lumber dealer of the county. He was 
instrumental in obtaining for Pivssaic a village char- 
ter, and may practically be regarded as one of the 
founders of the place. 

Mr. Anderson's religious preferences are in sym- 
pathy with the Reformed (Dutch) Church, at which 
he worships, Mrs. Anderson being a member of the 
First Reformed Church of Passaic. 

Abram N. Ackerman. — The family of Ackerman 
dates back to the early settlement of Bergen County, 
and the name is frequently found in connection with 
its history. John, grandfather of Abram N., was a 
farmer, and resided at Yawpaugh, in Bergen County. 
His children were Lawrence, Nicholas, and James, 
all of whom settled in the vicinity of their birth. 

Nicholas was father of our subject, and was a farmer 
and ma.ster-mason by trade; resided in Franklin town- 
ship until 1863, when he removed to Paterson, where 
he lived in retirement until his death in 1869. His 
wife, Polly Snyder, died in 1877. Their children 
were John N., for many years a justice of the peace at 
Hackensack, and who carries on the steam sawing- 
and planing-mill at that place ; Abram N. and a 
twin-brother, George, who died at the age of nineteen 
years, of smallpox, while engaged in New York in a 
dry-goods house. 

Abram N. was born in Franklin township, Aug. 



400 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



27, 1830. His early education was obtained at the 
district school in his native place. At the age of 
fifteen he began learning tlie carpenter's trade with 
Col. Andrew Derroni, of Paterson, witli whom lie 
served si.\ years. After a few years as journeyman in 
New York and for Mr. Derrom, he established busi- 
ness for himself on Broadway, near Bridge Street, 
Paterson, as a contractor and builder. He then as- 
sociated with him in business .lohn Berdan, under 
the firm-name of Berdan & .Vckerman, who withdrew 
after two years. He then associated with him in 
business partnersiiip John J. Snyder, under the firm- 
name of Ackerman & Snyder, which continued for 
eight years. While residing in Paterson he was 
deacon in Rev. J. H. Duryea's church, and a member 
of the board of education. 

In the fall of IStlH, Mr. .\ckerman removed to Pas- 
saic and formed a partnership with Adrian Hopper, 
under the firm-name of Ackerman & Hopper, and 
established the steam sawing- and planing-mill (to 
which they subsequently added a fine brick addition), 
which they carried on until June, 1881, when he |>ur- 
chased Mr. Hopper's interest in the concern, and in 
1882 controls the entire business. 

He gives employment to sixteen men, and consumes 
sonic two million feet of lumber a year, making his 
purchases of lumber in Albany and Troy, and ship- 
ping by water to Passaic, where he has a dock-front 
of some three hundred feet, all in connection with his 
factory. He built his present substantial residence 
near his mill in 18t)9. 

Mr. Ackerman has devoted himself closely to busi- 
ness pursuits, and by his industry and judicious 
management secured a fair comiietency. 

He was formerly a deacon in the North Keformed 
Church at Passaic, and is a liberal supporter of church 
and school interests. 

He wa-s a member of the City Council of Pa-ssaic 
in 187.''), and in 187!t was appointed street superin- 
tendent. 

He married, July 30, 1848, the daughter of Henry 
and Sarah llutan, originally of Sussex County, j 
Their children are Mary, wife of E. L. Hewson, a | 
merchant in Paterson ; George H. and Elmer E., in 
business with their father; and one son, Charlie, died 
wlu'n tw<i years old. 

He has by his own exertions and careful study so 
far mastered the knowledge of wood-working ma- 
chinery that he has built nearly half of the machines j 
now running in his factfiry, among which is one of 
the best kindling-wood saw and splitting-machines in 
operation, also a very line and ingenious set of pack- 
ing-box machines, upon which two sawyers have cut 
ni) many as two liundreil and twenty five large cases in 
ten hours, thereby consuming a very large amount of 
lumber in the busy season. I 

James Waterhouse.— The Waterhousc family are 
III' I'lrriiisli lie-cent, anil doubtless made England their 
home at a period between the eleventh and twelfth 



centuries, where one of its members formed a matri- 
monial alliance with the Duke of Bridgewater. In 
the direct line of descent from this branch came the 
grandfather of thesubject of this biographical sketch, 
whose birth occurred in Yorkshire, England, in the 
dwelling where were also born three generations of the 
family. His children were four sous — Thomas, John, 
James, and Jerry — and four daughters. The death 
of Mr. Waterhouse occurred in Yorkshire. His son 
Jerry wjis born at the ancestral home, Dec. 18, fgTi, 
where his early years were spent at school. He lliter 
acquired a knowledge of the manufacture of woolen 
goods, and soon after engaged in the production of 
shawls. Having discerned a wider field for enter- 
prise in tlie New World, he sailed for America, and 
located in Dudley, M.iss., where he became superin- 
tendent of woolen mills at that point. Here he in- 
troduced the first power-loom for the manufacture of 
woolen fabrics. He was married to Miss Ann, daugh- 
ter of Capt. John Piatt, born April 8, 1794, to whom 
were born nine children, — John, James, Miles, Mary 
Ann (Mrs. Kimball), Ruth (Mrs. Goodall), George, 
Ann Melissa, who died in infancy, Ann V. (Mrs. Lane), 
and Leila (Mrs. Farrar). James, of this number, was 
born March 20, 1820, in Yorkshire, England, and ac- 
companied, his parents to the United f<tates in 1820, 
when but a child. The years of his early life were 
uneventful, having been spent at school, after which 
he embarked in manufacturing pursuits at Walpole 
and South Hadley, Mass., in com|)any with his father 
and brothers. He was united in marriage in 1842 to 
Miss Sarah, daughter of Charles and Mary Parker 
Whittemore, of Leicester, Miuss. Both the Parker 
and Whittemore families are of English descent, and 
have resided for generations in Massachusetts, where 
the former were physicians, and the latter business 
men or agriculturists. Mr. and Mrs. Waterhouse 
had one child, an adopted son, Lester, born in De- 
cember, 18<!8. During the year ISiill. Mr. Waterhouse 
removed to New York City, and continued his career 
as a manufacturer, the factory having been located 
in Brooklyn. 

In 18G5 Pa.s.saic otl'cred an inviting ficM for the con- 
tinuance of the business, and induced his removal to 
that city, where he purchased a mill property, and 
embarked in the manufacture of woolen fabrics, his 
brntliet (icorgc having becDinc associated with him 
the following year. The mills were consiinied by fire 
in 1860, but immediately rebuilt on a more extensive 
plan, and have since been in active and successful 
operation. Mr. Waterhouse was, in his political con- 
victions, a pronounced Republican, and energetic in 
the advancement of the interests of his party. He 
was in no sense a politician, and frequently declined 
oflicial honors tendered him. He, however, served 
for seven years as a member of the boanl of chosen 
freeholders of the county, and with such fidelity to 
public interest** as to have inspireil the following reso- 
lution from the board : 





^CC^a^ir^' 




CITY OF PASSAIC. 



401 



** WheretUt the senior member of this board ID point of continuous 

service to-day severe his olBcial connection with us after an uninter- 
rupted uiemlierahip of seven years, a period exceeded by but two, and 
equaled by only five members of this board in the last forty-one years; 
and 

" Whereas^ This is an event so unusual as to justify some special recog- 
nition ; therefore, be it 

" liesolved. That in losing the services of James Waterhouse, Esq., the 
choseu freeholder from the Second Ward of the city of Passaic, tiie board 
of chosen freeholders of the county of Passaic parts with a member dis- 
tinguished for his ability, integrity, and conscientious regard for the 
right in the discbarge of every public duty, and the city of Passaic loses 
a valuable representative, who was ever ready and anxious to further her 
interests; while the members of the board individually separate with 
profound regret from one whose society they prized, and for whose manly 
and upright character they entertained the highest esteem." 

Mr. Waterhouse was also an active Mason, and had 
been for a period of eighteen year.s a member of At- 
lantic Lodge, No. 178, of New York City. In the 
midst of activity and usefulness, and in the apparent 
fullness of health, the death of James Waterhouse 
occurred on the 16th of October, 1881, at his home in 
Passaic. For a period of half a century prior to this 
unexpected event the family circle had remained un- 
broken. Mr. Waterhouse in all the relations of life, 
both of a public and private nature, maintained a 
character which won universal regard, and caused his 
death to be felt a personal loss. He was a supporter 
and regular worshiper of the North Reformed (Dutch) 
Church of Passaic, of which Mrs. Waterhouse is a 
member. 

Richard Cutwater.— The Cutwater family are 
among the oldest in the State, the earliest members 
having emigrated from Holland, and after a brief 
residence in New Amsterdam (now New York) settled 
in Bergen County, N. J., where they became exten- 
sive landed proprietors. 

Judge John Cutwater, the great-grandfather of the 
subject of this biographical sketch, was born at Mo- 
narchic, near Hackensack, Bergen Co., in 1746, where 
his life was spent in agricultural employments. In 
the war of the Revolution he served as captain of the 
New Jersey militia, and rendered valuable service 
during the entire period of the conflict. He was sub- 
se(]uently appointed judge of the Bergen County 
Court, and was conspicuous for his practical knowl- 
edge and executive ability. He was also well known 
as a skillful surveyor. Judge Cutwater was married 
to Miss Harriet Lozier, and had children, — Richard, 
John, Abram, Peter, Jacob, aad one daughter. The 
judge's death occurred May 18, 1823, and that of his 
wife Sept. 28, 1828, in her eighty-second year.. She 
was a member of the Reformed (Dutch) Church of 
Hackensack, and an exemplary Christian lady. 

The birth of their son Richard occurred in 1777, 
at Monarchie, where his early life was devoted to 
labor upon the farm. He later engaged in mercantile 
ventures at the head of navigation on the Passaic 
River, now known as East Passaic, where he remained 
for ten years, and conducted a successful business. 
He then removed to Rutherford Park and embarked 
in lumbering and milling. Mr. Cutwater represented 



his constituency in the State Legislature, was treasu- 
rer of the Hoboken and Paterson plank-road, and 
filled many minor positions of trust. He was married 
to Miss Catherine Kip, to whom were born children, 
— John, Peter, Henry, and two daughters, Jemima 
and Harriet. The death of Mr. (Cutwater occurred 
; at Rutherford in 1858, his wife having died some years 
I previously. His life had been one of great activity, 
: and his character for integrity beyond reproach. 

The birth of his son John occurred at East Passaic 
in 1811, and his early life was spent at Rutherford. 
Cn his removal to Saddle River township at a subse- 
quent period he followed farming pursuits. John 
Cutwater was married to Miss Sophia, daughter of 
Peter Paulison, of Passaic County, born in 1810, and 
became the parent of children, — Peter, Richard, John 
H., and a daughter, Jane Maria. The death of Mrs. 
Cutwater occurred in 1805. Her husband still sur- 
vives, and resides upon his estate in Bergen County. 
The names of both are enrolled as active and con- 
sistent members of the Reformed (Dutch) Church of 
Acquackanonk. 

Richard, the second son, and the subject of this 
biography, was born in Saddle River township. May 
15, 1840. The years of his boyhood were spent upou 
the farm, where attendance upon the public school 
of the neighborhood was varied by occasional labor 
upon the estate. Being ambitious for a more active 
business life than was offered at his home, he at the 
age of fifteen removed to New York City, and there, 
by the acquirement of habits of industry and the 
knowledge of commercial pursuits which he gained, 
laid the foundation of a successful business career. 

At the expiration of two years he became a resident 
of Lodi, and there engaged in commercial enterprises, 
having been during this period for several years con- 
nected with the Lodi Print- Works. He was while 
here elected and served for four years as collector of 
the township of Lodi. Mr. Cutwater having discov- 
ered a larger field for enterprise in Passaic, became a 
resident of that city in 1868, and began an extensive 
trade in fine groceries. Here he has since that date 
resided and devoted his energies to a large and in- 
creasing business. He was in 1872 married to Miss 
Christiana, daughter of David A. and Jane Anderson 
Zabriskie, both of whom were representatives of the 
oldest families of Bergen County. Mr. and Mrs. Cut- 
water have two sons, — Anderson and Richard Irving. 
In politics Mr. Cutwater is a pronounced Republican. 
He has been a member of the Passaic City Council, 
and is now filling the responsible position of city 
treasurer. His religious views are in accord with the 
creed of the Reformed (Dutch) Church, he being a 
member and a deacon of the Reformed Church of 
Acquackanonk in Passaic. 

Joseph Kingsland. — The Kingslands are one of 
the oldest and most influential families in Bergen 
County, where its earliest representatives settled and 
owned a large and valuable estate. Joseph Kings- 



402 



IIISTOKY OF BERGliN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JEllSEY. 



land, the grandfather of the subject of this l>iojrraphi- 
cal sketch, was Ijorn at Kingsland, liergen Co., in 
1738, and at an early age acquired tlie trade of a car- 
penter, wiiich was fallowed successfully before the 
Revolutionary war. At the close of the conflict he 
removed to New York, and engaged extensively in 
the business of lumbering, liaving executed the first 
contract for curbing the streets witli wood. At a sub- 
sequent period he removed to Essex County, and 
purcha-sed the homestead which is now the home of 
his granddaughters. 

He was united in marriage to Miss Mary Cutwater, 
of Bergen County, and had children, — John, Henry, 
lienjamin, Joseph, Hannah (Mrs. Stephenson), Mary 
(Mrs. Mclntire), Catherine (Mrs. Kingsland), Rachel 
(Mrs. Oakes), and Sarah (Mrs. Morris). 

The death of Mr. Kingsland occurred at the home- 
stead in 1821. The birth of his son Joseph took 
place in New York during the year 1792, and four 
years later his removal with his jiarents to Essex 
County, where the remainder of his life was spent. 
He early engaged in milling enterprises, having con- 
ducted both grist- and saw-mills. In 1812 he em- 
barked in the manufacture of paper at the old Madi- 
son Mills, and in 1836 erected the present Pa.s.saie 
Mills, which were successfully managed by him until 
his retirement from business in 18.56. He married, 
in 1812, Miss Martha, daughter of Richard Ackerman, 
of Ilergen County, an<l had children, — Joseph, Marga- 
ret, Richard, Mary (Mrs. Mix), and Martha L. Mr. 
Kingsland was a man of much business enterprise, 
but with little t^istc for public life, whicli was not con- 
genial to him. His death occurred during the year 
1878. His son Joseph was born in 1813, on the 
homestead in Es.sex County, where the years of his 
boyhood were spent. He pursued his studies at 
Acquackanonk and Belleville, and later became a.sso- 
ciated with his father in the manufacture of paper. 
He remained thus employed until 1H4S, after which 
he repaired to Saugerties, N. Y., and continued the 
business, having rebuilt the Saugerties Mills, in con- 
nection with Messrs. White & Sheffield, of New York. 
At the expiration of a period of eight years he re- 
turne<l to his early home and formed a copartnership 
(in ISrifi) with his brother Richard, whicli lia-s con- 
tinued to the present time. Mr. Kingsland was mar- 
ried to Miss Margaret, daughter of Charles Stuart, of 
Delaware County, N. Y. They havechildren, — Martha 
(Mrs. Carryll), Joseph, Charles, and Minerva Kate. 
Joseph, of this number, is pursuing a scientific career 
in .Mexico, and Charles resides at home. .Mr. Kings- 
land wa.M,in his political proclivities, formerly a Demo- 
crat, but upon conviction changed his views and 
became a Republican. lie is devoted to the manage- 
ment of un extensive business, and finds little pleasure 
in the engrossing cares of public life. He was, how- 
ever, during the war elected a freeholder of his 
township by the Democracy, and served for six years, 
a portion of this time as a Republican. 



The Kingslands have for generations been stanch 
supporters of the Protestant Episcopal Church, Jo- 
seph, the grandfather, having been a warden of Trinity 
Church, Newark, during the la.st century. .loseph, the 
subject of this sketch, is a warden of the Protestant 
Ejiiscopal Cliurih of Franklin, N. J. 

Richard Kingsland. — The prominence of the 
Kingsland family as early settlers of Bergen County 
and other facts pertaining to their genealogy have 
already been elsewhere alluded to, which renders 
their repetition unnecessary. The subject of this 
brief biographical sketch was a grandson of Joseph 
Kingsland, born in 1738, at Kingsland. Bergen Co., 
and the son of Joseph, whose birth occurred in New 
York City in 1792, and who married in 1812 Miss 
Martha, daughter of Richard Ackerman, of Bergen 
County. 

Their children were .Joseph, Margaret, Richard, 
Mary, and Martha L. Of this number Richard was 
born Dec. 18, 1818, on the homestead in Essex County, 
to which his father had removed and where the years 
of his early life were passed. These years were 
chiefly devoted to study at the various schools in 
Bloomfield, Franklin, and Acqu.ackanonk. Having 
thus fitted himself for the more active duties of life, 
he removed to New York and engaged in the dry- 
goods business. The ]>lace of his birth having 
offered many advantages he returned again to his 
home, and embarked with his father in the manufac- 
ture of paper. On the retirement of Mr. .Joseph 
Kingsland, in 1856, he formed a business connection 
with his brother, which hiis continued to the present 
time. They are engaged in the manufacture of a fine 
grade of letter- and writing-paper, in which industry 
seventy hands are employed in the various depart- 
ments. Both steam and water-power are used, and 
all the most approved and modern mechanical ap- 
pliances have been introduced for perfecting the 
quality of their wares. 

He was in 184(i united in marriage to Miss Sarah, 
daughter of Roger Pegg, of New York, to whom 
were born children, — Joseph R., who is associated 
with his father in business, Sarah M. (Jlrs. .lames H. 
Hay), and .Martha \. (Mrs. W. R. Grirtith). Mr. 
Kingsland was formerly a Democrat in his political 
convictions, but was induced at the outbreak of the 
late war to change his views, and has since afliliatcd 
with the Republican |)arty. His businei«s occupa- 
tions gave but little leisure for a |>ublic career, which 
is not especially congenial to his tjistes. The Kings- 
land family have fiir generations espoused the tenets 
of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and Mr. Kings- 
land has not departed from the faith of his ancestors. 
He is one of the wardens of the Protestant Episcopal 
Church at Belleville, N. J. 
I William James Boggs.— Mr. Boggs was the only 
I son ol William and Sarah Jones Boggs, who resided 
. in the southern part of the State of New .lersey. He 
I was born in the city of Troy, N. Y., to which place 





C2^ ^.<^<^(^'^^ C'<^ 




C'/^5^fiy^W^ yiT^^-^'iS/T^'-oi. 





The Speer family are old residents of the 
township of Acfjuackanonk, where Rinear, the 
grandfather of the subject of this biographical 
sketch, iive<l and died. He followed farming 
pursuit*, and w.is united in marriage to Miss 
Xaomi iSkidiuore, who wa.s the mother of two 
<-hildren, — Samuel and Maria (Mrs. Sigler). i 
The birth of Samuel o«'urre«l on the ancestral i 
estate in Ac(|uackanonk, where his life was sjjent ] 
in the j)ursuits of agriculture. He married Miss 
Marv, daughter of James Sigler, of Brookdalc, 
Essex Co., and had children, — IJiucar, James, 
Maria, Naomi, Sophia, Cornelius, and John, of 
whom three, Rinear, Maria (^Mi"s. Sigler), and 
Xaomi, survive. The death of Samuel occurrcnl 
in 1S.52, after a life of extended usefulnes-;. His 
son, Rinear S., was born Sept. 1 i, 17!t.S, and 
devoted his esirly years to attendance upon the 
sessions of the district school. At a later perio<l 
he assisted his father in the cidtivation uf his 
land, and at the age of twenty-one vcaiN departed 
for th"' VVe^t and Sjuth on a pros|)ecting tour. 



On his return he engaged in various |)ursuits 
whereby an honest livelihood was obtained, and 
in 182") was married to Miss Jane, daughter of 
Mei-selis Post, of Acquackanonk. They have 
had the following children : Rosanna (deceased), 
Alfrctl, Enieline (Mrs. Egbert.-<on), James, Sarah 
(Mrs. Johnst)n), Edward, and Hiram, all of 
whom are living, with the exception mentioned. 

Mr. Speer is an outspoken Repid)lic;in in 
politics. He was the first sheriff" of Pa.s.>iaic 
County after its orgiinization, and servetl dur- 
ing the years l«37-39. He h;u< also tilled the 
offices of freeholder, collector, and assessor of 
Manchester township. The family are sup- 
porters of the Reformed Dutch Chinch of 
l?rookdale, Essex ( "o.. and regular attendants 
upon its services. 

Mr. Speer removed to his present home in 
1860. Here, after a life of activity, in which 
his abilities have Iteen devoteil no less to the 
public than to his jiersonal interi«ts, he enjoys a 
-eri'iii' and peaceful old age. 



. 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



403 



his parents had later removed, on the 7th of April, 
1813. Here his boyhood was spent in application to 
study until his sixteenth year, when a desire to enter 
the arena of commercial life influenced his removal 
to the city of New York. He became an inmate of 
the home of Rev. Charles G. Sommers, D.D., and at 
once engaged in active business pursuits. At a sub- 




sequent period he embarked in the hardware trade, 
but his peculiar abilities having been directed to in- 
surance, for which they were admirably adapted, he 
made it the labor of his life, and in it achieved a 
marked success, having filled successfully the offices 
both of president and secretary of the company with 
which he was connected. He was married Oct. 12, 
1835, to Miss Catherine Ann, second daughter of 
Paul and Mary Cleveland Paulison, of Hackensack, 
whose birth occurred April 24, 1816. 

Mr. and Mrs. Paulison were the parents of eight 
children, — Gertrude, Catherine A., .John P., Eliza- 
beth, Charles M. K., Henry, Richard, and Helen, 
and were descended from the oldest settlers of the 
county of Bergen. 

To Mr. and Mrs. Boggs were born seven children, 
as follows: William Dorlon, whose birth occurred 
Oct. 15,1836; Mary Elizabeth, born Aug. 14, 1838; 
Emma H., born May 6, 1840 ; Joseph P., whose birth 
occurred Feb. 23, 1844; George Henry, born Oct. 1, 
1845 ; Theodore P., the date of whose birth is June 
15, 1847; and ^Valter James, born July 26, 1850. 
Mr. Boggs having been attracted by the natural ad- 



vantages of Passaic, purchased and erected a resi- 
dence within the limits of the then village, where his 
summers were spent. Having become greatly inter- 
ested in the place, he in 1858 with his family made it 
his permanent home. He still continued his business 
interests in New York, but aided greatly by his means 
and public spirit to the development of the city, and 
gave a hearty sympathy to all progressive movements 
tending to advance its Christian civilization. 

He was in politics a Republican, but felt little desire 
to engage in the contests incident to an active politi- 
cal life. Mr. and Mrs. Boggs were early members of 
the Baptist Church of Passaic, and among its found- 
ers. At a later period they became associated with 
the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, New York, of 
which Mr. Boggs was a member at the time of his 
death, which occurred May 15, 1872, after a brief ill- 
ness. A very just conception of his noble Christian 
character may be derived from the following extract, 
taken from a religious publication : 

" He was an earnest, consistent, and devoted fol- 
lower of his Lord and Saviour, — one who, having 
made a profession, by the grace of God lived up to 
that profession. He was a man of fine feelings and 
tender sympathies. He was a strong denominational 
man, yet he loved all of the household of faith. Fare- 
well ! Farewell, dear brother I Already hast thou 
heard thy Saviour's voice, ' Well done, thou good and 
faithful servant.' Great and glorious is thy reward." 



CHAPTER LV. 

CITY OF PATERSON.J 

The writer has been engaged since 1870 in collect- 
ing and preserving materials relating to the history 
of Paterson, especially the first years of its existence 
and its early men of note. He has thus accumulated 
several hundred pages of short-hand notes of conver- 
sations with some of the older citizens, many of whom 
are now dead, such as the venerable John Colt, Aaron 
King, Charles Smith Kinsey, Henry Clark, and others, 
whose families were closely identified with the settle- 
ment of the place. Many works bearing more or less 
directly on the subject have been acquired, together 
with numerous pamphlets, newspaper files, maps, 
manuscripts, account-books, and other records, so 
that in the preparation of the following sketch the 
difficulty has been rather from the embarraaaement du 
riclies than from the paucity of material. What fol- 
lows has been carefully selected from the data on 
hand, with the view of presenting concisely the more 
striking facts of the city's origin and progress, without 
too wearisome a minutia of detail. Wherever dates 
are given without qualification they are based upon 
public or private contemporaneous records in prefer- 

1 By William Nelson. 



404 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



ence to the recollections of individuals. So, if some 
critical reader should find a statement of fact or date 
herewith given which differs from his own memory 
on the subject, he may nevertheless rest assured that 
it has not been made witliout due authority. 

Early History. — The territory now embraced within 
the bounds of tlie city of Paterson conjiiri.ses parts of 
several distinct tracts, settled at different times and 
under diffierent circumstances. That portion south 
of the river Passaic and east of the mountain was 
I)art of the Acquackanonk Patent, an account of 
which is given elsewhere in this work. The section 
adjoining on tlie west was ineUide<l in a purcha.se 
made in 1719 by some of the Acquackanonk settlers , 
and their friends. Of the territory north of the ! 
river, that portion lying east of Clinton Street was in 



Street, Hroadway. Mulberry Street, River Street to 
Bank Street, thence across the river, probably by a 
ford, along Water Street to Clinton, up Clinton to 
the edge of the Hill, along the side of the Hill to 
Haledon Avenue, and so on to Pompton and the 
western country. There was no other road laid out 
in this section until 1710, when Willis Street was lo- 
cated from Vreeland Avenue to the river for the con- 
venience of Simeon Van Winkle.' These two roads 
accommodated the residents for half a century, when 
one was laid out from Totowa to Singack, or to the 
western part of Totowa. Of course, as already inti- 
mated, the people had other roads, laid out or 
opened by themselves for the convenience of the 
neighborhoods or for access to their farms, and these 
rude by-roads answered all the purposes of intercom- 



the Wagraw tract, and the remainder was a part of munication for many years. The laying out of the 



the Totowa Patent, wliicli wa.s sold in ll)S7. It is not 
easy to tell just where the first settlement was made 
within the present area of Paterson. So early as 
1707 a road was laid out from Newark to Acquacka- 
nonk, and through what is now Paterson to Pompton,' 
hut it is not jirobable that any settlement was estab- 
lished within our i)resent city limits for some years 
thereafter. Perhaps the first settler was Simeon Van 
Winkle, a son of the Acquackanonk patentee, Simon 



public roads described indicated their increased im- 
portance SIS common highways leading to other set- 
tlements. 

The first settlers lived simple, comparatively un- 
eventful lives, sowing and reaping, having their little 
country gatherings, keeping u|> the old-country habits 
to a large extent, raising big families and setting 
them up on farms of their own, until they, too, grew 
too large for shelter under the old roof-tree, when 



Jacobs, who located on the river-bank at the foot of there would be another scattering, some going to the 



Willis Street at least as early as 1719. Totowa was 
settled by the Van Houtens about 1720, or po.isibly 
earlier. But there were very few families there for 
another generation. What is now the First Ward 
and the lower part of the Second Ward had no white 
inhabitants at all probably until 1740 or 1750, and 
what is known as " stony road" was not settled until 
even later.' 

The first white i>wners of the soil in the precincts 
named were all Dutch, and, with the exception of the 
settlers of the Wagraw tract, were relatives of the 
Acquackanonk patentees. They divided the land up 
among themselves in farms of about one hundred 
acres, on which they raised grain, etc., in consider- 
able quantities, although in many places the land 
WHS too poor to raise even sheep. Much of it was 
very sandy, elsewhere it was swampy, and in other 
localities it was covered with a thick growth of wood, 
which supplied the settlers with the wherewithal for 
keeping up those great wood-fires for which our an- 
cestors were so famous. 

The sparsene.Hs of population in those early days is 
indicated in a meiusiire by the elates of laying out some 
of the roads, although, of course, there were "wood 
roads" soon after the land was taken up. The first 
road through this section has already been mentioned 
8.H laid out in 1707. This ran along the border of the 
Dundee Lake, through Market Street, Vreeland Ave- 
nue, Willis Street, York Avenue or East Eighteenth 

I lliitory nf TumIc (Vninly R^auU, \tj WlllUm NelK.n, |i. 10. { 

• llinlc.rical SkeUh uf INiaitlc Cuulitjr, \,} WlUUni NoImhi, pp. U, 18, ! 

17, 27,'^i. ' 



great metropolis, and some going to the far West in 
the central part of New York State, and gradually 
following the setting sun even to Ohio, where very 
many iieo|)le from this county ultimately settled. 

Fotinding of Paterson. — Alexander Hamilton, 
Washington's lirst Secretary of the Treasury, was 
convinced that the United States would never be 
really free and independent of (Jreat Britain until 
they could tnanufaeture goods enough for their own 
consumption, and one of his first acts as the head of 
the Trejisury Department was to endeavor to enlist 
Congress in support of his views on this subject. He 
managed to attract public attention to the matter in 
a general way, l>ut this was not sufficient, and being 
very strongly impres.sed with its importance he con- 
ceive<l the idea that the practicability of .Xmerican 
manufactures ought to be put to a test, which he had 
no doubt would )>rove a complete success. His high 
otBcial |>osition, his conceded ability, and his exten- 
sive jiersonal and business connections rendered it no 
ditficult matter for him to enlist the aid of many men 
of wealth and business standing in his scheme, wliich 
took the form of the organization of a great slock 
company, which should engage in all sorts of manu- 
factures, and encourage others to do the same under 
its auspices, at some central anil convenient location. 
The enterprise was worked up with great skill and 
industry, until the immense capital of one hundred 
thousand dollars was subscribed for the |>rojected 
comi)any. This was a vast sum to invest in muuufac- 

> III>tanr of PmmUc CoODljr 



/ 



"PA 



-^ OF -^ 

the TOWN of 



M.,jr, 



f^om .\clu.il Sui-\«0' ^>' 



«^// /J/u/rfTr r 



1840 • 

EVERTS ft rtCK 




CITY OF PATERSON. 



405 



tures in those days. Indeed, the new company was 
the largest of the kind, if it was not the only one of 
the iiind, in the whole United States. The experi- 
ment was at least doubtful, and, being the first of the 
sort in the New World, was generally considered by 
keen business men as quite sure to fail. In this in- 
stance the prophets of evil had the sorry satisfaction 
of seeing their predictions come true, although, had 
they foreseen the growth of the present city of Pater- 
son, with its fifty-five thousand inhabitants, as the 
result of this apparently chimerical enterprise, they 
would have fain conceded that the project had suc- 
ceeded beyond the wildest conceptions of its origina- 
tors. Hamilton and his associates in the new com- 
pany concluded to locate their works at the Passaic 
Falls, as afibrding the finest water-power anywhere 
^Tthin convenient reach of New York or Philadelphia, 
and then they applied to the New Jersey Legislature 
for an act to incorporate them. There was some op- 
position to the act, but the newspapers of the day, 
especially those favorable to Hamilton, warmly ad- 
vocated the bill, and it finally became a law on the 
twenty-second day of November, in the year 1791. 
William Paterson, an eminent jurist of his day, was 
Governor of the State at the time, and probably aided 
in securing the passage of the bill, in gratitude for 
which the incorporators decided to name the projected 
town, after him, Paterson.' It has been often said 
that the town was so named because the Governor had 
the goodness to sign the bill incorporating " The 
Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures," but 
this is an error. The first meeting of the society was 
held at New Brunswick, on the last Monday in Novem- 
ber, 1701. In order to give the appearance of allow- 
ing every locality in the State to compete for the 

* It seeme appropriate that some account should be given herewith of 
thf man after whom our city is named, that the inhabitants may liiiow 
that he was worthy of this honor. William Paterson was born in the 
north of Ireland in 1745, and came to .\merica with his fathertwo years 
later. They lived at Trenton, then at Princeton, and finally at Somer- 
Tille. William was graduated at Princeton in 1763, studied law with 
Bichard Stockton, one of the signel-s of the Declaration of Independence, 
and was admitted to the bar in 1760. In 1775 he was elected to the Pro- 
Tiucial Congress, by which body he was chosen secretary. A year later I 
he was appointed attxirney-general, which oflBce he held until 17S3, when ! 
he resigned it. In 17S6 be was appointed to represent New Jersey in the j 
couTeution which framed the present constitution, in which body he 
was one of the most practical and far-seeing men. His plan of a con- 
stitution was largely incorp*jrated into the instrument which ultimately 
received the assent of the States. — GortUin's Hist, of New Jersey, p. 331 ; 
Muljord^s Ilut, of iVeic Jersey, p. 485 ; paper read by the Hon. CouTllnndt 
Parker before New Jersey Hist. Society, May, 1881. Mr. Paterson was 1 
elected one of the first United States senators from New Jersey; was a 
member of tlie committee on judiciary, and had much to do with framing 
the system of Federal judiciary. In 1790 he was elected Governor of 
ttie State, which office he held until, in March, 1793, Washington ap- ' 
pointed him one of the justices of the Supreme Court of the United 
States, in which high position he delivered many able opinions, which 
placed him in the first rank of jurists of his time. But the citizens of 
New Jersey are peculiarly indebted to him for his masterly revision of 
the laws of the State, published in 1800, which has been pronounced the 
completest work of the kind then extant in the United States. Judge 
Paterson died at Albany, N. Y., Sept. 9, 1806. For a full and extremely 
interesting sketch of the life of this distinguished godfather of the city 
of Paterson, see " Elmer's Reminiscences," p. 77. 



establishment within its neighborhood of the projected 
manufactory, proposals were publicly solicited and 
offers were received from several places of land and 
other inducements, but in May, 1792, the society 
formally voted to locate its works at the Falls of the 
Passaic. 

The charter of the society presents some novel 
features, and contains provisions that no company at 
the present day would dream of asking. Still, these 
extraordinary privileges granted to the society were 
never of any material benefit, with the single excep- 
tion of that relating to taxation. The first section 
incorporates the subscribers to the cajiital stock as a 
body politic and corporate in law, with power to 
acquire, have, hold, and enjoy any lands, tenements, 
hereditaments, goods, and chattels, of any kind or 
quality, to an amount not exceeding four millions of 
dollars, and to sell or dispose of the same or any part 
thereof. The second section limits the capital stock 
to one million dollars. The fourth section exempts 
all the property of the society from all taxation for 
the term of ten years, and thereafter exempts its 
property from all but State taxation, an exemption 
which the courts have since held only applies to its 
mills and raceways; other sections are such as are 
usual in such charters, though fuller than is common 
now. The seventeenth section is the most important, 
as it gives the amplest powers to acquire lands and 
waters for the improvement of navigation by con- 
demnation if the owners of the property will not ac- 
cept the offers of the society. As the effort to make 
lock navigation in the river above Paterson was 
abandoned before it was fairly begun, the provisions 
of this section have never been taken advantage of 
by the society. The power to take property by con- 
demnation appears to be restricted to the taking of 
such property only for the purpose of constructing 
navigable canals. Other sections provide for laying 
out a tract of six miles square, the inhabitants within 
which were to be incorporated as " The corporation 
of the town of Paterson," which municipality should 
have a mayor, a recorder, twelve aldermen, twelve 
assistant aldermen, a town clerk, a sheriff", and the 
other officers usually chosen in townships ; the mayor, 
recorder, and the aldermen to constitute a court of 
Quarter Sessions, with power to try the minor offenses 
triable in such courts. The society was also author- 
ized to raise one hundred thousand dollars by lottery, 
which it never did. Such in brief are the provisions 
of this remarkable charter. 

It will be seen that it nowhere creates any " mon- 
opoly," as has been supposed by many. It is given 
no exclusive privileges whatever, and in no respect 
was it guaranteed against competition. The Legis- 
lature did not "give the society the Passaic River," 
as is sometimes said, nor any other river or water. 
The Passaic River is not mentioned in the act, for the 
Legislature supposed at the time that the location of 
the works of the company was still an open question, 



406 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



and the bill doubtless received votes on the suppo- 
sition that the factory would be established on the 
Raritan River instead of at the Passaic Falls. Al- 
though there was no constitutional prohibition, the 
Legislature respected the principle that private prop- 
erty should not be taken except for the public use 
and after due compensation to the owner. Hence it 
was that the company was only authorized to con- 
demn lands and waters for the purpose of improving 
navigation for the public use and benefit, the canals 
to be public highways on the payment of resusonable 
tolls, which were prescribed in the charter. The 
directors having voted to locate at Paterson, and 
having got some money in the treasury, though never 
much, immediately set about buying up the land 
about the Falls, and during July, 1702, conij)leted 
the purchase of between seven and eight hundred 
acres of land hereabouts. Their purchases comprised 
all the land south of the river, west of Prospect 
Street and north of Slater Street, to a line some dis- 
tance west of the rocks ; also large tracts along the 
river near the Straight Street bridge; along Broad- 
way, north side, between Carroll Street and East 
Eighteenth .Street; on Market Street, between Main 
Street and Madison Avenue, and south to Slater 
Street; lands between Market and Willis Streets, 
and tracts in other localities. These descriptions are ' 
general and not precise. They bought along the 
river on the south side for some distance above as 
well as below the Falls, and thus became riparian 
owners. All these purchases were made by amicable 
agreement with the respective owners of the property 
in question. In no ca.se was there any attempted ex- 
ercise of " monojioly," or any extraordinary power 
for the acipiisition of proi)erty. They paitl whatever 
the owners asked, or else they did not buy. Their 
total purchasas co.st them about thirty thousand dol- 
lars, which would be at the rate of about forty dollars 
per acre. It was a very handsome price for the land, 
much of it utterly useless for farming or grazing pur- 
poses. Twenty years later sonic of the best of it was 
valued at only fifty dollars per acre, and could find 
no buyers even at that figure, when the town had 
quite a population. The right of the society to-day , 
to the use of the Passaic River is precisely that of , 
any other riparian owner, no less and no more. That 
right has been recogni/.eil by the common law of Eng- 
land for a thousand years and longer, ami was well 
establishe<l in ancient Home. The right has not been 
aci|uired by legislative grant, but by purcha.se and 
uninterrupted use for ninety years. So much for a 
very common misapprehension of a very simple mat- 
tor, but one of great importance to the city and to the 
society. 

Having bought the land deemed requisite for its 
works, but in reality ten timcsas much as was necessary ' 
or ever used, the society set about constructing a canal 
from the river to HU|)ply water-power for its contem- 
plated mills. After much unsuccessful experimenting, 



in which a great deal of money was wasted by the engi- 
neer, Maj. L'Enfant, Peter Colt, of Hartford, Conn., 
then treasurer of that State, was employed as superin- 
tendent of the society's aflairs, and he at once began 
blasting a |)a.s.sage through the rocks to the river 
from the upper end of the ravine which runs parallel 
to the river for some distance on the south. It was 
a mighty undertaking for that day, this leading a river 
out of its natural bed into an artificial channel, and 
indeed it would be no mean engineering feat even 
now to construct the middle raceway. It is no wonder 
that it took fully a year to accomplish the work, es- 
|)ecially when a hundred other things were diviiling 
the attention of the superintendent. A cotton-mill 
was being built at the same time, houses for the ex- 
pected operatives, streets were being laid out, skilled 
workmen were being sought, and when none could be 
found in .\nierica, they had to be imported from Eng- 
land, Scotland, Irclaud, and other countries. This 
accounts in a measure for the heterogeneous elements 
of population in Paterson at the present day,' and for 
the broad toleration which has always been a notice- 
able feature of the place, for nationalities and all 
creeds and opinions. It must be admitted, however, 
that these new-comers were not always received witli 
open arms by the native original settlers. The old 
Dutch were satisfied with the state of things as they 
were, and did not have much faith in or sympathy 
with the ambitious projects of the New York and 
other merchants who had come among them and were 
bringing in strangers to occupy the land. Their 
fathers, the first patentees, had got along well enough 
without any big factories to make calico or other 
fabrics, and in their judgment the land lookeil better 
before it was disfigured by the extensive excavations 
for raceways, etc. It will scarcely be denied that the 
descendants of the Dutch owners of the land when 
the society first came among them have not entirely 
got over the indisposition their fathers had to welcome 
strangers to their ancestral acres. There still lingers 
a very little of the old feeling of exclusivene.ss. Hut 
this very conscrvativeness on their part has served 
the purpose of a sound basis for society in Paterson; 
it baa likewise proved a financial basis for the city, 
for whenever there has been a really worthy and sensi- 
ble .scheme for the a<lvancernent of the welfare of the 
town, and which was likely to pay, there has been no 
lack of money forthcoming from the old conservatives 
of the city or county, so that to them the city has 
been indebted time and time again for the money 
needed to carry on public improvements, manufactur- 
ing enterprises, and to supply the buildings required 
for the constantly growing population. 



' II; the l!nlti<>1 8IMM renmilnriBTO.lt npiK'srinl lliol llio n»llvK-lKjrn 
liopiiUtloii of Pntpnton wan W.711. whicli of cuiinio wutild Include the 
nntlrp.|.urii chlhlmi of forflgli imronti; and that thr forrtgn-t^orn 
population wa* IZ.siiM, of whom '.i37 were French, \t'i9 were Orrman, 
:KM7 wero Kiixllah, Hi* werti Iriah, 870 were Srulch, 130U were Holland- 
era, and 17'i Mrrci Swla. 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



407 



Progress of Paterson. — The Society for Estab- 
lishing Useful Miinufactures constructed one race- 
way, known as the " middle raceway," built a small 
cotton-mill, and soon after found its means exhausted, 
with no prospect of getting more. In 1796 it resolved 
to discontinue work on its own account. Since that 
time its eflbrts have been directed to the establish- 
ment of useful manufactures by others, furnishing the 
water-power, and sometimes a part of the cajutal, re- 
quired to carry on the business. After the society's 
failure the outlook for Paterson was gloomy indeed. 
Eventually it was perhaps a good thing for the town, 
as individual enterprise took the place of the great cor- 
poration which was originally designed to be the patron 
and director of every manufacturing project estab- 
lished or to be established here. One after another, 
manufacturers came hither from other localities, built 
their little factories and carried on a modest business, 
which was enlarged from time to time, or gave way to 
some more enterprising party, and so the town slowly 
but steadily waxed larger and busier, until by 1810 it 
was quite a hamlet, and contained several hundred in- 
habitants, nearly all directly dependent upon the vari- 
ous industries which had been established here. The 
war of 1812 gave a remarkable impetus to Amer- 
ican manufactures, and Paterson shared largely in the 
temporary prosperity, when the demand for cotton 
goods was far in excess of the supply, owing to the 
exclusion of British importations. Everybody who 
could get together a few hundred dollars set about 
spinning cotton for the Philadelphia market, where it 
was woven, and nearly every little shop in the town 
was turned into a cotton-factory. When the war 
ceased and the ports were thrown open to British im- 
portations ruin followed, and Paterson shrank almost 
into nothingness. Then came the tariff of 1816, which 
once more encouraged American manufacturers, and 
soon Paterson was once more on the high-road to 
prosperity. New men came in, new mills were built, 
more capital than ever invested, and the town assumed 
an aspect of stability. Moneyed men not only in- 
vested their capital here, but built themselves fine resi- 
dences, and brought their families with them. A so- 
cial circle was thus formed which had the entree into 
the most exclusive coteries in the land, and there was 
a refinement of intercourse between these congenial 
acquaintances which has never been surpassed in Pat- 
erson since. As the natural and artificial advantages 
of the town as a manufacturing centre became more 
widely known, other industries were established here, 
until the amount of capital invested became too large 
to be permanently affected by any temporary adversi- 
ties. The panic of 1837 was a serious drawback to the 
continued progress of this place while its effects lasted, 
which was for a year or two, but a new leap forward 
was speedily made after that dark cloud had passed 
away. The fluctuating tariff legislation was also a 
disturbing element in the calculations of business 
men. When the " sliding scale" tarifi' went into effect, 



manufacturers here were almost at a standstill, and 
the town made but little headway. In the course of 
time the mill-owners adapted themselves to the altered 
condition of things, and again their mills hummed 
with the busy whir of wheels. When the New Eng- 
land manufacturers began to compete successfully 
with ours in spinning cotton, the silk industry stood 
ready to step in and take its place in Paterson. As 
other factories underbid ours in the manufacture of 
cotton machinery, our machine-shops were devoted to 
turning out locomotives. So the capitalists have been 
ever on the alert to adapt themselves to changing cir- 
cumstances. There are evil prophets who predict the 
decay and ruin of Paterson if ever the silk industry 
or the making of locomotives shall fail us. Let them 
take comfort from the lessons of the jiast, which have 
shown that Paterson depends for its prosperity upon 
the success of no one industry, and that her ingenious 
mechanics and enterprising manufacturers will never 
be at a loss to turn to profitable account the talents 
and the manufacturing facilities at their command. 

The wonderful progress of Paterson is best shown 
by a few figures from the census returns from time to 
time. In 1820 the population of the town was re- 
ported to be 1578; in 1824 it had grown to the sur- 
prising total of 4787, including the section lying on 
the north side of the river, then known as " New 
Manchester." In 1827 the population was 5236; in 
1832 it was 9085, an increase of fifty per cent, in five 
years. The panic of 1837 caused a decrease in the 
population, which was accelerated by the unfavorable 
tariff legislation, and in 1840 the population of the 
town was reported at only 7598, exclusive of Man- 
chester, which contained 3105 inhabitants. The 
population at subsequent dates has been as follows: 
1850, 11,341; 1855, 16,458; 1860, 19,585; 1865, 24,893; 
1870, 33,581; 1875, 38,824; 1880,50,887. The increase 
in population during the past ten years has been ex- 
ceeded by no city of the size in the Eastern or Middle 
States. During the whole summer of 1880 there was 
an unprecedented increment in the foreign population 
of Paterson, and it was an interesting sight to see 
the arrivals every night by the "emigrant train" of 
quaintly attired new-comers from the Old World, — 
from England, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, France, 
Germany, Italy, and other countries, — with their 
quainter luggage, who had come straight to Pater- 
son, attracted hither by the enthusiastic reports sent 
" home" by friends who had come earlier to try their 
fortunes in the " Lyons of America." It was also 
curious to see how speedily these strangers were ab- 
sorbed into the common body of inhabitants, and 
how quickly they dofted their old-country ways and 
became as citizens "to the manner born." This add- 
ing to the population has kept up quite steadily ever 
since, though not to quite as noticeable an extent as 
during the period mentioned, until at present — 
February, 1882 — it is believed the total number of 
inhabitants of Paterson does not fall short of 55,000. 



408 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



CHAl'TKU LVI. 
CITY OF PATEKSON— <Co«<i»M«<). 

Municipal History. — Brief notice has been made 
of the provisions of the charter of the Society for 
Establishing Useftil Manufactures, looking to the 
setting up of an elaborate municipality on a scale 
even ampler than that enjoyed — or otherwise-^— by 
New Vork City to-day. Although the organization 
of the local government in the form autliorize<I would 
have given the society an enormous advantage in 
more ways than one, it never availed itself of these 
powers, and the residents continued to govern them- 
selves in the old-fashioned, slip-shod way of New 
Jersey townships, as part and |)arcel of Acquacka- 
nonk township. This was far from satisfactory, either 
to the Paterson people or to the old inliabitants of 
Acquackanonk. The former were taxed and to some 
extent governed by people living miles away from 
the village, with whom they had little or nothing in 
8ymi>athy, and in the course of time the latter saw 
themselves outvoted by new-comers for whom they 
had a secret dislike. Tlie project of a new township 
or of a new county was agitated very soon after Pat- ' 
erson was founded, but it was not until Jan. 27, IS."}!, 
that the Legislature passed an act establishing the 
township of Paterson, which was set oH' from Ac- 
quackanonk, comprising all that part of the old 
township lying to the north and northeast of the fol- ' 
lowing line: 

"Btiglniiing on the mltldle nf tlio road on the west aide of PoMaie 
Biver, at the foot of the I]ackoni).tck nnil ratereon turnpike bridge, near 
thelioime of John BlantalpD, ami running from tlieiico : IhI. North eighty- 
two dogreea, vrepi forty chainit to tlie soullii'iiHt corner of Jittiti P. 9Iar- 
Mle«')ine; 2d. Thence altnig Miid tine nortli neventy -eight degrees and 
forty. Are mlnulei*, weal eixty.«iglit ctiiUnfl and twenty-five linka; 3d. 
Thenre south elglity-aeron degrees fifteen minutes, west fifty-niitecliains 
mnd fifty iinks to the t«>p of ttie mountain at tln^ Siiutheast corner of tlio 
Garaiuin tract, now owned by Julm I*. Munuiles ; 4t)i. Thence aiong the 
Oanuon lioe nortli sixty-four degrees and thirty minutes, west ninety- 
four chains and fifty links to the Pasaaic Kiver, alfuut sixty-nine chains 
above the flootl-gates." 

<iencrally speaking, this line began at the Market 
Street bridge across the Pas.saic Kiver, ran westerly 
about in the line of Twenty-second Avenue to the 
mountain, around the mountain to West Twenty- 
fourth or West Twenty-lifth Street, and along .said 
street to the river. 

The first officers elected for the new township were: 
Moderator, Nicholas Smith; Town Clerk, Jonathan 
Hopper; Assessor, Adrian Van Iloiitcn ; Judge of 
Election, Horatio Moses; Chosen Freeholders, Philip 
Van Hnssnin, Patrick (^uinii ; Town Committee, Hun- 
nel M. llaggcrty, Klias H. I). Ogden, John Strong, 
Cornelius <i. (iiirrison, Hdo Van Winkle; Surveyors 
of the Highways, iJaiiiel .McCros.sen, Edo 1'. Marsilis; 
Judges of Appeal, Joliri Park, Jumea Close, Brant 
Van Blarcom ; Constables, William F. Dewey, Jere- 
miah Mitchell, .lohn (Jivens, Francis Fincgan, An- 
drew (lallickcr, Patrick Mulhollan, Henrv William- 



son, Edo Van Winkle, Peter Brown ; Poor-masters, 
James King, Esq., John Kear, E.s<i. ; School Commit- 
tee, .lames Richards, John Brown, Henry Whiteley ; 
Overseers of the Highways, Peter Archdeacon, Edo 
Van Winkle, John P. Marsilis, Daniel tiiiiim ; Pound- 
master, Daniel Van Horn.' 

At this first town-meeting the people voted to tax 
themselves $600 for the poor, *600 for roads, and $300 
for " a free school of all denominations." The senti- 
ment of this last ai)propriation is highly creditable, 
whatever may be said of the grammatical construc- 
tion. In 1832 the town committee had to deal with 
the dreadful cholera epidemic which devastated the 
land. The committee requested John Colt, Daniel 
Holsman, Horatio Moses, David Reid, and Brant Van 
Blarcom to co-operate with them as a part of the 
board of health for the town. Nearly one thousand 
dollars wius spent in cleaning the streets of Paterson, 
the better to check the spread of the terrible disease. 
About one hundred and forty persons died from the 
cholera in Paterson during that summer, .\ccording 
to the reports of the newspapers of the day, the ex- 
citement w!is terrible, and hundreds of the inhabit- 
ants fled to the country, where they stayed for weeks. 
In 1849 there was a second visilntion of the same 
dread epidemic, when one hundred and nine persons 
were carried otf by it in Paterson. This time it did 
not produce anything like the excitement the first 
epidemic had ilone. Two or three times since there 
have been fears of another epidemic of the same char- 
acter, but providentially such a calamity has been 
averted. 

Naturally, in a growing town like Paterson one of 
the most serious dithciiltics the authorities had to con- 
tend with was the grading and cleaning of the streets. 
To secure greater etficiency in this direction, in 1846 
the town committee were vested with full powers in 
the i>remises, and were authorized to regulate streets 
and sidewalks and to pa.ss ordinances to that end. 
They were given all the powers of overseers of the 
highways, and the latter otiices were abolished. 
Meantime some of the more enterprising property- 
owners had acted in the matter themselves, in self- 
protection, as the streets were often impassable, and 
the sidewalks were quite tis bad lus the middle of the 
mud roads or .streets. Some of the more public- 
spirited citizens on Main and Van Houten Streets, 
Broadway ami Lower Main, or Parke Street, put 
down sidewalks of brownstone slabs. Through the 
energetic action of Henry V. Butler, the proprietor 
of the paper-mill, the property-owners along Market 
Street, west of Prospect Street, and particularly wi^st 
of Cross Street, were induced to raise a fuml, to which 
he liberally sub.scribed himself, to have a curbstone 
set. This was in 1835, and the brownstone curb then 



< The apelllog of namea aa abura la prcclaely aa (Iran by tba luwn 
clerk, who flir«l the returns In the Kmoz County clerk's office Tlo> 
writer lien-of is tlierefore not res|i.in4ilde for any |i«<:ulierities wliicli 
the critical reader may perceive. 



CITY OF PATEKSON. 



409 



put down still answers the purpose very well. But 
the town committee system of government was hardly 
efficient enough for managing the affairs of 11,000 or 
12,000 people, and the Legislature passed an act, ap- 
proved March lit, 1851, to incorporate the township 
as a city. The provisions of the act were accepted by 
the voters at a special election held for the purpose, 
when 772 votes were cast for " charter," and 330 votes 
for " no charter." The new municipality was to be 
known as " The President and Council of the City of 
Paterson." The city was divided into three wards : 
the East Ward, lying ea.st of Main Street and north 
of Market ; the West Ward, west of Main Street and 
north of Market ; and the South Ward the rest of the 
city. The chief magistrate of the city was to be the 
president of the City Council, elected by the people 
annually, who were also to elect in each ward two 
district or ward committeemen, who with the presi- 
dent should constitute the City Council. A city clerk 
was also to be elected annualh', and two city coroners. 
The venerable and honored Philemon Dickerson, who 
had been Governor of the State, had been elected to 
Congress, and at this time was judge of the United 
States District Court for New .Jersey, was deemed by 
his fellow-citizens, without distinction of party, to be 
best fitted to start the new city on its voyage, and he 
was elected president of the City Council by a vote of 
871 to 323 for his opponent, one of the most esteemed 
citizens of the town. Socrates Tuttle was elected city 
clerk, John Bensen and John Vail were elected city 
coroners, and John Avison overseer of the poor. The 
district committeemen were: East Ward, Edward 
Clark, John Schoonmaker; West Ward, Andrew 
Derrom, Patrick Maginnis ; South Ward, Charles 
Inglis, Jr., Jeremiah Stalter. The new city started 
off handicapped by a debt of S21,000, the legacy left 
by the township. Charles Inglis was appointed treas- 
urer. The city government felt constrained to adopt 
a more generous rate of expenditure than had pre- 
vailed under the township, and there were pressing 
wants which had been deferred for years. Conse- 
quently the city ran deeper in debt every year. 

In 18.^4 all that part of the present city included 
within the First and Second Wards, except a portion 
lying north of Totowa Avenue and west of the Old- 
ham Brook, was annexed to the city, and in 1855 the 
rest of the present Second Ward was annexed. In 
the latter year the title of the chief magistrate was 
changed to mayor, and the district committeemen 
became full-fledged aldermen, — a fact which they 
communicated to their less distinguished fellow-citi- 
zens by wearing on their hats leather badges inscribed 

" Alderman, Ward," such as firemen have on 

their leather hats to indicate the company to which 
they belong. The mild ridicule to which this custom 
subjected the wearers led to its speedy abandonment. 
The first mayor elected was Brant Van Blarcom, a 
sturdy old Jersey Dutchman, whose close and suc- 
cessful management of his own finances led the tax- 



payers to believe that he was just the man to keep a 
tight hold on the public purse-strings. The territory 
annexed from Manchester, north of the river, was 
erected into the North Ward, and in 1855 that part of 
the South Ward lying east of Cross and Marshall 
Street was set off into the Fifth Ward. Jan. 1, 1858, 
the city had S83,000 of bonded debt and $25,000 of 
floating obligations, as reported by citizens' commit- 
tee to investigate the city's management. In 1867 
there was a strong sentiment, particularly in the 
board of aldermen, in favor of launching out into an 
extensive system of public improvements, and an 
act was prepared and introduced in the Legislature, 
at the request of the board, authorizing the aldermen 
to construct or purchase water-works, to establish one 
or more public parks, to buy or build a public market, 
and to make and adopt a city map showing the loca- 
tion of streets and sewers. The public improvements 
described were to be paid for by the issue of " Pat- 
erson City Improvement Bonds." A public meeting 
was called to discuss the measure, and the bill was 
amended to require a special election to be first held 
before the board should undertake the erection of 
water-works, etc. In this form it passed, but the 
board concluded not to undertake the great works 
proposed. In 1868 legislative authority was given 
for the construction of sewers, and that work was be- 
gun and vigorously carried forward, being paid for by 
a special tax. In 1869 the city limits were extended 
southerly to Crook's Avenue, and westerly to Twenty- 
seventh Street. A new charter was also enacted for 
the city, in which the provisions of the act of 1867 
were incorporated, only the execution of the work 
was devolved upon three commissioners to be ap- 
pointed by the board of aldermen. Some of the 
heavy tax-payers contested the steps taken by the 
board of aldermen to that end, and the Supreme 
Court declared the delegation of the powers to three 
commissioners to be void, and the board abandoned 
the project. The purpose was to buy the square 
bounded by Market, Ellison, Colt, and Church Streets, 
and to erect thereon a market and City Hall and other 
city buildings as they might be needed, the unoccupied 
grounds to form a public park. When debarred from 
this project the board bought the present City Hall, 
which had a short time previou.sly been purchased by a 
company of gentlemen from Aaron S. Pennington. 
This building had been erected about 1814 by Peter 
Colt for a residence, and two sides of it were built of 
stone taken from the first mill in Paterson. The street 
was then nearly level with what is now the second 
floor, a fine portico with a low flight of stone steps 
adorning the front. Originally there was a beautiful 
lawn stretching from the house down to Main Street. 
When the aldermen bought it they set about cutting 
down the street to its present level, which cost 820,000 
and more, and then built a story under the house and 
altered it materially in other respects, so that 
1 whereas the first cost was $25,000, the total cost was 



410 



HISTORY OF BKRGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



nearly $100,000 before the "improvement" was 
finished. In 1871 a new charter was passed for the 
city, which was drafted by the writer hereof and is 
still in force. In 18(>9 the term of the mayor was 
extended to two years. In ^*^74 the city clerk became 
an appointive instead of an elective oflicc. Follow- 
ing is a list of the presidents, mayors, and city clerks 
of Paterson since its incorporation : 

Presidents or City Cod.ncil. 
1851, Philemon Dickernoli; 1852, Charlos Danforlh; 1853, Andrew Der- 
rom; 1864, John J. Brown.i 

Mayoiis. 
1855, Bnmt Van Ulurconi ; 1S56, Samuel Snillh ; 1857-58, Peregrinf Siinil- 
ford; 1858, Sihu D. Canflcid; 1860-61, KJwIn T. Pnill (re-eleclcd In 
1861 liy buUi |>artie«); 18G2-«:>, Henry A. Wlllianui (electud In 1863- 
63 bjr both parties); 186fi, Wlllinm O. Watson; 1867, Henry A. Wli- 
llanm; I8li8, Nathaniel Townseml; 1869, John Ryle; 1871, Soirates 
Tiiltle; 187:1, Nathaniel Townnond; 1875-77, Benjamin Buckley; 
1879, Jos«ljli B. Graham; 18SI, David T. Uillmor. 

City Clkbks. 
1851-5;;, Socrates Tuttio; 1853-55, Bichard B. Chiswell ; 1856, Jamea 
NiKhtingalu; 1857, Thomas A. Quin;1858.Charie«S. Day; 1859-6(1. 
William Davidson, Jr.; 1861-G'A Daniel Millnr (ro-elected nnani- | 
mounlyt; iwa, George MagennI*; 1864, .Toseph B. Taggart; 1865, I 
George W. Crocker; 1860, William P. Allee; 1867, Archibald Hen- 
deraon; 1868, Archibald Belcher; 1809, Archiliald Hendemon (re- 
elected in 187(1 for two yeurxl; lH7'i, Bobert A. Haley (by 2*J miyor- , 
ityl; 1874-78, Robert A. Haley (by appointment of the board of : 
aldermen); 187'J-»I, Will Hague. , 

Rkcordebs. 
18tM, John B. Van Blarcoin (appointed for three yean); 1807, John J. 
Warren (appoinlod for tliree years, and reappointed for like terms 
in 187U, '73, '76, '79). 



CH.VPTKK I.VII. 
CITY OF PATER.SON— (C"«<m.(crf). 

Manufacturing Interests.— The Cotton Ixm-.'s- 
TKV. — The iiilroductioii into this country of spinning- 
frames operated by water-power, first started at Bev- 
erly, Mass., in 1787, but successfully conducted for the 
first time by Samuel Slater, at Providence, U. I., in 
1790, who w:us the first to introduce the .Vrkwripht 
" mill" into use in America, attracted the attention 
of Alexander Hamilton, and was favorably noticed 
by him in his celebrated "llcport on Manufactures," 
Dec. 5, 17!>1. Iiispire(l by liiiii, the Society for Es- 
tablishing Useful Maiiuliictures made pre|>aratii)ns 
for the erection of a cotton-mill to be etpiipped with 
the novel water-power machines. This mill was 
erected on the west side of the present Mill Street, to 
which it gave the name, a short distance north of 
Market Street, or nearly on the site of the present 

< Mr. Brownhadjnit'^ ln(0<'rlty. The result depenilfl upiin the count 
In the Fifth Ward. Ttn« returnn from the oliirr ward* showeti tliat Mr. 
Brown was but >iue sliead of his cuni|H,ti(or. Wiieii the lotttoiti of tlio 
Kiflh WhkI tmlliil-Nix was reached there were two Isdluts left, and the 
poli'list nliowmi tlint only one was bi lie taken out. Ths Judge picked 
out a liallot with Mr. Bntwn's name on, whereas, as it was aft4<rwards 
found, tlio other was fur his opponent, and had it been taken tiut the 
•lection would have reanlte,! in a tie. 



"Hamil Mill." It wa.s a very modest affair, about 
forty by ninety feet, four stories high, with high base- 
ment, a double or hip roof, surmounted by a cupola, 
in which swung a bell to summon the operatives to 
their labor.-' It wsus not as large as tlie Hamilton mill, 
which stands near its site. Adjunetory buildings 
were erected at the same time for printing and calen- 
dering, for carding and roping, etc. The main mill 
was calculated to accommodate eight drums, turning 
about eight hundred spindles. It was the summer of 
1794 before tlie mill was got in operation. Meantime, 
a temporary frame building had been put up, in which 
coarse yarns were spun by horse-power, and some- 
times by oxen-power, whence it was called the " Pull 
Mill." This was some time in 1793, probably.' This 
first New .Jersey cotton-mill was a small affair, but it 
contained more than ten times as many spindles as 
there were in operation in the whole country three 
years earlier.' The new |>roject had to encounter 
difficulties which we of this day cannot appreciate. 
The workmen had to be imported from England, Ire- 
land, and Scotland, and as enough of these could not 
be procured, employC-s had to be trained to the work. 
In those days there was no such thing as the system- 
atic labor of to-day, and the hands triHed in every 
way with their work, ruthlessly spoiling goods and 
machinery. Some of the imported foremen betrayed 
their trust, and foreign agents engaged to purchase 
and import unbleached muslins failed to account for 
large sums of money sent to them. Hy 179t; the soci- 
ety W!is out of funds, and on .luly 8tli the board of 
directors resolved to discontinue manufactures, and to 
sell all the goods on hand, fiuished and unfinished. 
In March, 1797, it was decided to lease the mill to 
any person willing to give security to use it and re- 
turn it in good order. .\t this time Elisha Hoiulinot 
was governor of the society, and he was vested with 
full power to attend to all its affairs, so that the board 
held no further meetings for five years, and then took 
another recess for twelve years.'' The old mill was 
leased by the society to .lohn Clark, who carried on a 
little machine-shop in the ba.«eiiient, renting out the 
other tloors to various persons, liiiKnig others to .John 
Parke, who spun candle-wick and other coarse cotton 
yarns, until in May, 1807, the mill was tiestroyed by 
fire. With its destruction the manufacture of cotton 
bade fair to cea.se in Paterson. 

However, there were some enterprising men in the 
new town, and they thought there wits still a fair 
chance to win fame and fortune by achieving the 
successful utilization of the very many advantages 
which Paterson already possessed as a manufacturing 
place. Among these advantages were the proximity 
of the town to New York and Philadelphia, the inag- 

' Conversation will) Charles Smith Kinsey in 1871, who recollected 
the ap|iearance of the intll perfectly. 

•Oonvrnutlon with John Cult in l><7.\ 

* Minutes of the SK-iely for hjilabilsliing Uoeful Manufactures. 

'' Re|Kin of S«creury of the Treasury, Feb. 29, 18.16, on the Cultiva- 
tion, 3lanufacture, and Foreign Trade of Cotton, talde L. 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



411 



nificent water-power, and the trained hands who had 
settled in the place. The experiment of spinning 
cotton by water-power had undoubtedly stimulated 
the housewives to greater eflbrts in spinning and 
weaving at home, and there were few houses in the 
little hamlet or in the vicinity where the hum of the 
spinning-jenny or the bustle of the loom could not be 
heard. Apparently the first to begin anew the ex- 
periment of spinning by power in Paterson was John 
Parke, who, as already mentioned, had been in the 
business in a small way in the old society mill. 
Within six months after the destruction of this mill, 
Parke had begun the erection of another on what was 
then called Boudinot Street, but is now Van Houten 
Street, nearly opposite Cross Street. He prudently 
put up only a small frame building, one story high 
probably, pretty well back towards the river, so as to 
get the lull head of water from the new raceway, 
which was then but recently constructed, as prior to 
this time the raceway had only extended down Mill 
Street, although possibly there was a tail-race running 
diagonally from the old mill towards the river, back 
of the present Phienix Mill. Times prospered with 
Mr. Parko, and he soon was able to enlarge his modest 
little mill. After a while, probably during the winter 
of 1810-11, he built a brick and stone mill, which has 
since been extended from time to time until it forms 
one of the principal structures connected with the 
great Phoenix Silk-Mills. Such was the humble be- 
ginning of this extensive series of buildings. Mr. 
Parke was a manufacturing and merchant prince in 
his day, and none in Paterson made so great a dis- 
play while he prospered. He had a fine house in 
Congress Street, opposite hotel. He had the largest 
country store in town on Broadway, between Main 
and West Streets, the building finally extending 
back almost to Fair Street, where be sold everything, 
— cotton yarns, dry-goods, shovels, shoes, hardware, 
crockery, medicines, etc. Of course, his mill hands 
were expected to trade at this store, and in fact were 
principally paid in orders on it, as was the custom 
in Paterson for nearly forty years after. When he 
had made up a goodly quantity of cotton yarns, they 
were packed on a great Pennsylvania covered wagon, 
resplendent in gorgeous paint, and drawn by four or 
six horses, driven tandem, and in this magnificent 
style the products of his mill were carried to the 
market in Philadelphia. It would have been cheaper 
to have carted the yarn to Acquackanonk, loaded it 
on a sloop, and thus taken it toPhiUidclphia, whither 
vessels frequently sailed ; but it would not have ex- 
cited nearly as much attention, and it would not have 
spread abroad the fame of Paterson — and of John 
Parke. Everything went on swimmingly with this 
enterprising and public-spirited citizen until the 
close of the war of 1812, when he went down with 
every other manufacturer in Paterson ; and in 1816 
his property passed out of his hands to satisfy his 
creditors. He never regained his former footing, but 



thereafter he nevertheless lived a useful, active life, 
and it was with satisfaction that his fellow-citizens 
aided in placing him in various minor ofHces that 
helped him to make a fair living and to benefit his 
fellows. He was the principal justice of the peace 
for many years, was a judge of the Common Pleas, 
was postmaster for some time, and held other local 
positions, all of which he filled with credit and in a 
manner to win the respect of all. His office was in a 
quaint little frame building, supposed to be in the 
Grecian style, which stood on the southeast corner of 
Main and Ellison Streets, and which now looks like 
a toy house on its present site in Market Street, near 
Madison. After Parke lost the Pho?nix Mill it passed 
into the hands of a Mexican named Joachin I. Vas- 
quez, who was at the time living in New York, and 
who thought it atibrded an excellent opportunity to 
make money. He began running it in 1817, but the 
times were not propitious, and in 1820 he was fain to 
give it up. 

In 1810 the manufacturing statistics of Essex 
County made quite a show. The production of cot- 
ton, linen, and woolen cloth for the year amounted 
to 201,836 yards in families, and 456,250 yards of 
cotton goods, such as cassimeres, stripes, checks, 
shirtings, corduroys, and fimcy goods. There were 
585 looms in operation, — 102 for weaving cotton goods, 
of which 70 were driven by water-power. These 
were doubtless in Parke's cotton-mill. It was stated 
that there were 3146 si)indles in motion in cotton 
manufactories, which was very likely an exaggera- 
tion, as was the statement that there were 9140 spin- 
dles prepared to go into operation, and 500 for spin- 
ning flax. It was likewise said that as soon as these 
spindles were finished there would be $958,500 em- 
ployed in these manufactures. This would be at the 
rate of about $80 per spindle, which would be rather 
high, even for that date, although the cost of cotton 
manufacturing machinery was certainly very great in 
those days, which was another reason why manufac- 
turers did not often succeed in those times. The fig- 
ures given confirm what has been said as to the ex- 
tent to which work in cotton was carried on then in 
the homes of the people. While the statistics just 
cited cover tlie whole of -Essex County, then em- 
bracing Acquackanonk township and the whole of 
Union County, in addition to its present area, Pater- 
son was the principal producer, and there was prob- 
ably no cotton-mill in the whole county outside of 
Paterson. This is, therefore, a valuable and interest- 
ing exhibit of the state of the industries of the town 
seventy years ago. 

In 1811, John Parke built an addition to his mill, 
and then Capt. Richard Ward, who had amassed a 
considerable fortune, so it was then considered, being 
in the neighborhood of twenty thousand dollars, started 
in the cotton business on Boudinot Street, just west 
of Mr. Parke, putting up a small frame building, 
which was afterwards enlarged, until by the subse- 



412 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



queiit accretions the mill became quite extensive. 
Capt. Ward lived in good style, and his family kept 
up appearances handsomely. They were highly es- 
teemed. The locality they selected for their dwelling 
does not affect much style nowadays, being directly 
opposite his mill-seat, where the Van Riper belt-fac- 
tory now stands. But in those times it wius consid- 
ered quite the thing for a mill-owner to live within 
sight of his mill, that he might be the better able to 
superintend all its workings and the conduct of his 
employes, many of whom commonly found board and 
lodgiufT in their master's house. It is .said that Aaron 
and Robert King occupied a portion of the mill prem- 
ises whereon Capt. Ward located in 1811, but it was 
probably some years later, perhaps after the war of 
1812. This property passed into the hands of John 
Nightingale about 1830. He had been carrj'ing on a 
bleachery near Clifton prior to this time, — since about 
1825. Nightingale was a very Hcshy man, but not- 
withstanding had few superiors in the town in 
point of energy and activity. That he was remark- 
ably successful in business is evidenced by the fact 
that he held possession of this property until his 
death, and was able to leave it to his sons, Dr. 
James Nightingale and .John Nightingale. The doc- 
tor some years ago sold the residence on the south 
side of Boudinot Street to the Van Ripers, who 
moved the building back, raised it, and incorporated 
it in some mysterious manner into the handsome 
brick-front structure in which their belt manufacture 
is now carried on. Nightingale had previously oc- 
cupied a dwelling on the front of his mill lot. In 
1813, Capt. Wardjoineil with Cornelius Van Winkle, 
Abram Van Houten, and Albert Van Saun in build- 
ing the large stone vault in the old Dutch Church 
burying-grnund in Water Street, near JIatlock, and 
there his ;i.-<lies are deposited. 

About the time that Ca|)t. Ward started his cotton- 
mill, .\aron and Robert King engaged in the same 
business in a mill on Congress (now Market) Street, 
just west of Mill, where they remained for eight or 
ten years, after which they removed to a mill on 
Boudinot Street, where their establishment was known 
as the " Plincnix Cotton-Mill." They carried on the 
business in other locations from time to time for many 
years. Both were among the most highly-respected 
citizens of the town, and the venerable form of Aaron, 
lUH he walkeil about the street.s when he had got into 
the " nineties," is rememberi'<l with pleasure by all 
our older residents. In 182-') the (irm employed forty- 
eight hands, and had lifleeti liumlred spindles.' 

In 1812-1.'J, Isaac Classen built ijuite a large mill 
on the middle race, about opposite PitsMaic Street, 
which wiLs afterwards known its the " Franklin," and 
more commonly as the " Red" .Mill. It subsequently 
fell into the bands of Daniel Holsnian. by wlmm it 



t Manuicri|it cctiliu of Piil«nH>n, I'jr ttio lUv. Pr. Saninp) Flahvr, July 

4, ixa.. 



was carried on for many years. Holsman had an- 
other mill, called the " Home," on Boudinot Street, 
where J. C. Todd & Simonton's machine-works now 
are. In these two mills he employed nearly six thou- 
sand spindles in 1825, and one hundred and fifty 
hands.' The mill was afterwards run as a calico-print 
works, and then for various purposes until its destruc- 
tion by fire in 1871. 

The "Hamilton" Mill, on Mill Street, wiui built 
about 1814 by Henry Morris, a New York gentleman. 
He was said to have been the only Paterson manu- 
facturer who did not fail after the war of 1812. Some 
years later he removed to the Schuylkill River, where 
he started another cotton-mill. He wiis very highly 

I esteemed in Paterson during his stay here. After he 

' left, the mill was occupied by Joseph Smith and Mark 
W. Collet, who, probably in honor of the Marquis de 
Lafayette, who had just revisited America, reehris- 
tened it the " Fayette" Mill. But Paterson has always 
had great respect for the things of old, and the early 

. name of this mill was generally adhered to, and for 
many years it has been known by no other. Smith 
& Collet also lea.sed the adjoining ))remises, known as 
the "Hope" Mill, and ran the two together on an ex- 
tensive scale. The two mills were commonly called 
the "Collet Front Mill" and the " Collet Back Mill." 
Mr. Collet lived with his family in the low brick 
building in front of the Hope Mill, along the race- 
way, where he also had his office, and few things 
transpired anywhere in or about the mills that bis 
sharp eye did not perceive. The late .lohn Oaknian 
o|>erated the Hope Mill for many years, but .soon 
after the late war the cotton manufacture was dis- 
continued in this mill, and the machinery was removed 
to North Carolina. In 1809, Mr. Oaknian used about 

; three hundred and fifty thousand pounds of cotton, 
made three hundred tliousaml pounds of twist, warp, 
and ply yarn, running three thousand spindles. 

About 181;{-14, perhaps earlier, Caleb Munson 
(iodwin began the spinning of cotton in a large stone 
mill on the middle race, on Congress Street. " Mun- 
son Godwin's Mill" was one of the best known in the 
town, being conducteil by him for many years. It is 
now and for forty years has been a [lart of the present 
Dant'orlh locomotive and machine-works. .Mr. tiod- 
win was one of the most highly-respected citizens in 
Paterson, and was foremost in all good works. He 
was an active member of the First Prej*byterian 
Chnn-li. 

In l.sii;, Warren Haight, who had been engaged in 
till' carpet manufacture in New York, and afterwards 
at Little Falls, leased the " Harmony" Mill, on Boudi- 

I not Street, and carried on business there for many 
years. His father-in-law, Tunis Bergh, of New York, 
advanced coiisiilerable money to llaight, and in IH.'i.'t 
wiLH obliged to buy in the |)riqierty. llaight was a 
prominent nmn in the local militia of those days, 

3 IMil til thr wrihT'ii |x>«ii-«nii>ii. 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



413 



being adjutant, and met with a shocking death while 
on his duty. In June, 1837, the militia were out for their 
usual " training," and Adjt. Haight rode a spirited 
steed. In Bank Street the horse suddenly reared, and 
the rider checking him too quickly threw the animal 
on his back, crushing Mr. Haight in such a manner 
that his spine was dislocated, causing death in a few 
days. 

In 1822, Alexander Oarriok and Robert Dunlop 
erected a cotton-mill at the northwest corner of Mill 
and Congress Streets, which was conducted success- 
fully for twenty years or more, Dunlop, however, 
being succeeded in 1826 by Robert Carrick. The 
mill was burned down in 1845, having been set on fire 
by a man who seemed to have a mania for arson, 
which brought him into trouble years after in the 
West, he being shot in the act of firing a building, it 
was said. In 1857, Abraham Prall and Abram H. 
Godwin built the mill of Singack brick, the dimensions 
being fifty by one hundred and eighty -eight feet, and 
they continued the cotton manufacture for about 
fifteen years. 

About the year 1816 the " Industry" Mill, the first 
mill on Boudinot Street from Prospect, passed into 
the hands of Robert Morrell, a lumber-dealer, who 
subsequently associated with himself William Dickey 
and Robert Taggart, relatives by marriage, and the 
new firm engaged in the manufacture of cotton. The 
firm was afterwards, in 1853, Dickey & Taggert, who 
in 1856 gave way to Henry M. Low and John Morti- 
mer, who carried on the business until the death of 
Mr. Low, when it was continued by his widow and 
Mr. Jlortimer for some years after the late war, the 
machinery being finally sold in the South, or broken 
up and disposed of for old iron. It is now a part of 
the extensive works of R. & H. Adams. Mr. Low 
was one of the most active men in his day, a keen, 
shrewd politician, never seeking or accepting office 
for himself, but always alive to the interests of his 
friends in that regard. He died in the summer of 
1865. 

In 1828-29 the society constructed the present 
upper or back race, and within the following three or 
four years several very large stone mills were erected 
thereon. The first to be occupied was that of Clark 
& Robinson, Elisha B. Clark and Robert O. Robin- 
son, who had been in the business for some years 
previous to this time, operating about one thousand 
spindles. 

The adjoining mill, next north, was occupied by 
Rutan & Bensen for some years as a cotton-factory, 
they employing about fifty hands and running fifteen 
hundred spindles. This mill and the others adjacent 
were ultimately removed to make way for the Ivanhoe 
Paper-Mill. When built they were considered a 
marked advance upon the cotton-mills then in opera- 
tion, in point of size, convenience, and appearance. 

It were tedious to enumerate all the cotton manu- 
facturers of Paterson from the early times to this day, 
27 



but it has been considered well to give brief mention 

,of the first to make the business a success here. The 
nuinutiicture has had its ups and downs, more than 
any other industry in the town. So utter was the 
collapse after the war of 1812 that it is said there was 
not a single cotton-mill in operation in Paterson atone 
time. In 1822 they were all idle, while in 1825 there 
were twelve mills going, and three more under way ; 
these mills in operation had seventeen thousand six 
hundred spindles at work and two hundred and thirty- 
two power-looms, besides seventy-nine hand-looms, 
and of the latter there were in operation in the town 
outside of the mills three hundred and eighty more. 
The cotton manufacturers in 1S25 were as follows, ac- 
cording to a census taken by the Rev. Dr. Fisher at 
the time, the manuscript of which is in the author's 
possession : Shawcross & Berry, Rutgers Factory ; 
Rutan & Bensen, Harmony Mill ; Clark & Robinson, 
Aaron & Robert King, Adrian Van Houten, Passaic 
Mill; Home Mill, Daniel Holsman ; John Colt, two 
mills; Joseph Smith, J. K. Parke & Co., Robert Dun- 
lop & Co., Godwin, Rogers & Co., Caleb M. Godwin. 
In four years the business was nearly doubled in 
Paterson, for in 1829 there were 32,000 spindles in the 
factories. The consumption of raw cotton had in- 
creased from 1,200,000 pounds to 2,200,000 pounds. 
This increase was all in the spinning department of 
the manufacture, the weaving having fallen off by 
one-third, or from 3,000,000 yards to 2,000,000 yards 
yearly. In 1832 the census taken by the same inde- 
fatigable gentleman showed that there were then 
40,500 spindles in operation, consuming 3,360,000 
pounds of cotton. One of the most notable incidents 
connected with the cotton manufacture up to this 
time was the success of John Colt in making cotton 
duck from doubled and twisted cotton yarn. This he 
accomplished in 1827 or 1828, he being the first in the 
world to successfully substitute cotton for flax in the 
making of sail duck. The United States government 
and our merchant marine showed their appreciation 
of Mr. Colt's enterprise and of the excellence of his 
product by using his cotton duck on all American 
vessels, so that in time it was truly said that Colt's 
cotton duck might be seen spreading its snowy wings 
on every sea on the globe. Thus the fame of Pater- 
son's industries was wafted all oi-er the world. An- 
other event in the history of the cotton industry in 
Pateison was the coming to this city of Charles Dan- 
forth, from Ramapo or Sloatsburgh, in 1829, with a 
patent spinning-frame, which he had invented the 
year before. This was designed to obviate the diffi- 
culty then experienced from the flyer being out of 
balance, and from the drag of the bobbin by the 
strength of the thread, which was then a great draw- 
back on the spindles in use. To overcome this he 
secured the bobbin on a fixed spindle, circumscribed 
by a smooth, stationary ring, the bobbin having a 
metal waive with a tube on top of suflicient length to 
pass through the bobbin, and revolving with the 



414 



HISTORY OF BERGEiN AND PASSAIC COUxNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



latter. Instead of making the thread drag the bob- ' 
bin, the bobbin wii.s made to drag the tliread, and 
there was a pcrl'ectly uniform and, at tlie same time, 
delicate tension on all the tiireads, and witli less noise 
than tiie common throstle. This new frame, it was 
said, produced forty per cent, more yarn of the lower 
numbers than any other machine then in use. The 
adoption of this frame gave a new impetus to the j 
cotton manufacture in Paterson, and for some years 
undoubtedly added much to the prosperity of the 
town. On the other hand, it was claimed that the | 
prejudice in favor of a home machine led our manu- 
facturers to shut their eyes to the manifest superiority 
of later inventions, which, being adopted elsewhere, 
gave other cities the advantage over ours in the keen 
competition which set in after a while, especially in 
the New England States, so that in the end this very 
ingenious invention was a detriment rather than a 
benefit to the town. But if better machines were 
made, it is certainly unjust to criticise Mr. Danforth 
for the failure of others to avail themselves of the 
benefits of such newer and better machines. 

The enactment of the " sliding scale" tariff had an 
extremely depressing effect on Paterson's industries, 
and the cotton-raills were almost all shut down for 
months. They did not recover from this blow, al- 
though they subsequently |)icked up somewhat and 
did a fair business. The heavy investment of cai>ital 
in the cotton manufacture in New England, where 
single mills were erected having more spindles than 
all the Paterson factories together, the introduction of 
improved, lighter machinery, and the concentration 
of the s)«inning, weaving, and piinting of cotton 
gooils into single immense establishments, which be- 
came the rule in Fall River, Lowell, and the Rhode 
Island cities, more than ofl'set Paterson's other advan- 
tages us a manufacturing town, and tended to cripple 
the industry here, and there was a lack of co-operative 
effort by the mill-owners to jiroteet their own interests. 
Soon after the war broke out, and the enactment of 
the Morrill tariff, the cotton manufacture took another 
start in this city, and those who were in the business 
made immense profits. When the war closed there 
was an enormous demand for cotton goods, and new 
mills were erected on every hand and large sums in- 
vested in the business once more. Edwin T. Prall, 
then treasurer of the Danforth l>ocomotive and Ma- 
chine Company, with some Soutlu'ru friends, organ- 
ized the Arkwright Manufacturing Company, under 
a special charter, and built the nuissive mill known by 
that name in Heech Street, near Market, in ISCiti-t!". 
The new mill was stocke<l with machinery and ran 
with great siici'oss for two or three years, eotisumiiig 
in 180K about ;{r).'i,(MK) pounds of cotton, which wius 
spun into 300,000 pounds of warps and twist. About 
the same time Messrs. Samuel Smith, Jacob S. Rogers, 
and Roberts. Hughes built the Empire Mill, another 
fine brick structure, iit the corner of .lackson andSlali'r 
Street"*, aiul litte<l it up with every a|>pliance for the 



business. It used 325,000 pounds of cotton in one 
year, spinning 275,000 pounds of warps and twist. 
These were the most important new cotton-mills built 
at this time, and indeed were the only ones of any 
consequence. But other manufacturers hired room 
wherever it could possibly be done and fitted up 
machinery, and within two or three years probably a 
million dollars was invested in brick and mortar and 
machinery to engage in the industry. Before the in- 
vestors had begun to get anything on the principal 
they had laid out in buildings the bubble burst, and 
alt concerned lost heavily. Those who had the mills 
and machinery all ready to take advantage of the sud- 
den demand made immense profits, iis already stated. 
One manufacturer cleared over fifty thousand dollars 
in one year, with less than two hundred and fifty 
hands employed. 

In addition to the Arkwright and Empire Mills, 
there were the following large establishments in op- 
eration in 1868: Henry M. Low & Go. (John Morti- 
mer), Industry Mill, on Boudinot Street, the site 
being now covered by .some of the mills of R. & H. 
Adams. Messrs. Low it Co. used about 3()0,00(» 
pounds of cotton yearly. R. & H. .\dams & Co., oc- 
cupying the Harmony Jlill, then a small concern, 
consumed 200,000 pounds of cotton, had 100 looms, 
and employed 125 hands. Coifs cotton mill, on 
Boudinot Street, used 3(K(,(IOO pounds of cotton yearly, 
and employed Ijd hands. Colt"s duck-mill, also on 
Boudinot Street, consumed nearly l,000,00it pounds 
of cotton, and made 700,000 pounds of cotton duck, 
warps, and twist, having nearly 7000 spindles and 
50 looms. The Passaic Falls Manufacturing Com- 
pany, George Christie, president, had nearly 3000 
spindles, and made 275,000 pounds of warps, twist, 
and fly. Messrs. Osborne, Buckley & Co. (Edward 
Osborne, Benjamin Buckley, and Jacob T. Blauvelt) 
had 20(K) spindles in the upper part of the "Gun" 
Mill, and spun 2lt0,000 pounds of twist. In the same 
mill were May, Kae >V; Co. (Charles H. May, Alexan- 
der Rac, .Vndrew Vreeland, and John Murphy), run- 
ning 2180 spindles, and producing 200,000 |>onnds of 
twist, ply yarn, and batts. Mark Heathcote was op- 
erating the first cotton-mill in the present Second 
Ward, at the northwest corner of Temjjle and Mat- 
lock Streets, his annual production being about 
230,000 pounds of warps and twist. E. B. .\tterbury 
was conducting the cotton-mill at the nortliwol 
corner of Straight and Ellison Streets, which he built 
about 1857, and which was the first cotton-mill in 
the city away from the raceway, and the first in Pat- 
erson to be operated by steam. This — called the 
" Boudinot" Mill — contained 2liO(» spindles, em|>loye<l 
ti4 hands, and produced 2'iO,(i(KI iiounils of warps and 
twists. The Danforth Locomotive and Macliim - 
Works ha<l a large cotton-mill, employing l>5 hamU 
and 2640 spindles, producing 260,000 pounds of twi^i 
and warps. A. Prall & Co. employed 125 hands, lunl 
600(1 spindles in operation, and sjiun 460,0oo pounds 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



415 



of twist, warp, and ply yarn. At the Hope Mill, 
John Oaknian had 3000 spindles running, turning 
out 300,000 pounds of twist, warp, and ply. Joseph 
Whitfield produced about 6.5,000 pounds of cotton 
yarn annually. Besides these there were a number 
of manufacturers of cotton tape, to supply the demand 
for hoop-skirts.' 

At the present time there are but three cotton- 
manufacturing concerns in Paterson, and they merit 
on that account a more extended notice. One of these 
is the 

EXTERPEISE MAXrFACTURIX(i COMPANY, succes- 
sor (in 1878) to the firm of May, Rae & Co. This 
firm began running in the " Gun" Mill in June, 1859, 
the members being Andrew Vreeland, Andrew G. 
Snyder, Alexander Rea, and Andrew Derrom. In 
1863, Mr. Snyder withdrew, and Charles H. May 
came in. Messrs. Vreeland, Rae, and May comprise 
the " Enterprise Manufacturing Company," Mr. Vree- 
land being the president, and Mr. May the secretary 
and treasurer. The capital is $30,000. They occupy 
the upper two floors of the mill where they began. 
They employ about GO hands, run 2500 spindles, and 
produce double and twist yarns, though mostly 
double, from No. 8 to No. 22, to the yearly value of 
$100,000. Their yarns are sold chiefly in New Eng- 
land and New York State, most of it being used at 
present for the warp of horse-blankets and army-blan- 
kets, the filling being wool, jute, horse-hair, or any- 
thing that will make a thread. Mr. Vreeland attrib- 
utes the decline of the cotton industry in Paterson to 
the rise of a like class of manufactures at the South, 
where the raw material can be had for a cent to a cent 
and a half a pound cheaper, and where wages are 
much lower than here. The competition of the silk- 
mills in the labor market also works disadvantage- 
ously to the cotton-mills. 

R. & H. Adams' Mo.squito-Nettixg, etc.. Mill. 
— Brief mention has been made of Warren Haight, 
who operated the Harmony Mill. About 1835-36, 
Duncan McEwing, a Scotchman, who had been 
making mosquito-netting in New York, bought this 
mill and started the same business in Paterson, to- 
gether with the weaving of buckrams and linings, all 
out of cotton. April 1, 1857, he sold out to William 
Adams, who had been carrying on the same business 
in New York. At this time the Harmony Mill was a 
modest brick building, forty-two by ninety feet, three 
stories in height, with a four-story extension in front, 
forty-two l:>y twenty-five feet. The ceilings were only 
eight feet high. This building was well back towards 
the river. Mr. Adams took his two sons, Robert and 
Henry, into partnership with him when he bought 
the property. In 1859 they brought their dyeing and 
finishing departments from New York to Pater.son. 
'About 1863 they built a three-story extension on the 

1 Manuscript of statistics compiled by the autlior, and dated Jan. 14, 



rear, ninety-five feet deep. In 1865 or 1866, Robert 
and Henry bought their father out. 

On March 10, 1869, the entire mill was burned to 
the ground, making a loss to the firm of exactly one 
hundred thousand dollars. Whereas they had begun 
operations with 60 hands, at this time they employed 
250, and turned out $75,000 worth of goods yearly. 
Nothing daunted by this heavy loss, they set about 
rebuilding before the bricks were fairly cold, and in a 
few months had another mill in full ojjeration, forty- 
five by one hundred and ninety-five feet, three stories 
high. Tliey rapidly extended their business, and in 
1870 bought the old Essex Mill on Mill Street, just 
above Boudinot, which they partially rebuilt and ex- 
tended by the addition of two wings, either one of 
which was much larger than the old building, — one 
being forty-four by ninety feet, and the other forty- 
four by eighty-five feet, both tour stories high. This 
mill was fitted up with a superior class of machinery 
to spin the finer grades of yarns, and to correspond 
more with the European and New England systems 
of running mills. Before this time the firm had not 
spun yarn finer than No. 28; in the new mill they 
spun yarn as fine as No. 60. ■ In 1874 they built a 
' store-house, twenty-five by ninety-five feet, four stories 
high, on Mill Street opposite. the Essex Mill. In 1875 
j the finishing-house at the Harmony Mill was burned 
j down, and was immediately replaced by a brick build- 
ing, thirty by eighty feet, five stories high, with an 
extension in the rear, on the east side, twenty by one 
hundred and two feet, five stories high, for drying and 
finishing. Still their business was increasing with 
marvelous and ever-accelerating rapidity, and in order 
to accommodate it they bought in 1877 the old In- 
dustry Mill property, adjoining the Harmony Mill 
on the east, and immediately removed the antiquated 
frame mill and replaced it by a substantial brick 
structure which eclipsed in size any building in Pater- 
; son. This was forty-seven by two hundred and two 
feet, four stories high, for the spinning, winding, and 
weaving departments; in the rear, the surface of the 
earth sloping abruptly, it was six stories high, a 
machine-shop being fitted up in the lower floor. An- 
nexed to this was another building, thirty-one by one 
hundred and two feet, two stories high, the lower 
floor being for a dye-house, and the upper floor for 
drying and finishing; on the end of this building 
was another, like an L, forty-six by sixty-five feet, 
one story high, for a bleaching-house. Thus this 
mighty structure was virtually one building, thirty- 
one to forty-six feet wide and three hundred and sev- 
enty feet deep, most of it from four to six stories in 
height. In 1878 the hands went on a strike, which 
continued for seven months, causing immense loss to 
all concerned. 

March 4, 1879, Robert Adams sold out his interest 
to his brother Henry, and the following June bought 
a fine water-power and mill-seat at Birmingham, 
Conn., where he built a mill, which began running 



416 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Jan. 1, 1880, making the same kind of goods as he 
had been making in Paterson. His business has 
been very successful, and has been extended con- 
stantly, until at the present time he employs between 
300 and 4(1(1 luinds, has 12,000 spindles and 3(10 looms. 
As soon as Henry Adams became tlie sole posse.ssor of 
the great mill property of the old firm of R. & H. 
Adams, he began extending the mills more largely 
than ever, until they are by far the most extensive in 
the world devoted to the same kind of business. In 
fact, it is said tliat they produce more goods of the 
kind than all the other mills in the world combined. 
Wherever a hot climate is known and the pestiferous 
mosquito presents his little bill, there the famous 
mosquito-netting of R. & H. Adams is known, and 
every year orders come in from all parts of the 
world,. — from Japan, Australia, the sultry shores 
of Africa, the torrid countries of Central and South 
America, the Saudwidi Islands, and other equally 
remote places on the surface of the globe, whither the 
fame of Paterson's industries have penetrated, come 
the orders for the impenetrable — to mo.squitoes — net- 
ting of this celebrated manufacture. Ui)wards of a 
quarter of a million pieces of this netting are made 
yearly, of all the colors of the rainbow, and many 
besides ; each piece is eight yards long and seventy 
inches wide, and averages a pound of cotton. 

The buckrams they make are used as the founda- 
tions for ladies' hats, being made stiff with starch ; it 
is sold by the roll, each roll being eight yards long 
and mostly seventy-two inches wide, though also made 
thirty-six and twenty-four inches wide ; the produc- 
tion is upwards of 20,000 pieces yearly, — enough to 
clothe a much larger force of soldiers in buckram 
than Falstafl' swore he saw. This buckram is now- 
made on a very ingenious machine, the invention of 
Mr. John liolton, for many years prior to Jan. 1.'), 
1882, the superintendent of the dyeing and finishing 
departments of the works, which produces a finer 
article and at far less cost than was possible under the 
old process. Another class of goods made here is 
light linings for women's hats and dresses, the pro- 
duction being fully 2.'i(l,0(»0 pieces, each twelve yards 
long and a yard wide. Also silicias, for linings for 
dresses and tailors' goods; crown linings, for milli- 
nery goods ; Wiggins, for stilfening collars, vests, coats, 
etc.; cambrics, for light linings; jaconet-i, for facings 
in dresses; tarletans, for inside linings in women's 
hats, for fly-ncts,to protect picture- and mirror- frames, 
etc.; satin-dc-chine, a cheaper substitute for farmer's 
satin for coat linings. Suppose we follow the 75,000 
bales of cotton which yearly find their way in the 
raw state into these immense mills? The cotton first 
goes into the two picker-rooms, twcnty-tlirce by forty- 
five feet, where six lapjiers ami an opener partially 
separate the fd)re and free it from the grosser impuri- 
ties ; next it passes int4> the three carding-roonis, one 
forty-five by two hundred feet, another eighty by 
one hundred and eighty feet, and a third forty-four 



by one hundred and fifty feet, where 103 cards 
straighten out the fibre, and pass it directly through 
eight drawing-frames, which draw out the fibre 
smoothly, and pass it from seventy-five deliveries 
into the slubber, which draws it still finer and gives 
it a single twist, thence passes it into an intermediate 
frame, and then into a roving-frame. It is now ready 
for spinning, and this is the most important part of 
the whole process, and takes up a great deal of space, 
notwithstanding the most improved frames, occupy- 
ing the least possible room, are used. In the lisse.x 
Mill five floors, each eighty by one hundred and 
eighty feet, and four each forty-five by sixty feet, are 
devoted to this purpose ; in the Harmony Mill, one 
forty-four by one hundred and eighty feet, and one 
forty-four by ninety feet; and in the Industry Mill, 
one forty-five by one hundred feet, and one forty-five 
by two hundred feet. The jirincipal sizes spun are 
Nos. 24, 2it, .'Jl, 3G, 40, and (JO ; Nos 80 and 110 are 
frequently spun, and they have produced yarn as fine 
as No. 129 when they have had some unusually fine 
cotton, and had it combed in thecarding-room. The 
yarn next passes through the winding and warping 
and slashing ]>rocesses, one floor' forty-five by one 
hundred feet in the Industry Mill, and one forty-two 
by .seventy-five feet in the Essex Mill being assigned 
to these departments. The treatment known as 
"sUishing" is not as destructive as might be inferred 
from the name, referring only to the sizing of the 
yarn, to give it better consistency in subscipient 
oj)erations. 

The most interesting process to the general olxserver 
is the weaving. The looms are of the most approved 
patterns, and whereas one person formerly attended 
but two looms, now they attend four and even six 
williont dilliculty. If a single ihroail breaks the loom 
stops until the operative ties the thread and starts the 
machine again. Sometimes the looms will not require 
any attention for hours, so perfectly do they work. 
In the Essex Mill, one room eighty by one hundred 
and eighty feet, ami four each forty-five by sixty feet, 
and in the Industry Mill one forty-five by two hun- 
dred feet, and in the Harmony Mill two each forty- 
four by one hundred and eighty feet, are filled with 
these ingenious wcaving-nuichines, which seem to 
have the intelligence of living, thinking creatures. 
The woven fabric is now in what is called the "gray," 
rough, and of a dirty-white hue. It is now taken 
into the folding- or measuring-room, where it is piiKsed 
through machines which spread it out, cut it into 
lengths of ninety -six yards, and fold it for more con- 
venient handling; this is done in a room forty-five 
by fitly feet in the Harmony Mill. The washing 
and bleaching, the latter by the use of chemicals, 
come next, occupying two rooms, one thirty by sixty 
feet, and another fifly by seventy feet. The washing 
is done on a plan devised by Mr. liolton in 1844, and 
which has since come into general use all over the 
world. The fabric is now ready for the dyeing, which 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



417 



is done in two rooms, fifty by seventy feet. The vis- 
itor sees everywhere endless strings of netting and 
the like rushing swiftly out of holes in all sorts of 
odd corners, and wonders whence they come and 
whither they go. This is another of Mr. Bolton's 
expedients to save time and labor in handling the 
goods. The pieces are sewn together, and passed 
through troughs so lined as to prevent injury by fric- 
tion, and these troughs extend from one room to 
another at opposite ends of a building sometimes, 
and afford the easiest possible means of transit for the 
goods from one department to another, by simply at- 
taching one end to a pulley. This also saves the goods 
from needless wear and tear. The same process was 
in 1881 introduced by Mr. Bolton in the dyeing of 
the lighter shades of goods, which are passed like an 
endless chain all day long through the vats prepared 
with the dye stuffs, and when done are deposited in 
the same manner in a dry vat. The dyeing of the 
darker shades requires a far greater variety of manip- 
ulation, which is still done by hand, much to the in- 
convenience and sometimes injury of the men, whose 
hands are exposed all day to the chemicals and .scald- 
ing water. The goods when dyed go into the drying- 
and sizing-room, forty by seventy-five feet, where there 
are sQven sets of cans, — whence it is commonly called 
the "canning-room," — the fabric passing over steam- 
heated cylinders of copper, there being fifteen cylin- 
ders in a set, one hundred and eight inches wide ; this 
is a very peculiar machine, which stretches the goods 
to the full width by a gradual pressure, and then dries 
the fabric. It is next sized by passing it through a 
bath of starch, which gives it stiffness, and next it 
goes into tlie calcndering-room, where it passes 
between rollers, one of paper and one of iron, where 
it is subjected to a light pressure as it is rolled. The 
calendering of jaconets in this manner is said to be 
the very finest finishing that is done, far finer than 
the finishing of paper. The next process is the fold- 
ing and packing of the goods for the market, after 
which they are sent in bales to tlie New York houses 
of the concern, at No. 16 Greene Street, and Nos. 73 
and 75 Greene Street, New York City, whence they 
are shipped to all parts of the world, as already stated. 
At the mills, on Boudinot Street, there is one building 
twenty-five by one hundred feet, four stories high, used 
for a store-house, besides another large room wherein 
the chemicals for dyeing are stowed away. 

On Nov. 1, 1881, there were 17,032 spindles running 
in the Essex Mill, 9024 in the Harmony Mill, and 
8416 in the Industrj' Mill; new spinning-frames were 
being set up having 6656 spindles ; so that at the pres- 
ent writing the total number of spindles in these mills 
used in the cotton business is 41,126. This is a 
larger number than were to be found in the seventeen 
cotton-mills in Paterson in 1832. In the Essex Mill 
there are 315 looms, in the old Harmony Mill 114, in 
the new Harmony Mill 200, and in the Industry Mill 
200 looms, or upwards of 800 in all. When running 



full, between 800 and 900 hands are employed in the 
cotton-mills, whose wages foot up $200,000 yearly. 
To drive all this machinery, and the silk machinery 
in the same mills, of which an account is given here- 
inafter, the Essex Mill has water-power rated at 200 
horse, and a steam-engine of 225 horse-power; the 
Harmony and Industry Mills have water-power rated 
at 400 horse, a magnificent double Corliss steam- 
engine rated at 300 horse, but which can be run up to 
500-horse power, and another engine of 40-horse 
power. There are eight steam-engines altogether in 
all the mills, several being devoted to special uses. 
The Corliss engine drives a 54-inch pulley-wheel, on 
which are two 26-inch belts, each driving a separate 
mill. This immense establishment is controlled by 
Henry Adams, the sole owner, who devotes his atten- 
tion chiefly to the financial management in New York, 
his son, William Adams, taking general charge of the 
mills at Paterson. Thomas Abbott is superintendent 
of the cotton-mills. 

Henry Adams, one of the largest manufacturers of 
Paterson, was born at No. 55 Factory Street (now 
Waverley Place), New York City, on Jan. 2, 1836. 
His father, William Adams, came to this country in 
1826, and being a cotton- weaver by trade, began busi- 
ness in a small way in New York City. His mother, 
formerly Miss Eliza Dawson, a native of Castle reagh, 
in the north of Ireland, had much to do with the 
earlier and later success of her husband. Her father 

I being a small linen manufacturer in Ireland, she early 
acquired a knowledge and taste for the trade of weav- 

{ ing, and upon arriving in this country urged her hus- 
band to embark in the business, which he undertook, 
and ever afterwards proved the support and mainstay 
of the enterprise. She herself carried around and 

j disposed of the goods which he at first manufactured, 
and throughout all the subsequent enterprises of the 
concern exercised a strong influence. She was a de- 
voted wife and mother, possessed of many excellent 
traits of character, and closed her active exertions for 
the good of her family and friends only with her 
death in 1859. 

The business established by William Adams grew 
from a small beginning into an enterprise of vast pro- 
portions. In 1832 he started a few hand-looms in 
New York City, and continued enlarging his business 
until 1857, when he transferred his manufacturing 
establishment to Paterson, N. J., where he purchased 
the Harmony Mills, on the lower raceway, of the 
McEwing estate, and established cotton manufacture 
on a large scale. From 1862 to 1864 the business was 
carried on under the firm-name of William Adams & 
Co., and from 1864 until March 4, 1879, it was known 
as R. & H. Adams. Since that time Henry Adams 
has been the sole owner and occupant of the old site, 

j and is carrying on the business alone. The Harmony 
Mills were burned in 1869, and immediately rebuilt. 

Henry Adams enjoyed only limited educational 
opportunities at the public schools of New York 



418 



HISTORY OF BERUEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



City. At the age of twelve years, on his strong per- 
sonal advice, and in the face of great distrust as to 
the success of the project entertained by his father, a 
small store wsu* opened by his parents at No. 38 Cedar 
Street, and Henry was placed in charge of it. The 
object of the store wiis to dispose of the cotton goods 
manufactured by his father at No. 28 Perry Street. 
Henry succeeded, by close application to business 
and by judicious management of his aftiiirs, in 
doubling the business in one year. From No. 38 
Cedar Street the business was removed to other 
points on the same street, for tlie purpose of securing 
more commodious sale-rooms, and finally to Nos. 
14 and 16 Greene Street. The latter building is now 
owned and occupied by Henry Adams, who also oc- 
cupies the substantial and handsome stores at Nos. 
83 and 8.') Greene Street. Mr. Adams has always 
been in charge of the stores of the concern in New 
York City, where his personal popularity in the 
trade, careful business management, and financial 
ability have proven the main cause of its success. 
He now runs three mills at Paterson, — the Esse.\,the 
Industry, and tlie Harmony, — which contain eight 
hundred and twenty-five looms, forty-two thousand 
spindles, and are among the finest in the State of 
New .Jersey. The management is recognized as one 
of the most intelligent in Paterson, and the enterprise 
as one of the most successful in the city. All the 
leading varieties of cotton goods, such as cambrics, 
jaconct.s, silicias, etc., of superior finish, are manufac- 
tured by Mr. Adams, besides silks, ribbons, and other 
popular varieties of silk manufacture. 

Although Mr. Adams has always resided in New 
York City, he is deeply interested in the |)ros|)erity 
and growtii of Paterson, and, notwithstanding that a 
removal of the factories from the city to the New 
England States has been urged by his former partner, ' 
he has retnaincd steadfast in the belief (which his 
success amply justifies) that cotton goods can be as 
cheaply and successfully niatiufactured in Paterson 
as in the East. 

Mr. .\dams was married in lS(i(t to Eliza, daughter 
of (icorge and Charlotte Squire, of Morris County, 
N. J., and has had a family of eight children, of { 
whom six are now living, namely, William, Char- 
lotte, l^izzic, now at Va.ssar College, Poughkeepsie. 
N. Y., Clinton, Mitinie, and Mabel. The oldest son, , 
William, lias charge of liis father's mills at Paterson, , 
and has proven a faithful and intelligent superinten- 
dent, and a highly-esteemed and popular member of 
society. He is married to an estimable lady, and has 
one child. 

AxKKlvW McLkan.— The lather of Mr. McLean 
began the weaving of niostpiito netting and similar 
goods in New York City so far back as lX2<i, where he 
continued the business until his death in 1862. Soon i 
after his son Andrew removed the business to Pater- 
son, taking a part of the Beaver Mill, where he em- 
ploycil abr>ut thirty hands and had thirty-two looms. ' 



He carded, spun, and wove all his cotton. In the 
previous year, 18.51, Mr. Andrew McLean introduced 
the use of power-looms in weaving gauze mosquito 
netting, adapting four looms to that [)urpose. So far 
as he is aware he was the first to adopt the u.se of 
power-looms in weaving this kind of fabric. Some 
years later George McLean, a brother of Andrew, was 
taken into the firm, which leased larger quarters in 
the old Franklin Mill, where a large business was car- 
ried on until December, 1871, when the mill was 
burned down. Among the machinery of A. & G. 
McLean destroyed at this time was a pair of hand- 
mules, then in use, and doubtless the last run in Pat- 
erson. It is not at all likely that any more will ever 
be run in Paterson. The firm now removed to a frame 
building of Samuel Pope, on the north bank of the 
river, between Main and Bridge Streets, where the 
bu.siuess has since been carried on. (ieorge McLean 
was killed subsequently by the fall of an unfinished 
building at Passaic. The factory was continued from 
that time until the jiresent by Andrew McLean alone. 
Mr. McLean now (February, 1882) occupies a two- 
story frame Uuililing, si.xty by forty feet, and a num- 
ber of outbuildings, in the weaving of mosquito net- 
ting, buckrams, etc. He does no spinning, but buys 
his yarn and weaves it in this shop, employing 40 
hands, whom he pays about $700 fortnightly. The 
woven fabrics arc taken to New York, wliere Mr. Mc- 
Lean has facilities for finishing, etc., which branch ol 
the business is carried on by him in the metropolis. 
He has kept the very e.'ccellent reputation which he 
long ago earned for the fine quality of his produc- 
tion. 

MtxoK Cotton MANUKAcrrnEs. — Some special 
lines of cotton numufactures which have been or are 
still carried on in Paterson merit notice: 

Counterpanes. — As long ago as 1810 the weaving of 
cotton counterpanes was carried on in Paterson by 
James Young. He has had many successors in the 
business since that time, most of them continuing for 
but a short while. In 1870, Phili|> Sihott, an enter- 
prising German, built a cheap frame hou.se on (Jene- 
see Avenue and Pa.xton Street, at Lake View, and 
with a loom or two began weaving counterpanes. 
His business has continually improved until at ])resent 
he has quite a large building and runs a dozen looms. 

l>iapcTs, etc. — In 1850, William Inglis, from Fife. 
Scotland, rented the lower floor of the Mallory Mill, 
which stood on the site of the present office and 
printing-room of the Waverly Mill, and began weav 
ing diapers and toweling, both cotton and linen, in 
which business he had been engagcil for many years 
before in i^eotland. He ran thirty or forty looms, iind 
was the first to carry on the business on an extensive 
scale in Paterson, and doubtless was the pioneer in the 
weaving of these linen goods in this city. He im- 
ported the linen yarn, but u.sed the Paterson cotton 
yarn for his weaving. David G. Scott had run a \'ii\\ 
of the same looms on cotton goods of this character 




K'<^ 



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Samiei. Hoi.t, of Paterson, N. J., was born at Ashton under- 
Lvne, Lancnshire, Engl;inil, in February, ISOil. His early edu- 
cation from books iias ubiained in the Sabbath-school of his 
native jilacc, with which he was connected from eight to twenty 
years of age, and which he entered as a pupil and ."ubsetiuontly 
became its superintfndcnt. 

At the age of seven years young Holt began work in the 
Print Works of Oiho Hume A Sons, at Woodhouse's Village, 
hut after two years turned his attention to fancy silk-weaving 
and cotton-weaving, under the instruction of his father, at the 
same place, where he remained until ho was twenty-five years 
of age. 

In IS3I, Mr. Holt engaged with .1. A. T. and E. Christy A 
Co., of London, in weaving silk hat-pluih in their mills at 
Stockport, of which, after four years as an employf, he became 
superintendent and manager. Ho filled this responsible position 
fur some thirty years with credit to himself and to the entire 
satisfaction of the company. This gave him an opportunity 
for the development and completion of designs original with 
himself, and during his incuuibcncy as superintendent and 
manager he invented and obtained two patents in his own name, 
one for silk hat-plush wearing, the other for weaving Turkish 
towels, which latter business is still carried on by Christy A 
Co., at Fairfield, near Manchester, England. 

In 1804, Charles A. Buckley, of Now York, and others in- 
ducol Mr. Holt to emigrate to I'atcrson and superintend the 
manufacture of velvet and silk hat-plushes, and built a milt 
for him for that puqiose in Essex Street, which now forms a 
part of the Strange Mills. After two years the company dis- 
poie<l of Mr. Holt's patents, receiving therefor iomo $2i0,000. 
This action involved the company in suits in chancery, which 




.^^^ 



coDtiiuK-d for four years and broke op the concern, to the great 
loss of Mr. Holt. 

In 1S68, Mr. Holt began the manufacture of Turkish towel- 
ing in Paterson on his own account, thereby making use of 
his patent for the same taken out in England in 1851. This 
business he has successfully carried on since on Railroad Ave- 
nue, and he has two suns, Samuel and William, associated with 
him. His goods were exhibited in London in 1861, where he 
obtained a ]>rize medal ; and his wns the (ir^t patent in the world 
to manufacture yuch goods by steam-power. The first Turkish 
toweling manufactured by liim wa8 presented to Queen Victoria, 
at Buckingham Palace, for which be received due acknowl- 
edgment. He also took the prize medal in 1852, at the Loudon 
Exhibition, for silk velvets and plushes. 

Mr. Holt married first, in 18^3, Elisa Uebert, of Taunton, 
England, who died in 1841, leaving two sons, — John and James, 
both of whom died in England. His second wife wa? Ann 
Aspinwall, whom ho married in 1843, and who died in Paterson, 
Deo. •% 1881, leaving three children, — Samuel, William, and 
Mary Ann, wife of Thomas Shaw, of Paterson. 

The religious persuasion of the Holt family is Swoden- 
borgian. 

Mr. Holt's father, .Tohn, resided at Woodhouse's Village, and 
was a silk and cotton-weaver by occupation. He spent the 
latter part of his life as general manager and book-keeper of 
a cotton-mill, and died in 18GG, aged seventy-eight years. His 
mother, Anna Kirk, died in 1813, aged twenty-seven years, 
leaving three children, — Samuel, James, and Elizabeth. By 
other marriages, John Holt had several children, some of whom 
came to America. Jame« was a silk hat-plush finisher, and 
died in Paterson. 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



419 



a year or two before. Mr. Inglis continued the busi- 
ness for about two years, but it was not remunerative. 
He then formed a partnership with James Jackson, 
under the firm-name of William Inglis & Co., and 
the firm occupied the whole of the Mallory Mill, em- 
ploying one hundred hands, spinning yarn and 
weaving cotton flannels, which found a ready market, 
especially after David G. Scott began to print them. 
The Mallory Mill was burned down about 1856, and 
the business was not resumed. Both of these indus- 
tries carried on by Mr. Inglis were extremely inter- 
e.sting and important, and it seems a pity that they 
have not been revived in the last twenty years. 

Turkish Towelg. — In 1851, Samuel Holt, then fore- 
man for Christy & Co., hat-plush manufacturers in 
England, invented a machine for weaving goods with 
the peculiar loop which characterizes Turkish towel- 
ing, and which prior to that time had been done en- 
tirely by band by the Turkish women, each loop being 
formed separately with a bamboo needle. Christy 
& Co. made a handsome fortune out of the patent, 
and settled on Mr. Holt a life annuity. In 1864, Mr. 
Holt came to America, and in 1870 started the manu- 
facture of " terry" goods, as this sort of fabric is 
called in the trade, at Paterson, beginning first in 
Essex Street, then (1871) in the Franklin Mill, and 
when that was burned down building a mill (1872) 
for himself in the rear of his residence, at No. 108 
Straight Street. The mill is of frame, thirty-two by 
fifty-two feet, three stories high. From 1870 to 1879 
his half-brother, Robert Holt, was in partnership 
with him. The firm is now Samuel Holt & Sons, — 
Samuel Holt, Jr., and William Holt being the 
younger members. For several years Mr. Holt had 
a monopoly of the manufacture in America. Lat- 
terly he has devoted himself more especially to the 
finer grades of goods, and in these lines the firm is 
easily at the head of the trade in America. They 
weave linen, cotton, and worsted goods, 'making 
towels, tidies, knotted goods, wash-rags, etc., in all 
colors and in all patterns. Some of their designs in 
raised patterns are extremely attractive. They have 
thirteen looms, and employ thirty hands. 

Robert Holt carried on the business for himself for 
a short time in River Street, after 1879, but soon gave 
it up. Two or three others have also tried it for a 
short time, but without success, and Holt & Sons 
have all of this peculiar industry to themselves in 
Paterson. 

Calico Printing, Bleaching, Dyeing, and Finishing. — 
In connection with the first attempts of the Society 
for Establishing Useful Manufactures to develop the 
cotton industry, much attention was paid to the 
bleaching, dyeing, and printing of the woven cotton 
fabrics. At first the bleaching was done in the most 
primitive way, the muslins being spread in meadows 
in the sun. In the course of a year or two a French 
chemist was employed to bleach the goods by chemi- 
cal process, then something new in America. Print- 



ing and calendering was carried on to a limited extent, 
as the fabrics were for the most part imported in the 
" gray" from England, to be bleached and printed 
here. The society failed before much progress was 
attained in these branches, though it is said that calico 
shawls were printed in some quantities. 

JOHX Flood. — Some years later, about 18(»9, or 
possibly earlier, John Flood came to Paterson from 
Springfield, now in Union County, N. J., and re-es- 
tablished the dyeing and printing of cott(m goods. He 
located along the river-bank, between Paterson and 
Straight Streets, and there carried on his works in a 
very modest way until the buildings were washed 
away by a freshet in 1810, when he removed to West 
Street, near Ryersou Street, conducting the business 
at that place until about 1825, when the introduction 
of improved machinery virtually ruined him. Up to 
this time calico printing had been done by hand, with 
wooden blocks about a foot square. In an article 
written by his son, John K. Flood, some years ago, it 
was stated that " his goods wei'e ginghams, checks, 
tickings, and an article called Paterson crape, com- 
monly called fustian, which all the farmers of that 
time wore for summer pantaloons." 

William Feegusox. — Between 1820 and 1825 
William Ferguson established a bleachery in a spa- 
cious and beautiful meadow which then lay along a 
large brook on the west side of Paterson Street, and 
north of Market Street. Here he washed and bleached 
muslins, and then spread them out on the green grass 
to dry and bleach still further in the bright sunshine. 
" Ferguson's Meadow" extended for some distance on 
both sides of the brook, as Paterson Street was not' 
laid out for many years after. His very name is al- 
most forgotten. 

James Shepherd. — About 1827 James Shepherd 
bought the mill property on the middle raceway back 
of the present blacksmith-shop of the Danforth Lo- 
comotive and Machine- Works, and engaged quite ex- 
tensively in the business of bleaching. He had pre- 
viously had a bleachery where George Jackson's mills 
now are, on the road between Paterson and Little 
Falls. Shepherd was one of the most noted charac- 
ters in the town for many j^ears. He sold out in a few 
years to 

Wheeler, Bruie & Bickell, who conducted the 
concern until they failed during the panic of 1837, 
after which Wheeler managed to carry on the busi- 
ness for two or three years. 

Patrick Magesnis then took the mill, and for 
three years carried on dyeing, bleaching, and finishing. 
About 1842 he formed a copartnership with James 
Jackson, and they took the Mallory Mill, a brick 
building on the western part of the site of the pres- 
ent Waverley Mill, on Van Houten Street, at the foot 
of Mill Street, where they dyed and finished cambrics 
and silicias. They subsequently (in 1844) transferred 
their dyeing and bleaching to the Franklin Mill, on 
Mill Street, opposite the end of Ellison Street. In 



420 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



1850 or 1851 they quit the business, and in 1852 the 
property fell into the hands of David G. Scott. 

John Niohtinuale set up a bleachery in Pater- 
son in 1830, on the river-bank back of what is com- 
monly called the " Nightinfrale Mill." He had been 
bleaching for some years before this on the Wesel 
road, between Lake View and Clifton, but just before 
coming to Paterson at this time he had been running 
a cotton-mill at New Mil ford, Bergen County. His 
bleachery was a frame building, two stories high, 
about forty by thirty feet. He had the machinery 
usual at his day, washing the goods with d;tsh-wheels, 
and although he used some chemicals in bleaching, 
he at first relied mainly if not entirely on the good 
offices of the sun to dry the cloth. He subsequently 
imported from England a drying-machine, after which 
he was independent of the weatiier. He did quite an 
extensive business, bleaching for the leading manu- 
facturers not only of Paterson but for many in New 
York as well, and would send his wagon to New 
York to get the cloth, and return it in the same way 
bleached. Primitive as this way was, it i>roved to be 
very profitable to him. In 1S32 he employed twelve 
hands at the busines,s. He returned in a few years to 
his old Wesel bleachery, where he remained for a 
short time, and again settled, this time permanently, 
in Paterson, where he engaged on a large scale in the 
spinning and weaving of cotton and gave up bleach- 
ing. He died in 1859, aged seventy-six years. 

Tiio.M.\s W.M.KKH. — When Nightingale went from 
Wesel to New Milford he leased his bleachery at the | 
former place to one Thomas Walker, an Irishman, I 
who remained there for five years, and then, in the 
fall of 1835, removed to Paterson, where he started 
the block-printing of calico in a small way in a build- 
ing then standing at the northwest corner of Spruce 
Street and Stony road. He carried on the business 
in the old-fashioned way, such as John Flood had 
done thirty years before. However, he had some 
machinery, such as a surface-printing machine and 
some other apparatus, but he doubtless printed only 
black-and-white goods. He used chemicals to some 
extent in bleaching, and washed his goods with the 
old style dash-wheels revolving rapidly in tubs. 

Pi.fMMEn fi. Prince. — Walker appears to have 
failed in 1841. Two years later the establishment was 
run by Plummer iV Prince, wlio introduced printing- 
machines operated by power, and mordant printing, 
chiefly blacks and whites, but orciusiomilly in colors. 
They continueil the business until about 1850, when 
they failed, and the establishment was taken by 
Henry C. Stim.son, by whom it was run for a yejir or 
eighteen months in the intercut of the I'eople's Hank, 
which wa.s the principal cretlitor of Plummer iSc I'rince. 
.\bout 1K52 the premises were bought for the exten- 
sion of the Rogent Locomotive-Works. 

In 1849, David (J. Scott, who had been weaving 
and printing at Dunifermline, Scotland, for several 
yean*, came to Paterson and leased the old Shepherd 



bleachery, with the bleaching apparatus contained 
therein. He began bleaching and dyeing there, and 
soon built up a considerable trade. In 1852 the [>rop- 
erty was sold for the extension of the Danforth Lo- 
comotive-Works adjoining, and Mr. Scott removed to 
the Franklin Mill, which he leased, and took the 
business and the dyeing and printing machinery for- 
merly of Jackson & Magennis. He rapidly extended 
the works, and in fact was the first in Paterson to en- 
gage extensively in the business of dyeing, printing, 
and bleaching by machinery. He spared no jiains to 
acquire the latest improvements in machinery adapted 
to his business, and by his skill, energy, and tact 
built up a widely-extended trade. The Franklin 
Mill was too small for his establishment, and in 1853 
he bought the site of the present Waverley Mill, on 
Van Houten Street at the foot of Mill, and erected a 
handsome brick mill, four stories high, one hundred 
by forty-five feet, with other buildings in the rear. 
In 1857 he acquired the Mallory Mill also. Both 
were destroyed by fire, and tlien rebuilt on a larger 
scale than before. The Waverley Mill has been par- 
tially burned once or twice since then. The main 
building fronting on the raceway is now but three 
stories high, one hundred by forty-five feet, and is 
used as a finishing-room ; back of it is the drying- 
room, two stories high, sixty by one hundred feet, and 
the dye-house, one story high, forty by one hundred 
feet, both of brick ; still farther in the rear and near 
the river-bank is the bleachery. ninety feet square, one 
story high. Adjoining the Waverley Mill proper on 
the raceway, facing Van Houten Street, is a small 
one-story brick office, and next west of that is the 
printing- and engraving-room, of brick, two stories 
high, fifty-five and one hundred and forty-five feet. 
In 1S54, Mr. Sctitt .secured a special charter for the 
"Franklin Manufacturing Company," to which he 
transferred his mill pro|)erty in 18(il, the Franklin 
Mill alone being then valued by him at upwards of 
$00,000. He died Nov. 3, 1863, since when the busi- 
ness and pr(q)erty have been carried on by his estate. 
The entire establishment has long been confined to 
the Waverley Mill alone. Eighty hands are employed. 
Muslin is sent hither from New York and the East in 
the " gray," an<I is bleache<l, printed in niailder colors, 
dyed, and finished. 

The success of Mr. Scott in his business was due in 
no small degree to John Murphy, who was his fore- 
man for ten or twelve years after he began the busi- 
ness, having charge of the dyeing and finishing, as he 
had in previous years for Magennis & Jackson. In 
18,')(!, Mr. Murphy engaged in the bleaching business 
for himself at West Twenty-seventh Street, in what 
had been known its the "Eagle" Mill, but which 
he christened the "Victory" Mill, as significunt of 
the success he was determined to attain in his enter- 
prise. 

Thomas Pinkcrton and William Brown came to 
Paterson from Scotland about 18(i7. In June, 1874, 







I 






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CITY OF PATERSON. 



421 



they started the printing of handkerchiefs, to which 
they luid heen accustomed in tlie old country, begin- 
ning in Straight Street, then removing to larger quar- 
ters in Mechanic Street, and in May, 1878, to a frame 
building erected for the purpose, in the rear of No. 147 
Willis Street. In 1877 Pinkerton withdrew from the 
firm, and the business has been conducted since by 
Mr. ]?rown. He prints calico, linen, and silk hand- 
kerchiefs, in some very pretty designs, of great variety. 
The colors are in pigments which will not wash, but 
the blacks and mourning goods are fast, and so are 
all the silk prints. Fifteen hands are employed, who 
print 1000 dozen cotton handkerchiefs and 100 dozen 
silk handkerchiefs daily, the annual production being 
from $10,000 to i?15,000. Curiously enough, this flour- 
ishing little establishment has revived the process of 
hand-printing by blocks, in vogue in Paterson three- 
quarters of a century ago, and which it seems all the 
improvements in calico-printing have not been able 
entirely to supplant, at least for this kind of work. 



CHAPTER LVIII. 

CITY OF PATERSON— (O.iK/iiiicrf)- 

The Iron Industry. — First Marhinr-Shop in Paf- 
ersnii. — When the Society for Establishing Useful 
Manufactures began the erection of its cotton-mill, it 
sought for competent mechanics to set up the ma- 
chinery. John Clark, a practical millwright and ma- 
chinist, who had come from Scotland in 1793 or 1794 
for the purpose, was employed to superintend this 
work, and in 1795 he leased the lower floor of the 
society's mill for a machine-shop and turning-shop. 
This was the first machine-shop in Jsew Jersey, and 
was one of the earliest in the United States. He car- 
ried on the business in the old mill until it was burned 
down in 1S07, when he removed temporarily to the 
Yellow Mill, and also occupied a part of the old 
grist-mill at the foot of Mulberry Street. About this 
time he erected a small frame shop on Broadway, 
nearly on the site of the present Machinists' Associa- 
tion, which he afterwards used as a carpenter-shop, as 
it was called, being used probably for the making of 
his wooden patterns and the wooden parts of ma- 
chinery. About 1809 he leased a mill-seat on the 
river-bank, where Bentley's flour-mill now is, and 
there he erected what was afterwards known as the 
" Little Beaver Mill." It was quite a large shop, but 
when the Beaver Mill proper was built some years 
later Clark's was small in comparison. It was burned 
down in 1832. Clark was a man of superior intelli- 
gence, and was far in advance of his times. He was 
greatly trusted and looked up to by those who were 
competent to appreciate his worth, and was undoubt- 
edly a most valuable man for the society in its eflTorts 
to get in successful operation its first machinery. 
For twenty years he had a monopoly of the machine 



business in Paterson, and was instrumental in intro- 
ducing many important improvements in the various 
cotton, woolen, and other mills in Paterson and vicinity. 
He built and set up machinery of all sorts, even for 
the New England States, and for some enterprising 
manufacturers, venturesome pioneers in the far West. 
He sold out his machine-shop about 1816. 

Danforth Locomotive- and Macliine-WorkK. — The 
successors of John Clark in the machine business were 
Thomas Rogers and John Clark, Jr. The former was 
an ingenious and exceedingly energetic carpenter, 
whose skill was of great service at a time when so 
much of the machinery of the day was of wood, and 
when wooden water-wheels were everywhere in use. 
The latter was' the son of the founder of the iron 
business in Paterson, and was himself a superior 
mechanic. Both were young men, between twenty- 
five and thirty years of age, and full of ambitious 
hopes for future success. They continued to occupy 
the Little Beaver Mill for four or five years, pushing 
their business all the time, until the premises became 
too small for them. Mr. Rogers made a voyage to 
Mexico, and opened a market there for the cotton 
machinery made by them. In 1821 or 1822 they took 
Abram Godwin, Jr., into the firm, which was there- 
after known as Godwin, Rogers & Co. Godwin was 
popularly known as the " Young General," by way 
of distinguishing him from his father, " Oldtieneral" 
Godwin. Godwin doubtless furnished the firm with 
much needed capital wherewith to increase and ex- 
tend its operations. He was a competent business 
man, and generally attended to the outside atlairs of 
the concern, looking after its financial interests, 
getting orders, etc. The firm now removed to Market 
Street, having leased a huge, ungainly structure of 
stone, which had been erected nearly ten years before 
by Roswell L. Colt, or by Robert Collet, perhaps. It 
was fifty by seventy-three feet in area, fourstories high, 
with hip roof, or a sort of attic, which was in reality 
another story of wood and glass. The walls were 
fully four feet thick at the base and three feet thick 
above ; the ceilings were low, and the windows set far 
into the casements. The structure still stands, and 
the immense walls remind one more of an ancient 
castle or a stout fortress than of so peaceful and 
civilizing a building as a cotton-mill. In 1842 the 
roof was destroyed by fire and one story. The walls 
of the latter were carried up in brick and a flat roof 
put on, instead of the old-fashioned attic story. This 
building was used by the firm for a cotton-mill and 
machine-shop for twenty years, and then as a cotton- 
mill solely until 1870, when the cotton machinery 
was sold, and now it is used as a machine-shop in 
making all sorts of machinery. The year after the 
firm removed to Market Street, or in April, 1823, they 
bought the foundry of William Jacobs, which had 
been established near the river-bank, on the Phoenix 
Mill lot, and removed it to a lot on the south side of 
Market Street, where the present foundry of the 



422 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



establishment is locaterl. It is pcrhii])* hardly neces- 
sary to remark tliat tlie present foundry is somewhat 
more extensive than the one bought of " Billy" 
Jaooljs. The next year (1824) they built a new ma- 
chine-shop of brick, thirty by one hundred feet, three 
stories high, the gable end towards Market Street. 
The roof wa.s burned ofi' some years later, when 
another story was added. It is still used as a ma- 
chine-shop, and presents an antiquated appearance in 
contrast with the handsome new buildings adjoining. 
In 1828 they were obliged to extend the foundry, 
and acquired the property on the northeast corner of 
Congress and Jersey Streets. At this time they em- 
ployed about seventy men in their niachine-shoj) and 
fifteen in the foundry. In the latter' they used five i 
tons of metal weekly, besides three hundred and fifty 
pounds of brass. Now eight or ten tons of iron are 
poured every day into the insatiable maw of the fur- 
naces of the foundry, and the consumption of brass 
has increased to five hundred ])ounds daily, although 
brass is not u.sed to the same extent as Ibrmerly in 
machinery, iron or steel having taken its place. 

The first foundry was a rude frame building. It 
was extended from time to time as necessity de- 
manded, and a few years ago was rebuilt, of brick, 
with lofty ceilings, giving ample light anil ventila- 
tion. It is now seventy-six by ninety feet in area, 
with brass-foundry in the rear thirtj- feet square. 
But even that spacious area is quite insufiicient for 
the proper accommodation of the rapidly extending 
business of the concern. In 1844 the firm bought the 
large stone mill, four stories high, adjoining on the 
west their first purchase on Market Street. This 
structure had been erected in 1813 or earlier, and run 
an a cotton-mill by Caleb Munson Godwin for so long 
a time that his name became indissolubly connected 
with it, so that to this day it is known to the older in- 
habitants as the "Munson (iodwin Mill." This build- 
ing was about forty by fifty feet in area. It still stands, 
a monument of the earliest mill architecture of the 
town, there being not more than one or two older fac- 
tories in Paterson. It ha-s been extended to twice its 
original size. The upper story was de-stroyed by fire 
many years ago, and rebuilt in the .same style a-s the 
other mill, already described. Meantime the firm 
had been undergoing various changes in its member- 
ship. In 18;il, Thomsis Rogers withdrew, and <^'harles 
Danforth entered the firm, the style being (iodwin, 
fJlark iV ("o. (Jodwin managed the fiiiatices, .!ohn 
t'lark was the practical man of the lirm, and Danforth 
a.sHiHted liim in the general supervision of the estab- 
lishment, more especially the cotton-spinning, that 
having been his business at Sloatsburgh just before 
he came to Paterson. The firm also engaged exten- 
sively in the miiniifacture of his newly-patented spin- 
ningframe, ot whii'li mention has been alrea<ly made. 
In 1X40, (iodwin ami Clark retired from the firm, and 
the business was thereafter managed by Mr. Danforth 
alone. Mr. Godwin ran the cnttim-mill for a short 



time. Mr. Clark did not long survive his withdrawal 
from active business. In 1843—14 there were hard 
times in Paterson, and it was a great favor for a first- 
class machinist to get employment at all, even at fifty 
or seventy-five cents a day. One of the principal men 
now connected with the establishment was very proud 
when, as a special concession, he was allowed the 
higher sum named. In 1848, Mr. Danforth took into 
partnership with him John Edwards, who had been 
in the shop since 182<i, having been an apjirentice 
and afterwards foreniiin under Danforth. The firm 
was now Charles Danforth & Co., and so continued 
for the next four years. In 1852, Edwin T. Prall 
and John Cooke were taken into the firm. Neither 
had money but both had brains, and Mr. Danforth 
thought brains were worth money, and gave them 
an interest in the concern, which they could pay for 
by diligent service. Both were specially valuable in 
their several spheres. Mr. Prall had been the book- 
keeper for Danforth iS: ("o. for ten or twelve years be- 
fore this time, and had general charge of the financial 
management. Mr. Cooke had been superintendent 
for several years for the Rogers Works, which were 
then largely engaged in locomotive building. It was 
with a view to starting the latter business that Messrs. 
Cooke and Prall were taken into the firm, Mr. Prall 
having suggested the idea to Mr. Danforth. The firm 
now took the name of Danforth, Cooke & Co. Being 
in want of more room to accommodate the contem- 
])lated extension of their business, they bought the 
mill-seat next west of their former purcha-ses on Mar- 
ket Street and the middle raceway, the projierty being 
known as the Shepherd blcachery. The mill was of 
stone and brick, two hundred feet front by fifty feet 
deep, four stories high, and most substantially con- 
structed. 

Thomas Rogers had a leii.se for half of it at this 
time, and occu|)ied it as a cotton-mill, principally to 
display the working of the cotton machinery made 
by the Rogers Works. Mr. Danforth was not san- 
guine as to the success of the business. He was of a 
conservative mind, and did not expect the firm would 
be called on to turn out more than four or five en- 
gines a year. He was consequently astonished when 
the first order came in, and proved to be for five loco- 
motives for the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad, then 
just under way, between Cincinnati anil St. Louis. 
This was in 18.'>2. The road jirogressed very slowly, 
and before it was ready for engines other orders hail 
come in, some for other Western railroads, some for 
the New .Tersey Railroad, others for the Camden and 
Amboy Railroad and its branches, and still others for 
the Morris and Essex Railroad. These New Jersey 
railroads continued to get their locomotives from the 
Danforth Works until they were leased a few years 
ago to other companies. The first engine turned out 
by the new firm was on March 8, 18.'>.3. A few months 
later an order was received for four heavy freight- 
engines from the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



423 



Railroad, then running onlj- from Great Bend, on the 
New York and Erie Railroad, to the Pennsylvania 
coal-fields near Scranton. It was agreed that one of 
these new engines should be so constructed as to 
burn anthracite coal. This engine — the "Anthra- 
cite" — was put on the road in the summer of 1854, 
and answered its purpose tolei-ably well. It was 
modeled largely after those already in use on the 
Reading Road, the principal feature of which was a [ 
large fire-box overhanging the back drivers, and two 
sets of flues running lengthwise of the boiler, with 
a combustion chamber between them. Experience 
proved that whatever advantages there were in this 
plan were in the large fire-box and not in the double 
sets of flues and combustion chambers, and the latter 
feature was discarded in engines of the same charac- 
ter subsequently built by the firm. There were other 
novelties introduced in this engine which had not 
been in use before except on one or two coal roads. 
Thus iron instead of copper flues were put in, a bal- 
anced throttle-valve, copper rings outside of the flues, 
and rocking grates. This last was the invention of 
Mr. Cooke. Seven years later, or in 1861, patents 
were taken out by other parties for the use of copper 
rings, described above, and in 1879 or 1880 some en- 
terprising genius took out a patent for a grate pre- 
cisely similar to that invented by Mr. Cooke and ptit 
in use by him in these anthracite engines in 1854, and 
kindly brought it to the notice of the Danforth Works 
as something they ought to adopt in the construction 
of locomotives ! He was astonished when shown that 
they were just twenty-five years ahead of his "inven- 
tion." After experimenting for some years with dif- 
ferent plans for anthracite-burning engines, Danforth, 
Cooke i& Co. adopted the long fire-box with water- 
tube grates, a plan that is now in general use in en- 
gines of this class. A large number of these engines 
were then sent to the Delaware, Lackawanna and 
Western Railroad, and others were sold to the New 
York Central, the New York and Erie, and one to 
the Providence and Stonington Road. All of these 
were built mainly to show that anthracite coal could 
be successfully used as fuel in locomotives. During 
the first seven or eight years after they began build- 
ing this class of engines, or between 1854 and 1861-62, 
while hard coal was gradually making its way into use 
instead of wood as a fuel for locomotives, Danforth, 
Cooke & Co. probably made more engines for burning 
this coal than any other firm in the country. 

During the late war of the Rebellion they were 
largely engaged in building engines for the govern- 
ment, which were sent to the army at Chattanooga. 
At an earlier day they sent many engines to Mexico, and 
later, while Maximilian was carrying on his ill-fated 
empire in that country, he sent to Paterson for some 
of Danforth, Cooke & Co.'s locomotives. Meanwhile 
the works of the firm had been greatly extended, as 
the business grew far beyond their anticipations. A 
blacksmith-shop, of brick, twenty by one hundred 



and three feet, and a saw-mill and machine-shop 
twenty by seventy-five feet, were put up adjoining the 
old cotton-mill, as adjuncts to that building. When 
the manufacture of locomotives was begun, a hammer- 
shop, forty-eight by eighty-one feet, was built on the 
middle raceway, and an erecting-shop, blacksmith - 
shop, and other shops on the lower raceway, on Mar- 
ket Street, while a boiler-shop, tank-shop, etc., were 
erected on Jersey Street. Most of these first shojis 
were enlarged from time to time as the business ex- 
panded. In March, 1880, the blacksmith- and erect- 
ing-shops on Market Street were destroyed by fire, 
involving a loss of eighty thousand dollars, but the 
bricks were not cold before a large gang of men were 
busy among the ruins, clearing them away and pre- 
paring the Ibundations for new and better buildings, 
which were erected without delay. Whereas the old 
shops had low ceilings and were poorly constructed 
in various respects, and were fifteen or twenty feet 
back from the street line, with the swift raceway 
running between the works and the street, a danger- 
ous feature and wasteful of valuable space, now a 
substantial arch was thrown across the raceway, and 
the shops were built over it to the street line, pre- 
senting a much finer appearance than before, besides 
adding materially to the convenience of the shops, 
which were also much larger and finer in every re- 
spect, so that the gain to the city in the improvement 
of the neighborhood was considerable. The new 
erecting-shop is one hundred and seventeen by one 
hundred and nineteen feet in area, two stories high. 
The new blacksmith-shop is one hundred and forty- 
five feet on Market Street, and fifty feet deep, with an 
extension in the rear forty by sixty feet. The ceiling 
is so high that it is like " all out-doors," and the 
smoke from the twenty-four fires is not noticeable. 

In order to make room for this building, the mill 
west of the old Shepherd bleachery was bought of 
E. S. Jaft'ray, of New York, who had come into the 
ownership of it after the Rogers Works parted with 
it, and the blacksmith-shop of the Danforth Works 
was extended eighty feet tlirther west along Market 
Street. All the old machinery having been destroyed 
by the fire, it was replaced by the very latest and 
most improved tools of every description, and regard- 
less of cost, so that the new shops were equal to any 
in the country in their equipment. In 1872 a fine 
brick liuilding, three stories high, seventy-three by 
one hundred and fifty-four feet, had been erected on 
the southwest corner of Market and Jersey Streets, 
primarily for a store-house and pattern-shop, but it 
has since come into use as a shop for the making and 
painting of locomotive tenders and tanks on the first 
floor, and on the second floor machine-work is done 
for engines, and patterns are stored on the third floor. 
It is now connected with the erecting-shop and ma- 
chine-shop opposite by an iron bridge spanning Mar- 
ket Street from the second story of each building. 
The boiler-shop, on the soutiieast corner of Market 



424 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



and Jersey Streets, has I)ccii enlarged repeatedly, as 
needed, until now it is thirty-six by eighty feet in 
area, two stories high, witii an extension sixty by one 
hundred and forty-five feet on Jersey Street. The 
roof of the latter was raised during the winter of 1881 ■ 
-82 to a height of thirty feet, to secure the fullest 
ventilation. An immense traveling crane was built 
at the works at the same time, and rigged up in the . 
boiler-shop, whereby a boiler weighing many tons 
can be lifted up and carried to any part of the shop : 
as easily as a workman can carry his sledge-hammer 
after him. It is of iron, and of mivs.sive construction. 
The character of the locomotive production has 
varied from time to time, as well as its extent. Every 
class of engine has been made. The first dummy- 
engines in use on the New York and Hudson River 
Railroad were built at the Dan forth Works. Now 
they make the engines technically known as eight- 
wheelers (the ordinary passenger-engines, with four 
driving-wheels and four small truck-wheels), Moguls, 
ten-wheelers (freight-engines, with six driving-wheels 
and four truck-wheels), consolidation engines, tank- j 
engines for switching purposes, narrow-gauge engines, 
etc., adapted to every variety of service. Instead ' 
of turning nut four or five locomotives the first year, 
as Mr. Danforth had somewhat doubtingly antici- 
pated, the firm completed twenty-two engines that I 
year. For the year ending April 30, 1866, the num- 
ber turned out was 61 ; 1867, 53 ; 1868, 31 ; 1869, 53 ; 
1870, 76; 1871, 65; 1872, 71; 1873, 82. During the 
following four years the production was iii/. For the 
year ending A])ril 30, 1878, 12 engines were com- 
pleted; 1879, 17; 1880, 65; 1881, 103. The pre-sent 
capacity is ten to twelve per month. The total pro- 
duction has been 1300. The engines have been in- 
creasing very much in weight of late years ; fnrnierly 
they weighed fifteen, twenty, and twenty-five tons; 
latterly they have steadily increa.sed, and in 1881 
nearly half of the engines turned out weighed fully 
fifty tons each. During the panic, when there was 
no demand for locomotives, several iron bridges were 
built for Cuba, Ilayti, and other places; in 1878 the 
value of this kind of work was ?!.">0,00((, and in 1879, 
^180,000. No money was made, but the hands were 
given employment and the works kept in operation. 
The firm used to make all sorts of machinery, partic- 
ularly cotton machinery and millwright work, not 
only the Daiifortli fran)r, but the King frame, mules, 
water-wheels, Hhafling, and everything connecteil with 
a cotton-mill. Their machinery was sent to all the 
States in the Union, and to .Mexico, Central and South 
America. They quit cotton-spinning in 1870, and 
sold the old machinery in the South. 

The old cotton-mill has been since used for the 
miinufaclure of cotton and silk nuichinery. Very 
little cotton machinery has been made in the past 
four or five years. About 1870 they began nuiking 
double-decker and throe-decker silk frames, which 
have been a great success, as one will do the work of 



three frames, and occupy only a third of the room. 
They have made great irnprovements in other silk 
machinery, every year making them better, lighter, 
and in more attractive styles, so that the demand for 
their silk machinery about offsets the lr)ss of the cotton- 
machine manufacture. They send their machinery 
all over the country where the silk manufacture has 
obtained a foothold, and it is admitted by the mo.st 
competent judges to be unsurpassed for durability 
and evenness of running. A most remarkable in- 
stance of this was recently shown in the Phirnix 
Mill, where a silk-spinning frame, built at Dan- 
forth's, was taken out after running for eleven years, 
and was found to be running perfectly true and even, 
although it had no repairs in all that time. Jacob 
T. Blauvelt has been superintendent of the machine 
department since -Vugust, 1848. He entered the em- 
ploy of the concern in June, 1838, as an apprentice, 
and has worked there ever since. He has seen great 
changes in the works in that time, and in no respect 
are they more marked than in the improved con- 
dition of the shops as regards the comfort and health 
of the hands employed. In 1865 the firm was turned 
into a stock company, under a special charter ob- 
tained in 1857, as the Danforth liocomotive and Ma- 
chine Company, by which the works arc now man- 
aged. The capital is $400,000. Charles Danforth was 
the i)resident of the company until April 3, 1871, 
when he retired from the firm, owing to advanced 
age. John Cooke, who, as already stated, had come 
into the concern to conduct the locomotive manufac- 
ture, was then elected president, and has been con- 
tinued in that position ever since. Mr. Cooke and 
Mr. RIauvelt constitute the executive committee, Mr. 
Blauvelt acting as president pni tcni. in the absence 
of the i)resi(lent. William Herdan is secretary and 
treasurer. During the year ending .\pril 30, IXSl, 
there were 75(l men employed in the works, wlio.se 
wages amounted to H50,000. The value of the pro- 
ducts, locomotives and machinery, footed up $1,250,- 
000, an increase of fifty |ier cent, over the production 
for the year before.' 

This extended notice of these works has seemed to 
be proi)er in view of the fact that the establishment 
appears to be the lineal descendant of the first ma- 
chine-shop in Paterson. Having thus given an ac- 
count of this locomotive establishment, it may be as 
well to describe the others, disregarding for the time 
the chronological seipience of the history of the iron 
industry in I'aterson. 

Cli.VKl.KS Danforth. — The name of Charles Dan- 
forth hits been so long associated with the in<lustrial 
growth and development of the city of Paterson that 

1 Tito ilrtoJlH licrcwill) gtT«.|i of the gniwlli aiiil di'velu|iiTirnt or the 
lix-otnotlT« hinilncMof tho Pnnforlh Workn were kltully ritniiihiMl hy 
Mr. Cuoko, t«i whom the writer It nleo Inilelitot) Tor dHtee of Uu* early 
chAiiKC 111 the nmi. Mniij p*nii-iilar« reganling the erection and r»- 
Itnliiling i>f tiie rnrlieet Rhope of tlie worka were giren by Mr. Jat'oh T. 
Blauvelt, Mlille the ■tnlixtin of pruiluctlon were fnrnlihml hy Mr. Wm. 
Beniaii. 




sX. 



^ 



.^^^^^ 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



425 



it is familiar to all of its citizens, old and young. 
It has been thought proper, therefore, to give in this 
work a sketch of the life-work of a man whose indi- 
viduality was so strongly impressed upon the institu- 
tions of the city, and to impart thereby, to the rising 
generation at least, some of the lessons which a long 
life of industry, conscientious devotion to duty, and 
an intelligent direction of one's talents to a given 
purpose naturally suggest. 

Mr. Danforth was born at Norton, Mas.s., on Aug. 
30, 1797, and was a descendant of one of the old fami- 
lies of that commonwealth. His father, J. Thomas 
Danforth, engaged in agricultural pursuits at Norton, 
and being of limited means was able to confer upon 
his son only a common-school education. The lad 
being of an ambitions spirit early entered upon 
the discharge of the duties of life, with a view of nuik- 
ing a place for himself in the world. From boyhood 
he manifested not only remarkable mechanical ability, 
but strong self-reliance and a practical turn of mind, 
which, joined to the stalwart frame and robust con- 
stitution with which nature had endowed him, well 
fitted him for success in life. As early as 1811 he en- 
tered a cotton-mill in Norton, where he labored for a 
time as a throstle-piercer. When sixteen or seventeen 
years of age he joined the army as a substitute for 
a man of family, who had been drafted to do ser- 
vice in the war of 1812-15. After the expiration of 
his terra of service in the army he enlisted as an 
ordinary sailor on a seafaring vessel, and spent some 
time in this pursuit, visiting difterent porta, deriving 
much benefit from his nautical experiences. For a 
short time after leaving the sea he taught a district 
school in the neighborhood of Rochester, N. Y., and 
then located at Matteawan, N. Y., where he acted as 
superintendent of the carding-room in a cotton-factory. 
In 1825 he removed to Sloatsburgh, N. Y., on the Ram- 
apo River, where he worked as carder in a cotton- 
mill, and soon after was employed to set in order the 
cotton-mill at Hohokus lately opened by John J. 
Zabriskie, and to set up its machinery. While en- 
gaged there he invented the improvement in spinning- 
frames known as the " Danforth frame" or " cap- 
spinner," which came into general use throughout the 
world in connection with cotton machinery. Previous 
to this time his brother, George Danforth, of Taunton, 
Mass., had invented an important machine, called the 
" counter-twist speeder," but generally known as the 
"Taunton speeder." This invention, with various 
modifications, but essentially on Mr. Danfortb's prin- 
ciple, came into general use. The invention of the 
cap-spinner seemed to be the turning-point in Mr. 
Danfortb's career. Up to this time he had experienced 
the vicissitudes that usually attend a poor young 
man's early experiences. In the latter part of the 
year 1828 he went to Paterson, N. J., and entered 
the employ of Messrs. Godwin, Rogers & Clark, mak- 
ing an arrangement with that firm to manufacture his 
cap-spinning frame, which brought large orders to the 



concern and gave it an extensive reputation. It was 
in this shop that Mr. Danforth had a working model 
of his invention made, which he took to England to 
exhibit and to enable him to dispose of patent rights. 
In the fall of 1829, in company with Alexander Car- 
rick, he went to Europe to negotiate for the use of his 
invention, and met with great success. He returned 
in 1831. During his absence the old firm of Godwin, 
Rogers & Co. had been dissolved, and Mr. Danforth 
took the place of Thomas Rogers, who retired, and 
connecting himself with Messrs. Ketchum and Gros- 
veiior, established the long celebrated firm of Rogers, 
Ketchum & Grosvenor, which was succeeded by the 
Rogers Locomotive and Machine Company. 

The firm with which Mr. Danforth associated him- 
self took the name of Godwin, Clark & Co., and con- 
tinued under that title until 1840, when it was dis- 
solved, and Mr. Danforth bought out the whole 
interest in the machine-shop. Two years later he also 
purchased the cotton-mill which Gen. Godwin had 
retained, and he conducted the whole business alone 
until 1848, when he took Maj. John Edwards, who 
had served his time in the shop from 1826, and been 
its foreman for several years, into partnership, the new 
firm being known as Charles Danforth & Co. In 1852 
locomotive building was added to the business of the 
concern, and Edwin T. Prall, who had been principal 
book-keeper from 1839, and John Cooke, who had 
been superintendent of the Rogers Works for six or 
eight years, were admitted to the firm, their business 
being carried on under the name and style of Dan- 
forth, Cooke & Co. Under this name hundreds of 
locomotives were built and sent to all parts of the 
world, and the reputation of the concern was firmly 
established. In 1865 the enterprise was incorporated 
as a joint-stock company, under the title of the Dan- 
forth Locomotive and Machine Company, which it 
still retains. Mr. Danforth retained the presidency 
of the company until 1871, when, owing to his age 
and the decline of his physical powers, he resigned, 
and was succeeded by John Cooke, who still retains 
the position. He lived in retirement, enjoying the 
substantial fruits of an industrious and successful 
life, until his death on March 22, 1876. Deep re- 
gret was felt in the community on the demise of so 
useful a man, which seemed to realize that death had 
removed one who had done much in contributing to 
the reputation and growth of the city. He left to his 
family a large fortune honestly earned, and the richer 
legacy of a good name acquired by the consistent prac- 
tice of those virtues which all admire but few emu- 
late. 

Mr. Danforth was a man of strong individuality 
and force of character. He was outspoken in the 
expression of his opinions, and aimed rather to im- 
part his ideas of what he esteemed to be right and 
just than to seek the approval of the popular judg- 
ment. His real intellectual capacity was known 
only to his most intimate friends, and he was not a 



42(; 



HISTOHY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



man who sought wide sympathies or companionship. 
So gri'at was hi.s aversion to pubiiL' life that lie wils 
never prevailed upmi to accept an ollice of any kind, 
save once, when, in 18.52, he filled the po.sition "of 
president of the City Council of Paterson, at that time 
equivalent to mayor. He took a deep interest in 
municipal affairs, and during the exciting times 
which attended the passage of the city charter of 
18(>9 he wiis actively aroused in opposition to it, and 
was chiefly instriiuiental in having its obnoxious 
features overthrown by the courts. This and many 
more things are remembered to his credit. He was 
of a thrifty and economical nature, and although 
one of the wealthiest residents of Paterson, was 
greatly averse to o.stcntation or display. He was 
scrupulously honest in all of bis transactions, and 
abhorred corruption in all its forms. It was his con- 
tempt for official irregularities and dishonesty in pub- | 
lie atlairs that caused him to hold himself aloof from ! 
active participation in public matters. He was a 
regular attendant at the First Presbyterian Church 
of Paterson. His wife, whom he married in 182.3, 
who is still living, was Miss Mary, daughter of 
Thomas and Sarah VVillett, of Matteawan, N. Y. ' 
The children have been Matilda, deceased, wife of 
James Taggart, of Paterson : Mary E., widow of the 
late William Pyle, of the same city; Sarah L., de- 
cea.sed, who married Dr. Orson Barnes, a former 
physician of Paterson, now dead ; Capt. Charles Daii- 
forth, who was killed in July, 18G2, while gallantly 
fighting at the head of his company (Company I, \ 
Second N. J. Vols.) on the Peninsula, near Ificli- 
mond; and an invalid daughter, Kniily. 

JfillN CooKK, the president of the Danl'orth Loco- j 
motive and Machine Company, and the oldest loco- ' 
motive builder in the city of Paterson still in active 
business, was born in Montreal, Canada, on Aug. 8, 
1824. His parents were Watt.s and Lavinia (Donald- 
son) Cooke, natives of County Armagh, Ireland. 
His ancestors on his father's side were Knglisli.on his 
mother's side Scotch, having emigrated to Ireland 
during the " |)erseeution." WatLs Cooke was a car- 
penter by trade, and emigrated to this country about 
1H22, with his wife and one son. He landed at (Quebec 
and proceeded at once to Montreal, where an older 
brother resided, anil where he worked at his trade on 
the famous Notre Dame Cathedral at that place. The 
climate and society of Montreal being uncongenial, 
in 1827 he removed to the city of Albany, where he 
worked in Townsend's furnace until 1832, ac<iuiring 
meanwhile the trade of a pattern-maker. He then 
entereil the employ of the Matteawan Machine Com- 
pany, Dutchess ('ounty, N. Y., where he engaged in 
pattern-making. He was an excellent mechanic, and 
poH.Kesse<l sujicrior ability in the manufacture of mill- ' 
gearing. In the summer of 18H9 he removed to 
Paterson, N. J., and entereil the works of Rogers, 
Ket<'lium iS: Grosvenor, where he workeil at pattern- 
making. He subsequently worked for Danforlh, 



Cooke & Co. as a pattern-maker until 18.59, when he 
retired from active life. He died in 1876, and his 
wife in 18t>0. He was an industrious anil able me- 
chanic, and performed the duties of life in a modest 
and faithful manner. In jiolitics he was not con- 
spicuous, but always an anti-slavery man and a good 
Republican, and never missed depositing his ballot. 
He was one of the founders of the Presbyterian 
Church at Matteawan, in which he held the office of 
deacon, and during his residence at Paterson was a 
member and supporter of the Second Presbyterian 
Church. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. 
Cooke, of whom nine are living, five daughters and 
four .sons, viz. : John, the subject of our sketch ; Wil- 
liam, who is engaged in the machinery supply busi- 
ness in New York ; Watts, president of the Pa.ssaic 
RoUing-Mills, Paterson ; and .James, who hits been 
superintendent of the Danforth Locomotive and Ma- 
chine Company since 18G6. 

The earlier life of John Cooke wius intimately iden- 
tified with that of his father, and his oppnrtunites for 
obtaining an education were very limited. Between 
the district school, the cotton-factory, and the ma- 
chine-shop he acquired a fair English education, and 
obtained such a knowledge of machinery and cotton 
manufacturing as was of great benefit to him in after- 
life. In 1S;W he came to Paterson with his father. 
After arriving in that city he enjoyed three months' 
schooling under .lohn D. Kiley, a teacher of great 
ability and culture, and possessed of fine oratorical 
powers. In August, 1839, at the age of fifteen, he 
entered the enii>loy of Rogers, Ketchum iS: Grosvenor, 
who were at that time engaged in the manufacture of 
locomotives and machinery. He learned the trade of 
pattern-making, and remained an apprentice until he 
attained his majority, during which time he spent 
many of his leisure hours in the study of mechanics 
and mechanical drawing. 

William Swinburne, the superintendent, withdrew 
from the concern in 1844 in order to establish the firm 
of Swinburne, Smith iV Co., machine-makers, and was 
succeeded for a time by Stephen Thurston, formerly 
from Matteawan, who resigned the position after nine 
months' service. 

Mr. Cooke, who was then twenty-oue years of age, 
and had already its a pattern-maker attracted the at- 
tention of Mr. Rogers, was appointed the successor 
of Mr. Thurston, and installed in the office of draughts- 
man and superintendent of the locomolive-shop, which 
carried with it at that time the general superintendency 
of the business. Thus early in life had his close ap- 
plication to business, his skill and ability as a me- 
chanic, and his fidelity in the perl'ornianee of his 
duties received the recognition of the leading loco- 
motive-maker of the United States. He remained a.s 
superintendent of the Rogers Works, during which 
time many valuable improvements and changes in 
the business of locomotive manufacture were made, 
until Aug. 1, 18.')2, when, although oll'ered an interi'st 





<^ C-i 



^<^<^7V V-e^r^ 



I 



I 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



427 



with Rogers, Ketclium & Grosvenor if he would re- 
main, lie resigned the position to join Charles Dan- 
forth, Maj. John Edwards, and Edwin T. Prall in 
the manufacture of cotton machinery, cotton yarns, 
and locomotives. The firm-name was Danforth, 
Cooke & Co. Previous to that time Messrs. Danforth 
& Edwards had engaged simply in the manufacture 
of machinery and cotton yarn, and Mr. Prall had 
been their book-keeper and general business manager. 
Mr. Cooke was brought into the concern as one thor- 
oughly versed in the manufacture of locomotive 
engines, and was given a prominent place in the firm 
and the superintendency of the locomotive depart- 
ment, the making of which was entered upon simul- 
taneously with his connection with the firm. Suitable 
shops for that purpose were soon erected, many of the 
special tools needed for the purposes of manufacture 
were made in the shop under Mr. Cooke's superin- 
tendence, and the first engine, the " Vincennes," was 
built for use on the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad in 
the winter of 1852. Some delay occurred in the con- 
struction of the road, so that the first engine actually 
delivered by the concern was in March, 1853. It was 
named the " Sandusky," the same as that first pro- 
duced by the Rogers Works in 1836. Since that time 
over twelve hundred engines have been manufactured 
by the concern. One hundred and two were made 
in 1881, although the works had not got quite into 
full operation at the beginning of the year owing to 
their destruction by fire the preceding year. In 1865 
the firm of Danforth, Cooke & Co. assumed the cor- 
porate name of the Danforth Locomotive and Ma- 
chine Company, with Mr. Danfortli as president, and 
Mr. Cooke as superintendent of the locomotive de- 
partment and as a member of the executive com- 
mittee, which carries with it the oflice of president 
pro tempore or vice-president. In 1866 the latter re- 
signed this office to visit Europe as a means of im- 
proving his health, which had become impaired by 
years of labor and toil, and was succeeded by Maj. 
John Edwards in the position of member of the ex- 
ecutive committee, and by his brother James as super- 
intendent of the locomotive department. Mr. Cooke 
returned in 1869, and was elected a director and 
treasurer of the company in 1870. He held this posi- 
tion until 1872, when, upon the resignation of Mr. 
Danforth, he became president of the company, a 
position that he filled in an acceptable and successful 
manner until the date of his death, Feb. 20, 1882. 
The works of the company are among the largest and 
most successful in the United States, and are more 
fully treated of elsewhere in this work. 

The abilities of Mr. Cooke as a mechanic and as an 
executive officer have long been recognized by those 
familiar with the business of locomotive building. He 
has made a number of important contributions to the 
science of locomotive construction, for which he has 
neither asked nor received special credit. He has 
taken out but few patents, and does not claim to be 



an inventor, considering that a locomotive builder 
who watches carefully the construction of his work 
and looks after a large force of men has no time to 
spend on patented improvements. 

During the thirteen years that he was employed at 
the Rogers Works a number of radical and progres- 
sive changes were made in the building of locomotive 
engines, with most of which he was identified, being 
in the closest sympathy with Mr. Rogers in the adop- 
tion of all improvements. 

Among the most important of these were four and 
six drivers instead of one pair, and an improved 
valve motion, which resulted in great economy in 
fuel and in increased speed. 

The greatest improvement in the locomotive since 
the building of the "Rocket" by Stephenson, and one 
which was never patented, the link-motion, was also 
applied during the time that Mr. Cooke was connected 
with the Rogers Works; and the first model, from a 
drawing sent over from England, showing the action 
of the valve affected by the invention, was made by 
him about 1846. Soon after the principle was applied 
by Mr. Rogers to a locomotive, and has since come 
into general use. 

Mr. Cooke has confined himself very closely thrbugh 
life to mechanical and constructive pursuits, although 
feeling an active interest in events transpiring around 
him, and being identified with many local movements 
of importance. In the politics of the past he was 
known as an extreme anti-slavery man, and voted for 
John C. Fremont in 1856. He was one of the or- 
ganizers of the Republican party in Paterson, and 
was treasurer of the Central Committee, and active 
in the establishment of the Paterson Republican, after- 
wards absorbed by the Guardian. He was also one 
of the seven trustees appointed by the subscribers to 
establish the Paterson Press. He represented the 
South Ward in the l)oard of aldermen of Paterson in 
1858, and subsequently filled the position of president 
of the board of education of that city, which he re- 
signed because of ill health. He was one of the or- 
ganizers of the First National Bank of Paterson, and 
has been vice-president since. He is also vice-presi- 
dent of the Paterson Savings Institution, and of the 
Paterson Board of Trade ; a director of the Passaic 
Rolling-Mills, and also of the Paterson Gaslight 
Company. He is a member and regular attendant of 
the Second Presbyterian Church of Paterson, and for 
many years was the superintendent of the Sabbath- 
school connected with that church. He married, in 
1850, Sarah A., daughter of William Swinburne, of 
Paterson, and has had six children, of whom five are 
living, namely, Lavinia, wife of William O. Fayer- 
weather, treasurer of the Passaic Rolling-Mills; Carrie 
S., wife of John R. Beam, a practicing lawyer of Pat- 
erson ; John Swinburne, a graduate of Stevens' Insti- 
tute, Hoboken, and assistant superintendent of the 
Danforth Locomotive- Works ; Frederick William, 
now at Stevens' Institute, who is also preparing him- 



428 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



self for locomotive building; and Charles D., who is 
attending school in New York. 

MA.i..r<mx Edw.\ki)S. — .\mong the prominent rep- 
re.-icn tat Ives of the industrial interests of Paterson, 
who for many years wits identified with the growth 
and development of the institutions of the city, and 
who was widely and favorably known by its citizens, 
was the subject of this sketch. 

He was born in the town of Trowbridge, Wiltshire, 
England, on tlie 14th day of October, 1S08. His 
parents were I'hilip and Rebecca Hayward Edwards. 
His father died when he was (juite young, and his 
mother shortly after became the wife of William 
Davy. The lad received only an ordinary English 
education, and in August, 1820, left England with 
his niotlier and step-father for America. The party 
landed in New York City on October 14th following, 
and came to Paterson, X. J, After arriving in tliat 
city, the family being poor, young Edwards imme- 
diately looked around for something to do, and on 
the 24th day of December found employment in what 
was then known a-s the " Old Red Mill." He remained 
there but a short time, and then entered the employ 
of Daniel Holsman, cotton manufacturer on Van 
Houten, then Boudinot Street. He subsequently 
worked in John Colt's "duck mill," and after a time 
relurned to the city of New York, and from there to 
liloomfield, N. J. 

Young Edwards had now just entered liis fourteenth 
year, but, being ambitious to make a place for himself 
in life, and to seek his fortune in the world, he ob- 
tained his mother's consent, and on Dec. 24, 1821, 
left her humble home at liloomfield, carrying all his ' 
worldlv possessions In a |)ack upon his back, and with i 
only eleven shillings in his pocket walked to Paterson, 
where he arrived in the evening of the same day. 
He had now reached a critical point in his career, but 
a kin<l Providence seemed to guide liiin, and he made 
his way to the confectionery-store of Philip Van 
Bussum, on Main Street, where the Kranklin House 
now is, and asked for a night's lodging. He was 
kindly received by Mr. Van Hussum and his wife, 
who employed him to assist them in the store until 
May, 1826, when his kind patron, with a fatherly in- 
terest in the bright boy who had sought his protection, 
procured a position for him with the firm of Godwin, 
Rogers it Clark, machinists. He continued to live 
with Mr. Van Bussum for a considerable time after 
he wa.s out of his apprenticeship, and ever after re- 
membered with gratitude the tender care, protection, 
and encouragement that lir had received from him 
anil his excellent wife. 

.Mr. l-)dwards continued to wurk for the firm of 
(iodwin, Rogers & Clark until IS.'tl, when the copart- 
nership was dissolved by the withdrawal of Thomas 
Rogers. Mr. Charles Danforth was then ailmittcd as 
a member of the firm, and Mr. Edwards continued to 
work for Godwin, Clark iV Co. ils a journeyman until 
the latter part of I8:{.S, wlien he was appointed u.H«isl- 



ant foreman of their machine-shop, a position that 
he filled with great acceptability until the dissolution 
of the firm in 1840. Mr. Charles Danforth tlien hired 
the machine-shop, which he subseipiently purchased, 
and engaged Mr. Edwards as his foreman, a position 
in which he continued until 1848, when he purchased 
a small interest in the business and became a partner. 
In July, 1852, John Cooke and Edwin T. Prall were 
given an interest in the concern, and the firm of Dan- 
forth, Cooke & Co. was organized. Mr. Cooke had 
previously been superintendent of the Rogers Loco- 
motive-Works, and the new firm extended their busi- 
ness to include the manufacture of locomotive engines. 
Mr. Danforth had general charge, Mr. E<lwards was 
superintendent of the machine-shop, John Cooke of 
the locomotive-shop, and Edwin T. Prall, afterwards 
mayor of the city, had charge of the office, and was 
superintendent of the cotton-factory. 

In 1843, while acting as foreman for Charles Dan- 
forth, Maj. Edwards became a partner with Abram 
Prall and Henry M. Low in the business of spinning 
cotton yarn, the firm of H. M. Low i*i Co. occupying 
the building know n as the " (tun Mill." In August of 
the same year Abram H. Godwin was added to the 
firm, and in 1848 purchased the interest of Maj. Ed- 
wards in the business. The latter continued his con- 
nection with Mr. Danforth, and in ISfi.") the firm of 
Daiilortli, Cooke & Co. became incorporated by 
special act of the Legislature as the " Danforth Loco- 
motive and Machine Company."' Upon the organi- 
zation of the company Mr. Danforth was chosen 
president, and John Cooke as one of the executive 
committee, ex o(ficio vice-president. Maj. Edwards 
sul)se(|Uently succeeded Mr. Cooke, who visited Eu- 
rope for several years, ami continued to exercise the 
functions of the office, and to act as superintendent of 
the machine-shop, until April, 1872, when he resigned 
bis official positions, but remained a stockhholder 
and director of the company. Through long years 
of faithful labor he had acijuired a handsome com- 
petency, and although <laily visiting the offices of 
the company, retired from active business life, and 
sought rest within the confines of his pleasant home, 
until his death on .\pril 11, 1S7!), in the seventy-first 
year of his age. 

Maj. Edwards was a man who represented in a re- 
markable degree the self-made and successful men of 
Paterson, and was a shining example of how many 
and great things can be accomplished by earnestness 
of purpose, faithful performance of duty, and an 
holiest and judiciims management of business affairs. 
I'roiii the poor, homeless boy who arrived alone ami 
without capital in Paterson on Christmas-eve in the 
year 1821, he raised himself by honest industry and 
fiiithful toil to a prominent place among the manu- 
facturers of Paterson, and left to his family at his 
death abundant means and the memory of a well- 
spent life. He always felt a deep interest in public 
afi'airs, but never sought political ]>refermont, al- 




Alhntir f ubhslunti i t rH|c.]vin1 : ". MY 








«?f, 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



429 



though he filled several offices in connection with the [ 
municipal government of Paterson. His whole soul 
was in his business. As a mechanic he possessed su- 
perior ability, comprehended the laws, operations, 
and forces of mechanics as if by intuition, and stood 
in the front rank of his trade. He was a gentleman 
of the old school, of strict integrity, the very personi- 
fication of hospitality, and a prompt contributor to 
all worthy objects. He was a regular attendant of 
the First Presbyterian Church of Paterson, a member 
of the board of trustees, and a liberal supporter of 
church institutions. He joined the Masonic fraternity 
on June 3, 1857, as a member of Joppa Lodge, No. 
29 ; filled the oftice of treasurer of that organization 
for twelve years, and was one of its most useful 
members throughout his life. He was for a number 
of years a member of the " Geu. Godwin Guards," a 
local militia company of prominence at an early day, 
and rose from the position of ensign in 1834 to the 
office of major in 1838. His extensive business de- 
mands compelled him to resign his connection with 
the company in 1840. 

Maj. Edwards was married, in 1831, to Hannah, 
daughter of John and Sarah (Brower) Hogan, who 
survives him. The children have been three in num- 
ber, viz. : Rebecca, wife of Robert Barbour, of Pater- 
son ; James B., who engaged in the drug business in 
Xew York throughout his life, and died in the fall of 
1881 ; and John, who died in May, 1869. 

Edmund G. Edwards, son of the latter, resides with 
his mother at the family homestead on Market Street, 
and is employed in the oflice of the Barbour Flax- 
Spinning Company of Paterson. 

Franklin C. Beckwith was born near Schuyler- 
ville, Saratoga Co., N. Y., on July 2, 1817. His 
parents were Jedediah and Huldah (Coleman) Beck- 
with, the former of whom was a farmer by occupation, 
and also a contractor for the building of river-dams. 
Among other things he built the main dam at the city 
of Troy, N. Y'. 

Mr. Beckwith remained upon the home farm until 
he was nineteen years of age, and received a common- 
school education. He then became a foreman under 
an elder brother who was engaged in laying sections 
of the track on the Boston and Albany Railroad, and 
subsequently received a division of his own, extend- 
ing from Chatham to East Albany. After a few years 
he became the superintendent of both the track aud 
freight department of the Troy and Alliany Railroad, 
and remained in that connection several years. About 
1849 he removed to the city of Philadelphia, and es- 
tablished the business of smelting iron, but a year 
later entered the employ of the New Y'ork and Erie 
Railway, and had charge of laying the track on the 
Delaware Division of the road, extending from Port 
Jervis to Susquehanna. He then removed to Niagara 
Falls, and laid the railroad from that place to Lock- 
port, N. Y. Returning again to the Erie, he built the 
bridge on that road at Susquehanna, under contract, 
28 



and in 1853 took up his residence at Paterson, and 
took the contract for laying the double track from 
Paterson to Jersey City. In 1855 he purchased an 
interest in the Paterson Iron Company, of which 
Sherman Jaqua was superintendent and part owner, 
and three years later became sole owner of the enter- 
prise, aud greatly extended the works and the scope 
of the business. For several years he made a specialty 
of the manufacture of locomotive tires, and during 
the late war did a large variety of work for the 
government in connection with the construction of 
gunboats and naval vessels generally. He continued 
to manage the aftairs of the concern with ability 
and success until his death on Feb. 8, 1875. He was 
thoroughly devoted to business, of strict integrity and 
generous impulses. He married on Oct. 22, 1837, 
Esther A., daughter of Thomas and Esther (Car- 
michael) Clark, of Easton, N. Y'., and had three chil- 
dren, viz. : Charles D. and Joseph A. Beckwith and 
Julia Frances, wife of John H. Hopper. The two 
former, with Mrs. Beckwith, are the owners of the 
Paterson Iron Company, and are conducting its affairs 
in an intelligent and successful manner. 



CHAPTER LIX. 

CITY OF PATERSON— (PoH/,V<„e(/). 

Jiogers Locomotive- Works. — Thomas Rogers with- 
drew from the firm of Godwin, Rogers & Co. in June, 
1831, with a view to organizing a new firm, two New 
York capitalists and financiers having agreed to join 
him in a new venture. He drew out of the old firm 
the handsome sum of S36,00(l. His associates in the 
new enterprise were Morris Ketchum and Jasper 
Grosvenor, and the firm-name was Rogers, Ketchum 
& Grosvenor. Messrs. M. & A. Ketchum had been 
the New York agents for several years of Godwin, 
Rogers & Co., which doubtless led to the formation 
of the new concern. The firm lost no time in pre- 
paring to get to work, and in the fall of 1831 they 
leased mill-seats on both sides of Spruce Street, and 
on the west side began the erection of " The Jefferson 
Machine and Cotton Manufactory," a large stone 
building, about fifty by one hundred feet, four stories 
high, with attic equivalent to another story. It was 
intended to devote only the two or three lower stories 
to the machine business, and to use the upper stories 
for cotton-spinning, but before the building had been 
fairly got in running order it was found that it would 
be all needed for machine-making. There was a 
grand turn-out by the mechanics of the town in honor 
of the new mill, it being considered a marked event 
in the history of the jilace. If the men had foreseen 
what a mighty establishment was destined to grow 
out of that single mill they might well have deemed 
its beginning an event of unequaled importance in 
the history of Paterson's progress. The Jefferson 



430 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND I'ASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Mill is to this day a splemlid structure, having few 
equals in point of solidity. It was a decided advance 
on the mill architecture of the day in many respects. 
About 1855 it was partially rebuilt, three high stories 
being substituted for the original four low stories. | 
On the lot on the east side of Spruce Street the firm 
put up a small foundry during 18.33. They got a 
contract to furnisli the iron-work for the railroad 
bridges then being built over the Passaic and llack- 
ensack Rivers for the Paterson and Hudson River j 
Railroad, and about the same time an order came 
from the South Carolina Railroad for one hundred 
sets of wheels and axles. These orders directed the 
attention of Mr. Rogers to railroad work generally, 
and he next began making wrought-iron tires for car- 
wheels ; he did not succeed at first, but finally mas- 
tered all difficulties. Thus encouraged, he even be- 
gan to dream of the possibility of making locomotives 
in Paterson. When the "McNeill," the first locomo- 
tive on the Paterson and Hudson River Railroad, 
was brought to Paterson, Mr. Rogers began to think 
it was quite possible that another like it might be I 
built. In 1835 the firm erected a two-story stone 
structure, about fifty by seventy-five feet, at the 
southeast corner of Market and Spruce Streets, for 
a millwright-shop. In the fall of 183(5 a two-story 
brick building, forty by one hundred feet, was erected 
on the east side of Spruce Street, nearly opposite the 
present ofiBce, for a locomotive-shop, by which name 
it was known for tliirty-five years. When the "Mc- 
Neill"' was brought to Paterson it lay for some weeks 
in pieces, just ;is it had been brought from England, 
and nobody was at hand to i>ut it together. This 
gave Mr. Rogers an excellent opportunity to study 
its construction, which he was not slow to take ad- 
vantjige of. One Hodge, an English draughtsman of 
much skill, was employed to make drawings for an 
engine of the same model a.s the "McNeill." He 
worke<l away at them for a long time, but the engine 
made slow progress, and Mr. Rogers finally discharged 
him. Then Mr. William Swinburne, who was the 
]>attern-maker for the works, proposed to make the 
drawings and the patterns for the engine. His offer 
wa.H gladly accepted, and he went confidently to 
work, preparing the drawings and patterns, and su- 
Iterintending the construction in every department. 

It was a daring experiment, but after much trying 
and more than a year of hard work the new engine 
was completed to the satisfaction of all concerned. 
It W!is called the "Sandusky." It had one pair of 
driving-wheels, situated forward of the furnac<'; they 
were 4A feet diameter; the cylinders were eleven 
inches in diameter, by sixteen inches stroke; the truck 
hatl four 30-incli wheels. This little engine was about 
the size of those now run cm the New York Elevated 
Railroad. It was in some renpect.s an improvement 
on itM model, Mr. Rogers having introduced a novel 
feature, "counterbalancing," since ailopted in most 
locomotive engines. For this he filed a specification 



in the Patent Office, dated July 12, 1837. He also cast 
the driving-wheels with hollow spokes and rim, and in' 
other particulars anticipated the driving-wheel now in 
general use on the railroads of America. He also set 
the front-wheeled truck under the forward part of the 
engine. The "Sandusky" made a public trial trip on 
Oct. tj, 1837, running from Paterson to Jersey City, and 
thence to New IJrunswick, and back, the trip being 
entirely satisfactory to all concerned. It was designed 
for the New Jersey (now the Pennsylvania) Railroad, 
but was sold to the Mad River and Lake Erie Rail- 
road Company, and shipped on October 14th ; the price 
was j'67.iO. There w;is no railroad west of Paterson, 
so the engine was taken to pieces, ho.xed up, and sent 
by schooner and canal-boat to Ohio, in charge of 
Thomas Hogg, an employ^ of the Rogers Works, who 
had been occupied on the engine from the first. He 
put it together at its place of destination, and as soon 
as the track was laid — which was required by the 
Legislature to be four feet and ten inches gauge, to 
conform to the gauge of the locomotive — he ran the 
new iron horse for a short time, to show the railroad 
hands how to do it. Then he made preparations for 
his return home. But the railroad company would 
not listen to such a thing. He must stay ; and stay 
he did, for more than forty years, occupying a rcs|)on- 
siUle position in the employ of the company as long 
as he chose to retain it, being master-mechanic of the 
road for thirty years or more. The second engine 
l)roiluced at the Rogers Works was the " .\rrescoh," 
for the New Jersey Railroad. It was shipped Feb. 
19, 183.'^. It was similar to the first. The "Clinton" 
was completeil in April, 1838, for the Lockport and 
Niagara Falls Railroad; its cylinders were ten by 
eighteen, and its gauge was four feet eight and one- 
half inches. The " Experiment" was turned out in 
June for the South Carolina Railroad. In October 
three were finished, and in November only two. Thus 
it will be seen that, whereas it took eighteen months 
to make the first engine, seven were completed in the 
next year. An eight-wheel engine was turned out in 
1844, a ten-wheel engine in 1848, and the first " Mogul" 
was made at these works in 1803, since which date it 
has become poimlar with all the great railroads. It 
would take many pages to enumerate all the improve- 
ments in the construction of locomotives which have 
been originated at these works." Mr. Rogers was him- 
self a man of great quickness of perception, and was 
always ready to act on the suggestions of others as 
well, and from the first had the best available talent, 
including the men who subsequently started the loco- 

I In 1S70 tho Rogera Works publUlied a Taluahle work on ** Locomo- 
tlvofl iinij L<»coinollV(< niiilillrif; in America," in wlilcli b brief flkotcli (In 
■onin rciipoclii Inaceunitp, liuwovcr) wiu given of the origin and pruf^reas 
of the worki.Rnd full detftilsof coniilnictJon of the flrat «nd Infer style* 
of engines Imllt !•>* tliom. Tho jMirllctilnrs herewith Klveu of the earliest 
loconiotives ftrudureii by K4>gen are fnmi tlint Uiuk. For other details 
as I'i the pnidnctbin the writer Is lDdeble<l to Mr. Robert .s. Hughes, who 
has rtiniplied an InTalusble tabular slnlenient of all the engintM built at 
the works, date, slxe, name, destitwlion, price, nunil>er, etc. 




■*°^ a,l)sL^^ '^'i' - 



J^^^^^:?^^^=5^ ^:::::^^^^.^;^5?^ 



CITi' OF PATERSON. 



4:51 



motive business elsewhere in the city. For thirty 
years the establishment had the advantage of the 
talents of William S. Hudson, who was acknowledged 
to be one of the foremost men in the United States, 
if not in the world, as a locomotive mechanic. The 
fame of the engines spread widely at an early day. 
In 1841 a locomotive was sent to Cuba, and that led 
the way to a constant succession of orders thence since 
that time, so that to-day most of the locomotives 
running in Cuba are from the Rogers Works. It was 
three years later that the fir.st engine was built for the 
home road, that running from Paterson to New York, — 
" a prophet is not without honor," etc. 

Most of the early engines used on the New York 
Central Railroad or its predecessors were built at these 
works. The first large order came in 1853 from the 
Illinois Central Railroad for one hundred engines. 
Most of them are still in use. This rapid extension 
of the business necessitated the enlargement of the 
works, and the old buildings were made larger and new 
ones were built, until the block bounded by Spruce, 
Market, Pine, and Oliver Streets was more than half 
occupied by the various shops. More property was 
also taken in on the west side of Spruce Street. A 
charter had been obtained by Mr. Rogers and his 
associates in 1838, under the title of the "Jefferson 
Machine- Works," but they never organized under it, 
continuing as Rogers, Ketchum & Grosvenor until 
1856, when Mr. Rogers acquired a controlling interest 
in the business. Then an act of the Legislature was 
secured, changing the title of the old " Jeffer.son 
Machine- Works" to the "Rogers Locomotive and 
Machine- Works," under which he organized the com- 
pany and transferred the property to it. The estab- 
lishment has been since conducted in the corporate 
name. The old firm had in the preceding nineteen 
years turned out six hundred and eighty-six loco- 
motives, an average of thirty-six a year. Now the 
capacity is just about ten times as great, a wonderful 
stride in twenty-flve years. Mr. Rogers died in the 
spring of 1856, but the business has been continued- 
on a constantly extending basis by his son, Jacob S. 
Rogers, and he could desire no grander monument 
than the immense establishment which bears his 
name, and which has grown out of the modest "Jef- 
ferson Manufactory" built by him half a century ago. 
About 1869 the company erected a great millwright- 
shop and blacksmith-shop on the site of the old Pas- 
saic Paper-Mill, at the southwest corner of Spruce 
Street and Stony road. On the night of Feb. 13, 1879, 
these shops were destroyed by fire. They were re- 
built without delay, but it took a long time to erect 
such immense structures. The main building on the 
corner mentioned is of brick, three stories high, with 
hip or attic roof equivalent to another story, one 
hundred and eighty-three feet on Spruce Street, by 
fifty-four feet deep, with an L one hundred and 
eighty-three by sixty-one feet. The building is 
nearly fire-proof, and is of the most substantial char- 



acter throughout, besides being admirably lighted 
and ventilated. Adjoining this, next the raceway, is 
a blacksmith-shop one hundred and ten by thirty-five 
feet. It was in 1871 that the company began a gen- 
eral rebuilding and enlargement of the works, which 
had become necessary in order to keep abreast of the 
times. In March of that year the old millwright- 
shop at the corner of Spruce and Market Streets was 
demolished, and in its place was put up one of the 
largest and finest mill structures in Paterson at that 
time, two hundred feet on Spruce Street by fifty-six 
feet deep. This was for the erecting-shop, with two 
stories and attic above for machine-shops, etc. In 
the following October it was ready for use, and the 
first boiler was set up to be clothed upon with the ex- 
ternals which should transform that ungainly kernel 
into a first-class locomotive. In 1872 seventeen lots 
were bought on the same block, and new shops were 
erected : a foundry, one hundred and forty-five by one 
hundred and ten feet, with three cupolas ; a fire-proof 
pattern-shop, thirty by one hundred feet, two stories 
high, — a boiler-shop, one hundred and twenty-seven 
by two hundred feet, with very high and well-venti- 
lated roof; a blacksmith-shop on Pine Street, two 
hundred and fifty-three by eighty feet, one story high ; 
a hammer-shop, two hundred by fifty-three feet, one 
story high, with several steam-hammers of from five 
to ten tons. 

In the spring of 1873 the old locomotive-shop, 
which had been thirty years before extended all the 
way to Pine Street, so that it was forty by two hundred 
feet and two stories high, was removed to make way 
for other shops more modern in construction. That 
shop was built with its g.able end towards the street, 
and was so arranged that all the engines in process of 
construction were set up one behind the other, on a 
single track, so that only one engine could be got 
out at a time. It was the scene of a terrific explosion 
about 1848, when a new locomotive exploded while 
being tested ; several men were killed and a number 
of others badly injured. The locomotive was hurled 
up into the second story, and came down wrong side 
u|), directly in a window or doorway in the front of 
the upper story. It was one of the most remarkable 
accidents that ever happened in a Paterson shop. 
While these extensive reconstructions of the old 
shops were going on, and everything was looking ex- 
ceedingly bright for the future prospects of the estab- 
lishment, and sixteen hundred men were as busy as 
they could be, on the 19th of September, 1873, there 
came suddenly out of the clear sky a dark cloud, 
which speedily enshrouded the land in such gloom 
that the day has gone down in history as "Black 
Friday." During the next two days telegrams came 
pouring into the Rogers Works from all parts of the 
country, countermanding orders for locomotives the 
completion of which had been strenuously urged but 
a few days before. Others, who had paid for their 
engines in notes and bonds, begged to have their 



432 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



paper taken care of. No man or company could tell 
what was going to happen next. The Rogers Com- 
pany deemed it the part of prudence to shorten sail 
in the face of the storm which was sweeping with 
such fury over the land. So, on the night of the 23d 
of September, one thousand men were laid off. The 
remaining force wa.s steadily reduced as their work 
was finished, and in the following January the la.st 
engine on the order-book was turned out. There 
were but one hundred and one hands left in the 
shops, and even this force was still further reduced, 
as there was nothing for them to do, until barely 
twentv men were employeil in the whole vast establish- 
ment, and they simply as watchmen. Matters were 
very dull for four or five years. The railroad business 
had been the first to suffer from the panic, and it was 
the last to recover. In 1879 the locomotive business 
began to revive, and during 1881 it was brisker than 
ever before in the history of the Patcrson shops. 
The reconstruction of the old buildings of the Rogers 
Works was resumed in 1880, when the old office and 
draught-room was torn down and replaced by a t^yo- 
story and attic brick building, extremely rich and 
striking in its ma.ssive simplicity; it is of the finest 
dark-red brick, twenty-five by ninety-seven feet in 
area, and is fire-proof, the ceilings being brick arches 
laid in iron beams. The offices are on the first floor, 
and are fitted up with a quiet elegance unsurpassed 
in any mill in Paterson. The second floor is assigned 
to the use of the score or more of draughtsmen, who 
here have abundance of light. This Imildiiig was 
occupied in January, 1881. During the latter year 
the old machine-shop on the northwest corner of 
Spruce Street and Stony road was rebuilt, and is 
now one hundred and fifteen by one hundred and five 
feet in area, three stories high, with an attic story be- 
sides. An immense skylight ami large areas of glass 
in the floors below atl'ord ample light by day. Work 
was begun on this building in March, 1881. This 
site was originally occupied by the calico-bleachery 
and print-works of Thomas Walker. Large reflectors 
are used in nearly all the buildings, making them 
light as day when lighted up at night. 

During the past year or two additional land has 
been bought on the south side of Oliver Street, on 
which a tank and tender-shop has been built, two 
hundred by thirty-five feet in area, also a .smith-shop, 
one hundred by twenty-four feel, for the lilacksrnith- 
work ref|uirc<l in constructing tanks and engines. 
Twocngine- and boiler-houses were built in the winter 
of 18K1-H2, to supply two hundred steam horse- power. 
There are other extensive buildings, used for storage 
and other purposes, in addition to those enumerated 
above, besides spacious coal-yards, etc. No greater 
contra-st couhl well be imagined between the appear- 
ance of the buililings of the concern at the present 
day and those which comjirised the works say in 
1868, before the process of n'constmction had been be- 
gun. Then they were mostly small, ancient, and un- 



attractive in aspect, with low ceilings, badly arranged 
and badly located with respect to convenience in get- 
ting work. It was evident at a glance that they had 
been put up and enlarged from time to time to meet 
the urgent demands of the moment, and without any 
idea of the future magnitude the business was destined 
to attain. This had gone on until it became impossi- 
ble to continue in that way. Then Mr. Jacob Rogers 
began the reconstruction, steadily pursuing a settled 
and most far-seeing plan, looking to the indefinite ex- 
pansion of the works, and adapting every department 
of the works U> every other department, with a view 
to the utmost economy in time, labor, and space. 
These, however, were not the only consideration.s. 
The comfort and convenience of the workmen were 
regarded at the same time, and the new buildings had 
high ceilings, abundant light and air, and in winter 
were comfortably warmed. Moreover, some attention 
was paid to the architectural appearance of the new 
structures, which are therefore symmetrical and plea.s- 
ing to the eye and a real ornament to the vicinity. 
There is a massive simplicity about them all, of course, 
which befits the character of the establishment, but 
there is nothing repellant about them, either inside or 
outside. As the old shops were removed most of the 
ancient tools in them were broken up and thrown into 
the scrap-heap, and new tools of the finest ami most 
improved j)attern8 were bought, many of them being 
built after original designs especially for these works. 
This has gone on until the several sho|>s are fitted up 
with the best tools to be had for their respective pur- 
poses, and the Rogers Works are surpassed by none in 
this respect. Although it has been the settled policy 
of the company to do away with the old buildings and 
old tools, they have been very careful to retain the old 
hands as far as possible, and, as Mr. Hughes kindly 
says, they like to see the old men come around the 
works, even if they can do no work. Some of the 
employes have gone in and out of this estalilishment 
forty years or more. Among the oldest workmen 
here are James Christie, Cornelius Selioonmaker, 
Tunis Stagg, .John Stagg, George IloUingsworth, and 
John King. Since 1870 the building of machinery, 
originally the sole business of the works, has been vir- 
tually abandoned to make way for the proiluction of 
locomotives. Although all the improvements just 
de,scribe<l were not in use during the year 1881, the 
works turned out two hundred and twenty-five loco- 
motives. During 1882 it is expected that the produc- 
tion will average thirty per month, or nearly one for 
every day in the year, Sundays and holidays included. 
An ordinary engine at the present time (February, 
1882) sells for about #14,000, and a consolidation en- 
gine for $17,000 „T $18,000, so that the value of the 
pro<luction in ISSl was about $;J,.'>IM(,(MMI, and that of 
1882 will probably be upwards of .*;-),oii(I,0(M(. 

.\t thecloseof iheyear 1X81 there were l.'<iHlmen em- 
ployed in the works, the largest number ever borne on 
the pay-rolls, and their fortnightly wages amounted to 



I 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



433 



^7,000, or at the rate of $1,200,000 yearly. These 
figures are a striking indication of the great import- 
ance of these works as an element of the prosperity 
of Paterson. Every style and class of engine of course 
is turned out at the Rogers Works, and their locomo- 
tives are sent to every part of the country, especially 
to the West and South. They have also filled orders 
for railroads in Cuba, Canada, Mexico, Central 
America, South America, Australia, New Zealand, 
and in 1881 they shipped nine locomotives to Spain, 
the first consignment of the kind ever made to that 
country from America. The president of the Rogers 
Locomotive and Machine Works is Jacob S. Rogers, 
the son of the founder of the concern. He attends to 
the business of the New York office and the financial 
management generally. Robert S. Hughes is, and for 
many years has been, secretary, and is now also treas- 
urer and general manager of the business in Paterson. 
The following is a statement of the annual produc- 
tion of locomotives at this establishment from the 
commencement to the close of 1881 : 1837, 1 ; 1838, 
7; 1839, 11; 1840, 7; 1841, 9; 1842, 6; 1843, 9; 1844, 
12; 1845, 14; 1846, 17; 1847, 22; 1848, 39; 1849, 45; 
1850, 43 ; 1851, 53 ; 1852, 68 ; 1853, 89 ; 1854, 103 ; 
1855, 82 ; 1856, 80 ; 1857, 95 ; 1858, the year after the 
panic, 19 ; 1859, 55 ; 1860, 84 ; 1861, the first year of 
the war, when the Southern trade was cut oft', 43 ; 
1862, 31: 1863, 70; 1864, 102; 1865,95; 1866, 108; 
1867, 73; 1868, 63; 1869, 118; 1870, 139; 1871, 162; 
1872, 165 ; 1873, 217 ; 1874, the first year of the last 
panic, 25; 1875,41; 1876, 20; 1877, 11; 1878, 45; 
1879, 60; 1880, 111; 1881, 225. This makes a total 
of upwards of 3000 locomotives which have been 
turned out from this one Paterson establishment. 
They sold for between 830,000,000 and $40,000,000 in 
the aggregate, nearly all of which enormous sum has 
gone to build up Paterson and help support its popu- 
lation in the last forty-five years, 

Thomas Rogers, the founder of the large locomo- 
tive-works at Paterson which bear his name, and 
which rank among the finest and most successful 
enterprises of their kind in the world, was born in 
the town of Groton, New London Co., Conn., on 
March 16, 1792. He was a lineal descendant of 
Thomas Rogers, one of that hardy band of pilgrims 
who came to this country in the historic " Mayflower" 
and planted the first seeds of civil and religious free- 
dom on the shores of the New World. 

At the age of sixteen he was apprenticed to learn 
the trade of a house-carpenter, and in the summer of 
1812 he removed to Paterson, N. J., at that time a 
village of small proportions, but which was enjoying 
a season of prosperity because of the demand for 
goods of American manufacture which the war with 
Great Britain engendered. Mr. Rogers served person- 
ally in the army during a portion of this struggle. 
The declaration of peace in 1815 reduced many of the 
village manufacturers to bankruptcy, and the condi- 
tion of business at that time afforded anything but a 



promising outlook for the future. Mr. Rogers was then 
working at his trade as a journeyman carpenter, and 
even at that early period attracted attention by his 
close application to business, his excellent Judgment, 
and extraordinary force of character. A short time 
afterwards he formed a copartnership with Paul Ru- 
tan, and with a capital of about fifty dollars entered 
upon the general building business. While so asso- 
ciated they built the woodwork of the residence of 
the late Judge Philemon Dickerson, corner of Broad- 
way and Straight Street, which is now one of the old- 
est houses in the city. Other ancient landmarks in 
the city were also erected by Messrs. Rogers & Rutan 
at that early day. 

A few years after the formation of the firm, and 
while they were still doing business as builders, Mr. 
Rogers became acquainted with Capt. Ward, who, 
having witnessed the power-loom in operation during 
a tour in Europe, had come to Paterson for the pur- 
pose of introducing the manufacture of cotton-duck. 
Mr. Rogers, whose skill as a mechanic had already 
become known, was employed by Capt. Ward to make 
the patterns for his looms, and soon after purchased 
of the latter the exclusive right of making them, a 
business which he afterwards successfully carried on. 
About this time he entered the machine-shop of John 
Clark, the elder, where the manufacture of power- 
looms was then being carried on on a large scale. 
These looms were built principally of wood, and Mr. 
Rogers' excellent qualities as a workman and strong in- 
ventive powers enabled him to do mors work than any 
of his fellows, and to suggest many valuable improve- 
ments. In 1819 he associated himself with John 
Clark, Jr., and under the name and style of Clark & 
Rogers engaged in the manufacture of machinery. 
The firm commenced work in the basement of the 
Beaver Mill, which had been built at an early period 
by Mr. Clark's father, and while still at that point Mr. 
Rogers visited Mexico and other distant sections, 
where he received large orders for looms and other 
machinery. In 1820 the concern moved into the 
"Little Beaver Mill," and in the following year took 
into partnership Abram H. Godwin, Jr., the firm-name 
changing to Godwin, Rogers & Co. They now com- 
menced spinning cotton, and building machinery for 
that and other purposes. In 1822, finding their ac- 
commodations too limited, the firm leased the cotton- 
mill erected by Robert CoUett on the present site of 
the Danforth Works, and which is still standing in 
the rear of the Danforth lot, next to the race. Sub- 
sequent additions were made to this mill by the firm. 
Their business kept increasing, the number of persons 
employed being sometimes as high as two hundred, 
and the establishment was successfully carried on 
until the summer of 1831, when Mr. Rogers withdrew, 
taking with him $36,266.05 as his share of the profits 
of the concern. 

Having purchased a mill-site on the upper raceway, 
he immediately commenced the erection of the Jef- 



434 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



ferson Works, which were finished and put in opera- 
tion before the close of the next year. His design 
was to occupy the lower stories of the building in the 
manufacture of machinery, and the upper stories in 
spinning cotton. Tlie latter, however, was never 
commenced, the demand for machinery increasing in 
a short time to the full capacity of the works. The 
Jefferson Works were literally an encroachment on 
the forest. Between Spruce and Mill Streets all was 
swamp covered with pines, about as densely inhabited 
by snakes as it now is by human beings. On the up- 
per race no factories had been put up except two little 
cotton-mills and a small machine-shop, the latter 
owned by Messrs. Paul & Heggs. 

In the early part of 1832, Mr. Rogers associated 
with himself Messrs. Morris Ketchum and Jasper 
Grosvenor, of New York, under the name of Rogers, 
Ketchum t^ Grosvenor, a title that remained un- 
changed until Mt. Rogers' death on April 19, 18o6. 

Soon after the formation of the firm of Rogers, 
Ketchum & Grosvenor, public attention began to be 
directed to the construction of railroads and railroad 
machinery. The road from Jersey City to Paterson 
was then approaching completion, the iron-work for 
the Passaic and Hackensack bridges being made by 
Mr. Rogers. An order was also filled for one hundred 
sets of wheels and axles for the South Carolina Rail- 
road. Mr. Rogers next commenced making wrought- 
iron tire for car-wheels, and after some difficulty suc- 
ceeded. Preparations for locomotive building had 
been made by Paul it Beggs, and they had a small 
engine nearly completed when the building took fire 
and was consumed on May 18, 183G, the locomotive 
also being destroyed. In 1835 some buildings were 
begun by Rogers, Ketchum & Grosvenor. with a view 
to the manufacture of locomotives. It was not, how- 
ever, until eighteen months later that the first loco- 
motive, the "Sandu!*ky," was completed, a trial trip 
to Jersey City and New Brunswick and return being 
made on Oct. 6, 1837. 

As the establishment, growth, and development of 
locomotive manufacture in Paterson is elsewhere 
given in this work, it will not be necessarj* to further 
trace in this cmnection the expansion of the large 
and important business which Mr. Rogers established, 
and which from ver>' small beginnings has become one 
of the largest of its kind in the world, an average of 
an engine a day being turtie<l out in the works. Mr. 
Rogers remained the clear-headed, enterprising, and 
intelligent manager of the enterprise until His demise 
in 1856. The concern was then reorganized under 
a charter, with the title of the Rogers Locomotive- and 
Machine- Works ; William S. Hudson, who had been 
for a number of years the valuable assistant of Mr. 
Rogers, being chosen mechanical engineer and super- 
intendent, and Jacobs. Rogers, son of Thomas Rogers, 
assuming the office of president, a position that he 
fills with ability at the present writing. Mr. Hudson 
died, and was succeeded as superintendent by Robert 



S. Hughes, the present genial and efficient manager 
of the concern in Paterson. The works have been 
gradually enlarged and improved, and are perfectly 
adapted to the uses for which they were designed. 
A view of them may be seen on a neighboring page 
of this work. 

The personal characteristics of Thomas Rogers 
may be detailed in a few words. Springing from 
New England ancestry, with the blood of the Puri- 
tans circulating in his veins, he early manifested a 
strong inclination for mechanical investigation, and 
subsequent opportunities enabled him to develop the 
strong natural talent in that direction which he pos- 
sessed. As an individual he was possessed of a strong 
will, great energy of character, strict integrity, and a 
positive enthu.siasm in mechanical work. Possessed 
of small capital at first, .so that he was compelled to 
divide the products of his labor and genius with 
wealthier partners, he was the soul and support of 
the enterprises with which he was connected, and 
gave to each of them whatever measure of success 
they severally attained. He was an indefatigable 
worker, retired early at night, and arose early in the 
morning, and applied himself closely to his labors. 
As a mechanic he had no superiors, and he seemed 
to possess a fertility for invention such as few men 
have ever manifested. He made many important 
improvements, some only of which he patented. One 
of these was for "counterbalancing"' the section of a 
locomotive-wheel opposite to the crank, for which he 
filed specifications in the Patent Office on July 12, 
1837. Another remarkable novelty which he intro- 
duced was in making the driving-wheels of a loco- 
motive with hollow spokes and rim, the latter being 
cast solid on the side opposite to the crank. The 
spokes were oval, and the rim very much the same 
shape as that used at the present time. This kind of 
driving wheel is in almost universal use in this 
country. He also designed a valuable valve-motion 
for locomotives as early as 1845, which he still further 
improved in 1847. He wius also one of the earliest 
advocates of the "shifting-link" motion, and did 
more towards its successful introduction on American 
locomotives than any other person. He earnestly 
advocated outside connected engines, iu« distinguished 
from inside connected ones, and introduced the .sys- 
tem of heating the sheets of a locomotive boiler red- 
hot after they were prepared to be riveted together, 
and then allowing them to cool slowly, the object 
being to obviate the danger of cracking. He was 
also the first builder of locomotives to use expansion 
plat<!s, so as to relieve both the boiler and frame 
from the strains due to the lengthening of the boiler 
when under steam, ivs well as to provide for its short- 
ening when cold or cooling down, — a system that is 
now in general use. 

Mr. Rogers was in no sense a public man, although 
he took an active interest in the atl'airs of his own 
locality and bore his part nobly in sustaining the in- 




^ 



//,. Cm, Jr.) 




''9' 



CITY OP PATEKSON. 



435 



stitutions that were established for good around him. 
He left to his family a large estate, acquired through 
long years of intelligent and faithful labor, and not 
only placed his name among those who have added 
something valuable to the discoveries and inventions 
of their age, but by his achievements has reflected 
more credit upon the city which he selected as his 
residence and place of business than any one that 
has ever resided there. His name will ever be closely 
associated with the industries of the city of Paterson. 

William S. Hudson was born in Derbyshire, 
England, and came to this country with his wife 
when still in his early manhood. Previous to that 
time he had been an apprentice of Robert Stephen- 
son, of R. Stephenson & Co. This is the firm that 
built the " Rocket," which was the first successful 
locomotive constructed in England, and which was 
placed on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 
1829. Mr. Hudson worked steadily at the Stephen- 
son Works until he came to America. 

Upon arriving in this country, he first worked in 
the Auburn State Prison, New York, an unsuccessful 
attempt being then made to establisli the building of 
locomotive engines by the convicts. Mr. Hudson was 
placed in charge of the enterprise, but the project was 
shortly abandoned, and he accepted the position of 
master-mechanic on the Attica and Buffalo Railway, 
afterwards absorbed by the New York Central. While 
liolding this position he became personally acquainted 
with Thomas Rogers, the head of the locomotive- 
works of Rogers, Ketchum & Grosvenor, at Paterson, 
N. J., and the two were accustomed to exchange 
views on mechanical subjects. The acquaintance 
continued until 1852, when John Cooke resigned the 
superintendency of the Rogers Works to enter into 
business with Messrs. Charles Danforth, Maj. John 
Edwards, and Edwin T. Prall. Mr. Hudson was 
then invited to succeed Mr. Cooke, and at once en- 
tered ivpon the discharge of the duties of superin- 
tendent. He continued to fill that position until the 
death of Thomas Rogers, in 1856, when, upon the in- 
corporation of the Rogers Locomotive and Machine- 
Works, lie was made mechanical engineer and super- 
intendent. He enjoyed the fullest confidence of Mr. 
Rogers, and his varied experience, great natural abil- 
ity as a mechanic, fertility of invention, and faithful 
performance of duty caused him to be regarded as 
an invaluable assistant by both the elder and present 
Mr. Rogers. He was connected with the Rogers 
Works for nearly thirty years, and died on July 20, 
1881. For nearly two years before his death he was 
unable to perform any service, but so highly valued 
was he by the company that they refused to fill his 
place, except temporarily, so long as there remained 
a hope of his restoration to health. 

Mr. Hudson was long recognized as one of the 
most accomplished mechanics in locomotive building 
of his time. A lengthy article in the Railroad Giizrffc, 
recently published, was devoted to a sketch of his 



career and inventions, and in this he was spoken of 
as one eminent among the mechanics of America. 
He made many valuable improvements and inven- 
tions in locomotive building. One of the most im- 
portant, perhaps, was that in connection with the 
swing-truck and the doul)le-ender locomotive. The 
object of the "swing-link" was to enable a locomotive 
to pass around a curve with greater safety from de- 
railment, the engine being so swung that it was lifted 
and maintained its position in reference to the train 
behind while the truck rounded the curve. But this 
was found to result in a lift of weight from the drivers, 
aud a consequent lack of adhesion. To overcome this 
Mr. Hudson patented an improvement that consisted 
in placing an arrangement of equalizing levers be- 
tween the two-wheeled truck and the front driving- 
wheels, whereby both truck and driving-wheels main- 
tain their proper proportion of the weight, and ac- 
commodate themselves to the vertical as well as to 
the lateral motion required to enable the engine to 
pass over uneven tracks and around curves with ease 
as well as with perfect safety. Mr. Hudson intro- 
duced a double-ender also with a pair of driving- 
wheels at each end. 

Another important improvement which Mr. Hud- 
son made while still connected with the Attica and 
Buffalo Railway received general commendation. A 
great deal of trouble was experienced with leaky 
flues, and at frequent intervals the ends of the flues 
and the thimbles had to be calked up. The former 
were then made of copper or brass, and the thimbles 
of wrought iron. In 1850, Mr. Hudson conceived the 
idea of substituting cast-iron for wrought-iron thim- 
bles, the greater tendency to expand resulting in cor- 
recting the evil and preventing leakage. He took a 
thimble of each kind, turned them accurately to a 
gauge, then heated them red-hot, measured them, and 
noted the expansion, then cooled them, and measured 
again. This was repeated twelve times, w'hen the 
wrought-iron thimble was found to be considerably 
smaller, and the cast-iron one larger, which solved 
the problem. Cast-iron thimbles have since been in 
general use. Many other improvements might be 
noted in the action of pistons, in fire-boxes, grate- 
bars, ash-pans, safety-valves, etc., all of which bear 
testimony to the mechanical genius of Mr. Hudson. 

In social life he was of a retiring disposition, and 
held himself apart from public aftairs. His entire 
time during week-days was passed either at the 
works or in the privacy of his own home. He led a 
simple, blameless life, and his demise caused great 
regret in the community in which lie passed so many 
years of his useful life, and with whose industrial 
character and growth he was so closely identified. 
He was an old member of Joppa Lodge, No. 29, A. F. 
and A. M., and of Cataract City Chapter, No. 10, R. 
A. M., and was buried with Masonic rites. 

Robert S. Hughes was born in Paterson, on May 
24, 1827, where he passed the earlier years of his life 



436 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



in attendance upon the common schools of the city. 
His father was Robert Huglies, an old resident of 
Paterson. At the age of twenty Mr. Hughes entered 
the employment of Rogers, Ketchum & Grosvenor, 
manufacturers of machinery, in tlic capacity of an 
assistant in the office, and since that time has con- 
tinued to be associated with the Messrs. Rogers in 
their manufacturing enterprises. During that period 
the most important changes have occurred in locomo- 
tive building. Upon the organization of the Rogers 
Locomotive and Machine Company, Mr. Hughes was 
given an interest in the concern, which he still re- 
tains. He became secretary of the company in 1866, 
and treasurer in 1876, filling both positions at the 
present writing (1882). His life-work has been con- 
fined to the performance of his duties in tiie office of j 
the Rogers Works, and he has held himself studi- 
ously aloof from all public atfairs, although he has . 
always felt a warm interest in local events, and been 
a willing contributor to the support of the institu- 
tions of the city. He is courteous and kind in his in- 
tercourse with all, and his modesty and reticence do 
not conceal from his friends his real worth as a man 
and a citizen. He possesses good business qualifica- 
tions, and during the thirty-five years of his connec- 
tion with the Rogers Works has been uniformly I 
faithful in the discharge of all duties, and his services 
have been highly valued by the concern. His son, 
Robert Ci. Hughes, is an assistant of his father in the 
Paterson ofiice of the company. 



CH.VPTER LX. 

CITY OF PATEKSON— (C"r>n(Mi«.-,/). 

Other Locomotive and Iron Work.s. — Grant 
Locomotive- Workn. — In 1842, Samuel Smith, Abram 
Collier, and George Hradlcy started a small foundry 
in a frame building, about thirty by fifty I'et-t, on 
the southeast corner of Hroadway and Prospect 
Street. They had one small cupola, the blast being 
supplied by horse-power. In the course of a few 
months Bradley sold out to his partners. Smith sold 
out in 1848 to Mr. Collier, and then formed a new co- 
partnership with his brother, William C. Smith, 
Thomas IJi'ggs, and Henry Whitcly. The firm lea-sed 
a long, low building, two stories high, the southern 
end being atone and the rest brick, alimg the raceway 
on Mill Street, in front of the tVanklin Mill, opposite 
EIILson Street. It waa about one hundred ami forty 
feet long and forty feet deep. In the st^uie portion 
they starteil a foundry, and in the rest of the builil- 
ing they i'arric<l on a general machinc-sluip and 
millwright-work. It wan in 1H44 that they got fairly 
started in this place. William C. Smith and Whitely 
sold out their interest in the course of a year t4> James 
Jackson and Patrick Meginnis, who were then run- 
ning the Franklin Mill, lieggs died soon afU'r, when 



his interest was taken by William Swinburne, the 
former superintendent at the Rogers Works. The 
firm was now Swinburne, Smith it Co., Mr. Swin- 
burne taking charge of the machine-shop. In 1848 
they concluded to start the building of locomotives, 
and to that end they built a locomotive-shop, of brick, 
two stories high, just north of their machine-shop, 
and immediately next to the Essex Mill lot, with the 
gable end towards Mill Street. It is still standing. 
They got an order for ten engines from the New York 
and Erie Railroad Company, which had just com- 
pleted its Eastern Division from Piermont to Port 
Jervis. They made considerable money on this or- 
der, and in the course of a year or so felt encouraged 
to engage more extensively in the business and aban- 
don their niachine-sho]). So they bought a mill-seat 
on Market Street, opposite Pine Street, and erected a 
large shop there. This was in 1850. The following 
year they obtained a charter as the " New Jersey Lo- 
comotive and Machine Company," and continued the 
business as a corporation. Mr. Swinburne, liowever, 
retired, and in June of that year leased a plot of lanij 
adjoining the i)resent Erie track, west side, extending 
from JIarket Street to Ellison, where he built an im- 
mense shop, and engaged in the building of locomo- 
tives on his own account. In 1858 he sold nut, and 
the shops were used for some years as the Erie repair- 
shops, and latterly as a store-house for engines, etc. 
The New Jersey Locomotive and Machine Company 
continued to carry on the business at their place on 
Market Street near Spruce, gradually enlarging the 
concern, until in 1863-64 the stock was bought up by 
Oliver De Forest Grant, who, with his sons, David 
B. Grant and R. Suydani Grant, ran the concern 
thereafter until the death of O. D. F. Grant, when 
D. B. Grant took the active management. In 18()7 a 
charter was obtained for the "Grant Locomotive- 
Works," to which the property was transferred, and 
it has since been manage<l in the name of that cor- 
poration. D. B. Grant was a young man of extraor- 
dinary energy, and was ambitious to build up an im- 
mense establishment. Under his superintendence the 
company set about building new and more extensive 
shops, and to extend the business in every way. A 
magnificent passenger-engine was built, every ex- 
posed part of which w:»s polished till it shone like a 
mirror, the boiler being covered with German silver, 
and the cab made of choice American woods highly 
]iolished. In every respect it was designed to be a 
model locomotive in character and a thing of beauty 
in its appearance. This engine was sent to the Paris 
International Exposition of 1867, where it was hap- 
pily declared to be " the most nuijestic single contri- 
bution to the Exposition." Of course it took a grand 
prize. This engine cost j42,0(K). Not being adapted 
to European roads, it was brought back to America 
and sold subsei|Uently to the Chicago, Hock Island 
and Pacific Railnnul Company, for which it is still 
doing very acceptable service. 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



437 



As already stated, the Grants inaugurated their con- 
trol of the concern by erecting new buildings, and 
during 1864-6(5 several fine large shops were built on 
Pine and Jersey Streets, and the old ones were enlarged. 
In 1869-70 the original building on Market Street 
•was enlarged by a considerable addition in front, 
three stories high, elegant offices being fitted up in 
the second story. Mr. Grant had almost a mania 
for possessing the finest tools, and at one time it was 
claimed that the Grant Works had the finest locomo- 
tive machinery in the country. He spent large sums 
in testing new patents and in experimenting on the 
ideas of sanguine inventors. He would brook no 
opposition to his will, and strikers had a hard time 
of it with him, for he made it an inflexible rule never 
to employ a man he had ouce discharged, and every 
man who struck under him was invariably laid oft'. 
In the early part of 1872 all the boiler-makers in 
Paterson struck for higher wages, although many of 
them were then earning eight dollars per day. Mr. 
Grant instantly ordered the shops to be closed, and 
would consent to no parley with the strikers. All 
the large boiler manufacturers in the city agreed to 
lock out the strikers, and most of them were compelled 
to leave the city. Mr. Grant lost no time in buying 
a riveting-machine, the second one in use in a loco- 
motive establishment, and this was a fatal blow to 
the hopes of the hasty malcontents, who had forced 
the strike against the wishes of the cooler spirits in 
the union. As a consequence, the wages of boiler- 
makers in Paterson are to-day less than three dollars 
per day, whereas they used to be twice and three 
times as much before that unfortunate strike. Mr. 
Grant always paid the highest wages to good mechan- 
ics, but he would brook no interference by outside 
parties in the management of his works. At a time 
when all the other locomotive establishments in the 
country were idle he got an- order from the Kussian 
government for fifty-five locomotives for a railroad in 
that country; the terms were favorable, and everything 
promised well. The Grant Works were kept going 
at their utmost capacity for several months, when un- 
foreseen difliculties arose ; the shipment of the engines 
to Russia was delayed unavoidably, and in October, 
1874, the works were shut down, having sustained 
enormous loss, instead of the large profits anticipated. 
In the following July, however, the works were again 
opened to finish ten more of the engines, making 
thirty-five in all that were delivered out of the fifty- 
five ordered. Mr. D. B. Grant retired from the con- 
cern on Jan. 1, 1880, and was succeeded in the man- 
agement by William W. Evans, who since February, 
1866, had been the chief accountant of the establish- 
ment. R. Suydam Grant is the owner of the works, 
and is president of the company. He is a New York 
banker, a director of the New York, Lake Erie and 
Western Railroad Company, and is interested in 
other railroad enterprises. Mr. Evans has a thorough 
practical knowledge of the management, and while 



he is anxious to push ahead as rapidly as possible, is 
conservative and cautious in his administration. In 
his intercourse with the men he-is politic and concilia- 
tory, and accomplishes in that way what others would 
fail to do by harsher measures. In the two years he has 
been manager the works have gradually filled up with 
men and work, until at the close of 1881 there were 
720 men on the pay-roll, and the year's record was 
110 completed engines, worth nearly two million dol- 
lars, while the wages paid footed up about S3()O,O0O. 
All kinds of engines were made, including no less 
than forty consolidation engines, most of them being 
built for Western roads. The end of the year 1882 
is expected to show a list of fully 150 locomotives 
turned out at this establishment. Up to Feb. 1, 1882, 
1450 engines had been completed by the concern from 
its origin. Some new buildings have been built lately, 
and more are to be erected during 1882. 

The establishment now comprises the following 
buildings : main building on Market Street, north 
side, brick, three stories, sixty-five by one hundred 
and seventy feet, the first story being a machine-shop, 
and the second offices and machine-shop, the third 
being leased for a silk-mill at present ; erecting-shop 
adjoining, one hundred by two hundred feet, brick, 
three stories high, the second story being a machine- 
shop, and the third leased for a copper- and brass- 
shop ; foundry, of frame, fifty by one hundred and 
forty feet, on Jersey Street ; blacksmith-shop, of brick, 
one hundred by one hundred and fifty feet, on Pine 
Street ; boiler-shop, on Pine Street, one hundred and 
twenty by sixty feet, with annex forty by eighty feet; 
tank-shop, on Pine Street, frame, one hundred by 
thirty-five feet ; hammer-shop, on Pine Street, one 
hundred and twenty by sixty feet; machine-shop and 
carpenter-sliop, on Market Street, south side, brick, 
three stories high, fifty-three by one hundred and 
thirty-five feet. 

Early Foundries. — As alread)' stated, the first ma- 
chine-shops had among otlier difficulties to overcome 
that of getting castings cheaply and readily. Their 
castings were generally brought from a distance, — 
from Pompton, Newark, and still more remote locali- 
ties, even from Delaware. Mr. Joseph Gledhill, now 
past eighty years of age, says that the first foundry 
that he can recollect in Paterson was carried on by a 
man named William Hood, in February, 1822. It 
was situated on Lower Main Street, west side, nearly 
opposite Fair Street, but a little lower down. It was 
so small that the blast for the cupola was supplied by 
a blacksmith's bellows. It attracted much attention 
at the time from the novelty of the tiling in the town, 
from which it would seem to have been one of the 
first here. The business was not kept up more than 
a year or two, according to Mr. Gledhill's recollec- 
tion. 

Soon after this, William Jacobs and Henry Worrall 
started a small foundry in the rear of the present 
most easterly of the buildings of the Phcenix Silk- 



438 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Mills, on Van Uouten Street. They carried it on 
only for a year or two, when it was sold to Godwin, 
Rogers & Co., as above mentioned, by whom it was 
removed to Market Street. 

One Youle is said to have had a foundry on Van 
Hoiiten Street, just west of Prospect, on the south 
side i)f the street, where the German Evangelical 
Lutlierau Church now is. John Vail afterwards had 
a blacksmith-shop in the same building. 

John Anion, an eccentric Frenchman of prodigious 
strength, had a foundry and two blacksmith-fires in 
1823 on Market Street, not fur from the present 
foundry of the Danforth Works. 

This is not by any means a complete list of all the 
early foundries, but it gives an idea of the primitive 
state of that branch of the iron industry sixty years 
ago in Paterson. 

RiilliiKj- ami y(ii/-Mi/L — Few of the old inhabitants 
of Paterson recollect the "Old Nail-Mill," as it is 
generally called when referred to. The writer has an 
excellent picture of the old building, but few even of 
those who have seen the original can at first place it 
in their memory. It was a small frame building, with 
a high i)eak('d roof It was built by Samuel Colt, 
Nicholas Delaplaine, and Roswell L. Colt, in the fall 
of 1812, on the site of the present Gun Mill. Roswell 
L. Colt probably was instrumental in getting the 
others to start the business, and he invested money in 
the enterprise in the name and in behalf of his 
brother, John Colt, whom he made a i)artner in the 
firm instead of himself Samuel Colt had formerly 
kept store at Newark, and at this time was a man who 
stood very high in the community. Delaplaine was 
the practical man in the firm. They made shovels, 
spades, kettles, frying-pans, etc., and found a ready 
market in supplying the troops that were calleil out 
to defend the harbors and coasts during the war of 
1812. In 1814 they began making nails, importing 
Swedish and Russian iron for the purpose, in strips 
nine or ten feet long, as wide as a nail wa.s long, from I 
which they cut the nails by machinery and headed 
them by hand. They afterwards got improved ma- 
chinery whereby they could make and head the nails 
all at one operation. At the close of the war, in 1815, 
they discontinued the rolling-mill, but continued the 
nail business. They had employed only about a dozen 
men in that department. In the nail-mill they em- 
ployed a much larger fon-e. In 1X22, Samuel Colt 
was compelled to leave Paterson, where he had 
hitherto been a valuable and valued citizen. He died J 
miserably a few years later in a Western city. Mr. 
Delaplaine also left Paterson about the same time, 
owing to sail domestic allliction, anil the partnership 
was dissolved. Mr. .John ('olt continued the business 
of making nails until about I)^2H, when the business I 
ceased to bo profitable, and he closed the mill. At 
that time he was employing twenty-five men, and ' 
made sixty thousand dollars' worth of nails yearly. 
The building was occupied for other purposes occa- 



sionally until 1836, when it was torn down to make 
way for the Gun-Mill.' 

Paul rf- Beggs. — In 182o, David Hogg and .\lcx- 
ander Paul set up a millwright-shop in the rear of 
the Phienix Mill lot. on Van Houten Street. They 
also made some machinery. In the course of a year 
or two Hogg withdrew from the firm and was suc- 
ceeded by Hugh Beggs, when the firm-name became 
Paul & Beggs. They employ ten or twelve hands. 
In 1832 they removed to a fine new stone mill, four 
storie-s high, about fifty by seventy feet, on Spruce 
Street, on the northerly jiortion of the site of the 
present Ivanhoe Paper-Mill. They occupied the 
first and second floors. Here they engaged quite ex- 
tensively in millwright work and the Imilding of 
cotton machinery. A brother of Mr. Beggs also 
began the construction of a locomotive at these 
works, being the first attempted in Paterson. This 
was in the latter part of 1834 or the early part of 
1835. It was quite a rude artair, but so were all 
the locomotives at that day. Before the engine was 
finished the works were destroyed by fire, about twelve 
o'clock on the night of May 19, 1835. .Strong etlbrts 
were made to get the engine out, but it was located 
in the rear of the mill, and although the driving- 
wheels were on the other wheels were not, and it 
could not be hauled out of the way of danger, and 
only the boiler wiis saved. The locomotive was to 
have been finished in two or three weeks.' After the 
fire Paul entered the employ of the Rogers Works 
for a time, and then removed to Baltimore, where he 
carried on manufacturing for some years. Beggs re- 
moved to a stone mill opposite his old works, and 
extending the building and erecting a foundry on 
Market Street east of Spruce, he established the 
" Union Works," and carried on a good business until 
his death in 1844. His family continued the concern 
until 1848, when they sold out to Evans & Thomson, 
who remained there until about 1852, when the ma- 
chinery wiLs sold and the buildings devoted to other 
uses.' The foundry property passed into the pos.ses- 
sion of what is now the Grant Locomotive- Works. 
Some years ago there were numerous lithographs 
extant of the " Union Works," as they appeared in 
the time of Hugh Beggs. The writer hiis a copy, but 
they seem to be very scarce now. 

Paleiil ArmK Farlori/. — Samuel Colt, of Hartford, 
Conn., having taken out a patent in 18.3(; for his idea 
of repeating arms, induced a number of capitalists, 
principally of New York, to form a company for the 
manufacture of his arms on.a large scale, and they 
secured a special act of incor|ioration from the New 
Jersey Legislature as the " Patent .\rms Manufactur- 
ing Company." He was doubtless led to locate at Pat- 
erson on account of the aid he e.\pected to receive from 

1 OooTtrutlon with Jolm Cull in 1ST3 ; M^. I'eiuui u( l'al"rT.jii, 1X27. 
• MS. (Vfimll or I'atereon, 1H2S, 182?, ISM, 1832 ; Ntwart Oailg Ad- 
rrrtiMr, Miiy 21, IH-'Ct. 
■'' I'Bpcr liy Joliii ('4Mi1tp, Ekq. 



CITV OF PATEKSON. 



439 



his relatives, the ColtSi who controlled the society. 
In 1835, Colt had secured in Baltimore the services 
of Frederick Hanson,'- a i)ractical gunsmith, who as- 
sisted him materially in perfecting his Hrst crude idea 
of a repeating pistol, and when the two men had got it 
to work pretty well, Colt went to Washington and 
got out his patent, having first secured ])atents in 
England and France in 1835, when he was but 
twenty-one years old. The Patent Arms Manufac- 
turing Company having organized in Paterson, took 
a lease of the mill-seat at the foot of the middle race, 
next north of the Essex Mill, and in the summer of 
1S3G began the erection of a fine stone mill, two hun- 
dred feet long and about fifty feet wide, four stories 
high, with a tall tower in front, surmounted by a gilt 
gun, whence the name, the " Gun Mill," which clings 
to it to this day, though no guns have been made in 
the building for forty years. Colt was too energetic 
to wait for the completion of this great structure, and 
got the company to lease what was lately known as 
the Jafl'ray Mill, formerly the Shepherd Bleachery, 
being immediately east of the Grant Locomotive- 
Works. They occupied the first floor, employing 
twenty or thirty men, although they really had little 
or nothing for them to do. Mr. Hanson was prin- 
cipally engaged in fitting up«ew machines specially 
adapted to the making of fire-arms, and part of the 
time he was in Washington with Mr. Colt, urging 
upon the national authorities the importance of 
adopting the repeating arm in the military service. 

During the summer, fall, and winter of 1836 the 
gun-mill was steadily pushed forward, and was com- 
pleted early in 1837. The machinery was then re- 
moved from the first quarters in JIarket Street to the 
new mill. Great difficulty was experienced in getting 
satisfactory workmen. Most of the men were brought 
from New England, but they were inexperienced, 
and the superintendence being very lax they shirked 
as much as possible, and spoiled a great deal of ma- 
terial, and did the rest badly, consequently the com- 
pany lost heavily on all that was done. Mr. Colt was 
away most of the time, urging upon various authori- 
ties or institutions the introduction and use of his 
patent pistols and carbines, so that the management 
of the factory was left entirely to subordinates, many 
of whom had little faith in the enterprise, and were 
not slow to show it even in the presence of the men. 
Many of the original stockholders failed to pay up 
their stock, there were dissensions among the rest, 
especially when the arms failed to find as general a 
sale as they had anticipated, and in the summer of 
1840 the shop was closed, and the manufacture of 
Colt's patent arms was abandoned. The company 
is said to have lost §250,000. Some of the causes of 
the failure of this important scheme have been indi- 
cated; it would take pages to tell the whole story, and 
yet it would be worth telling, were there room, of the 

' 111 1882. Mr. Hanson is stiU following his old trade of locksmith and 
gunsmith at No. 71 Prospect Street, Paterson. 



difficulties encountered in this first attempt to make 
repeating arms, which has since grown to be such a 
mighty industry in this and other countries. During 
the ensuing five or six years the pistols and carbines 
made at the gun-mill had so utterly disappeared that 
when the Mexican war broke out Mr. Colt had to pay 
a fabulous price to even find one of his weapons that 
had been made in Paterson, in order to use it as a 
model to fill an order from the government. It is 
doubtful if there is one of them to be found in the 
city to-day. He filled this order at Whitneyville, 
Conn. In 1855 he began the erection of his factory 
at Hartford, and in 1856 the " Colt's Patent Fire-Arms 
Company" was incorporated by the Connecticut Leg- 
islature, and has since carried on the business there. 
Paft'ison Machiiif- Works. — About 182-4, Benjamin 
Brundred began the manufacture of cotton and 
woolen machinery at Oldham, now called Haledon. 
He established quite an extensive business for those 
days, when capital was scarce and nobody dreamed 
of paying cash for anything. About 1832-33 he as- 
sociated with him Samuel G. Wheeler, a shrewd 
New York commission merchant, and James J. A. 
Bruce. His new partners were too much for Brun- 
dred, and in December, 1836, ousted him from the 
management, and discharged those of the employes 
who were supposed to be most attached to him. A 
year or two later the works were burned down. Pre- 
vious to the disruption of the partnership the works 
had been employing from one hundred to one hun- 
dred and fifty hands. Brundred immediately set 
about establishing himself in Paterson, and in this 
scheme he was aided by several men of wealth and 
influence, among them D. K. Allen and Abraham 
Reynolds. Allen had a button-mill just east of the 
present Market Street Methodist Episcopal Church. 
This building was occupied by Brundred as part of 
his new works. In 1837 he and his friends got a 
charter for the " Paterson Machine Company," and 
under this name they engaged extensively in the 
manufiicture of all kinds of machinery. The " Old 
Hotel," at the southeast corner of Market and Hotel 
Streets, was leased, and in 1841 was bought by the 
company and turned into a machine-shop. They 
also bought the rest of the lots extending to Union 
Street, and in the course of a short time enlarged 
their buildings to occupy the whole block on Market 
Street, and to a considerable depth. In the fall of 
1839 they had upwards of two hundred men em- 
ployed, and the works were among the largest in 
New Jersey. But the unfortunate tariflT legislation 
which prostrated the industries of the country in the 
winter of 1841-42 caused the Paterson Machine Com- 
pany to succumb with the rest, and in the spring of 
1842 the works shut down and the company went 
into insolvency. Two years later they were .sold out 
under insolvency proceedings. They were once more 
operated with a fair share of success, although other 
establishments had in the mean time gained on the 



440 



HISTOKY OF BEKGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



concern, and tliey made ii great deal of cotton ma- 
chinery lor Mexico and Central America. On the 
night of June 21), 1)S48, the works caught tire, and in 
a few hours were an utter ruin, the fire also extend- 
ing across Market Street, and sweeping away St. 
Paul's Church, Congress Hall, and other buildings, 
there being no adequate water-sui)ply wherewith the 
si.x engines could do proper service. After the fire 
Mr. Hrunilred returned to Oldham, where he re- 
mained until his death in 1853. The works in Pat- 
erson were generally known by the townspeople as 
the " Oldham Works," being regarded, on account of 
Brundrcd's connection with them, as virtually his 
old establishment, which he had conducted for so 
many years at that place. In its day it was a prom- 
inent feature of the town, being exceeded only by the 
Rogers Works and the Danforth Works. Indeed, it 
was larger than any machine-shop except one in the 
Paterscin of to-day, so that its destruction was a se- 
rious loss to the place, and it was very much to be 
regretted that it was not rebuilt somewhere in the 
town. Brundred was a man of much energy, and 
had the knack of getting along well with his men. 
This W!is shown by the firmness with which they 
stood by him in his difficulties with his former ])art- 
ners, Wheeler & ISruce; and in other ways it was 
manifest that there was a warm feeling between em- 
ployer and employed in the old "Paterson Jlachine- 
Works." • 

Mnchiiiht*' Annoriafion. — About lS:{fi George Uratl- 
ley, an Englishman, built a small frame foundry on 
River Street, near Prospect. A few years later, about 
1841, he and his sons went into the machine l)usiness, 
erecting a frame shop on the northeast corner of 
Broadway and Prospect Street, where they made cot- 
ton, flax, and hemp machinery. In 1847 their shop 
wius ilcstroyed by fire, when they replaceil it by a large 
brick building, forty-five by imc hundred and twelve 
feet, three stories high, with stone basement under it, 
which was really equivalent to another story. They 
failed in 1849, and removed to Richmond, Va. Mr. 
Bradley invented in 1841 the first steam-gauge of 
which there is any record. The property now pjuwcd 
into the hands of .lolin K. liacon, of New York. In 
the fall of 18-)(» William llolden and Jacob Wiley 
hired a part of it and employed two or three men in 
making machinery or doing odd jobs. They increased 
their force to six or eight in a few months. In June, 
IH.'il.. lames Peel, Kliits MonOiouse, .Tolui II. Kiersted, 
William Senior, William llcildcn, .Iiicob Wiley, and 
.lames (iillespic formi'd an eqinil copartnership under 
the name of the " Machinists' Association," and leased 
the whole mill from Mr. Hacon. Mr. Morehouse had 
served his time at the Danforth Works; Mr. Peel had 
worked there eight yrars; Mr. Kiersted twelve or 
fourteen years; .Mr. .Senior eight years; Mr. Wiley 
fifteen or sixteen years; Mr. (tillespie had worked 

■ OanUffiporarjr nowi]»|Mr tnd oth«r rMonli. 



there most of his time, and Mr. Holden had also been 
employed in the same establishment. The new firm 
started with six or eight hands, and every partner 
turned in and worked at the bench or lathe the same 
as any employ^-, and drew the same wages, and not a 
dollar more, — they wire all workers. They u.sed only 
the first floor and half of the basement, leasing the 
rest of the building to other ]>arties. In a few weeks 
they had sixteen or eighteen men on their pay-roll 
besides themselves, for their own names were on the 
pay-roll just the same as those of the hands. They 
had very little capital wherewith to start operations, 
but all were indu.strious and competent mechanics, 
so that they soon began to get ahead and to make 
money. 

About the close of 1852, Mr. Holden withdrew from 
the firm, and Henry Forbes was taken in in his place. 
In the spring of 1854 they erected a frame foundry 
on River Street, about forty by ninety feet in area, 
nearly on the site of that built by George Bradley, 
and which had been removed when the Bradleys 
failed. It still stands. It was not completed when, 
in April, 1854, the main shop was burned down to 
the level of the stone basement. The loss to the firm 
was ^15,01(0, and their insurance only $250il. Besides 
this tlicy had not a dollar wherewith to resume busi- 
ness. However, friends came forward an<l prolfered 
aid in this hour of their need, and thus encouraged 
they bought the lease from Mr. Bacon and immediately 
rebuilt the shop, forty-five by one hundred and twelve 
feet, three stories and biuscment, with brick L on Pros- 
pect .Street, twenty-four by twenty-six feet, four stories 
high, at a cost of about fourteen thousand dollars. 
New machinery was bought, and they occupy the 
whole of the building now except the top floor. By 
the hardest kind of work they were able to retrieve 
the grouncl lost by the fire, and even to get on better 
than ever, so that after some years they pai<l for the 
building and began to accumulate a surplus. They 
first made cotton, woolen, and silk machinery, with 
an occasional order for flax machinery, an<l also did 
a large amount of millwright-work. The work was 
changed from time to time as the demand varied, and 
now the chief production of the establishment is silk 
machinery, for which they have gained an enviable 
reputation. They still fill orders for cotton machinery, 
some of which is to be found in almost every State of 1 
the Union, as also in Mexico, Central and South | 
America. Their business is not confined to these two ' 
cliusses of work, they umlertakc anything in the , 
way of machinery, no matter for what it may be de- 
signed. Of the original partners only two remaiivin 
the firm, — Messrs. Peek and Morehouse. Gillespie' 
died in September, 18G2; Wiley in August, 1866;' 
Kierst<'d in October, 1867; Forbes sold out in Janu- 
ary, 187", and Senior died in November, \X7S. This 
is the oidy successful co-operative association of the 
kitxl ever started in Paterson, so that it-s history is 
peculiarly interesting. At the present time eighty 




@ 






i»i 






CITY OF PATERSON. 



441 



hands are employed, whose wages amount to between 
$35,000 and $40,000 yearly. 

Benjamin Buckleij & Co. — In 1844, Benjamin Buck- 
ley and Alexander Anderson, both spindle-makers, 
the former in the employ of Charles Danforth, formed 
a partnership as Anderson & Buckley, spindle-makers 
and machinists. They leased a small brick mill on 
the river-bank at the foot of the Nightingale lot, and 
confidently went to work. Their combined capital 
was four hundred and fifty dollars, and borrowed at 
that. They did most of the work themselves, and 
drew out only one dollar a day each. In a short 
time they had prospered so far that they leased a 
larger building of frame on the site of the present 
office of the Todd & Rafterty Machine Company, on 
the raceway on Van Houten Street. By dint of hard 
work they continued to make money, until they had 
one thousand dollars to their credit, and an almost 
fabulous sum it seemed to them. They now removed 
to the Hamilton Mill, occupying one floor for their 
machine business and sub-letting the rest to others. 
After a while Mr. Buckley bought out Anderson, and 
took in Hiram Hatheway as a partner instead. The 
tariff legislation had a depressing eftect on the busi- 
ness, and Mr. Hatheway becoming discouraged, sold 
out to Mr. Buckley, who gave his notes in part settle- 
ment. Soon after Thomas Rogers made an arrange- 
ment with Mr. Buckley to furnish all the spindles 
required at the Rogers Works in the building of cot- 
ton-frames, and thereafter all the spindles for the 
Rogers Works were made by Mr. Buckley. In 1863 
he removed to the first floor of the " Gun Mill," where 
the manufacture of spindles and flyers is still (Jan- 
uary, 1882) carried on by Benjamin Buckley & Co., 
— Benjamin Buckley, his sons, William J. Buckley 
and Joseph Buckley, and John Townley. They em- 
ploy about 25 hands, whose wages amount to .SSOOO 
yearly. The annual products are worth about $20,- 
OOO, and are sent to a dozen different States. 

J. C. Todd d'' Siynanton'x Machine- Works. — Joseph 
C. Todd, who had learned the trade of carpenter at 
Somerville, N. J., came to Paterson in 1836, and 
being employed in the machine-shop of Godwin, 
Clark & Co., learned to make patterns there for ma- 
chinery. Several years after, while employed at the 
" Oldham Works," he built the first successful hemp- 
spinning machine. This turned his thoughts in a 
new direction, and in 1847 he formed a partnership 
with Daniel Mackey, another skillful Paterson me- 
chanic, and they set up for themselves in the building 
of hemp and flax and other machinery of all kinds. 
They had very little capital, and hired a part of the 
first floor of the old frame Nightingale mill, on Van 
Houten Street, taking possession July 3, 1847. They 
had only two lathes, one of which they had borrowed. 
They there built the first silk machinery made in 
Paterson. From this humble beginning they grad- 
ually built up a business that in two years' time de- 
manded ampler accommodations, and then they took 



the basement of the shop owned by the Bradleys, 
where the Machinists' Association mill now is, on 
Prospect Street and Broadway. In 1850, Philip Raf- 
terty, a successful business man, and a very shrewd 
financier, was taken into the firm, which then became 
Todd, Mackey & Co. They now (November, 1850) 
leased the present location of the works on Van 
Houten Street, next west of the old Nightingale Mill, 
where the business had been commenced. It is a 
striking evidence of the success of the concern that 
their works are far more extensive than the whole of 
the Nightingale Mill, of which they originally occu- 
pied but a very small part. In their new quarters 
the firm engaged far more extensively than before in 
the manufacture of hemp and flax machinery in all 
its branches, including rope machinery, jute and 
bagging machinery. 

The firm also engaged on a large scale in the build- 
ing of steam-engines of every class, and in a short time 
had acquired an enviable reputation in that depart- 
ment of manufacture. Their original business contin- 
ued to prosi^er, until they became the largest manufac- 
turers in America of hemp and flax machinery. Mr. 
Todd gave this his closest personal attention, making 
several valuable inventions in this class of machinery, 
on which patents were taken out from time to time. 
In 1855, Mr. Mackey retired, and the firm became 
Todd & Ratferty. In the spring of 1872 the concern 
was turned into a stock corporation, — the Todd & 
Ratferty Machine Company, — Mr. Todd being presi- 
dent and Mr. Rafterty treasurer. The boiler-shop of 
Rafterty, Smith & Co., on Railroad Avenue, was 
merged into the- company also. Mr. Rafferty at- 
tended to the New York business generally, where 
the firm had a large store for the sale of machinery 
and an agency for their works. Mr. Rafterty dying 
in July, 1872, the aftairs of the company were thrown 
into chancery, and for a month or two the shops were 
closed, when Mr. Todd resumed the control of the 
works, which he has since retained. When the panic 
of 1873 came on, and nearly every machine-shop in 
Paterson was closed, he went about, and by indefat- 
igable industry got orders for all sorts of engines and 
machinery, whereby he was enabled to give employ- 
ment to a goodly number of men. Anything and 
everything that came along and promised work was 
confidently taken in hand. For instance, there was 
a large order for the Bjixter marine-engine, at a time 
when that engine was expected to revolutionize the 
system of navigation on the Erie Canal. Since then 
large numbers of these engines have been turned out 
for use on steam-launches, yachts, tugs, and freight- 
ing vessels of every size. They are i'rom two to forty 
horse-power, and sell at from $420 to $2350. Mr. 
Todd has also become the owner of the patent Bax- 
ter portable engine, of which he has manufactured 
hundreds in the last five years. These little engines 
are from one to four horse-power, and sell for $150 to 
S350. They are much used in printiug-oflices, in 



442 



HISTORY OF BKRGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



running sewing-machines, and wherever a small 
power only is needed. One of them will run a press 
for ton hours, and with the consumption of half a 
biijiliel of coal. It is no wonder they arc popular. 
In time we may perhaps expect to see every well- 
regulated family supplied with a Baxter portable 
steam-engine for doing the heavy work of the house- 
hold, which is daily growing more irksome to 
" Bridget. " One of them occupies only about as 
much space as a large base-burning stove. Mr. 
Todd still builds steam-engines of all kinds and sizes, 
not confining himself, by any means, to these small 
portable engines. He also makes flax, hemp, jute, 
rope, oakum, and silk machinery, which finds its 
way to all parts of the world. He built the first silk 
machinery used by James Walthall, by John C Ben- 
son, by Haniil & Booth, and others. While some of 
the imported foremen in flax- and hemp-mills in 
America declare that there is no machinery equal to 
that made in the "old country,'' and consequently 
discourage the use of American machinery, on the 
other hand there are at least a dozen of the leading 
flax-, jute-, and hemp-mills in England and Scotland 
which are etiuipped with machinery built at the Todd 
& Ratferty works in Paterson ! This is a significant 
commentary on the unreasoning prejudice too often 
evinced by imported foremen and superintendents 
who arc disposed to see nothing good that does not 
come from abroa<l. 

In Russia the native hemp is separated and spun 
by machinery invented and built by Mr. Todd, and 
his machines have found their way even to China and 
.\u-tralia, while for thirty years the products of this 
concern have been familiar in Mexico, South ,\merica, 
and Canada, as well as throughout the I'nited States 
wherever flax and hemp machinery is used. Rope 
mncliinery of all kinds is made, including machinery 
for making ropes out of sisal, a species of hemp from 
Mexico. During the year 1881, Mr. Tod«l filled 
orders to the amount of §100,000 for machinery to 
make twine to be used on patent harvesters in tying 
up the grain witii twine instead of wire. A spinning- 
jenny with a fine flyer twists the twine and runs it ofl' 
on the bobbins, from which it is wound off into balls 
eifrlit inches in diameter, and these are attached to 
the harvesters with nniehinery wliich draws out the 
twine and binds the grain, and ties a knot as neatly 
as the most experienced hand could do. Tlie works 
comprise a brick building, three storie-s high, one hun- 
dred and ten by forty-five feel, with extension forty by 
«eventy-five feet, the first story being used for eiigine- 
buililing and turning, and the second and third for 
fittinj;, carpenter-work, etc. ; a frame maeliine shop, 
one hundreil and fifty by thirly to fifty feet, part ol' it 
one story and ])art of it two and a half stories high ; 
n brick foundry, thirty-five by one hundri'd and twenty 
feet ; besides a pattern-shop, a millwright-shop, car- 
penler-shop, etc. About I'lO to 200 hands are em- 
|)loyed, their weekly pay-roll amounting to j'lGlKl, and 



the engines and machinery of all kinds produced in 
the course of a year are worth fully $2(M),0(M». Three 
or four tons of iron are melted daily in the furnace, 
and fifty pounds of brass, for use in the works. (1n 
Feb. 1, 1882, Mr. Todd associated with him Thoniiu^ 
C. Simonton, and the firm is now J. C. Todd A Si- 
monton. Mr. Simonton has been connected with the 
iron manufacture in Paterson for thirty years or more. 
It is not long since he built a shop at the southeast 
corner of Paterson and Ellison Streets for the manu- 
facture of steam fire-engines, which he continued for 
two or three years, when he began building station- 
ary engines. He kejit the shop going until 1801-62, 
part of the time in partnership with Hiram Hathe- 
way and James W. Hcwson. A foundry erected in 
1872 by Stewart & Morrill (William Stewart and 
John A. Morrill), to make fine castings for the Whit- 
ney Sewing-Machine Company, at the corner of Jack- 
son Street and Washington Avenue, in the course of 
four or five years fell into the hands of Scott & Fair- 
banks, and then into the possession of Mr. Simonton, 
by whom it was sold to J. C. Todd and fumed into 
the works on Van Houten Street, when Mr. Simonton 
went into partnership with Mr. Todd. Mr. .Simonton 
now has the general management of the Paterson 
shops of J. C. Todd & Simonton, while Mr. Todd 
takes charge of the New York business. 
I John E. V(tn Winkle. — In 1848, John E. Van Win- 
I kle started a machine-shop in the long low building 
in the Beaver Mill yard, on the north side of that 
mill, it being two stories high, the lower story of 
brick and the other of wood. He had a blacksmith- 
shop adjoining. In the course of two or three years 
he hired the b:isement and half of the floor above of 
the Beaver Mill, where he materially extended his 
operations. He built lathes there for nearly every 
. shop in town, and many of them are still in use in 
I the largest shops in Paterson. He also supplied the 
machinery for several cotton-mills in Tennessee and 
other Southern States. He likewise attempted the 
manufacture of a pantagraph for engraving copper 
rollers in Robert Rennie's print-works at Lodi, and 
succeeded, it being the first pantagraph constructeil in 
America. Thereafter, for many years, he made most 
of the machinery for Rennie, and also for David Q» 
Scott's print-works in Paterson. CJyrus Holt was in 
partnership with him for a year or two about 18.'>7. 
In 1858, Mr. Van Winkle bought from the Pho'nix 
Manufacturing Company a strip fitly by two hundred 
feet, adjoining their mill on Van Houten Street on the 
east, and built a brick shop, forty by one hundred and 
twelve feet, one story high towartis Van Houten Street, 
and two stories in the rear. Here he enlarged bis busi- 
ness. He afterwarils erected another shop in the rear, 
two stories high, which he lea.sed. In a short time he 
also added a foundry to his other buildings on this 
plot, and leased that for a while, and then conducted it 
himself for making his own castings for machinery. 
In IMtii) the two last-mimed buildings were burned 



CITY OF PATEKSON. 



443 



down and the roof of tlie front shop. In the fall he 
rebuilt the latter, making it three stories high, leasing 
a story and a half, and occupying the rest for his own 
business. In 1875 the shop was again burned down, 
with its contents. The property was then sold back 
again to the Phnenix Company, who employed Henry 
Van Winkle, at the time a partner with his father, to 
run a machine-shop on the same site, with some of 
the old machinery, in connection with their silk-mills. 
John E. Van Winkle has since then filled occasional 
orders for a very ingenious cotton-opener, which has 
found a large sale in the South. He has retired from 
active business, however, as far as it is possible for a 
man of his active temperament to retire. 

Tliiiman J. Wrigkij.—ln 1849, Thomas J. Wrigley 
and his brother John hired the cellar of the old Hols- 
man cotton-mill, where the Todd & Rafterty ma- 
chine-shop now is, and began making washers, comb- 
plates, and link-chains. They remained there but a 
short time, removing next to the old button-mill on 
Market Street opposite Prince. There they employed 
three men on washers and four on bolts, working 
themselves as hard as any of the hands. After a 
year, or a year and a half, they returned to the Todd 
& Rafferty premises, occupying an old frame building 
over the water-wheel, next to the main mill. Two 
years later they removed to another building on the 
same lot. In 1859, John was succeeded by John 
Nichols, who retired in 1865, since when Thomas J. 
Wrigley has conducted the business alone. In 1864, 
Wrigley & Nichols removed to a large frame build- 
ing on Railroad Avenue, near the corner of Slater 
Street, two and a half stories high, twenty-six by 
forty-six feet in area. In 1865, Mr. Wrigley added 
another story. From 1859 to 1861 they carried on 
the recutting of files, in addition to other work. In 
1865-66, Mr. Wrigley began making silk-spoolers, 
and from time to time added other silk-work, and 
now does considerable in tliat line. In September, 
1881, he removed to a fine new frame shop erected by 
him for the purpose at the southeast corner of Vine 
and Essex Streets, thirty by seventy-five feet in area, 
two stories high, with high basement, where he has 
extended his business. He now employs 30 to 35 
hands, to whom he pays about $10,000 a year in 
wages, and turns out from $20,000 to $25,000 worth of 
machinery, etc. The production is washers, comb- 
plates, silk machinery, and link-chains used on flax, 
hemp, and cotton machinery, and traverse-chains on 
silk machinery. 

Wation Machine Company. — William G. Watson and 
James Watson had worked for many years, with their 
father, for Benjamin Brundred, at Oldham, where 
they had acquired a thorough practical knowledge of 
machine-making of all sorts, and afterwards in the 
Nightingale Mill, making burring-machines for Israel 
Kinsman, of New York. About 1848, William G. 
Watson took charge of the machinery of Jackson & 
Mageunis, in their print-works, at the Franklin Mill. 



In the spring of 1851 he and his brother James con- 
cluded to set up a machine-shop of their own, and 
leased one of the buildings of the Franklin Mill 
property, — that which had been erected for locomo- 
tive building, which had a foundry attached in the 
rear. They were given the use of a part of the Mal- 
lory Mill for a short time before taking possession of 
their shop, and on the former premises prepared their 
shafting and did sundry jobs that came to hand while 
their shop was being prepared for occupancy. They 
started with four or five hands, but each of the 
brothers worked harder than any of their employes; 
as James expressed it, they " worked twenty-four 
hours every day." That this is not so extravagant a 
figure of speech as might be supposed is apparent 
from the fact that, for example, James used to walk 
eight miles before daylight, over to Rennie's print- 
works at Lodi, do a full day's work there, walk back 
after quitting-time, and then work in the shop until 
midnight, and he would keep this up for weeks at a 
time. The other brother was not a whit behind him 
in hard work. Of course with such untiring industry, 
and with their skill, the)' could not fail to succeed, 
and in the course of the first year they turned out 
thirty thousand dollars' worth of work, had the room 
filled with machinery, and employed fifteen hands. 
They next removed to the Nightingale Mill, where 
they occupied the whole of the first floor, built a 
blacksmith-shop in the rear, and after a while took 
the second floor of the mill. After a year or two they 
also built a frame foundry on the raceway, on Van 
Houten Street, where Nussey's foundry now is. 

In the spring of 1860 they bought a large tract of 
land at the southwest corner of Grand Street and 
Railroad Avenue, and began the erection of a fine 
brick shop on that site, three stories high, one hun- 
dred and twenty by forty-four feet. They now intro- 
duced steam-power in running their machinery. 
Their old foundry was moved up from Van Houten 
Street to a spot adjoining the new shoj). They occupied 
the whole of the first floor, and leased the rest to other 
parties. Their business continued to grow rapidly, 
as they never hesitated to undertake any and all kinds 
of machine-work, although millwright-work was their 
specialty. In 1868 the, county authorities gave the 
contract for building an iron bridge at Straight Street, 
Paterson, to S. J. Post, the patentee ; he arranged 
with anotlier party for doing the iron-work, but the 
Watsons were finally given the contract, and they 

\ succeeded so well that it led to their forming a part- 

i nership with Mr. Post in the iron bridge business, 
and for ten years thereafter they did an immense 
business in that line, their bridge-work amounting to 
several millions of dollars. In 1872 their shop was 
burned down with a loss of seventy-five thousand 
dollars, but was immediately rebuilt on a larger scale 

] than before. They erected a larger number of iron 
bridges along the Erie Railway, about seventy-five to 

• one hundred spang in all, including the magnifi.cent 



44 i 



HISTOIIY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Susquehanna bridge. For two or three years they ' 
did a million dollars' worth of this kind of work 
yearly. They built about two hundred thousand dol- 
lar^' worth of iron bridges in I'lussaic County, but the 
grejit bulk of their work was in other localities. They 
put up many bridges in and about New York City, 
in Central Park, and elsewhere. They also engaged 
extensively in the architectural iron business, furnish- 
incr and erecting the iron-work for the Metropolitan 
Museum and the Metropolitan Art Gallery in New 
York, for the Lenox Library in New York, and other 
prominent buildings. At one time they had six or 
eight hundred men at work in various parts of the 
country and at their Patcrson shops. 

The works were enlarged from time to time, until 
they covered an immense area. In 187.'> the whole 
establishment was destroyed by fire, causing a loss of ' 
about one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The 
works were again rebuilt, but the firm was hampered 
by the want of the money which these losses had taken 
out of their business, and though they continued to 
do a vast amount of work for two or three years, they 
were at last obliged to succumb, and the property 
pa.ssed out of their hands. They discontinued the 
bridge and architectural work, and have since confined 
themselves to the general work of a machine-shop, 
although they still occasionally take an order for a 
bridge. They are now making printing machinery, 
millwright-work, gearing, silk machinery, steam- 
engines, etc. They employ 125 hands, paying them 
about S60,000 yearly, and use about 400 tons of pig 
and 200 tons of bar iron in the course of a year, the ! 
value of their production being about ^^SO,*)©©. They 
occupy the first Hoor of their old works, which they 
lease from the present owners. The business wjts 
originally conducted in the name of W. G. & J. Wat- ' 
son. In 18()') they were incorporated as the Watson 
Manufacturing Company. At present the concern is i 
known as the Wat-non Jrachine Comjiany, Me.ssrs. W. 
(i. and James Watson being the practical men, and 
Samuel J. Wat.son.the son of the former, the financial 
manager. The buildings are of brick, as follows: 
one two stories in height, one hundred and twenty by I 
forty-four feet on Railroail Avenue, and one hundred 
and fifty l>y sixty feet on Grand Street; connected 
with this, on the south, on Railroad Avenue, another, 
three stories high, fifty by seventy-five feet; next, 
south of the last, a foundry, one hundred and fifty by ' 
eighty feet; on Dale Avenue, a foundry eighty by , 
sixty feet, connected witli which is a blacksmith-shop, | 
forty by forty feet. The Watsons occupy all these 
buililings on the ground fioor. 

<lrnrtje AdiUj came to I'aterson in 1.S4!), and after 
Working three years for (ieorge Archer, who had 
a small machine-shop on the premises now occu- 
pied by J. C. Todd & Simonton, he set ,np for him- 
self, in 1M.'>2, in n little frame shanty, about fifteen by 
twenty feel, on Broadway, beside the brook near , 
Tliirtv-third .Street. He made bolts and screws for 



the other machine-shops in tlie city. He had a screw- 
press for punching nuts, which he had made himself 
He forged his bolts by hand, and threaded them with 
a crank. All the work was done by himself working 
alone in his little shop. In 1854 he removed to Ham- 
burgh Avenue, building a frame house two stories 
high, with attic, his shop being on the first floor, while 
he lived up-stairs, and while he was plastering his 
room, which he did not attem|)t for several months, 
he lived in the attic. He now used horse-|)ower to 
blow the bellows and do the threading of the bolts, 
which was done by machinery. Three men helped 
him in his new shop. In 1860 he removed to a brick 
shop on Totowa Avenue, near Hamburgh Avenue, 
increased his business, used more horse-power to turn 
his machines, and had six men in his employ. In 
1868 he built a brick mill, forty by ninety feet, three 
stories high, on Water Street, between Hamburgh 
and Totowa Avenues, on the river-bank, developing 
the water-power, putting in a turbine wheel, which, 
with eight feet of water, gives fifteen horse-power. 
To liis screw and bolt business he now added the 
making of smut-machines, to cleanse the wheat of 
smut before it is ground ; also mowing machines and 
corn-stalk cutters. He made a great many of these 
various machines, and his smut-machines were sold 
not only to grist-mills in this country but in South 
America. He employed six or eight men for about 
ten years, when, in 1878, he gave up manufacturing, 
and has since devoted himself to attending to his ex- 
tensive mills and dwellings and other real estate, 
all the outcome in thirty years of that little fifteen 
by twenty feet shanty on Broadway and hard, un- 
ceasing, self-denying toil. 

I'ntcrnon Iron- W'orkn. — In 1852, Sherman Jagua 
was connected with an iron establishment at Nashua, 
N. H., — the N:ishna Iron-Works. Conceiving the 
idea that a similar concern could be successfully car- 
rlcil on in I'aterson, especially for forging tires and 
shapes for locomotives, he induced Thomas W. Gil- 
lies, a wealthy manufacturer of NiL«hua. to join with 
him in Ibunding the " Patorson Iron-Works," which 
they started in the fall of 1852. A bldcksmith-shop, 
about fitty by seventy-five feet, was erected along the 
Erie Railway track, ^ist south of Clay Street, and a 
hamincr-shop wjus built next to it, abont fifty by one 
lunidred and twenty-five feet in area. Both buildings 
were of wood, and of course but one story high. 
They imported Lowmoor and Boiling bars, which they 
bent and welded into tires for locomotives. They also 
put in two hammero at the same time to forge axles 
and shapes for locomotives. One of these hammers 
hud a head weighing one thonsand pounds, and the 
other had u twelve hundred [lound die. A third ham- 
mer was put in almost immediately, so promisingly 
did their business open. About fifty men were em- 
ployed from the start At the session of the Legisla- 
ture in 185l{ they secured a special charter as the 
" Paterson Iron Company." During that year Frank- 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



445 



lin C. Beckwith was building the second track for 
the Erie Railway through Paterson, and for a time 
his shanty was located directly opposite the iron- 
works. Talking with the managers, he became in- 
terested in tlie works, and before the end of 1853 he 
bought a controlling interest in the concern, and 
thereafter operated the works himself until his death. 
He kept on making iron tires until about 1866, when 
the Bessemer-steel process came into use and steel 
tires were substituted for those of iron. For the next 
two years this branch of the business gradually fell 
of!', and in 1870 it was given up. 

Meantime Mr. Beckwith had greatly increased the 
capacity of the works by the extension of the original 
buildings and by the introduction of new and better 
machinery and tools. About 1859-60 he threw out 
the small hammers and put in a new and improved 
class. In 1862 he put in the first upright hammer, of 
five tons, for steamship forgings. Three years later 
he set up a ten-ton hammer. Since that date new 
lathes, slotters, planers, and drills have been put in, 
all of the best make in the country. When the five- 
ton hammer was bought he began making armor-bars 
for steamships. These were not for armor-plated ves- 
sels, but for the ribs of steamships. He also made 
cranks for the engines and propellers of screw-steam- 
ers, some of them being of immense weight. The 
largest shaft ever forged at these works was twenty- 
eight inches in diameter and twenty-two feet long. 
It was for the Pittsburgh water-works. The cranks 
for the same water-works were also made here ; they 
were fifty-four inches in diameter and weighed sixteen 
tons. They were the largest ever forged in the coun- 
try. It certainly was a marked compliment to Pater- 
son enterprise that the corporation of Pittsburgh, 
where are some of the largest iron-works in the 
United States, should send all the way to the Pater- 
son Iron-Works for these important parts of the 
public water-works of the city. Some immense 
shafts were also forged for the Pacific Mail Steamship 
Company, and sent overland by rail to California, 
there to be placed in one of the steamships of that 
company. As there are few works with the capacity 
and facilities of the Paterson Iron Company for turn- 
ing out heavy forgings, they llBve frequent calls for 
machinery from remote parts of the country. Of late 
they have furnished considerable work for mining 
machinery, which is usually of the very heaviest 
character. In this, as in other branches, they have 
achieved enviable success. Their work is now about 
equally divided between steamship forgings, railroad 
and locomotive forgings, and mining machinery. 
They have also begun the forging of steel for locomo- 
tive- and steamship-work. 

Their works cover a large extent of ground. When 
first erected the shops were in the midst of a swamp, 
but the vast accumulations of refuse have been util- 
ized to fill up the low ground, until the swamp is fast 
disappearing. The main building is five hundred 
29 



and thirty feet long and seventy-five feet wide; this 
is the hammer-shop and machine-shop. There is 
another blacksmith- and hammer-shop two hundred 
and fifty feet long and about the same width as the 
other. In the machine-shop are slotters, planers, 
lathes, boring-mills, and other machinery and tools 
for finishing the work done in the hammer- and 
blacksmith-shops. Two steam-engines, one of sev- 
enty-horse and the other of thirty-horse power, drive 
the hammers and other tools. In the hammer-shop 
are sixteen hammers, running from one thousand 
pounds to twelve tons in weight. The latter is per- 
haps the largest in Paterson. The number of hands 
employed varies greatly according to the work on 
hand. When fairly busy 200 men are on the pay-roll, 
and their wages will amount to 8120,000 yearly. The 
value of the production of the works is about $480,- 
000 per annum. The iron used is wrought scrap, 
ship scrap, and railroad scrap principally. They 
have facilities for using any class of iron. Iron to 
the amount of 3600 tons is made over every year at 
this establishment. Since the death of the elder Mr. 
Beckwith, a few years ago, the works have been man- 
aged by his sons, Charles D. Beckwith and Joseph 
Alexander Beckwith, the former of whom is presi- 
dent and treasurer, and the latter secretary of the 
company. James Johnston has been superintendent 
for many years, having been connected with the works 
since 1853. 

John Royle & Sons. — In 1862, John Royle took a 
little corner, about twelve feet square, in the shop of 
Vanderburgh, Wells & Co., on Water Street, where 
he did machinery jobbing, principally for his land- 
lords. Before this he had made pumps. When he 
began his little machine-shop he worked alone, but 
his business grew steadily, until about 1872 he hired 
a larger room, fourteen by twenty-eight, and em- 
ployed several hands. In two years more he again 
enlarged his quarters to double the former size. At 
this time he took his son John into partnership with 
him. The)' now made circular saws and engravers' 
grouting-machines. In 1879 another son, Vernon, 
joined the firm. In February, 1881, being in want of 
more room, they leased the first floor, thirty by ninety 
feet, of a new brick mill on Railroad Avenue, near 
Grand Street, where they now employ 20 to 25 hands, 
paying out in wages $8000 to $10,000 yearly. They 
carry on a general machine-shop of a finer grade than 
has been usual in Paterson, their specialty being work 
requiring the finest castings and the nicest adjust- 
ments of mechanism to accomplish desired results. 
One of the most interesting and valuable of their 
products is a piano card-cutting machine for Jacquard 
looms, whereby a person can cut the cards which 
make the patterns in weaving figured silks with the 
greatest ease and remarkable speed. It is a great 
improvement on the old process. They have made 
many improvements on this and other machinery 
adapted for silk and other manufactures. 



446 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



PaMaic RoUing-MilL — In 1863, Sherman Jaqua got ' 
a charter from the Legislature for liimself, his sons, 
and two or three friends, as the " Paterson Rolling- 
Mill Company." The company built a large frame 
shop, one hundred by two hundred feet, on Straight 
Street and the Erie Railway, just south of Greene 
Street, and began rolling merchant bar iron from } 
scrap. They had two trains of rolls. The next year 
the name of the com|)any was changed by the Legis- 
lature to the " Idaho Iron Company." It was run for 
another year or two when, the business not being as 
profitable as had been expected and a good opportu- 
nity offering, the machinery wiis sold to the Pacific 
Rolling-Mill Company, in California, and shipped to | 
the Pacific coast. The shop then remained closed for 
a year or two. Watts Cooke had been superintendent 
of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad 
for several years prior to this time, and while in that , 
position had given much attention to the rolling of 
iron in the great Pennsylvania shops on the line of 
that road. In December, 1807, he came from Scran- 
ton to Paterson, with the idea of engaging in that 
business with his brothers, who were all settled in 
Paterson. The brothers formed a partnership as 
Cooke Brothers, — John, Watts, James, and William, 
—and in March, 18C8, bought out the old Idaho Iron- 
Works, and at once set about putting matters in 
.shape. Preparations were driven so etlectually that 
on July 3, 1868, the firm rolled their first bar of iron. 
They started with two trains of rolls, eighteen- 
inch and nine-inch, and employed about one hun- 
dred hands. At the session of the Legislature in 
lStj!> they got a charter as the Passaic Rolling-Mill 
Comjiany, with a capital of $10(l,(»0(), with privilege of 
increa.'^ing it to $.")00,( M i( I, and the business has since 
been conducted by the corporation. In this year they 
began rolling shapes and angles, having adapted their 
old trains to that purpose. This was tlie first time 
that kind of work had been done in Paterson. They 
were in a measure forced to this, as the market for 
merchant iron had been swamped by heavy importa- 
tions. The company accordingly accommodated 
themselves to the situation, instead of closing their 
works, and employed more men than ever, instead 
of shutting down in despair, as less enterprising men 
wipuld have done. 

It) 1x73-74, when the iron business was everywhere 
ilei)rcssed, they .set about engaging in a new busine.ss 
to make up for the loss in the ordinary trade. Exten- 
sive new shops were erected, and a new 22-inch train 
of roll.s was put down for rolling beams, I beams, and 
chnnnel-iron. The first order received for beams 
was fi)r the .Wir York luvnhiji I'ukI building, corner 
IJroadway and Fulton Street, an<l this was followed at 
once by various other nrdoni, including a very large 
one for the new capitol nt Albany, and a still larger 
one for all the iron beams used in the Centennial 
buildings at Philadelpiiia, and since then the bn>ijneHS 
lijis Kteailily increased, and beams have been supplied 



for a large number of prominent buildings, public 
and private, in New York and elsewhere. One of 
the most striking buildings erectwl by this company 
is the Seventh Regiment Armory, New York. This 
consists in the main of a series of immense arches of 
iron, 187 feet span over all, the building being 2i'o 
feet long and 91 feet high ; there are 1,150,000 pounds, 
or nearly 600 tons, of iron in this enormous structure, 
which is a highly-creditable specimen of Paterson 
skill and enterprise. Always on the lookout for new 
openings for the extension of their busine.ss, the 
company directed their attention to the building of 
wrought-iron bridges, and filled many orders in that 
line. The structure erected by them across the Pas- 
.saic River at the end of River Street, Paterson, is one 
of the best, as it was about the cheapest, iron bridge 
ever erected in the county. There is no finer draw 
on the same river than that erected by this company 
in the bridge at Belleville. 

But their most important work in this line was in 
the construction of the New York Elevated Railroad. 
They first built the section of road across the Bat- 
tery from Morris Street to Front Street, being the 
first of the modern system now in use on that line. 
They next built the section of road from Morris 
Street to Chatham Square. Then they took the con- 
tract to tear down the old spider-legged track on the 
west side, and built the road anew on their own jilans 
from the Battery to Morris .Street, from Morris .Street 
through Greenwich to Central Park, and all through 
Ninth Avenue. On the east side they built the road 
from the Battery to Canal Street, and from Sixty- 
fifth to(Jnc Hundredth Street. Altogether, they used 
u|>wards of twelve thousand tons of iron in this im- 
mense work. On Oct. 5, 1878, while the works were 
being driven to their utmost in filling important 
orders, fire broke out at night and destroyed the pud- 
dliiig-mill and the merchant-bar mill. These two 
buildings were three times as extensive as the whole 
establisliment when the Cookes took pos,session. For- 
tunately the beam-mill was left intact. Without de- 
lay the company set about replacing the burned 
structures with a fine brick building, two hundred by 
three hundred feet, with a lofty roof snpporte<l on 
iron trus.ses rolled in'the mill. It is substantially 
fire-proot". This was designed for puddling and for 
rolling merchant iron and small angles and T's. 
The principal beam-mill is three hundred and sixty 
by one hundred and seventy-five feet in area, of 
frame; there is a machine-shop seventy-five by one 
hundred feet, and innumerable other buildings of all 
kinds and sizes, covering in all an area of .something 
like six acres. 

They now have three trains of rolls, — for merchant- 
bar iron, for beams, and for angles and T's. The 
present business is principally what is known to the 
traile as the production of the best iron for locomo- 
tive build<Ts. angli-s and T's for locomotive builders 
and for .structural |>urpo»es, and beams and channels 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



44T 



for buildings and bridges. When they began, four- 
teen years ago, their montlily |iroduction was about 
300 tons, or from 3000 to 40(M) tons yearly. Now they 
turn out 1500 tons monthly, or from 16,000 to 18,000 
tons yearly, — nearly five times as much as formerly. 
They have eight puddling-furnaces and seven heating- 
furnaces. They never use scrap. Mr. Watts Cooke, 
who has been the manager of the mill from the be- 
ginning, and is still giving evejy department his 
closest personal attention, was long ago convinced 
from experience that poor iron cannot be improved ; 
once bad it is always bad, and in buying scrap promis- 
cuously it is simply impossible to sort out the good from 
the bad iron. Hence lie considers that it is more ad- 
vantageous, in order to keep up the reputation of their 
iron and the work made from it, to work all their own 
iron, as far as possible, from the pig. They do thus 
make about half the iron used in bridges, buildinjs, 
and work of a like character, and what more they 
need they get in the shape of boiled iron, made es- 
pecially for them by the Bethlehem Iron Company. 
All the bolts, nuts, and rivets used by them in their 
work are made in the mill. The company employ 
between 500 and 600 hands, whose wages foot up 
$360,000 in the course of a year. It is one of the 
■weirdest sights imaginable that the visitor beholds in 
this immense establishment at night. The mystical 
blue glare of the Brush electric light gives the men a 
ghostly aspect as they flit about. Suddenly there is 
a lurid glow as a furnace opens, and out there pro- 
trudes a huge tongue of iron, red and gold, glowing 
and liissing. Half a dozen goblin-like figures dance 
and leap about the fiery creature, which is then thrust 
between the i-olls, and as it is hurried through, writhing 
as if in pain at the torture, a stream of water is poured [ 
upon it, whereat it hisses yet more fiercely. It is i 
forced through another set of rolls, and this time it is [ 
stretched to a greater length and into less diameter, 
and this is repeated again and again until the huge, 
sodden, bulky mass of iron is rolled and stretched 
and squeezed into a bar of merchantable iron. But 
the scene is strongly suggestive of the bottomless pit. j 
Perhaps while the visitor is absorbed in watching this 
Strange spectacle there will suddenh' be a whirr and 
then a shower of sparks, making a perfect cascade of 
the most exquisitely beautiful description, as the 
molten particles of iron fly up towards the roof and 
then descend in a fan-like shower. This is caused by 
the sawing of a fifteen-inch iron beam, and the oddest 
feature of it is the fact that the saw is a plain disk of j 
flange iron, which, though having no teeth at all, yet 
goes through the tough cold wrought iron as easily as 
a sharp-toothed steel saw goes through a stick of white 
pine. No satisfactory explanation of the process has 
yet been given, but there is the fact. The edge of the 
saw seems to remain perfectly cool, but nevertheless 
it actually melts its way through the iron, without 
touching it, and hence the shower of brilliant sparks, 
which are molten drops of iron, which are tossed 



aloft. It is one of the most marvelous as well as 
beautiful sights imaginable. 

The works are kept going day and night, from Mon- 
day morning to Saturday night, even in the dullest 
times, there being a " double turn" of men. Mr. 
Cooke is of the opinion that by keeping the furnaces 
constantly hot a better jjroduct is obtained than if 
they were heated only by day. In 1878, Mr. Cooke 
thought he would try to get a never-failing supply of 
water from a flowing artesian well, as the mill uses 
immense quantities of water in wetting the rolls, and 
the water-rent is several thousand dollars yearly. A 
well was sunk to a depth of two thousand feet, but it 
struck salt water, which would hardly answer the 
purpose. So this well was plugged up at a depth of 
one thousand feet, and another was sunk near it to a 
depth of six hundred feet, in which the water rises to 
within thirty or forty feet of the surface, whence it is 
pumped by two pumps having a capacity of 125,000 
to 140,000 gallons in every twenty-four hours. The 
supply is evidently inexhaustible. It has been ana- 
lyzed by Prof. Cook, the State geologist, whose tests 
show that it is remarkably pure, being superior to 
any from other sources in the vicinity of Paterson. 
During the drought of 1881 the workmen were made 
ill from using the water of other wells in the neigh- 
borhood, but they could drink from this well to re- 
pletion without injury. The experiment of seeking 
for a flowing artesian well was watched with great 
interest by other manufacturers in Paterson, and by 
scientific men in all parts of the State. The stock 
of the Passaic Rolling-Mill Company is now owned 
by Watts Cooke, John Cooke, James Cooke, and 
W. Oakley Fayerweather. Mr. Watts Cooke is presi- 
dent and manager of the works, and Mr. Fayerweather 
is secretary and treasurer. The present capital is 
$200,000. 

Bradley, Godden d- Plnft, Holden Machine Company, 
Iiidmfrial Worlat. — In 1863, George Bradley, Charles 
Godden, and James Piatt started the building of 
wool and cotton raachiuery in the old Nightingale 
Mill, under the firm-name of Bradley, Godden & 
Co. Two years later Bradley and Piatt retired, and 
William Holden and Christopher Godden joined the 
firm, which was known as Holden, Godden & Co. 
until 1866, when they became incorporated as the 
" Holden Machine Company." In 1869, by act of 
the Legislature, the name was changed to the " In- 
dustrial Works." The firm did not confine themselves 
to wool and cotton machinery, but soon after starting 
branched out into general machinery. They built a 
foundry on the raceway, which Joseph Nussev now 
uses, and made castings of excellent quality. In 1870 
the company became insolvent, and its property was 
sold to pay its debts. 

John Brown & Son, Andrew Brown, John Latimer & 
Son. — In 1863, John Brown and his son Andrew 
started a boiler-shop on Railroad Avenue, corner of 
Greene, where they made boilers for locomotives and 



448 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



for stationary engines. A few years later Andrew 
Brown succeeded to the business, and about 1873 he 
sold out to John Latimer & Son ( Joiin J. Latimer), 
the former of whom had been a foreman at the Rogers 
Works, and the latter at the Danfurth Works. The 
firm made not only boilers, but locomotive tanks, 
plates, and sheet-iron work. The collapse of the lo- 
comotive business affected them unfavorably, and 
they closed their sliop about 187(). 

Jerrohl A- McKenzie. — John Jerrold and William 
McKenzie carried on the manufacture of boilers in 
1863, on the premises of J. C. Todd, in Van Houten 
Street. 

Samttel Smith, Boiler- Maker. —\n 1864, Philip Raf- 
ferty, Samuel Smith, Joseph C. Todd, and Hypolite 
Uhry, under the firm-name of Rafferty, Smith & Co., 
started the Plurnix Steam-Boiler Works, on Railroad 
Avenue near Greene Street, erecting a frame boiler- 
shop, sixty by one hundred and fifty feet, where they 
engaged extensively in the manufacture of steam- 
boilers of all kinds for locomotives and stationary 
engines. They did a very large business for six or 
eight years. Mr. Uhry was bouglit out by the others 
in the course of a year or two after the concern 
started. The business subsequently became compli- 
cated with that of the Todd & Rafl'erty Machine 
Company, and got into chancery in consequence. 
Then tlie i)anic of 1873 coming on and stopping the 
locomotive business, also crippled this, and the estab- 
lishment was virtually idle for some years, until the 
revival of the locomotive business in 1878, when the 
works were reopened by Samuel Smith, who now 
conducts tlieni. He emi)loy8 about 120 men, and, as 
formerly, the principal business of the concern is the 
making of locomotive boilers. During the year 1881 
the demand was so great that the men frequently 
worked half the night to finish the boilers as fast as 
they were wanted by the various locomotive- works in 
Paterson, who ha<l not sufficient facilities to make all 
they wanted for themselves. Two boilers are turned 
out every week. The wages paid the men foot up 
about $(jO,(X)0 yearly. Mr. Smith leases the property, 
which is expected soon to pass into the hands of Jo- 
seph C. Todd, with the other jjroperty of the old 
Todd & Rafl'erty Machine Company. 

Ttihe Mniiufiirtureri'. — About 18tj2, Joseph Green, 
a foreman in the Grant Works, Francis Scott, and 
Robert Smith started the manufacture of lap-welded 
tubes on Railroad Avenue near Greene Street, — No. 
118 Railroad Avenue. The process was very pecu- 
liar. .\ long, fiat piece of iron wa-s heated in a fur- 
nace to a white heat, then run out upon a long table 
between rolls, which folilcd It over and joined the 
edges, and then hurried it forward with immense 
speed against a long iron rod having a ball of chilled 
iron on the end. This rod was forced through the 
looped iron, or rather the latter was forced to cover 
it the whiile length, anil thus wax formed the hollow 
tube. As it emerged from the rolls there was a report 



! like a cannon-ball, while the tube went flying for- 
ward, twisting and winding like a fiery serpent. 
These tubes were made for locomotive boilers. In 

1864 the establishment parsed into the hands of Ste- 
phen D. Gould and some of his friends, who were 
incorporated as " The New Jersey Tube Company." 

I They operated the place for about two years, when 
Philadelphia parties interested in the business and 
inimical to any riv^l project got hold of it, and actu- 
ally sent on men with orders to break up all the 
machinery, which was done. The company had 
three or four furnaces, and for a time did a consid- 
erable business. 

In 1865, Thomas McNab and Thomas McNab, Jr., 
engaged in the manufacture of steam-pipes on Rail- 
road Avenue near the other tube-factory. They fol- 
lowed a different process, making what were known 
in the trade as " butt-welded pipe." They took a fiat 
piece of iron of the desired length, and having heated 
it to a cherry heat, ran it through a sort of vice or 
tongs, which bent the edges half over. They then 
heated it to a white heat, and in the same way the 
edges were pressed together, forming a perfect joint. 
They discontinued the business in 1869. 

Joseph Kmney. — Mr. Nussey came to Paterson in 
1862 as superintendent for Todd &. Rafferty, in the 
manufacture of flax and jute machinery, he having 
learned his trade in that line in Leeds, Hngland. In 

1865 he formed a partnership with Samuel Watson, 
and they leased a small two-story brick building on 
the river-bank, on the Nightingale lot, on Van Hou- 
ten Street, where they employed about thirty men in 
building all kinds of machinery, especially fiax and 
jute. In 187(», Watson withdrew and began making 
some spinning machinery, but in a short time quit 
business for himself. Mr. Nussey continued at the 
old place, but took the main shop on the lot, an old 

I frame building, three stories high with stone basement, 
forty-four by one hundred feet, and speedily filled it 
with machinery adapleil for his general machine busi- 
ness. He also has a moulding-shop of frame, thirty 
by filYy feet ; the other buildings on the premises he 
sub-lets to other tenants. He employs from 50 to 100 
hands, according to the demand for work, and his 
fortnightly pay-roll varies in like manner from $750 
to ^^I'lOO, the men being paid from two dollars to three 
dollars per day. Machinery is made here, and sent 
wherever fiax and jute are grown and nninufactured, 

j and nearly every firm in the country in that line has 

I got machinery from Mr. Nussey. A great deal of it 
is sent to Southern States, where it is used to weave 
gunny bagging and to make twine. Latterly Mr. Nus- 
sey liius filled or<l<rs to the amount of many thousands 
of dollars for the manufacture of balling-nuichines, 
to wind up twine in balls to be attached to the patent 
grain-reapers and binders, which reap the grain and 

> tie it up with twine. It would be easier to tell what 
Mr. Nussey has not done in the way of making ma- 

1 chinery than to recite what he has accomplished. Ue 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



449 



by no means confines himself to flax and jute ma- 
chinery, but everything in the way of machine-mak- 
ing and repairing is done by him. He has built up- 
wards of two hundred silk-looms, besides spinning- 
frames and other silk machinery. In 1872 he built 
the present steam fire-engine No. 2, of Paterson. For 
several years he has done all the city repairing of such 
engines. 

Union Bolt- Works. — In 1867 a man named Harda- 
way, from New England, who had invented peculiar 
machinery for the manufacture of bolts, spikes, rivets, 
etc., came to Paterson, and with the aid of some Pat- 
erson men started the making of such articles with his 
new machines in the old New Jersey Tube-Works. The 
concern was at first known as the Hardaway Bolt 
Company, and soon after as " The Central Bolt, Spike, 
and Rivet Company." In three or four years the es- 
tablishment was bought out by Daniel Harwood, 
of Boston, who in 1876 sold it to James Johnston, of 
the Paterson Iron- Works, and Arthur B. Pearce. In 
1872 a charter had been obtained as " The Union 
Bolt- Works." The new owners continued the manu- 
facture of bolts, spikes, rivets, and nuts for some years, 
but the locomotive-shops began making their own 
supplies of this character, and the company turned 
their attention to other lines of manufacture, until at 
the present time they carry on a general machine- 
shop, making machinery, castings of all kinds, and 
bolts, nuts, etc. The principal production is in the 
line of machinery and shatling. Their buildings 
cover an area of about two hundred by one hundred 
and seventy-five feet, of frame, one story high. They 
employ 60 men, who earn $30,000 per annum. They 
use pig and bar iron chiefly in their business, but 
occasionally some scrap. Thirty tons of iron are 
worked up every week. James Johnston is president 
and treasurer of the company, and Arthur B. Pearce 
the secretary and general manager. 

WhUney Sewing-Machine Comprini/. — An enterprise 
which at one time seemed to promise well as one of 
the leading and most important of Paterson's indus- 
tries was the establishment in that city in 1871 of 
the manufacture of the Whitney Sewing-Machines. 
Mr. J. H. Whitney was the inventor of some valua- 
ble features of the sewing-machines then in use, and 
this gave him certain advantages in the business 
which few others could have. He had been associ- 
ated for some years in the making of the machine 
known as the Wheeler and Wilson, on which he had 
certain patents. The company took about half of the 
first floor of the Dale Mill, on Railroad Avenue oppo- 
site the Erie Depot, and soon filled it with the most ex- 
pensive machinery. They also established a japan- 
ning-shop in connection with the business, and in 
two years a foundry was also started especially to 
make the fine castings needed for the work. The 
company was incorporated by the Legislature in 1871, 
when E. L. Snow was chosen president, and Justin 
Snow secretary and treasurer. Mr. Whitney was su- 



perintendent. The capital was $200,000. The com- 
pany was hampered by want of sufficient capital for 
one thing, and by the restrictions imposed upon it 
by the other sewing-machine companies, which con- 
trolled more important patents, and would not permit 
the Paterson company to use them unless on certain 
conditions, one of them being the obligation not to 
undersell rival nuikers. Thus, although even in 
Paterson, with all the disadvantages of a new enter- 
prise, the machines could be made at a cost of from 
ten to fifteen dollars, they could not be sold for less 
than thirty-five dollars even to dealers. The want of 
capital it was sought to remedy by appealing to Pat- 
erson men of means, and they did subscribe quite 
liberally to help the concern along, but the panic of 
1873, with other causes, led to the suspension of the 
company, and the shops were closed for some time. In 
November, 1873, the " Whitney Manufacturing Com- 
pany" was formed, and bought out the old establish- 
ment. It was chartered by the Legislature in 1874. 
Albert A. Hopper was president of the new organiza- 
tion, and Adon E. Crosby was secretary and treasurer. 
The nominal capital was $200,000. The company 
kept up a spasmodic sort of existence for two years 
longer, when it finally succumbed, and the machinery 
and tools falling into other hands were removed from 
the city. The company was never a harmonious one 
in its organization, nor did it have enough actual 
capital to enable it to build up a paying business. 

Peter Oberg & Co.— la 1879, Peter Oberg and 
Charles Bergbom erected a frame building, forty by 
sixty feet, near the West Paterson or Stony road sta- 
tion of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Rail- 
road, to utilize scrap-iron. They forge the scrap into 
blooms for rolling-mills, working over five tons daily, 
and employing 10 hands, who earn $75 to $100 weekly. 

Wire-Drawing was started in Paterson nearly sev- 
enty years ago, but has never attained to large propor- 
tions. Twenty years ago Joseph Broomhead began 
wire-drawing at Weavertown, and after some moving 
about settled down at the foot of West Street, where 
William H. Chamberlain, Jr., had been drawing steel 
wire since 1863 or thereabouts. George Broomhead 
made steel wire at the Hamilton Mill fifteen years or 
more ago. Joseph Broomhead is the only one in the 
business in Paterson at the present time. He employs 
but a few hands. 

Roller- Making, as an adjunct to the cotton manu- 
facture, was begun as an independent business in 1856 
by James Dunkerley, in the Hamilton Mill. Two 
years later he removed to Spruce Street, where he now 
has, with his son William, quite a machine-shop for 
doing all kinds of machine-work and repairing. The 
firm is now James Dunkerley & Son. 

File- Cutter.'!. — From a very early day there was 
occasion for the use of large numbers of files in the 
Paterson shops, but it was thirty years, probably, 
after the establishment of the first machine-shop ere 
any one set up the special business in the town of 



450 



HlSTOllV OF BERGEN ANl^ PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



file-ciittinfr. Doubtless the first to attempt work of 
tliis kind on any scale was j 

(irorrfr Bolherij, who is first mentioned in 1829, | 
wheu lie had a small shop in West Street, near the 
river. He employed six hands. He does not seem 
to have been here in 1827. Some years later he had 
a foundry on River Street, near Prospect. Rothery 
continued the business for possibly ten years, and 
perhaps longer. 

Jonefili .S'. ]\'/ii//ie/(t began grinding files in 1854 in 
the Nightingale Mill, or in a building just back 
of the mill. He cut them in St. John's Hall, which 
stood on the south side of Broadway, where Washing- 
ton Street now runs into i». He remained at St. 
John's Hall for several years, removing about 1862 
to Piiterson Street, near Ellison, at which time he had 
associated with him Patrick H. Wall, the firm being 
Whitfield & Wall. Soon after they removed to 
Ramapo Avenue, between Market and Essex Streets. 
He died in 180!!, when the property passed into the 
hands of Sheriff i*i Weinmanti (Thomas Slierilf and 
Weit Weinmann I, who continued the "Eagle File- 
Works" at the old stand. In the course of a year or 
two Sheriff sold out to James Kearney, the firm then 
being Weinmann & Kearney. They removed in 1873 
to a small brick building back of the Nightingale ! 
Mill, on the rivcr-biink. In 188(1 they dis.solved part- 
nership, and two new firms were formed. One of these 
was 

Keameij <(• Fool. — For several years Mr. Foot had I 
been the agent for the sale of the files of the old firm, i 
and had built up a large trade. They went along 
cautiously for some months, but in January, 1881, 
they began iiitnxlucing new machinery of the most 
improved and perfect description. Their sales rapidly 
augmented, as buyers found they were able to fill | 
orders promptly, which, for reasons not necessary to 
mention, file manufacturers depending upon hand- 
labor alone are never able to do. \\y February, 1882, 
they had twenty-seven cutting-machines in operation, 
and, although there is a prejudice against machine- 
cut tiles, their !!ales had run up to 900 dozen weekly, , 
or to $8000 monthly. They have grinding-machines, 
each one of whii'li will do the work of ten men, and 
this gives them a great advantage in the control of 
their production. The machines are so arranged, too, 
that the men operating them are not troubled by the 
dust from the files as they are ground, for a swift cur- : 
rent of air blows the dust away from the operator. 
There are eight grindstones in use, three trip-liani- 
mers.and much other machiticry. The files made are of 
all sorts and sizes. < )nc liundri-d hiinds have been em- 
ployed for the past year, who were paid ^.'WjOOO in 
wages. The machinery was run by a 7'> horse-power 
steam-engine. By July 1, 1882, it is expected to have 
the buildings and the capacity of the works doubled, 
when 200 hands will be employed. Mr. Kearney has 
the management of the works in Paterson, while .Mr. 
Foot takes charge of the New York office. 



Frederick S. Gesawein. — John .4. Smyth began file- 
cutting in 186.") on his own account at No. 2 Church 
Street. The next year he wa.s bought out by John 
Smyth and .\aron S. Pennington, who removed to the 
Franklin Mill, where they remained until 1880, when 
they sold out to Weit Weinmann, when he dissolved 
partnership with Mr. Kearney He associated with 
him Frederick Gesswein, the firm being Weinmann 
& Gesswein. They kept on in a small building on 
the middle race, which has been enlarged somewhat 
since they took it. In 1881 Mr. Weinmann withdrew, 
and the business has been since conducted by Mr- 
Gesswein alone. He employs about 35 hands, and is 
doing a very good business. His products are mostly 
hand-made files of the smaller and finer sorts, used 
for sewing-machines and similar work. 

John Pappler iS: Co. made files some years ago in 
Prospect Street, and there have been some small shops 
carried on in the same line from time to time since 
George Rothery set up as a file-cutter. 



CHAPTER LXI. 

CITY OK PATEKSON— (C«M(.nMfrf). 

Brass-Work, Forsnixc;, ktc. — In the first ma- 
chinery used and made in Paterson there was almost 
if not (juite as much brass as iron, and consequently 
a brass-foundry wiu* started as early as 1794, in con- 
nection with John Clark's machine-shop. The cot- 
ton-mills rei|uired consiilerablc sheet-iron-, tin-, and 
bra.ss-work, and there were shops started to supply 
them with these necessaries. One of the first in this 
business was 

Horalii) Monet, who swung aloft a brass dog holding 
a kettle in his mouth in front of his shop on Van 
Houten Street, near Prospect, nearly sixty years ago, 
where that faithful beast has kept watch and ward 
ever since. " Deacon" Moses was one of the most 
prominent characters in the town as long as he lived. 
He was a pillar of the First Methodist Episcopal 
Church, and again and again had to come to its rescue 
in times of financial need, and they were not few. In 
1825 he is described as a "brazier and tin-plat« 
worker," and emj)loycd five hands.' In lX'2'.t he had 
nine hands in his employ.' About 1855 he took his 
.son, John C Moses, into partnership, and H. Moses iV 
Son now worked in tin, copper, brass, and sheet-iron, 
and made smokestacks for locomotives. In 1859-60 the 
establishment passed into the hands of Robert McCul- 
loch.by whom it has since been <-onducted. "The sign 
of the brass dog and kettle," rude cuts of which formerly 
adorned the columns of the Paterson papers, is main- 
tained by Mr. McCulloch as one of the relics of the 

I Mnnu'rript fViiiiu» of I'Ktcnmn. 182fi, !■)• Uir Ror. Dr. J'luticr, In 
wrttrr'n iMrtMowilon. 

> Ibid., um. 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



461 



olden time, and as a really creditable specimen of the 
skill of Paterson brass-founders more than half a 
century ago. 

WiHidm 11. Haijcs. — Robert Hayes was for several 
years foreman for William Cundell, a leading manu- 
facturer of tin-ware for cotton-mills, and sheet-iron, 
sheet-brass, etc. Early in 1849 he left Mr. Cundell 
and set up for himself, building a little frame shoj) on 
Prospect Street, east side, near where No. 3's engine- 
house now is, a little south of it. He made caps for 
the Dauforth frame, and did other work in tin, sheet- 
brass, sheet-copper, and jobbing generally. Some 
years later he took John Habben into partnership, 
and they moved into the Franklin Mill, in the rear 
part of the old locomotive-shop, where they worked 
in brass, copper, and sheet-iron. He subsequently re- 
moved to Straight Street, to Pine Street, to the old 
Hamilton Mill, then to the low shops in front of the 
Franklin Mill. In 1866-67 he sold out to Richard 
Harrell and his son, William H. Hayes, who con- 
tinued the business in the same shop. They devoted 
themselves more jKxrticularly to brass-, copper-, and 
sheet-iron work for locomotives and steam hre-engine 
trimmings. They first employed twelve or fifteen 
hands, but soon ran up to forty or fifty hands. In 
1868 they began building steam fire-engines, and sold 
to the city of Paterson steamers Nos. 4, 5, 6, and 8. 
When the Franklin Mill was burned down, in Decem- 
ber, 1871, they removed to the old Duck Mill, at the 
foot of Mill Street, where they carried on the same 
business, especially the making of steam fire-engines. 
They there formed the " Paterson Steam Fire-Engine 
Company." They dissolved partnership in 1874. Mr. 
Harrell kept on in the engine business a year or two, 
selling Steam Fire-Engine Company No. 1 a new 
steamer. Mr. Hayes devoted himself once more to 
his old business, and in 1876-77 removed to the third 
floor of the Grant Locomotive-Works, where he now 
occupies a room one hundred by two hundred feet in 
area, and employs 30 to 50 hands, doing all kinds of 
brass-, copper-, and sheet-iron work for locomotives, 
steam fire-engine trimmings, dye-houses, boilers, etc. 
He sends steam fire-engine work to Cincinnati, Can- 
ada, New York, and other sections. 

McNab it- Harliii Maiuifdctiiring Company. — About j 
1854, James McNab and Adam Carr, both Paterson 
men, started the business of making plumbers' and ! 
steam-fitters' brass-work They had two lathes in a [ 
small basement-room in Elizabeth Street, New York, i 
They soon outgrew these limited quarters, and took 
larger rooms in Mercer Street, where they had four- 
teen lathes going. In this same building John Har- 
lin had a brass- foundry, and this led in 1858 to his 
entering the firm, and soon after they built a factory 
in Paterson, on Ward Street, south side, between 
Railroad Avenue and Prince Street, which is still 
standing. Business was greatly depressed ou account 
of the war, and they returned to New York in 1862, 
taking a shop at No. 86 John Street, subsequently 



removing to No. 56 John Street. Mr. Carr retired 
from the firm when they left Paterson. But their 
trade expanded rapidly after the war, and in 1870 
they removed to Paterson once more, having built 
for their occupancy a fine brick mill on Straight 
and Taylor Streets, three stories high, one hundred 
and twenty-five by forty feet, with an L, each wing 
of which is forty by one hundred feet, one story high, 
used for a brass-foundry, and an iron-foundry also, one 
hundred by forty feet, one story high. Just before 
coming to Paterson the firm became incorporated as 
the "McNab & Harlin Manufacturing Company," 
under the laws of New York. When they removed 
hither last the company employed 145 hands. Dur- 
ing the financial depression they suffered a serious 
loss of business, and Mr. James McNab withdrew 
from the company. During the past two years they 
have regained their former footing, and now have 
225 hands busy, and more lathes than ever before. 
They melt daily three thousand pounds of brass and 
three tons of iron. They still retain their place at 
No. 56 John Sti'eet, New York, where they occupy 
four stories, basement and sub-cellar, and an adjoining 
basement, each floor being thirty by sixty feet, for 
the storage of piping, etc., and employ 30 hands 
there in fitting the castings made in Paterson, and 
large malleable-iron castings made elsewhere. John 
Harlin is president and treasurer of the company ; 
William F. Kyle, secretary; John Yule, superinten- 
dent ; John A. McNab, assistant superintendent ; and 
James McClay, foreman of the brass-foundry, — all 
these persons are members of the company. 

Benjamin HiUoii. — This gentleman began in a small 
way a few years ago at his residence. No. 313 Market 
Street, to make brass ciistings. The business prosper- 
ing, in 1880 he erected a foundry, of frame, about 
forty by seventy-five feet, on the west side of Vine 
Street near Essex, where he makes brass and iron 
castings, especially the former, principally for the 
Passaic Rolling-Mill. He employs eight hands. 

Baldwin Taylor established a brass-foundry in a 
small way about 1870 in Van Houten Street, in the 
rear of No. 63 ; he is now located in the rear of the 
Beaver Mill, in Prospect Street. 

Robert Taylor has carried on the business for eight 
or ten years in the rear of Robert McCuUoch's. 

There have been several other small brass-founders 
during the last few years, but the larger machine-shops 
and the locomotive-works do so much of their own 
brass-founding that there does not seem to be much 
of an opening for independent foundries. 

Geist-Mills. — Ceirneliiiti Van Winkle. — The oldest 
grist-mill in this vicinity of which we have any posi- 
tive knowledge was owned by Cornelius Van Winkle 
in 1792, and had been in operation at least thirty 
years prior to that time and probably still longer. It 
stood on the river-bank near the foot of Mulberry 
Street, and had one run of stone. It was sold by Van 
Winkle to the Society for Establishing Useful Manu- 



452 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



factures in 1793, and by tlie society leased to various 
parties subsequently, among them David Bensen, 
David Griffith and Bensen, and from 1801 to Abraham 
Van Uouten and Cornelius Van Winkle, for rent of 
one hundred dollars a year.' In 1810 the mill was 
swept away by the greatest freshet recorded in the 
history of the Passaic River. 

Timothij B. Crane. — Shortly after the destruction of 
the old grist-mill, Timothy B. Crane, a New York 
carpenter, came to Paterson and established a grist- 
and saw-mill on Van Houten Street, where the In- 
dustry Mill of R. & H. Adams now stands. He kept 
it ui> until about 1826, when it fell into the hands of 
others, by whom it was continued for six or eight 
years. The mill had two run of stone. 

There were two or three other small grist-mills in 
and about Paterson at various times, but they were of 
minor importance. One of them was run for ten or 
fifteen years up to 1844 by Albert and Jarvis Gurnee, 
on the site of the present Wiiverley Mill. 

John Bentleij. — In 1852, John Bentley started a flour- 
mill with two run of stones, in the long, low building 
attached to the Beaver Mill, on Prospect Street, on the 
north side. He was not familiar with the business 
himself, and employed Albert Gurnee sis his miller. 
The latter subsequently removed from Paterson. In 
1856 he took the lease of the " Little Beaver Mill," 
on the river-bank, at the end of the lower race at the 
foot of Prospect Street. Curiously enough, he had 
worked in this very building at his trade in the cotton- 
shop of Godwin, Rogers & Co. many years before. 
He moved into it with his grist machinery on the 1st 
of January, 1857, and started up with three run of 
stone. He .steadily built up a good country trade, 
grinding for all the country people in the vicinity. 
During the war, when tlour was up to fifteen to 
twenty dollars a barrel, he ground from i>90,00(t to 
$1(I0,<HI0 worth of grain in the course of a year. 
Since the war, and es|)ecially since the enormous 
development of the great flour-mills in the far West, 
near the grain-growing country, the business has not 
been so large, although he still retains the country 
trade to a gratifying extent. In 1877 he put in a 
fourth run of stone. He grinds all sorts of grain, 
making wheat into the very finest of flour, grinding 
corn, rye, buckwheat, and oat». The mill is of frame, 
three stories high with attic, and is thirty-eight by 
sixty-eight feet. Everything about it is scrupulously 
neat; the grain that is ground here conld be made 
into bread and eaten o(l the floors iinywhere in the 
building. The utmost pains arc taken to secure the 
very i)est results from the grain that goes into the 
hoppers. Whatever is valueless as human food is 
carefully extracted from the kernel before the pure 
essence is turned into flour. The grain is first taken 
up-stairs in elevators and broken, cleaned, and win- 
nowed repeatedly before being ground, and then it 



> Oontvmponiiivou* ftccoitnt-book In p owM ri on of |]i« writer. 



goes a seemingly endless round of travels through 

; elevators, troughs, bolters, and all sorts of machinerj', 
some of it going from the bottom to the top of the 
mill four or five times, and each time being bolted 

I and cleansed more and more thoroughly before it is 
allowed to leave the mill as " Bentley's best family 
flour." Many improvements have been introduced 
by Mr. Bentley into the processes for securing the 
finest flour from the wheat, and he is continually 

I pondering over new plans to make the " best" even 
better. The annual production of the mill is now 

I about $60,000. 

S. C. Merrill.— In 186!t, August Barnickel and 
William C. Fiiatz built a frame flour-mill at the foot 

1 of Main Street, east side, to be run by steam-power, 

I being the first steam flour-mill in Paterson. They 
sold out in 1870 to Samuel C. Merrill, who soon more 
than doubled the capacity and the business of the 
mill. The building wjis blown down in June, 1871, 

i by a violent hurricane, and six months later the re- 
built structure was burned down. It has three run 

! of stones, and grinds all .sorts of grain, having a ca- 
pacity of 400 to 500 bushels daily. The business is 
confined to Paterson and vicinity, though many 
farmers from Rockland County, X. Y., coming to 
the Paterson market to sell produce, bring their grist 
here to be ground. The i>resent mill is three stories 
high, and covers an area of about fifty feet square. 

The Paper Manufacture. — In 1802, Charles 
Kinsey and Israel Crane, who had paper-mills at 
Orange and Bloomfield, came to Paterson and erected 
a factory on the site of the present Kssex Mill, on 
Mill Street, nearly opposite Van Houten. It was the 
finest paper-mill in New Jersey, if not in the United 
States, and was a welcome addition to the industries 
of the town, being the second factory built here. 
Kinsey was a man of very superior talent, and for 
many years was one of the most prominent men in 
the State in all movements aflecting its material in- 
terests. Thomas Fairchild bought out Crane's interest 
in the business in 1805. The firm made paper by hand 
only, in single sheets, which of course wa.s a very te- 
dious process. One day Mr. Kinsey, while visiting the 
cotton-mill of the .society, near by, was struck by the 
peculiar motion of a cotton-breaker, a machine long 
ago superseded in the cotton manufacture. It gave 
him the idea of making paper in a continuous sheet, 
and he at once set about perfecting a machine to ac- 
complish that highly desirable revolution in the paper 
manufacture. He received a i>atcnt for such a machine 
in 1H07, under the hand of Thomiis .IcH'erson, Presi- 
dent, James Madison affixing his own signature as 
Secretary of State. Eighteen months after an Eng- 
lish periodical published drawings and specifications 
of a patent just issued to an Englishman, which bore 
a niarvclo\is resemblance to those filed by Mr. Kinsey 
a year an<l a half earlier in the Patent ( Xficc at Wa.sh- 
ingtoii. Mr. Kinsey was still at work on his machine, 
trying U) improve and perfect it, as it did not give him 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



453 



entire satisfaction, when the war of 1812 led to such 
a sudden and urgent demand for cotton goods that 
the paper-mill was gradually filled with cotton ma- 
chinery, to the exclusion of all else, and work on the 
new machine was suspended. After the war the cotton 
industry collapsed, as already stated, and Kinsey & 
Fairchild failed. They dissolved partnersliip in 1817, 
and Mr. Kinsey leased a small building near the Essex 
Mill for the term of seven years, in which he and his 
sons resumed the paper manufacture, continuing it in 
that place until 1824, when they removed to New 
Prospect, or Hohokus, Bergen Co., erecting a paper- 
mill there. The industry was now abandoned in 
Paterson for several years. 

During the fall of 1836 the mill of Paul & Beggs, 
millwrights, which had been destroyed by fire, was 
rebuilt, and in the early part of 1837 was occupied 
by Edward Curtis, formerly of Massachusetts, as a 
paper-mill. He had one machine, on which he made 
cartridge-paper for the government, a very superior 
article of the kind. After running the mill for two 
years he went to New York, and the mill was taken 
by Pierson Brooks, who operated it for a year or two, 
and after various changes in its ownership it fell into 
the hands of the Ivanhoe Manufacturing Company. 

In 1835, Henry V. Butler, whose fother had carried 
on the paper manufacture for some years at Suffield, 
Mass., and who had liimself a small paper-mill in 
New York, came to Paterson and arranged for the 
erection of a paper-mill on Spruce Street and Stony 
road. His brother-in-law, Capt. Robert L. Taylor, 
who had amassed a large fortune in shipping, ad- 
vanced most of the money invested in the new enter- 
prise. The mill — called the " Passaic"' — was erected 
by Roswell L. Colt, and leased to Butler & Taylor. 
It was started in the summer of 1837 with two ma- 
chines. Very fine paper was made in this mill, equal 
to any in the country, for Mr. Butler, although not a 
practical paper-maker himself, had the sagacity to 
employ the best assistance to be had, and in this way 
he succeeded in building up an enviable reputation 
for his mill. He was a man of immense energy, and 
i was a thorough business man. He aimed to produce 
the best paper, and to that end to have the best paper- 
mill and the best paper-makers. He employed from 
fifty to seventy-five hands in the Passaic Mill. About 
1847, Butler & Taylor bought the old Curtis Paper- 
Mill, which they called the " Aresseoh" Mill, and 
operated it for a while. In 1848 they bought the ad- 
jacent property, and began the erection of the present 
Ivanhoe Paper-Mill, which they started running in 
1850. It was fitted up with two machines, and all 
the most improved machinery and appliances of the 
day, so that when it was completed it was regarded 
as the finest paper-mill in the country, if not in the 
world. It cost about three hundred and fifty thousand 
dollars when completed, and when all the improve- 
ments were added the total cost had footed up close 
to half a million dollars. Some years later an im- 



mense drj'ing-machine was imported, on which half 
a mile of paper is dried at once. Messrs. Butler & 
Taylor were incorporated in 1862 as " The Ivanhoe 
Manufacturing Company," and in 1866 they trans- 
ferred the mill property to the company, which has 
since conducted the business. Both of the original 
members have died, and the concern is now controlled 
by Henry V. Butler, Jr. The mill employs about 
100 hands, and turns out three or four tons of paper 
every day, the annual production being upwards of 
$250,000. The premises are really not large enough 
to allow for the pressing demand there exists for the 
extension of the business, and this drawback Mr. 
Butler has sought to remedy by the introduction of 
improved machinery. Some years ago an immense 
turbine-wheel, rated at three hundred and fifty horse- 
power, was put in to replace the old overshot water- 
wheels, and to give much more power. Other improved 
appliances have been introduced recently to keep the 
mill abreast of the times. 

The character of the production varies from time to 
time, according to the demand. Now it is the finest 
French folio that is turned out, or it is the pink-col- 
ored paper for some sensational illustrated periodical, 
Or again it is the most delicate cream-tinted note-paper 
that esthetic lovers afl'ect. It is one of the most in- 
teresting mills in the city to visit; but paper-makers 
are extremely jealous of their mills, and Mr. Butler's 
confidence having been once abused, he is extremely 
chary of allowing visitors to go through the establish- 
ment. Those who are thus favored are usually first 
taken to a large brick building, fifty-five by forty feet, 
next the raceway, where they see how the rags and 
stock come, much of it from Italy, and where it is 
dusted. Near this is a brick shop, two stories high, 
thirty by seventy-five feet, on Spruce Street, where 
the stock is separated and assorted. Ladies are gen- 
erally advised not to visit this place. In a two-story 
stone building, sixty by thirty feet, the stock is boiled 
to purify it and partially reduce it to pulp. In the 
main building, of stone, two stories high, forty -five 
by two hundred feet, the pulp is bleached by chemical 
action, and in the upper floor are the beaters. There 
is another bleachery, of brick, one story high, seventy 
by twenty feet, between the upper and middle race- 
ways, and adjoining it is a sizing- and drying-room, 
brick, one story high, twenty by one hundred and fifty 
feet in area. The steam and hot water used in these 
buildings are supplied by large boilers of one hun- 
dred horse-power, located in a boiler-room on Spruce 
Street. The average visitor is chiefly interested in 
the two great Fourdrinier machines, which transform 
the watery pulp to the consistence of paper in inter- 
minable sheets six feet wide. They are situated in a 
high brick building of one story, fifty by one hun- 
dred feet, its gable end towards the street. In 
another brick building of like character, fifty-five 
by one hundred feet, are the office and the calen- 
dering- and finishing-rooms. The entrance to the 



454 



HISTORY OF BEKGEN A>D PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JEKSEV. 



ofiSce is through huge iron-sheathed doors, bearing 
striking figures of the knight Ivanlioe in battle array 
in him-nlkf, or through a battlemented turret in the 
yard. 

Screen- Plateg for Paper-Mitls. — One of the most im- 
portant processes in the manufacture of paper — at 
least those of the finer grades having a hard surface 
— is the screening of tiie pulp after it luis been thor- 
oughly dissolved and macerated in tlic beating-engine, 
and before it is delivered on the wire netting which 
carries it through the " paper-machine," where it is 
made into paper. Unless every particle of foreign 
matter is eliminated from the pulp, and unless the 
pulp itself is all of uniform fineness, the paper made 
from it will be lumpy or specked witli dark spots. To 
avoid this the pulp is passed through brass plates 
about three feet long, a foot wide, and half an inch 
thick, in which arc cut numerous slits. These slits 
are cut into the plates about four inches long and an 
inch apart ; but they are of wonderful fineness, even 
to tlie two hundredth and fiftieth part of an inch in 
wi<lth. The disk that cuts them has an edge finer 
than the edge of a watch-spring. It might well be 
wondered how the pulp can be forced through aper- 
tures so fine ; but under the plates, when in position, 
a powerful current of air is applied, which sucks the 
soft nia-ss througli the slits, l-'roin the fineness of the 
work it may be readily understood that the-se plates 
are very expensive. A few years ago Mr. Butler, of 
the Ivanhoe Mill, imported a set of six from England, 
and they cost him eighteen hundred dollars in gold, 
or three hundred dollars each. Formerly when these 
|)lates were worn out they had to be sold as old brass 
and melted over, to ])repare the brass for cutting 
anew. In 1873, Mr. Henry V. Butler, Jr., organized 
the 

Aihmiin Screen-Plate Compaiiij, for the purpose of 
repairing, or rather recutting, such plates. He had 
secured the use of a |)atcnt process whereby the old 
plates could be renewed at comparatively small cost, 
and as the work was hailed with pleasure by paper- 
manufacturers generally, the company has since en- 
joyed a fair share of prosperity. As the cutting is ' 
done by machinery of a costly character, it re<juires 
but few men, and only two or three are employed. 
The works are in the rear of the front buililings on 
Van Houten Street, directly opposite Mill, and the 
process being a peculiar one, great care is taken to 
prevent the intrusion of unauthorized strangers, for 
obvious reasons. 

Aiimindii/e Srreiii-Pldlr Cnmpniit/. — In 1S70, Mr. 
Nathan Barnert, of I'aterson, .secured the use for 
America of the patents of Alexander N. Annandalc, 
of Scotland, for the repair and making of screen- 
plates such as are described above. Mr. Barnert 
secured the services of William C. Martin, who had 
managed the business of the other compimy from the 
start, and he now is superintcmlcnt of the .Annandale 
Company. They have rurniMhe<l most of the paper- 



mills in the country making fine jiaper with screens 
of their manufacture, and the bu.siness ha> attained 
large dimensions, so that already the patent right has 
been paid for and the manufacture has become very 
profitable. Robert A. Haley, for many years city 
clerk of Paterson, has charge of the outside business 
of the company, to which also Mr. Barnert devotes 
much of his time. This is the first establishment of 
the kind in the country for the making of new plates, 
as the Ashmun Company was the first in the United 
States to repair them. The Annandale Company 
occupied the first Hoor of the central rear extension 
of the Dale Mills, on Railroad Avenue. Five nr six 
hands are employed. 

The repairing of plates done by these two com- 
panies effects a saving of two-thirds to the paper- 
manufacturers. The importance of the process may 
be therefore readily appreciated. 



CHAPTER LXIl. 

CITY OF VATKR.<Oii—{r,„ii!,nied). 

The Woolen Iskurtry. — The old Dutch vrouws 
who lived about Totowa when Paterson was founded 
of course used to card and spin and dye and weave 
much of their own wool into clothing for themselves 
and their families. .Soon after the place was founded 
there were some feeble efforts to start the woolen 
manufacture in a small way, generally by enterprising 
men in their own cellars or yards. There were 
several hat-shops within two or three vcars after 
the .society came to the Pa.<saic Falls, and great and 
marvelous arc the stories told of the capacity of some 
of the old hatters to absorb whisky. There is less 
said about their skill and industry. 

A fulling-mill was started as early as l.siiK. either 
on lower Main Street or on Van Houten Street. 
Within two or three years thereafter John Clark did 
some wool-carding in a long, low building on the 
river-bank, just back of Bentley's flour-mill. The 
buildings still standing there were perhaps used by 
Clark. He carric<l on the business for some years. 

John Flood dyed woolen goods on West Street in 
1K12, and possibly he worked at other departtnents of 
the woolen industry about the same time. 

In his wise forethought for the future growth of 
Paterson, Roswell L. Colt, the governor of the so- 
ciety, in the early jiart of the present c'ciitury, lo.st no 
<>p|iortunity to secure the establishment in the town 
of a variety of manufactures, as the surest guarantee 
of the general welfare of the inhabitants. He sought 
to avert what has been one of the principal drawbacks 
to the permaniHit prosperity of the place, the concen- 
tration of capital iti one or two industrii's. Actu- 
ated by these motives, he endeavored, almost as soon 
as he secured control f>f the society, to introduce the 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



455 



woolen manufacture in Paterson. To that end he 
aided in the erection of the 

Baiver Mill, and associated himself with John 
Thomson, Jolin Meyer, Joseph Sterlits, William Cut- 
ting, and Thomas Fairchild in organizing the " Beaver 
Woolen Factory at Paterson." They established the 
factory in 1812, the first year of the war, being doubt- 
less stimulated thereto by the sudden and great de- 
mand for home manufactures of every kind occa- 
sioned by the cutting off of the British imports of 
cloths. It is probable that the business ceased to be 
profitable on the reopening of our ports after that 
war. 

John Barrow d- Sons appear to have been the first 
firm to attempt the manufacture of woolen goods on 
any considerable scale in Paterson, and their business 
was not purely a woolen industry. They wove negro 
cloth and satinets. The former were made with a 
very coarse cotton warp, having a wool filling, and 
were sold in the South for the use of the slaves. The 
latter were a finer class of cotton and woolen goods. 
The Barrows — John Barrow, Sr., John Barrow, Jr., 
and Lawrence Barrow, all of New York City — came 
to Paterson in 1831, and fitted up some frame build- 
ings for their use just back of the present Waverley 
Mill, at the foot of Mill Street, in Van Houten. It 
was perhaps the spring of 1832 before they got fairly 
in operation, with all their machinery in place. They 
started on quite an elaborate scale for those days, and 
had seven double carding-machines, two billys, four 
mules, three power-jennies and a hand-jenny, twenty- 
seven power-looms and thirteen hand-looms, one broad 
gig-mill and three narrow gig-mills, one brushing- 
machine, three trellys, two presses and press plates 
and press papers, three dye vats, two kettles, two 
fiilling-stocks, eight shearing-machines, two indigo- 
mills, and the other usual accessories of a woolen- 
factory. They wove satinets on the power-looms. 
Soon after starting they added other machinery, in- 
cluding wool-jiickers, grinding- and rolling-machines, 
etc. From the foregoing particulars it will be seen 
that they expected to do a profitable business. How- 
ever, they do not seem to have had much ready cash 
of their own, and after running the mill for about 
two years they were constrained to give it up. 

Stephen R. Parkliurst next appears on the scene as 
the manager of this factory. He came from New 
York, and was a man of marked originality, which 
he evinced in the invention of some of the most im- 
portant improvements in the woolen manufacture. 
He remained at the factory until 1845, but the estab- 
lishment did not succeed, and changed owners several 
times, while there was a good deal of evasion and 
mystery as to the real ownership. At last it fell into 
the hands of Richard M. Rand, or Johnson, Rand & 
Co., the " Co." probably being Mr. Parkhurst. In 
the early part of 1845 the property passed into the 
possession of 

Elkha Boudinut Atterbi(rij. — Jlr. Atterbury had 



been spinning cotton yarn in the Hamilton Mill for 
two years before this, and having sold some yarn to 
parties running the woolen-mill, and who were not 
able to pay, he concluded thattlie best thing he could 
do would be to take the whole concern, which he pro- 
ceeded to do, paying the owners of the mill a hand- 
some price for the property. He had had no previous 
experience in the business, but nevertheless, with his 
practical knowledge of machinery, he soon introduced 
such improvements that the weekly capacity of the 
mill was increased from sixteen hundred yards to 
five thousand yards, and the hands, instead of earning 
two dollars per week, could make twice and three 
times as much. He continued the manufacture of 
negro cloths for about three years, when a Massa- 
chusetts cotton company got up a heavy cotton fabric 
nearly as heavy as that of mixed cotton and wool 
goods, and, moreover, having fancy colors, which 
promptly appealed to the heart of the susceptible 
slaves, and supplanted the plainer though more .sub- 
stantial article. Mr. Atterbury then turned his at- 
tention to the weaving of fine French doeskins, and 
succeeded admirably in that line, the best theretofore 
made in the country. He quit the business in 1852. 

Lawton & Cutler carried on the woolen manufacture 
for a short time about 1841-45 in the basement of 
the Franklin Mill. The machinery was afterwards 
removed to the Mallory Mill, where they made satin- 
ets. They discontinued the business about 1845. 

Benjamin Bailey began spinning woolen yarn more 
than thirty years ago. Later he made a heavy 
coarse grade of woolen blankets. He continued the 
business until about 1865, occupying an old frame 
building on the river-bank at the foot of River Street, 
where there was a moderate water-power. 

George Wylie operated the Beaver Mill for many 
years, spinning woolen yarn, and napping woolen and 
cotton goods. Owing to his skill in the latter line he 
made it profitable for some of the cotton manufactu- 
rers to produce canton-fiannel, which for some years 
was a valuable feature of Paterson industries. Sub- 
sequently, about 1864, he associated with him in the 
business George Gates, and a year or two later James 
Chadwick took Mr. Oates' interest in the firm. Mr. 
Wylie dying about this time, the business was soon 
after closed out. In 18G8 the firm turned out six 
hundred pieces, or nine thousand pounds of canton- 
flannel, daily. 

Bacliman & Co. — About 1866, Maximilian Bachman 
and Eugene Laurent began making dress and cloak 
trimmings in the Franklin Mill. In the course of a 
year or two Hermann and Henry W. Bachman took 
the business, and started weaving balmoral skirts, in 
the course of a short time adding the weaving of silk 
and wool shawls. They .subsequently turned their 
attention principally to the silk manufacture. 

Solomon Bachman leased the Hamilton Mill, about 
1868-69, and wove woolen shawls and balmoral skirts. 
He gradually extended his operations, introducing the 



456 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



finest woolen machinery, and turned out a superior 
class of goods, su|K'riorbotii in design and tinish. The 
mill was filled with every appliance for carrying on 
the manufacture on an extensive scale, and an ihi- 
mense business was built up. The shawls of all wool 
and of silk and wool were extremely popular. They 
were dyed on the preniise.s. About 1875, Mr. Bacli- 
mau turned his attention to the production of anotber 
cla<s of woolen goods, and set a few looms on cassi- 
nieres and diagonals for gentlemen's garments. He 
gradually improved in this branch, until he bade 
fair to build up a large trade in that line, and thus 
to establish Paterson's supremacy in another direc- 
tion ; but unfortunately, while the mill was running 
to its fullest capacity, and orders were on hand that 
would have kept it busy for months, it was destroyed 
by fire, in April, 1877, inflicting a loss of one hundred 
and thirty thou-sand dollars. Mr. Bachman just then 
received a favorable offer of a woolen-mill in New 
England, with its machinery standing, and being 
anxious to get to work without the slightest delay, he 
accepted that mill until he could rebuild on the Pat- 
erson property, but after getting well in operation in 
his new place he concluded to remain there, and so 
was lost to Paterson what was just promising to be- 
come an important industry. 

Union Manufacturiny Com/jtm;/. — In 1868, John H. 
Chase came from Connecticut to Paterson, and under 
the name of the " Union Manufacturing Company" 
started the making of " flocks" in the old " Union 
Works,'' at Market and Spruce Streets, with two or 
three men. It may be here explained that " flocks" 
are the short fibres of wool, which are obtained by 
grinding or otherwise separating the fibres in woolen 
goods, such as hats, clothes, etc. This flock is put 
into the fulling-mill after the woolen web is woven, or 
into the "flannel," and is incorporated into the tex- 
ture of the flannel, forming the nap. It is used on 
satinet goods to cover up the cotton. It is (piite a 
dilferent article from shoddy, with which it is often 
confoundcil. In 1869, Mr. Chase removed to the old 
Uailcy Mill, just referred to, and there put in a patent 
turbine-wheel of his own invention, whereby he ob- 
tained twenty horse-power with three feet of water. 
He now (•m|)loycd four or five men, and made four 
hundred to five hundred pounds per day of flocks. 
In 1872 he sold out the business to 

Johnson <t Austin, — Pierrepont Edwards Johnson 
and John T. Austin, — who speedily began extending 
the business. They retaiiicrl the name of the I'nion 
Manufacturing Company until IS7".I, when they as- 
sumed the present firm-name. .Vbout 1877 they began 
the making of wool extract. This is a very peculiar 
and delicate art. Delaines and other mixed woolen 
and cotton goods are put through a process in which 
the cotton fibre isilcstroycd by cliemical action, which 
nevertheless leaves the wool fibre unimpaired, so that 
it can be <-ardetl and spun its if it hail never been in- 
side of a mill before. It is a remarkable discovcrv. 



and of immense value to the country, utilizing vast 
quantities of material which formerly was deemed 
almost absolutely worthless. The introiluction of this 
industry by Johnson & Austin enabled them to run 
without cessation all through the " panic." Within 
the last three years alone the production has in- 
creased from one thousand pounds daily up to five 
thousand pounds daily at the present time. During 
1881 they used about five thousand pounds of rags, 
now it is far more. Prom 75 to 100 hands are em- 
ployed in the mill. There are but two or three con- 
cerns in the country that have been successful in 
making this wool extract, and the products of the 
Paterson Mill command the highest price in the mar- 
ket. It sells for twenty-five to thirty-five cents per 
pound, while pure wool fetches from seventy-five 
cents to one dollar per pound. The extract is used 
with the pure wool in proportion of from ten to fifty 
per cent., whereby the woven fabric is cheapened in 
that proportion. It is chiefly used in weaving Cardi- 
gan jackets, in stockinets, knit drawers and shirts, in 
miyed goods, Scotch cheviots, etc. In the fall of 1879 
the mill was burned down, but by October it had been 
replaced with fine brick structures which are a credit 
to the neighborhood, which the old rookeries were 
not. In 1881 a fine three-story brick building was 
added to the works, which now comiirise one brick 
building, three stories high, one hundred by sixty- 
two feet ; another, one story high, one hundred and 
ten by sixty-two feet ; another, two stories high, forty- 
two by ninety-six feet ; and another of frame, three 
stories high, fifty by fifty feet. The latter is used for 
making flocks, and the second floor of the two-story 
building; the main brick building is used for making 
the extract. In a large dye-house in the rear are 
dyed eight hundred to one thousand pounds daily. 
Mr. Chase has been the superintendent for the firm 
since 1875. 



ClIAPTKK LXlll. 
CITY (IF PArKR.*!ON— (Cbn«iwNerf). 

Flax, Hemi', an'i> Jute.— 0)«'» Duel- Mill.— It 
wius iluriiig 1813 or 1814 that the mill was built after- 
wards known as " Pas.saic Mill, No. 1," situated on 
Van Houten Street, opposite the foot of Mill Street. 
The title to it wils soon vested in John Colt, who 
there began the manufacture of duck, or sail-cloth, for 
the United States government. He first bought the 
duck and finished it, tjiking it in the "gray" from 
other American nninufacturers. He subsequently im- 
ported his own flax, bleached, spun, and wove it. He 
had some amusing and very odd experienccts in trying 
to get improved machinery, and some of the schemes of 
.sanguine inventors wen" laughably crude. Two orthree 
years after starting he had fifty or sixty hand-looms 
running weaving linen duck. He was not satisfied 













■////, // V 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



457 



with this manner of production, and made many ex- 
periments to improve the process. Finally Thomas 
Rogers proposed to build him some power-looms, and 
his offer was accepted under certain conditions. His 
looms were a success, and thereafter Mr. Colt's cus- 
tomers would have none of the hand-loom woven 
goods. The business was highly prosperous, but was 
given up by Mr. Colt for a still more productive one, 
the weaving of cotton duck, about 1827, as already 
described.' 

Phfenix Flax-MiU. — In 1820, John Traverse came 
to Paterson from Baltimore and invested considerable 
money in the manufacture of linen sail-cloth in the 
Pha»nix Mill,- which had previously been run exclu- 
sively as a cotton-mill. The flax was bleached out in 
the yard in front and back of the mill, spun and pre- 
pared for the weaving, most of which was done in the 
homes of the operatives. In the course of time other 
branches of the flax manufacture were added to the 
making of sail-cloth, and cordage for ships was made. 
In 1824 the concern was turned into a stock company, 
" The Phcenix Manufacturing Company" having been 
incorporated in that year by the Legislature.' Mr. 
Traverse owned the stock, and retained his control for 
about thirty years. 

As the cotton industry was developed in the South, 
there arose a demand for flax-tow gunny bagging, and 
for some years this was a profitable manufacture at 
the Phcenix Mill. It was in 1S24 that the long, low 
brick building was erected along the edge of the race- 
way, which was torn down in 1881 and replaced by 
the present elegant structure. It was not long after 
that the main mill was doubled in size by an addition 
on the west end. Other buildings were also added 
from time to time, indicating the prosperity of the 
company and the successful management of Mr. 
Traverse. In 1832 the mill used about 500,000 pounds 
of flax and 300,000 pounds of cotton, employing 
about 200 hands in the former and 250 in the latter 
department.* He was for many years one of the most 
prominent citizens of the town. In 1854 the flax 
manufacture was discontinued, the mill having fallen 
into other hands, and for about ten years thereafter it 
was again run in whole or in part as a cotton -mill. 
William H. K. Bibby was appointed secretary of the 
company in 1826, and retained the position until his 
death in 1880. 

In the mean time, and from a very early period in 
the history of the town, the manufacture of flax had 
been carried on to a considerable extent by private 
families in their own homes, and the production in 
this modest manner was at times very large. The 
writer has full lists of all the families that thus wove 
flax at diflerent periods, with the production in each 

• These particulars were given lo the writer by Mr. Colt in 1873. 

- Letter of John Tniverse. 
3 Pamphlet Laws of New Jersey, 1824. 

< MS. Census of Paterson, July 4, 1832, by the Rev. Dr. Fisher, in the 
writer's possession. 



family, but space will not admit of a recapitulation 
here. 

Dolphin Mill. — In 1844 two New York gentlemen, 
who had been more or less directly connected with 
the shipping interest, conceived the project of en- 
gaging largely in the manufacture of hemp in Pater- 
son. The outcome of their resolution was the " Ameri- 
can Hemp Manufactory," on Spruce Street, west side, 
just .south of Oliver Street extended. This was a 
stone building, forty-eight by two hundred feet, two 
stories high, with attic in addition, and a wheel-house, 
thirty by forty-eight feet, one story high, in the rear. 
The principal object of the firm was to make hemp 
into sail-cloth, canvas, and other articles adapted for 
use on vessels. Subsequently the manufacture of flax 
and jute was added, and in 18.50 they introduced the 
weaving of jute carpets, and a "style of mottled 
goods, by doubling and twisting two threads of differ- 
ent colors into one thread." They were also the first 
to introduce the manufacture. of tailors' linings made 
entirely from jute. 

In 1851 the property passed into the hands of John 
Taylor Johnson and Robert L. Taylor, the uncle of 
the former, and they immediately procured a charter 
as the " Dolphin Manufacturing Company," so named 
after one of Mr. Taylor's numerous ships, of which he 
was specially fond. In 1868 the mill had " 1200 
spindles and 50 looms, all of the heaviest description, 
and produced about 100,000 pounds of yarn monthly, 
using 600 tons of raw material annually.""' In 1869 
the company began extending their operations, and 
raised the whole of their mill another story, and car- 
rying up the wheel-house with the rest, so that the 
mill was now forty-eight by two hundred and thirty 
feet, three stories high, with attic. In June, 1881, 
the erection of another structure was begun in front 
of the old mill, being of brick, three stories high, one 
hundred and ten feet front on Spruce Street, by one 
hundred and forty feet deep. This is a very hand- 
some building, the fatjade presenting an attractive ap- 
pearance. A new boiler-house and engine-house were 
also built during the winter of 1881-82, and in the 
mean time a sturdy attack was made on the rocky hill 
on the rear of the mill-lot, and running up to the 
ancient Stony road, the intention being to make the 
site of this hill available for still other immense mill 
structures connected with the establishment. For a 
long time the product of the mill has been exclu- 
sively jute gooods. " Hemp" carpet and Napier mat- 
ting are the principal products. The latter is in fancy 
designs, and is in much request throughout the coun- 
try, particularly in the West, although it is used in all 
sections for churches, halls, and at the summer resorts, 
as more stylish than cocoa-matting, being finer and 
more attractive in appearance. Jute twine is also 
made for Ihe use of wool-growers and tobacco-grow- 
ers to tie up their wool and tobacco ; hence it finds 



& Bishop's Hist. Am. Manufactares. 



458 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



its chief market in the West and in the tobacco-grow- 
ing States. The reader will be astonished to learn 
the immensity of the consnmption of these two articles. 
Taking for example the output of eleven days in De- 
cember, by no means beyond the average, this mill 
turned out 77,1G0 yards of carpet and matting; that 
is, an average of more than /our mi/es per day ! The 
production of twine was at tlie rate of more than four 
Ions daily I All the raw material comes direct from 
India, anil is put through every process at this mill 
till it is turned out finished. Eighty looms were in 
use, with forty-four sides of spinning, before the latest 
addition to the mill, and oOo hands were employed, 
who received an average of six dollars per week, the 
aggregate wages for a year being about ?:l7o,ii(lO. Upon 
the completion of the pending additions it was expected 
to employ about 100<i hands, and to double the pro- 
duction. The mill was in 1880 the largest of the kind 
in America ; with its production doubled it will be 
one of the very largest in the world, and will turn out 
in a year's time carpet enough to make a foot-path 
across the Atlantic Ocean. Mr. Taylor having died 
some years ago, the present owner is Mr. Johnston. 
The actual manager, however, is John Sloane, who is 
the president of the company, while Herbert John- 
ston, the son of the owner, is secretary and trea-surer. 
The capital is $250, (HHt. John 15. Meldrum was super- 
intendent of the mill from 1844 until 1867, since which 
time William Aitchison has held that i)osition. For 
the past two years, however, Mr. Aitchison has re- 
tired from active work, but the company retains him 
in his office, while the actual superintendence has dc- 
v(dvcd upon John Cheyne. 

Jo/iii .Siriiihiinif.— -In 18"M), .lolin ^^winburne started 
a rope-walk in an old frame building at the southwest 
corner of Market Street and Railroad Avenue. F'rom 
there he soon removed to a small building on the 
river-bank, in the rear of Todd & Raflerty's shops, 
and began the manufacture of flax and hem]i yarns, 
twine and cordage. The next year he removed to a 
small building adjoining lluntonn's coll'ce and spice- 
mill, on Broadway opposite Bridge Street, and the 
year following he leased more extensive premises on 
the southeast corner of Paterson and Ellison Street.s, 
where he cnlarge<l his business and employed about 
twenty hands. He remained there six or seven years, 
when he took Robert Briggs into partnershi]), and 
the firm of John Swinburne & Co. leiused a shop 
back of the Oun Mill, where they continued the busi- 
ncsH, and added that of making jute gunny bagging 
for baling cotton. In 1874 they took a part of the 
Hope Mill, and extended their production materially, 
until at one time they used five liuiiilred Ions of jiite 
butts yearly, |)r(«lucing five hundred thousand yanls of 
goods. Mr. Briggs withdrew from the firm about a year 
later, and in lH7ri, Mr. Swinburne took into the luisi- 
ness bis son, William J., when the firm wits John Swin- 
burne it (son. They bought the Hopi' Mill about this 
time, and occupie<l the whole of it in their business, 



which had become very extensive. They then em- 
ployed sixty hands, and used six hundred tons of 
jute butt.s annually. Owing to a variety of cau.ses, 
including the warm competition which had ari.sen 
in some of the Eastern States in this sort of manu- 
facture, the coiicern ceased to be profitable, and in 
the course of a year or two the firm closed up the mill. 
The elder Mr. Swinburne had before this been ap- 
pointed cashier of the First National Bank of Pater- 
son, and was not able to devote much attention to the 
mill. 

J. C. Todd d- Co.— In 18(i2, Samuel Furnival and 
Michael Ritchey started the manufacture of jute rope 
and jute twine in Paterson. Ritchey had formerly 
worked for twelve years in the Dolphin Mill, and at 
this time was superintendent of a mill run by Furni- 
val in New York. The new firm took the westerly 
wing of the Pha-nix Mill, a low, two-story brick 
building, occupying the lower floor for their manu- 
facturing, and the upper floor as a machine-shop for 
repairing their machinery. They employed about 
forty-live hands. In IStJtj they erected a two-story 
brick mill, sixty-two by one hundred feet, at the 
northwest corner of Taylor and Jackson Streets, to 
which they then removed their business, employing 
a much larger number of hands. In 18(5i» they gave 
up uiaking rope, and began the manufacture of cot- 
ton bagging out of jute butt.s. The following year 
Furnival .sold out his interest in the business to Jame.s 
H. Briscoe, a Philadelphia dentist, and the firm-name 
became Briscoe & Ritchey. Furnival removed to 
Brooklyn, where he continued in the same business 
on his own account. Bri.scoe retired from the firm in 
1872, being succeeded by Joseph C. Todd, and the firm- 
name hius since been J. C. Todd & Co. In 187() they 
built a two-story brick store-house, twenty-eight by 
one hundred feet, on Jackson Street, in the rear of the 
mill, and in 1880 another store-house, also of brick, two 
stories high, forty by fifty feet, was erecteil to accom- 
modate the steadily-increasing business. They now 
employ 100 hands in making bagging for cotton out 
of jute butt-s, of which they use six or seven thousand 
bales, weighing four hundred pounds each, in the course 
of a year, importing the nuiterial from India. They 
pay out foo.ooo yearly in wages. Mr. Ritihey is the 
superintendent and nuinager of the mill, for which 
his practical knowledge admirably fit* him. Mr. Todd, 
it might be remarked, operated some rope machinery 
in Paterson a-s early as 1851. 

Bnrhniir Flax-Sjnnninri (hmpany. — Some account 
is elsewhere given of the Barbour family, who for 
ihrei' generations have been among the greatest linen 
manufacturers in the north of Ireland, their works at 
Lisburn, near Belfast, being among the largest of the 
kind in the world. Their establishment at that place 
is complete within itself Not only is the Hax sub- 
jected to every process involved in the manipulation 
of the raw material from the crudest state, but the 
firm have immense machine-shops of their own, where 



minriijirrrrL 



1 1 

i I 



© 



® 



g ® 

^ P 




CITY OF PATERSON. 



459 



they build and repair all the machinery they need on 
either side of the Atlantic. For many years they had 
made large sales in America, Thomas Barbour having 
charge of their New York house. The imjiosition of 
the tarift" of 1862 and the high rate of exchange led 
them to conceive the idea of establishing a branch of 
their immense factories in America, and looking about 
they concluded that Paterson was the most available 
place in which to locate. Thomas and Samuel Bar- 
bour carried the project into execution, and in 1864 
they bought the old Passaic Mill, No. 2, formerly run 
by John Colt for the weaving of tine sheetings and 
cotton duck, on Spruce Street, opposite Oliver. The 
mill was a fine structure, though but a toy house 
compared with the mills at Lisburn. Here they em- 
ployed several hundred hands, and added continually 
to their machinery until the building could hold no 
more; ihey enlarged it from time to time, but still 
they lacked room. Having bought the entire block 
bounded by Grand, Prince, Spring, and Slater Streets, 
they proceeded in 1877 to erect thereon the finest 
specimen of mill architecture in New Jersey, if not 
in America. In area it was fifty feet front on Grand 
Street by two hundred feet deep, and four stories high. 
While presenting on the exterior every appearance of 
solidity, it was relieved by sundry projections, which 
served useful purposes besides adding to the beauty 
of the structure. Here and there a modest turret 
peeped a few feet over the edge of the roof, and an 
occasional pinnacle served also to relieve the severity 
of rigid lines. The engine- and boiler-house was a 
very handsome and spacious building, while the 
chimney, octagonal in shape, and relieved at frequent 
intervals by light-colored belt-courses, and surmounted 
by a broad cornice at an elevation of one hundred 
and eightj' feet, is ornamental as well as useful. 

But it is the inside of the mill that impresses the 

visitor with the sense of security and solidity. The 

stairways are all inclosed in solid brick walls, and 

^re themselves of brick and stone. Massive wrought- 

Bron beams span the interior from side to side, and on 

bese are built brick arches, which support the floors 

above. These floors, again, are of bluestone flags, in- 

felining from the centre to the side walls, so that they 

an be readily flushed with water, which then runs 

bffin gutters provided for the purpose. This is the 

tyle of construction throughout. The building, if 

not absolutely fire-proof, is as nearly so as the inge- 

auity of man can make it. It is not easy to see how 

lor where a fire could make much headway in such a 
aassive structure, with so little for the flames to feed 
ipon. But flax is a very inflammable article, and the 
Sanger of fire has been foreseen and provided against 
pn other ways in addition to making the building itself 
proof against the flames. On each floor and on each 
Bide are laid pafeiit sprinklers, so constructed that at 

la certain degree of temperature they will open iunu- 

[lerable valves and throw all over the room copious 

Rets of water, propelled with all the force that a head 



of one hundred and eighty feet can give. There are 
other appliances also for throwing water into any 
part of the mill. The water is supplied from a pond 
on Garret Mountain, one hundred and eighty feet 
above Grand Street. This magnificent building had 
scarcely been occupied and stocked with machinery 
brought over from their works in Ireland before they 
set about doubling its size, and in 1878 it was made 
as long again, so that now it is fifty by four hundred 
feet in area, four stories high. In February, 1879, 
the Spruce Street mill was destroyed by fire. It was 
at once rebuilt, in imitation in all respects of the 
Grand Street mill, except that it is not so long, there 
being less room available for the purpose. It is fifty 
by one hundred and eighty feet. Water and steam 
are both used for power. In the Grand Street mill 
the power is supplied by a magnificent double Corliss 
engine of five hundred horse capacity. It is a beauty. 
Both buildings are heated by steam. During the year 
1881 they built another immense stone mill on Grand 
and Morris Streets, forty-eight by four hundred feet, 
three stories high. This they lease at present, but it 
is expected that in a few years at the most they will 
have to use it in connection with their constantly 
growing trade. Within four years after establishing 
their mill in Paterson, or in 1868, they were making 
about fifty-two thousand pounds of shoe-thread, sad- 
dlers' thread, and gilling-twine every month, — twenty- 
six tons of thread ! They were aLso making about a 
ton of fine thread for the manufacture of hose. In 
addition to this product, they spooled four thousand 
dozen spools monthly of tlie thread made by them in 
Ireland, and spooled seventy-five thousand pounds of 
tailors' thread, also made abroad. They now import 
the flax just as it comes into the market from the 
farms in the north of Ireland, where that crop has so 
long had its favorite home, and in their Paterson 
mills they hackle, dress, and spin it into all kinds of 
linen-thread, — shoe-thread, sewing-thread for tailors' 
uses, fine twine, etc. They also dye and bleach it on 
their own premises. They spin thousands of miles of 
thread everyday, enough to "put a girdle round the 
earth" twice over. That means fifty thousand miles 
daily. If every man, woman, and child in the United 
States used a spool of Barbour's sewing-thread in the 
course of a year the Paterson mills alone could sup- 
ply them. They do produce far more than that 
quantity. 

But the principal demand is for the .shoe-thread, 
which is used all over the country in preference to 
any other linen-thread. The company employ 1100 
hands in America, whose wages are $1000 a day. 
They produce $200,000 worth of finished goods every 
month, of which about .§120,000 worth is the product 
of the two mills in Paterson. It is needless to say 
that they have the most improved machinery to be 
had in the world. There are 12,000 spindles in Pat- 
erson, and 25,000 spindles in the Lisburn mills. They 
have their principal store and oflSce in New York 



460 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



City, and branch oflSces) in Boston, Chicago, San 
Francisco, and other cities. The business was origi- 
nally in the name of the Barbour Brothers, — Thomas, 
Robert, and Samuel, — but in 18G6 they were incorpo- 
rated as the Barbour Flax-Spinning Conii)any, and 
the business has been carried on since that date by 
the corporation. The president is Robert Barbour ; 
Thomas Barbour is vice-president and treasurer. Mr. 
Thomas Barbour came to America in 1854, in charge 
of the New York house, as before stated. Mr. Robert 
Barbour came over in 1864, when the Paterson mill 
was started. Mr. Samuel Barbour returned to Ire- 
land then, and has since remained there. Mr. Robert 
Barbour has charge of the Paterson mills, while Mr. 
Thomas Barbour takes the management of the New 
Yore store, through w^hich all the goods are sold. 
Nearly all the hands who have been employed in the 
mills in the past eighteen years have been brought 
over from Lisburn and vicinity, or at least a large 
proportion of them, as there has not been a sufficient 
local supply of help of this character. The company 
engages them in the old country, pays their passage 
out, and allows them to refund the advance by weekly 
deductions from their wages. They own a number 
of tenement-houses, in which some of the hands live. 
The oi)eratives are not long here ere they send for 
their relatives and friends, to whom they write home 
letters full of glowing accounts of the vast difference 
between the " old country" and the new, in favor of 
the latter, and this leads others to come over. In 
this way, directly and indirectly, the Barliours have 
been the means of bringing over thousands from Ire- 
land to swell the population of Paterson, and immi- 
grants, too, of the very best class, — hard-working, 
prudent. God-fearing men and women. It has been 
rumored from time to time that the Barbours might 
add a new de|iartnient to their linen manufacture, — 
the weaving of linen, — but they are reticent as to 
their future plans, and it is impossible to say whether 
or not this will be done within the next few years. 
They have llic ca|)ital and the business skill to do it, 
and it would be a most valuable aiUlitiim to the in- 
dustries not only of Paterson but of the Ignited 
States. In their present lines of production they 
make four or five times as much thread, etc., as all 
the other concerns of a like character in the countrj*. 

Thk Bahuoik Family, .so extensively knowti in 
this country and in Kumpc in connection with the 
manufacture of linen-thread, is of Scotch-Irish an- 
ccMtry, a combination of jdiysical and mental charac- 
teristics that has furnished to the world many of its 
leading .statesmen, philo.sophers, and thinkers. 

.lohn Barbour wiu a native of Paisley, Scotland, a 
sturdy deni/eti of that country to which the people of 
Ireland owe many obligiitions, natal as well as national. 
.Vliout the year 1784 he introduced from Paisley the 
nninufacture of linen-thread into the north of Ireland, 
locating at Plantation, near Lisbnrn. .\fler erecting 
mills he commenced operaticms by giving employment 



to a large number of the families of the neighbor- 
hood, most of whom were farmers. 

The works thus established were regarded as exten- 
sive and complete in those days, but compared to 
their modern succes.sor they were primitive in the e.x- 
treme. Little if any machinery was employed, and 
almost everything was done by manual labor or by 
horse power. John Barbour had as a partner in his 
enterprise a sturdy Scotchman, like himself, from 
Paisley, John Duncan, and the firm of Barbour & 
Duncan carried on business without partnership 
pa])er8, and with the greatest harmony, until the 
death of Mr. Duncan, about 1815 or ISlti. . John 
Barbour married a Miss Carleton, and had two sons, 
John and William, and a daughter, Jane, who mar- 
ried a Mr. Dunlap. The sons succeeded their father 
in thread manufacture at Plantation, but remained 
together only a few years when William withdrew, 
leaving his brother John, who continued business on 
the old site until his death at the early age of thirty- 
seven. William secured from the Marquis of Hert- 
ford a water-power on the river Legan, and some 
seventy-five acres of land on its banks, and erected 
buildings adapted to the manufacture of linen-thread. 

The modern works now cover about twelve acres of 
land, and the mills are fire-proof, four and live stories 
high, and the best-built and most substantial of their 
kind in Great Britain. The mere hamlet in course 
of time became a populous village. Connected with 
the Hilden works are now a government i)ost-office, a 
telcgraphoftice, public schools, two- and three-story 
brick houses with slated roofs for the employes, a 
large dining establishment that will accommodate 
five or six hundred operatives, with comfortable 
benches, tables, and heating apparatus, besides news- 
rooms, libraries, and other comforts of civilized life. 
Employment is given at Ililden to about three thou- 
sand persons, and at Sprucefield, three miles distant, 
one thousand more are employed in the spinning of 
yarns. The enterprise is truly metropolitan in char- 
acter, and has conferred untold blessings upon gen- 
eration after generation of the working population of 
that portion of Ireland. 

William Barbour continued at the head of the co^i- 
cern of which he was the founder until his death on 
Sept. 6, 1875, at the ripe age of seventy-eight years. 
The traits of his private character were strongly 
marked. He was capable of strong and lasting friend- 
ships, was generous, kind-hearted, and indulgent to 
those who stood in the relation of dependents towards 
him, while a sturdy self-assertion relieved a native 
geniality of disposition in his intercourse with his 
e<|uals. Some twenty years before his death, as a 
mark of appreciation of his judgment, ami of the 
position which he had gained in society, the commis- 
sion of the peace was be-stowed on him, and with all 
his judicial decisions the public felt the greatest pos- 
sible satisfaction. In private life he was most genial, 
and being ])osse.ssed of a singularly retentive memory, 




y/y.A/'Oa.m. Cyd/Zt^U/t. 



CITY OF PATEKSON. 



461 



was able to entertain his friends with narratives and 
stories of events in the far past. He was of unim- 
peachable integrity, and his deeds of benevolence 
and charity will long be remembered with gratitude 
by the inhabitants of his native town. He occupied 
for fifty-four years the substantial but unpretentious 
dwelling which he first erected near the mills, and in 
which his family were born. 

Long prior to his death William Barbour took into 
partnership with him his five sons, — John D., since a 
member of Parliament, Robert, Samuel, Thomas, and 
Frank, — who, being raised in the business and pos- 
sessed of many of the traits of their father, assumed 
the active control and management of it, and by their 
enterprise and sagacity largely extended the reputa- 
tion and business of the concern, which was known as 
"William Barbour & Sons.'' Thomas Barbour, the 
founder and organizer of the enterprises of the con- 
cern on this side of the Atlantic, was not taken into 
the firm until about 1862. Prior to that date, in 1849, 
he came to New York City, where he entered the em- 
ploy of A. T. Stewart & Co., at a salary of one hun- 
dred dollars for the first year. This salary was 
rapidly increased, and before leaving he was placed 
in charge of their wholesale linen department, in the 
store at the corner of Broadway and Chambers Street. 
In April, 1852, he rented a portion of a loft at 43 
Exchange Place, in the store occupied by the exten- 
sive linen importers, Richardson & Watson, and be- 
gan busine.ss on his own account, importing threads 
and twines through the firm, giving particular atten- 
tion to the goods manufactured by his father. About 
1855 he took into partnership with him his brother 
Samuel, under the firm-name of " Barbour Brothers." 
Samuel returned to Ireland about 18<il, in conse- 
quence of the death of his wife, and in 1SG2 he and 
his brother Thomas joined the firm of William Bar- 
bour & Sons. He continued to reside in Ireland until 
his death, a few years ago, at the age of forty-eight 
years. Thomas Barbour continued to manage the 
business of Barbour Brothers and of William Bar- 
bour & Sons in America. 

About 1864 it was decided to commence the manu- 
facture of linen-thread in this country, and coming to 
Paterson, N. J., Thomas Barbour purchased for his 
firms from the Colt estate what was then known as 
Passaic Mill, No. 2. Mr. Robert Barbour came over 
about the same time for the purpose of taking charge 
of the manufacturing department. Suitable machin- 
ery was imported from Ireland, and the enterprise set 
on foot of manufacturing flax yarns and threads of 
every description, from the lowest grades to the finest 
numbers. The firm thus availed themselves of the 
law at that time admitting flax-thread machinery 
free of duty. The business in this country was first 
carried on under the name of Barbour Brothers, but 
upon the organization of the Barbour Flax-Spinning 
Company, in 1865, Thomas Barbour became president, 
and filled that position for more than ten years, and 
30 



upon his resignation was succeeded by his brother Rob- 
ert, who has charge of the manufacturing branch of the 
business at Paterson. Thomas was chosen vice-presi- 
dent and treasurer after ills resignation as president, 
and manages and directs the financial and commercial 
afliiirs of the concern at the principal depot, No. 134 
Church Street, New York. Branch houses have been 
established in Boston, San Francisco, Montreal, Phil- 
adelphia, St. Louis, and Chicago. 

Messrs. Samuel and Frank Barbour having died, the 
att'airs of the concern, which constitute one entire en- 
terprise, are carried on in Ireland under the immedi- 
ate supervision of John D. Barbour, in the old firm- 
name, and in this country by Robert and Thomas 
Barbour, heretofore stated. The enterprise in this 
country has already assumed proportions of consider- 
able magnitude, and is rapidly growing. At Paterson 
the Barbours own three colossal mills, — the Grand 
Street Mill, the Spruce Street Mill, and the Granite 
Mill, on the canal and railway, near Garret Mountain, 
all .situated in close proximity to railroad and canal 
communications, thereby securing the advantages 
arising from low freights and cheap coal. 

The Grand Street Mill, erected about six years ago 
at an expense of nearly $4U0,0U0, is one of the finest 
in the United States. It is a brick structure, four hun- 
dred feet long, fifty wide, four stories high, and abso- 
lutely fire-proof. 

The chimney connected with the factory is a model 
of architectural beauty, being over two hundred feet 
in height. The enterprise of the Barbours is one of 
the most extensive and important in Paterson, giving 
constant employment to a large number of opera- 
tives. 

They are among the heaviest jiroperty-owners and 
tax-payers, and all their enterprises have contributed 
to the material growth and prosperity of the city. 
They constructed and own the Highland Water- 
Works, on Garret Mountain, wherein is stored an 
immense supply of pure water, at an altitude of two 
hundred feet above the city, and have connected their 
factories with this reservoir by means of a twelve- 
inch iron pipe, capable of resisting the necessary pres- 
sure, by means of which fire can be immediately extin- 
guished in their factories without the aid of the fire- 
men or the city water supply. The Barbours also 
own a solid block of tenement-houses on Slater and 
Spring Streets, Paterson, adjoining their Grand Street 
Mill, which are models of comfort and convenience 
to the tenants. They are also supplied with pure 
water from the Highland Water- Works. 

Thomas Barbour, who became an American citizen 
as early as 1849, and who was the first of the family 
to take up his residence in this country, and conse- 
sequently best known, was born in the old family 
residence at Hildon on July 14, 1832. He possesses 
many of the traits of character so strongly manifested 
by his father, and bears a strong physical resemblance 
to him. He is genial in manners, the very embodi- 



462 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



ment of hospitality and influence, possesses many 
warm friends, and wlien any tiuestion arises demand- 
ing unusual onerfry lie has never been found une<|ual 
to tlie eniergoticy of tlie case. He manifests a force 
and vigor of cliaracter diliicult to o])|)ose. He has 
persistently refused i)ul)lic position, but is connected 
intimately with many public and private enterprises 
of importance. He is a member of the committee on 
revenue reform of the New York Chamber of Com- 
merce, and is widely known in this country in con- 
nection with his successful defense of his firm and 
government on the infamous moiety system, and is 
recognized as the "one who, by his personal sacri- 
fices and exertions, caused the abrogation of a law 
which ofl'ered a fifty per cent, premium on official ir- 
regularity and imposition. He delivered a forcible 
anil practical speech on the subject before the New 
York Chamber of Commerce in 1874, and on the fol- . 
lowing evening at Steinway Hall, at a special meeting 
called for that purpose. 

Mr. Barbour subsequently proceeded to Washington 
and procured a passage of the bill abrogating the 
moiety system. Upon a subseiiucnt visit to Belfa-st, 
Ireland, on Oct. 2!t, 1874, he was tendered a public 
ban<iuet by the merchants of Belfast and the province 
of rister, at which the Lord Mayor presided, in recog- 
nition of the important service that he had rendered 
to the importing trade of New York and capitalists 
in breaking down a system at once unjust in prin- . 
ciple. 

Mr. Barbour was the first president of the Paterson 
Board of Trade, is a director of the Hanover National 
Bank, and of the Guardian Fire Insurance Company 
of New York, and he is a director of the Paterson 
and Rainapo Railroad, New Jersey. He is president 
of the Bedford Manufacturing Company of Newark, 
N. J. He was also formerly a director for ten years 
of the Clark Thread Company of Newark. He owns | 
a large amount of property in and near Paterson, in- 
cluding the building of the Wat.soii ManufiUturing 
Company, on Railroad Avenue, and the entire block 
whereon it stands, a residence in Paterson, Brookside 
Farm and Mill at Preakness, and a beautiful rural 
residence and estate, known as "Warren Point," in 
Bergen County, opposite Paterson. He is recognized 
as one of the most liberal-minded and public-spirited 
citizens of Paterson. 

Six of his sisters reside with their husbands near 
Bclfiutt, Ireland. His youngest brother, James, is at 
the head of the largest manufacturing establishment 
in Great Britain in the construction of flax, jute, 
and hemp machinery. He established the business 
in 1X44, and employs ni'arly two thousand mechanics, 
in a factory fifteen hundred feet long, tilled with all 
the modern labor-saving machinery, principally of 
his own invention. 

Thoma.s Barbour married, in 185(), Miss Warren, of 
Vi-r<iiia, Oneida Go., N. Y., and has had two sons, 
—William and Thomas. The latter died in infancy. 



William Barbour was educated in France, and at 
Hanover, Germany, and is connected with the super- 
intendency of the mills of the Barbour Flax-Spinning 
Company of Paterson, and is thoroughly familiar 
with the various branches of the business. He also 
is connected with the selling de|iartment in New York. 
Thomas Barbour is also about to develop the harvest- 
ers' twine business, utilizing the flax fibre that has 
previously been destroyed as useless by farmers in the 
West. 

liiitler d- Me/drum.— In 1867, Henry V. Butler and 
John B. Meldrum formed a partnership under the 
above name, and hired the upper floor of Todd & 
Ritchie's jute-mill, at the corner of Jackson and 
Taylor Streets, where they began a new business, 
jirinting jute carpets by a |)cculiar process invented 
by Mr. Meldrum. It is diliicult to paint or dye veg- 
etable fibres; indeed, some say they cannot be truly 
dyed, at the best it is merely a stain. Vegetable 
fibres exposed to the microscope are seen to resemble 
a stick of wood, while animal fibres, such as wool and 
silk, are found to have a cellular tissue or are hollow, 
so that they absorb the dye into their cells, and thus 
are truly dyed. For this reiuson the process of Mr. 
Meldrum has been justly considered a notable inven- 
tion. In 1870 the firm removed to the Arkwright 
Mill, em|)loying about twenty-five hands. In 1880 
they removed to Haledon, where Mr. Butler carries on 
the business alone, having bought out Mr. Meldrum. 



CHAPTER LXIV. 

CITY OF I'ATEKSON— (O.H»Miu<rd). 

Tin: Sii.K IxDl'STKY. — Said Lord Bacon, writing 
three centuries ago, " If, before the Invention of Silk, 
any one should have said there was a certain Way o( 
making a certain Cloth for .Vpparel, and Household- 
Furniture, far exceeding that of Linen, or of Wool- 
len, in Fineness, Strength, Gloss, and Softness; Men 
would immediately have tiillen to coiijccturing about 
some vegetable Silk, the finer Furs of .Vnimals, or the 
Feathers and Down of Binis, without ever dreaming 
it should |>rocee(l in such Plenty, from the nnniver- 
sjiry Spinning of a small Worm. .\nd if any one 
should have but drojip'd a Word abimt such a Worm, 
he would certainly have been laugh'd at, as the Pro- 
jector of a new Spider- Work. " ' It wius truly a 
rennirkable discovery, and its antii|uity and llw pe- 
culiar fiLscinafion there exists about the manipulation 
of silk have led even the mustiest of antiquarians to 
expend much time and research in tracing the ear- 
liest history of this beautiful industry. It attained 
such paramount importance long ago in China that 
the fid)ulous annals and the somewhat more authentic 
" Four Books" of that country contain many refer- 

< Works of Lord BacoD, Shaw't ed., U>iidan, 1723, vol. 11. 3M. 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



463 



ences to it. Among the former, the Empress Si-ling- 
Chi is credited with having been the first to invent 
silk tissues, two thousand six hundred and fifty years 
before tlie Christian era, wherefore she was placed 
among the Chinese divinities, under the name of 
Sien-Tlisan, or "first promoter of the silk industry.'" 
However, it is somewhat inconsistent with this al- 
leged very remote discovery to find that more than 
two thousand years later the wearing of silk clothing 
in China appears to have been confined to the aged, 
or to those from fifty to seventy years old, and such 
garments were provided for them as an act of charity 
or filial kindness, to keep the aged warm and com- 
fortable. 

Said Mencius (born B.C. 400) to King Hwuy, of 
Leang, " Let mulberry-trees be planted about tlie 
homesteads with tlieir five tnoiv, and persons of fifty 
years may be clothed with silk. ... It never has been 
that the ruler of a State, where such results were seen 
. . . persons of seventy wearing silk and eating flash 
. . . did not attain to the imperial dignity." '' In 
Crenesis xli. 42, we are told that Pharaoh arrayed 
Joseph in " vestures of fine linen," and the translators 
give as the alternative reading for " linen" the word 
" silk." According to this the use of silk must have 
been known in Egypt 1750 years before Christ. There 
are reasons connected with the peculiar religious 
tenets of the Egyptians, particularly their veneration 
for animal life, which render it doubtful if in the 
time of Joseph they countenanced tlie wearing of 
garments woven from the product of the silk-worm. 
Pythagoras, who was schooled in the religion and 
philosophy of Egypt, wore only linen garments ; and 
Apollonius of Tyana, imitating him, di.scarded all 
other species of clothing, "refusing all such as came 
of living creatures."'' Coming down to the period 
of authentic Chinese history, we find that 2000 years 
ago the denizens of the " Flowery Kingdom" un- 
doubtedly imported their woven silken fabrics into 
Persia, Greece, and Italy. But they were pretty ex- 
pensive, as in Rome silken garments were worth their 
weight in gold. In the year a.i>. 552 two Persian 
monks are said to have brought the first silk-worm 
eggs from China to Constantinople, for which they 
would have forfeited their lives had they been de- 
tected in the former country. They concealed their 
precious freight in the hollow of their canes.' P'our 
hundred years later the breeding of silk-worms was 
introduced in Spain, and in the twelfth century 
Greece and Italy began the same industry. It was 
two centuries later ere France engaged in sericulture, 
although the weaving of silk had long been estab- 



1 Elliot C. Cowdin's Report on Silk and Silk Manufactures at the Paris 
Exposition, 1867, p. 4. 

- Confucius and the Chinese Classics, by A. W. Loomis, 1867, pp. 30, 
181. 

^ Life of Apollonius uf Tyana, by Philoatrafus, translated by Berwick, 
p. 14; Blount's translation, 168U, p. 22. 

^ Cnwdin, tU SHjjrti, .'i, (J; American Meclianics' Magazine, i. u82. 



lished there." It is said that England had forty thou- 
sand skilled silk-workers as early as 1G(51." Upon the 
revocation of the Edict of Nantes, in 1685, the Hugue- 
not silk operatives fled from France to England, Ger- 
many, Switzerland, and Holland, and carried their 
trade with them, establishing it in those countries, 
which have ever since retained a firm hold on the in- 
dustry, with the exception of Holland. The addition 
of seventy thousand skilled French silk-workers to 
the English labor market gave her a prestige in that 
manufacture which she has never lost.' 

The manipulation of silk had been hitherto carried 
on in the dwellings of the operatives, as it is still in 
most of the continental cities. The first silk-mill in 
England was built in 1718-19, on an island in the 
Derwent, at Derby, by John Lombe, who periled his 
life in attempting to steal from Italy the secret of the 
machines used in the silk-works of that country.* 
The English operatives in the course of time became 
such a power that they were able to dictate to Parlia- 
ment, and in 1765 secured legislation prohibiting the 
importation of foreign manufactures of .silk.'' This 
prohibition was continued for sixty years, during 
which time the silk manufactures of the country in- 
creased 336 per cent. Even when this prohibition 
was removed a tariff of 30 per cent, was substituted, 
while the duty on raw silk was reduced from five 
shillings and sixpence to the pound to threepence, 
and ultimately to one penny.'" No wonder that the 
English silk manufacture became thoroughly estab- 
lished in that country after sixty years of absolute 
monopoly. But it seems inconsistent for English 
manufacturers to protest against the American tariff 
after they have reaped the advantages of still more 
protective legislation for so long a period. 

From the time that Columbus returned to Euroi)e 
with the announcement that he had discovered India 
by sailing to the west, most of the projects for the 
colonizing of the new country were coupled with 
plans for sericulture. As early as 1608, King James 
I., who had a horror of tobacco, wrote a letter to the 
London Company urging it to encourage the raising 
of silk-worms in Virginia." The coronation robe of 
Charles II. in 1660 was woven of silk grown in that 
colony, and in 1735 Queen Caroline wore on a great 
state occasion a robe made from Georgia silk. Efforts 
had been made from the first settlement of the latter 
colony to raise silk, and from 1758 to 1766 from ten 
thousand to fifteen thousand pounds of cocoons were 
delivered annually to a silk establishment in Savan- 

'^ Cowdin, 6. 

"^ White's Memoir of Slater, p. 414. 

' Bonnechaser's History of France, 400; Weiss' History of the French 
Protestant Refugees, i. 159, 191, 205, ■.i90-291, 350; ii. 118-125, 187 ; Smith's 
Wealth of Nations, ii. 181 ; Cowdin, 7, 29. 

6 White's filemoir of Slater, 412 ; Cowdin, 30. 

I May's Constitutional History of England, ii. 125 ; Blackstone's Com- 
mentaries, iv. 159, 160 ; Charter of the Nations, by Henry Dunckley, 
London, 1854, 107. 

1" Dunckley, ut supra, 108. 

II White's Slater, 413 ; Cowdin, 7. 



« 



464 



HISTOKY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIG COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



nah, and the annual export of raw silk ranged from 
five hiiudrcd to one tliousand pouuds' in New Jersey. 
Considerable <iuaiitilii-s of sillc were raised before tiie 
Revolution under the stimulii.s of bountie.s granted 
by the Legislature and continued for a short period." 
It was the same in other States, especially in New 
England. The action of the Spitalfields (England) 
silk-weavers resulted in legislation (in 1765), already 
referred to, which was hostile to the development of 
the silk industry in America, and thereafter it drooped 
and finally died. From the early part of the present 
century desultory eflbrts were made to revive it by 
enthusiastic persons or sanguine speculators, but they 
had too many difficulties to encounter to win success. 
It first secured a firm foothold in Connecticut, es- 
pecially at Manstield, where it had flourished before 
the Revolution, subsequently virtually dying out, t« 
be re-established half a century ago. In 183t) there 
were two small silk-factories at Mansfield, with one 
hundred and fifty-two spindles and three looms. In 
1839 they consumed five tons of raw material in the 
manufacture of sewing-silks.' This brings us down 
to the date of the introduction of the silk industry 
into I'aterson. 

Before proceeding to this, however, a brief explana- 
tion of the various processes silk has to undergo be- 
fore it is sent upon the market in the shape of dress 
goods, ribbons, or handkerihiefs may be accejitable 
to the general reader. The matured cocoon of the 
silk-worm is placed in warm water to soften it, and 
then the silk-thread spun by the worm is reeled off 
by women and children, who in China and Italy are 
paid but two or three cents a day. Thus reeled and 
made up into hanks, it is imi)orted into the I'nitcd 
States free of duty, in bales weighing from ninety to 
two hundred and twenty-five jiounds, and is worth 
from $.j.oO to $7.50 per pound. The Italian silk is 
the finest. Once at the silk-mill, it is sorted by the 
eye to classify the sizes, the finer thread being jtlaced 
by itself The silk is still enoa-sed in the natural gum 
with which the worm liius coated every thread, resem- 
bling under the microscope gelatine. It could not 
be worked with this, and so the silk is now soaked in 
warm water with a little soap for twelve hours or 
more, by which time the gum him been pretty well 
separati'd from it, ami the silk is ready to be wound 
upon spools or bobbins, which is ne.\t done. Its des- 
tination thereafter now depends upon what its tiiial 
state is to be; if it is for onjiiminr, wliicii is the warp 
of the woven fabric, it goes to the " mills" to be 
twisted to strengthen the silk, and after being given 

> IViwillii, |i|>. H, U; R«T. lisurgK Whlt<nolil'i Juiirunl, 1741, p. 4. 

» Cowdln, |>. 10; Allln>i>ir> I.»wii of Noiv .lonwy, ril. 1778, p. 2SI. 

" llftrlM^r'ii lllKtoHcJil rollo<;tluti» of Coiiiioctlciit. At ttio rlvk of IwlDg 
oliKriieil Willi ftn alTrrUtloD of peiUntr)', tlio MrrH4.r liiu Rlvoii numoroiu 
riir«roii<;ra to »ork» In hU own llhnrjr, from whicli tlio ron'KoliiK >tntci. 
niiint« Imvi' I'O'in c>>ni|illc'il in rolntlon to tlm orl«l" »nil growth of the 
lllk tndilatry.iu ■ guide to any one (lr«lr1ng to pnrvilo llio mibject. S«t. 
Kiml ■iiKliil trratlM* hHa tnton pnbllilltKl of Ut«, tint tho wrIMr hu 
not Mvn thvin. 



the first twist it is doubled, either two or three threads 
together, and is again twisted on the spinners to twist 
the three threads into one. It is then reeled into 
skeins of uniform length on a machine which rings a 
bell when the desired length has been reeled ofl', 
usually one thousand yards. These skeins go to the 
"drachming" room, where they are weighed on deli- 
cate scales, and as all the skeins are of the same 
length, it is apparent that the lighter skeins must 
contain the finer silk, so the one-drachm skeins are 
hung on a peg by themselves, and the two-drachm on 
another and so on ; then the skeins of the several 
grades are put together in hanks by themselves, a 
number of skeins being twisted together to make a 
roll, and bundles are made of several of them. 

l( trmn is wanted, — the woof or tilling of the woven 
fabric, — after the raw silk ha.« been taken ofl" the 
winders it goes directly to the doublers, from two to 
four threads being there doubled together ; then it 
goes to the mills, where it is spun "once over" with a 
much slacker twist than organzine ; it next goes to the 
reel, to be made into skeins of uniform lengths; then 
to the drachiuing-room, after which it is packed up 
in bundles. The Irani and the orgamine are now 
all through the various processes comprised in what 
is known as "throwing," and the manufacturer who 
does this work is called a "throwster." .\fler the 
silk has been "thrown" it goes to the dyers, and on 
its return it is once more wound upon spools. The 
organzine next goes to the warpers, who place the 
requisite number of threads upon the bobbins, so 
many to the inch, — the greater the number the finer 
the woven article ; then they go to the loom, and are 
passed through the " harness," and also through the 
front reed. It now waits only for the weaver to start 
up his loom. The tram after being dyed and spooleil 
goes to the cleaners, who carefully remove every visi- 
ble iin|>erfection to insure a smooth surface on the 
finished fabric. It is next doubled to whatever size 
is re(|ulred to make the rib or web of the ribbon or 
other fabric to be woven ; it next goes on ipiills or 
very small spools, which are placed in the shuttle of 
the loom, .\fter the fabric is woven it goes to the 
pickers to have the weavers' knots and other rough 
projections removed by little tweezers; then it goes 
to the cylinder, which is filled with steam, and is 
pa.ssed rapidly around it, while a formidable-looking 
roller full of knives passes over it, pressing it and 
giving it a final glo.ss. Ribbons are then passed on 
to the blockers, to be wound on blocks, after which 
they are packed in boxes and sent to market. For- 
merly they were placarde<l with the name of some 
real or suppositious French or Italian silk manufar- 
turcr, and then suld readily to buyers who would not so 
much a.s look at American silk. Hut that is all changed 
now, and every Paterson manufacturer put-s his own 
name on his own goods, and finds it a help rather 
than a hindrance in securing a sale for his goods. If 
the worm is allowetl to fecundate the cocoon is pierced. 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



465 



and thus the silk thread of which it is composed is 
cut up into innumerable short threads; these pierced 
cocoons are then chopped up and torn to pieces, and 
the short fibres are carded like wool, twisted together, 
and spun. The product is " spun silk." The waste 
made in the other manipulations of silk is also carded 
and made into "spun silk." Sewing-silk is given 
a coarser twist than the other, and fringe-silk is 
made with a coarser twist still, and often from spun 
silk.i 

Christopher Colt. — This was a young gentleman, son 
of Elisha Colt, of Connecticut, who was president of 
the Connecticut Silk Company. Christopher obtained 
some insight into the silk manufacture under his 
father, and then took charge of a mill at Dedham, 
Mass. The factory burning down, he arranged for 
the purchase of the machinery, and finding New 
York capitalists to back him up, he removed it to 
Paterson, where he set it up in the fourth .story of the 
"Gun Mill," in which his brother, Samuel Colt, was 
interested. He added some new machinery, which he 
had bought elsewhere. Altogether he had about 1000 
spindles, 200 or 300 doubling spindles, and 500 or UOO 
winding spindles. His machinery occupied less than 
half of the floor he had leased, extending down only 
one side of the room, and not filling even that one 
side. It was probably in the early part of 1839 that 
Colt began operations in Paterson and started the 
first silk-mill, from which small beginning has grown 
up the mighty industry that now permeates the whole 
city and gives employment to nearly fifteen thousand 
men, women, and children. He does not appear to 
have run the place more than two or three months. 
He made sewing-silks exclusively, buying his raw 
silk, and employed twenty-five or thirty hands. He 
had hardly got his mill well under way before he 
closed the place, locked the door, and went to New 
York, where he sold out the whole establishment to 
George W. Murray.^ 

George W. Murray/. — Mr. Murray was an English- 
man who had long been settled in New York with 
his brother as shipping merchants. During the sum- 
mer of 1839 he had been greatly interested in the 
running of a silk-mill at Northampton, N. H., where 
John Ryle was superintendent. That mill having 
shut down, Mr. Rylo came to New York, and there 
he was met by Mr. Murray, who, learning that he was 
no longer at Northampton, after some conversation 
proposed to buy out Mr. Colt's silk-mill at Paterson, 
if Mr. Ryle should think well of it after inspection 
and agree to run it. Mr. Ryle was willing, and having 
visited the "Gun Mill" and examined the silk ma- 
chinery there, advised its purchase, which was con- 



' The writer is ilidebteil tu Mr. William Strange for tlie foregoing con- 
cise description of the manipulation of silk into the various products 
hereinafter alluded to. 

- For the foregoing particulars, and for the subsequent account of 
George W. Murray, and of Mr. Ryle's own early efforts in building up 
the silk industry, the writer is indebted to Mr. Jolin Ryle. 



summated by Mr. Murray in October or November, 
1830. Mr. Ryle lost no time in getting the machinery 
in running order and in securing some experienced 
hands from New York, and in teaching others. He 
began with six or eight hands in all, but as rapidly 
as possible took on others and extended the busi- 
ness. 

Mr. Murray took a wonderful interest in the enter- 
prise, and removed with his wife to Paterson in order 
to give it more of his personal attention. Mr. Ryle 
devoted the whole of his time to building up and de- 
veloping the business, usually staying at the mill till 
ten or eleven o'clock at night, and getting there by 
six in the morning, or before daylight, summer and 
winter. In the course of time the whole of the floor, 
forty by one hundred feet, which Colt had leased was 
filled with machinery. In 1842, Mr. Ryle received a 
silver medal from the American Institute for ball 
twist and sewing-silk exhibited at the Institute fair. 
This was the principal product of the mill. About 
1842-43, Mn. Murray leased the attic of the Gun W\\\ 
and had it fitted up into a fine room for manufactur- 
ing purposes. In that room he set up fifteen or twenty 
looms. Mr. Ryle says these were the first silk-looms 
in the United States that had ever amounted to any- 
thing. They sent one thousand yards of silk dress 
goods, woven on those looms, to Philadelphia. It 
was the first time such a quantity had ever been woven 
and .shipped in one consignment in America. These 
looms were run for two or three years weaving dress 
goods and handkerchiefs, but the other branch of the 
business was so much more profitable and stable that 
they abandoned the weaving and devoted themselves 
exclusivel}' to the manufacture of sewing-silks and 
trams and organzines for other manufacturers, filling 
the attic with their spinning-frames and removing 
the looms. 

John Ryle. — In 1846, William Ryle, a brother of 
John, came over from Macclesfield and visited the 
Gun Mill. He declared that the hands trained by 
John were the best silk hands he had ever seen. He 
aided John in buying out Mr. Murray, and then Mr. 
John Ryle began running the mill on his own ac- 
count. He was ceaselessly experimenting for the 
improvement and development of the industry, and 
was untiring in his efforts to get it properly recog- 
nized by Congre.ss. As early as 1842 he began wait- 
ing on the sessions of that body to urgg the members 
to sustain the infant manufacture by adequate protec- 
tion, but it was twenty years ere his views prevailed 
in Washington. He now began experimenting with 
power-looms, " back in the forties," as he expresses 
it, but his efforts did not succeed. The World's Fair 
coming on at New York in 1852, he set about' weav- 
ing an American flag of silk, and produced a mag- 
nificent banner about twenty by forty feet, which 
floated for many months over the Crystal Palace in 
New York, and was a never-failing object of admira- 
tion to patriotic Americans. It was the first time the 



166 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



national ensign had ever been produced from Amer- 
ican silk-looms. Of course. Mr. Ryle received a 
medal and unbounded praise from the inanajicrs and 
from the public in general, but it put little money in 
his pocket. In 1835 he began the erection of a new 
mill, which he called, after his old patron, the " Mur- 
ray Mill.'' It was on Mill Street, west side, nearly 
opposite Ward Street, seventy-three by two hundred 
feet, two stories high, with slate roof. This mill was 
built for the purpose of making sewing-silks by hand 
with hand-wheels. The late John Jackson Scott was 
superintendent. Before the building was finished 
there was held in it a great Republican meeting, the 
first in Paterson, which was addressed by Henry 
Wilson, atterwards Vice-President of the United 
States. 

In 18ot>-57, Mr. Ryle was running both the old Gun 
Mill and the Murray Mill ; he occupied the two 
lower floors of the former, besides a small shop by i 
the river. He was then employing five hundred to 
si.v hundred hands, and used twenty-five or thirty 
bales of raw silk weekly, — a production that was not 
exceeded by any mill in Paterson for ten or fifteen 
years afterwards. About 1860-61 he began weaving 
once more on the second floor of the Murray Mill, 
and a year or two later removed from the (inn Mill 
and concentrated all his business in the Murray Mill. 
At this time the breaking out of the war had greatly 
injured the silk manufacture, and the production was 
now almost entirely used in the making of fringes. The 
enactment of the protective tariff in 1862-64 and the 
high rate of exchange gave the American silk in- 
dustry an impetus which it had long needed, and 
Mr. Ryle e.xperienccd the benefits in common with 
others. In 1868 he added a third story to his mill 
and enlarged his production, making trams and or- ! 
ganzines, spun silks, and embroidery silks. No 
weaving was carried on in the enlarge<l mill. Four 
or five hundred hands were employed. While thus 
embarked on the full tide of prosperity a fire broke 
out in the mill on the afternoon of May 10, 1860, and 
within an hour the entire splendid structure lay a 
smoking mass of ruins, and ;!^00,()(lll worth of prop- 
erty had been swept out of existence. There was not 
a dollar of insurance, so that Mr. Ryle's loss* w;is total 
and irremediable. It was enough to have cnished 
any ordinary man, but .Mr. Ryle was not of that kind, 
and without ynneccssary delay he set about the erec- ' 
tion of a new Murray Mill. This wimon a new plan. 
It was of brick, but only one story high, lighted only 
from the roof by skylights with a imrtliern ex|(Osure, 
the ililFerent rooms separaleil by solid brick partitions, 
and many of the fioiirs laid with bluestone flagging. ' 
The Fiuilding covers an acre and a half of ground, 
and, it will be seen, is virtually fire-proof, besides 
being far more convenient and much safer than if 
several stories high. 

At the present time the principal business is throw- 
ing, making trams and organ/ine on commission, be- 



sides there are many power-looms, both for weaving 
handkerchiefs, ribbons, and dress goods: among the 
looms are many Jacquards for the weaving of fancy 
designs. Mo.st of the goods are dyctl on the premises. 
From 250 to 300 hands are employed, whose wages 
amount to from l?100,0(KI to $12.">,000 yearly. The 
mill is now run by the Pioneer Silk Company, of 
which Mr. Ryle is the presiilent and manager. As 
already remarked, Mr. Ryle has always been experi- 
menting to discover and apply improved methods in 
the manipulation of silk. He invented the process 
of re-reeling silk, now in general use. He has long 
been the senior silk-manufacturer in Paterson, whence 
he has been very ajipropriately termed the " father of 
the silk industry in Paterson.'' He has been its lather 
in another sense. For many years there was scarcely 
a silk-mill started in the city unless it was owned or 
superintended by men whom he had taught the bu.si- 
ness, and, as a rule, most of the hands for the new 
mills were those whom he had brought up in his es- 
tablishment. He has not got over this habit of teach- 
ing, and to this day declares that he can do anything 
that requires to be done in his mill, in any and every 
department. A book could be written of his recol- 
lections of the early struggles of the silk-manufactu- 
rers of America, and a most interesting volume it 
would be. 

He was born in the village of Bollington. nejir 
Macclesfield, Cheshire, England, on Oct. 22. 1817. 
His parents were Peter and Sarah (Brunt) Ryle, his 
mother being a native of Statibrdshire. His father 
was a machinist by trade. Out of a lamily of seventeen 
children but five grew to years of maturity, namely, 
Reuben, William, John, Sarah (widow of Thomas 
Rowson, of Paterson), and Peter. Reuben and Wil- 
liam became prominent silk manufacturersat Maccles- 
field, England, the firm of R. & W. Ryle being widely 
known in the tra<le, and supplying the London and 
Manchester markets. Reuben was the father of , John 
C. Ryle, of Paterson, and William of the late Wil- 
liam Ryle. of the same city. Peter also engaged in 
the manufacture of silk in Paterxon, and dieil in that 
place. 

In 1820, .John Ryle's parent.s moved from Boiling- 
ton to Macclesfield, where his father died in \X'2-i and 
his mother about 1828. Thus early in life was the 
subject of this sketeh launched alone upon the sea 
of life. He never enjoyed any schooling advantages, 
and imbibed all his book education at the Sabbath- 
school alone. Remarkable though it may seem, he 
wiLs placed in a silk-mill at the tender age of five 
years, an<l thus was veritably cradled in the midst of 
an industry that largely through his fostering care 
and intelligent labor has become one of the most 
important of the United States. 

.Mr. Ryle worked in vari<ms silk-mills at Mucdes- 
fielil unlil IX.'JO. At that time, althoii);li superintend- 
ing in a satisfactory and succes-sful manner the large 
business of his brotherx, R. iV W. Ryle, he determined 



CITY OP PATERSON. 



467 



to embark for the New World, to seek his fortune 
among strangers in a strange land. His brothers 
were unable to dissuade him from what appeared in 
a youtli of his years and in experience a suicidal and 
disastrous course, and on March 1, 1839, he sailed 
from Liverpool in the ship " Marion," commanded 
by gruff old Capt. Bonyman, and after a voyage of 
forty-nine days landed in New York City. His chief 
capital at that time was a pair of ready hands, a 
strong will, and an ambitious desire to succeed in 
life, and so he was compelled to seek employment at 
once. He first went to Northampton, Mass., where 
he worked on a ribbon-loom in the employ of Samuel 
Whitmarsh. The following September he returned 
to New York, and estalilished the silk importing 
business in a small way on the corner of JIaiden 
Lane and William Streets. His brothers in England 
furnished him with his stock in trade, consisting of 
silk handkerchiefs. He continued in this business 
but a few mouths, when fate made him acquainted 
with a person with whom he was afterwards associ- 
ated for years in the person of George W. Murray. Mr. 
Murray contemplated establishing the silk business 
in Paterson, and at his solicitation Mr. Ryle visited 
that city for the purpose of examining the old " Gun 
Mill" of Samuel Colt with a view of its appropria- 
tion for the uses of silk manufacture. Up to this 
time no -silk had been manufactured in Paterson, 
although Christopher Colt had made the attempt 
without satisfactory results. 

Mr. Murray purchased the "Old Gun Mill" on Mr. 
Ryle's suggestion, and at once started the manufac- 
ture of silk, with the latter in full charge. After 
three years Mr. Ryle was taken into partnership by 
Mr. Murray, and the firm of Murray & Ryle did a 
flourishing business in the manufacture of sewing-silk 
and twist until 1846, when, with the assistance of his 
brother William, Mr. Ryle purchased Mr. Murray's 
interest, and continued business alone. In 1853 he 
made the elegant silk flag that floated over the cen- 
tral dome of the Crystal Palace at the World's Fair 
of that year. In 1857 the firm of John Ryle & 
Nephew was organized, with the late William Ryle 
as junior partner. After about two years the latter 
withdrew, and Mr. Ryle continued business alone for 
several years. About 1864 the firm of John Ryle & 
Co. was organized, consisting of John Ryle and his 
nephew, John C. Ryle, and a large and successful 
business was carried on in the "Old Murray Mill,' 
which building Mr. Ryle had erected and owned in- 
dividually. 

On March 10, 1869, this magnificent structure, with 
all its valuable machinery and stock, the whole val- 
ued at $400,000, was burned to the ground without a 
dollar of insurance upon it. Mr. Ryle had alrcadv 
lost half a million of dollars during the financial 
crisis of 1857, and now another fortune was swept 
away from him. Few men have endured so many 
disasters with so brave a heart. The mill was rebuilt 



under the auspice.s of the Ryle Silk Manufacturing 
Company, of which Mr. Ryle became president, and 
the old veteran was once more set to work at his 
chosen avocation. The RyleSilk Manufacturing Com- 
pany was succeeded about four years ago by the Pio- 
neer Silk Company, of which Mr. Ryle is now the 
president. The company are chiefly engaged in 
throwing silk and in weaving ribbons and broad 
silks. 

Few men are more highly respected in the city than 
"old John Ryle," as he is familiarly known. With 
no educational advantages, reared amid the clash and 
clamor of moving machinery, coming when a mere 
youth to a strange land, embarking alone in an un- 
tried and uninviting line of manufacture in America, 
he became one of the pillars of the silk trade of the 
United States, and his name a household word among 
the laborers in that industry. He was one of the most 
active in the movement to cause the duty to be re- 
moved from raw silk, and a proper protective tarifl!' 
exacted on the manufactured article, and has always 
done his part in fostering and encouraging the silk 
industry. He is a member of the " Silk Industry As- 
sociation of Paterson," and of the " Silk Industrial 
Association" of New York. 

Few men have been pursued by a more malignant 
fate than Mr. Ryle, and his courageous bearing under 
the heaviest of disasters has but increased the respect 
and esteem of his friends for him. He has been long 
recognized as one of the public benefactors of Pater- 
son, and has ever been a liberal contributor to the 
various movements calculated to develop its resources 
and elevate the tone of society in Paterson. He was 
the practical builder of the Paterson Water- Works, 
subscribing for .s75,000 of the $100,000 of stock issued, 
and owned the works for many years. He adorned the 
grounds around the " Cottage on the Cliff"" at his own 
expense, and threw them open to the public, receiving 
the grateful recognition of the working population of 
the city for the bestowment of so great a boon upon 
them. He has assisted many of his friends in their 
efforts to establish business in Paterson, and is pos- 
sessed of the most liberal and enterprising spirit, a 
genial nature, and is hospitable and kind to all. His 
strict integrity and high sense of honor have long 
challenged the admiration of his friends. He has 
never been an aspirant after public position, and has 
held himself studiously aloof from political aff'airs. 
He wiis mayor of the city of Paterson in 1869 and 
1870. 

Mr. Ryle was married in 1841 to Miss Sarah Morfitt, 
of Paterson. The children who reached years of ma- 
turity were Reuben, who is in business in Montreal; 
William, superintendent of the Paterson Water- 
Works; John, who resides in Chicago; Thomas, en- 
gaged in the factory with his father; and Jemima. 
His first wife died in 1867, and three years later Mr. 
Ryle married his present wife, Lucy W. Raymond, 
widow of William W. B. Lindley, a former silk-manu- 



468 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



facturer of Winchester, Mass. Mr. Ryle is well pre- I 
served, possessed of a remarkable memory, and is still 
actively engaged in silk manufacture. 

Giles Van Xeis. — In December, 1844, Giles Van 
Ne.<.s began making tassels of cotton and worsted in i 
a small shop back of his dwelling, in Hamburg 
Avenue, between Water and Matlock Streets. Within 
a few weeks, perha|)s the same month, he bought one ' 
pound of black tram from George Murray, and made 
it up into cloak tassels. Then he began coating balls ' 
for parasols with sewing-silk. Very little girls were 
employed in tiiese operations, and some of them be- 
came so expert that they would cover four gross of 
buttons or balls with silk in a day. Within a few 
weeks after beginning business he got two or three 
looms for making silk fringe, trimmings, gimp, and 
broad gimp. In the course of two years ampler ac- 
commodations were needed, and he leased a lot on 
Water Street, one door east of Northwest Street, 
whereon he built a two-story frame shop, fifteen by 
ninety feet, and removed his business there. He then 
employed from twenty-five to thirty hands, and iiad 
eight looms, and an engine-loom with eight shuttles 
that would make sixteen pieces at once. Of course 
all the looms were hand-looms, and the wheels were 
turned by hand also. The machinery was bought in 
New York, whence most of the skilled hands were 
likewise brought, for at first the |)rocess was jealously 
guarded as a profound secret by tho.se who understood 
it, and it was only by the exercise of Mrs. Van Ness' 
womanly tact and perseverance that she and her bus- j 
band were able to acquire any knowledge of the busi- 
ness. In fact, it was Mrs. Van Ness who suggested 
the idea to her husband, and it was she who first 
learned the art, and attcrwanls virtually conducted the 
business. For many years all the ladies in I'aterson 
had to get their silk trimmings, buttons, gimp, etc., 
from Mrs. Van Ness, and to this day her hand has 
not forgotten its cunning in this delicate work. Mr. 
Van Nejjs die<l in 18t)4. 

Ckr'mtopher (hll, ('. Cull A- Co., EdiranI A. liedloe. 
— The next silk-mill in I'atcrson wasstarU'd by Chris- 
topher Colt, who had started the first. After his re- 
moval from Paterson in 1830, Mr. Colt continued his 
connection in a more or less desultory way with the 
silk business, and in the summer or fall of 1S47 he 
returned to I'atcrson and took the third fioor of the 
Nightingale Mill, which he soon filled with silk ma- 
chinery' for winding, doubling, spinning, and throw- 
ing generally. He employed 50 or t>0 hands at this 
time. In 1848 he as.sociated with himself Kdward A. 
Bedloe, then a clerk at Delnionico's dining-rooms in 
New York, a connection of the family that once 
owned liedioe's Island in New York Hay. The lirm 
was then C. Colt &Co. It was probably in 184!t that 
Mr. Colt once more left Paterson, this time perma- 
nently, disposing of his mill to his partner, Edward 
A. Itedlop. The latter appears to have continued the 
business until the latter part of 1852 or early in 18.')3. 



When Mr. Colt first came to Paterson he was about 
thirty years of age. 

John C Benson. — In January or February, 18i)l, 
John C. Benson, a New England man, who came to 
Paterson in 1X43, and for seven years carried on a 
cotton-mill, began the erection of a brick silk-mill on 
Bridge Street, between Division and Godwin Streets. 
He had all his machinery made by Todd, Mackey & 
Co., who also had built his boiler and engine, for his 
mill was run by steam-power, and was the first silk- 
mill so operated, and, in fact, was one of the first mills 
of any kind in the town using steam-power. By 
summer he was able to set his machinery in (yiera- 
tion. He made sewing-silk, thrown silk, trams and 
organ/.ines, fringes, etc. He did no weaving. He 
employed GO or 70 hands at first, and afterwards in- 
creased to 10(1. He utilized the water of the brook 
which passed through his ground for dyeing pur- 
poses, not only dyeing his own silk, but for John 
Ryle, Hamil & Booth, and other parties in Paterson 
and New York. He dammed up the brook and sunk 
a large well or tank in which to store the water, 
which seemed jieculiarly adapted for dyeing. He 
continued the business until about IStJO, when he 
concluded to retire from active work, and then he 
sold out to his son-in-law, Daniel Kerapton. The 
latter carried it on but a short time, and in turn dis- 
posed of the mill to the Leonard Brothers i George D., 
John N., and O. W., the last named being succeeded 
by James), who ran it for a few years, but failed to 
make a success of the enterprise, and the property 
reverted to Mr. Benson, who then sold it to Thomas 
D. Hoxsey and David B. Beam. The old building 
still stands, and possesses a ]>eculiar interest from the 
fact that it wits the first, after Van Ness", erecte<l in 
Paterson for a silk-mill. It is now occupied by the 
Paterson Keed and Harness Compaqy, who make 
reeds and harness for silk-weavers. 

Janus WatthaU, Sfelle d- WaUhall, Lewis J{. StdU, 
etc. — In October, 1853, James Walthall, who had pre- 
viously had long experience in the silk manufacture 
in Philadelphia, started to make sewing-silks in the 
lower floor of a long, low, two-story building in the 
rear of the Nightingale Mill, in Van Honten Street. 
John Kyle had previously occupied the room to twist 
silk by hand. Seven of his own children assisted 
him, anil he had five more hands, making twelve in 
all. lie macle itil kinds of sewing-silks and some em- 
broidery silk !is well, nothing else. In the summer or 
fall of 1854 he removed to the third floor of the Ma- 
chinists' Association building, occupying half of the 
floor. He then employed filly or sixty hands, and 
hail eight winding-frame-s and from two to three tliou- 
.sand spindles; he also wound sofl silk for New York 
parties. In 18.5(3, Lewis K. Stelle, till then publisher 
of the Pnlerson Guardian newspaper, sold out the 
paper and embarked his capital in the silk business 
with Mr. Walthall, when the firm became Stelle A 
Walthall. With the increiuscd means the new firm 






^/^/^/-/^^ '-^c ^: t//" 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



469 



spread out materially, taking the whole of the third 
floor of the building. They did a good business until 
the breaking out of the war, when Mr. Walthall pa- 
triotically enlisted with his old militia company, the 
" City Blues," and sold out his interest in the silk- 
mill to Mr. Stelle. The latter continued it for some 
years alone, and then took in his sons, J. Lawrence 
and Alexander D., the firm being L. R. Stelle & Sons. 
They carried it on until about 1873, when Mr. Stelle 
accepted what he considered an advantageous offer to 
establish his silk-mill in a town in the interior of 
New York State, whither he removed his machinery. 
In 1868 they made about three hundred pounds of 
tram and fringe weekly. 

The PhcEnir Silk-Mills. — Some account ha-s been 
given under another head of the origin and progress 
of the Phcpnix Mill, first as a cotton- and then as a 
cotton- and flax-mill, and then again as a cotton-mill. 
Its transformation into the vast silk establishment 
that it has become apjiears to have been a purely for- 
tuitous circumstance. About 1854, John Birchenough 
started in the silk business in a small way in the 
"Star" Mill, the Machinists' Association building, at 
the corner of Broadway and Prospect Streets. In 
1859 he had removed to the Beaver Mill, and the fol- 
lowing year found him occupying the third floor of 
the main Pha?nix Mill, a room forty-eight by one hun- 
dred and seventy feet in area, where he was employ- 
ing fifty or sixty hands in making sewing-silk, em- 
broidery-silk, and saddlers' silk. He was doing this 
work on commission for Benjamin B. Tilt, of Boston, 
who had supplied him with money and material to 
carry on the business. Birchenough could not make 
the advances good, and Mr. Tilt had to take his ma- 
chinery and stock to save himself. This was how the. 
Tilts came to Paterson. Once here, and with capital 
at his command, Mr. Tilt soon found the business 
growing on his hands. In the course of a year, or in 
1861-62, he removed to the Watson Works, on Rail- 
road Avenue, at the corner of Grand Street. About 
1868 he leased two floors of the Beaver Mill, and in 
the course of another year returned to the Pho?nix 
Mill, where he concentrated his whole establishment, 
having iheanwhile taken first one floor and then 
another floor of that building. In 1865 he bought 
a controlling interest in the Phoenix Manufacturing 
Company, and thenceforth had the entire premises, 
which he gradually filled with throwing machinery 
as the business increased. His son Albert was now 
taken into partnership, and the firm was B. B. Tilt 
& Son. About 1868, Mr. Tilt began experimenting 
in the weaving of silk goods, in which he had been 
, largely engaged before coming to Paterson. He 
[ started with a single loom, and the products were sold 
: directly from the mill, instead of going through their 
j Kew York store, as did their other goods. The fab- 
I rics found a ready sale, and more looms were put on, 
and by 1870 the market for the goods was so well e.s- 
I tablished that they began selling them through their 



New York store, where they speedily attracted wide 
attention. The first work was done on hand-looms, 
and as the demand for the woven fabrics increased 
with great rajiidity, a large number of weavers soon 
found employment at very high wages, some of them 
earning from sixty to eighty dollars per fortnight. 

Then the trade unions undertook to regulate the 
production and management of the mill, and adopted 
rules that no weaver should weave more than a cer- 
tain quantity of goods per day, and in other ways 
tried to restrict the production. But the demand was 
not stopped by this course, and the firm of Tilt & 
Son soon found that they must either control their 
own production to meet the demand or their cus- 
tomers would go where they could be supplied. So 
they began experimenting with power-looms, and as 
the demands of the trade unions became more and 
more exacting and troublesome, they were forced 
either to introduce power-looms or else give up weav- 
ing altogether. They chose the former alternative, 
although it was the general opinion at the time that 
such looms could not equal the hand-woven goods in 
fineness or evenness, but they have been steadily im- 
proved since that time, and now the principal pro- 
duction of the mill is on power-looms which a boy or 
girl of fair intelligence can learn to run in a few 
weeks. Those conversant with the facts have often 
declared that but for the ill-advised action of the 
unions referred to there would be five times as many 
weavers employed in Paterson to-day as there are, 
whose places have been taken by the power-looms. 
From the first it was the aim of the Tilts to create a 
market for American silk goods by the production of 
novelties of original design, instead of merely imita- 
ting the English or French designs as they were im- 
ported. Again and again they have made decided 
" hits" in this way. During the Centennial Exhibi- 
tion they were the only firm to have a silk-loom in 
operation in the Main Building at Philadelphia, and 
it was an unceasing object of interest to the hundreds 
of thousands of visitors who had never before seen how 
silk goods of fancy designs were woven. Thousands 
and tens of thousands of silk handkerchiefs were 
woven and sold there as souvenirs of the exhibition, 
bearing an appropriate legend on them. The firm 
cleared something like forty thousand dollars by that 
exhibit. During the same year they got up beautiful 
little silk badges with portraits of the respective can- 
didates for President and Vice-President on them, 
suitably inscribed, the portraits and inscriptions being 
all woven in the fabric in several colors. At the Pat- 
erson Light-Guard annual ball in January, 1882, the 
badges of the committees were all woven for the occa- 
sion by Mr. Tilt. They also produced several styles 
of book-marks of exquisite patterns, among them one 
with the words and music of the "Star-Spangled 
Banner," another with a portrait of Washington, and 
another with a portrait of Lincoln. At the Paris 
Exposition of 1878 they made an exhibit that aston- 



47<t 



HISTORY OF BKRGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NKW JKRSKY. 



ished the foreign silk-manufacturers, and that went 
far to establish the excellency of the American silk 
manufactures in the eyes of incredulous foreigners. 
In l^f71 they hegan weaving dress goods, silk ties, 
broad scarfs, etc. In the spring of 1873 they erected 
a large three-story frame budding, forty by one hun- 
dred and twenty-five feet, back of the main mill, for 
hand-looms exclusively. 

In 1875 they builta fine brick mill, fifty by one hun- 
dred and seventy-five feet, two, three, and four stories 
high, for another weave-shop, and soon had it running 
busily. In the latter part of 1881 the ancient-looking, 
low, two-story brick building along the raceway was 
torn down tf) make way for an elegant new brick edifice, 
of attractive design and superior character in every 
respect two lofty stories in height and one hundred 
and sixty by thirty feet in area, with an extension 
fifty by fifty on the lower floor. A sumptuous suite 
of oflices has been fitted up. For several years the 
firm have done most of tlieir re]>airing and made 
most of their machinery on their own |)remi.ses, even 
to making the necessary castings. Their foundry is 
sixty-five by thirty feet. In the mills at Paterson 
from 80(1 to 900 hands are employed, who receive 
about §300,(100 of wages yearly, and who work up 
125,000 pounds of raw silk in that time. There are 
312 looms running, — 205 power, 75 hand, and 32 
ribbon. In the summer of 1881 the Pho'iiix Com- 
pany were given a lease on very favorable terms of a 
magnificent new mill at Allentown, Pa., which, in 
honor of Mrs. Albert Tilt, hiis been christened the 
" Adelaide" Mill. It is a handsome l)rick structure, 
four stories high, fifty by two hundred and seventy- 
five feet in area, with extension, and is fitted up in 
the finest style. It was erected by citizens of Allen- 
town in order to provide labor for the women and 
children of the town who desire employment. On 
Nov. 17, 1881, the mill was formally "dedicated," 
the occasion being one that will long be remend)ered 
by tliiise who attcncK'il. A i>rerious souvenir of the 
afiair was the ex(|uisitely beautiful invitations, woven 
on silk, with a perfect picture of the new mill, and 
the coat« of arms of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, 
as other appropriate designs. The new mill was 
intendc'l to be used exclusively for throwing silk, 
as there has hmg been a scarcity of liel|) in that de- 
partment in Paterson. Rut tlie top floor has been 
fitted up with looms, and the whole process of throw- 
ing and weaving is now carried on by about five hun- 
dred hands. The mill, therefore, forms a very im- 
portant "aniu'x"to the Plicrnix Mills at Paterson. 
Mr. Itenjatnin H. Tilt died Sejit. 30, 1H79, since which 
time his son, AlliiTt Tilt, has been president of the 
Phrcnix Manufacturing Company, its well its treas- 
urer; John R. Curran is secrctiirj' ; Samuel Thorji is 
»uperint<-ndent ; the eai>ital is ^(t(»,0(K». The charter 
of the company is irrepealable. and not subject to 
amendment without their con.sent. 

Hi:xJA.\iiN It. 'iii,T was born at Coventry, England, 



in the year 1807. He had but limited* opportunities 
for obtaining a thorough book education, and wiis set 
to work as an a|)i>rentice in a silk-mill at an early 
age. He became a thorough and skilled workman, 
and being ambitious to secure a place for himself in 
life, in common with many young men of his ac- 
quaintance, determined to seek a broader field for the 
exerci.se of his talents and skill in the United .States. 
He sailed from England in 1835, reaching this coun- 
try soon after. His earlier attempts to obtain em- 
ployment were very di-scouraging, the silk business 
being then in its infancy in America, and the oppor- 
tunities for securing remunerative employment being 
comparatively limited. After several unsuccessful 
atteiiijits he finally obtained a position with a silk- 
manufacturer in New York City named McCrary, an 
old friend and schoolmate of his uncle's. Here he 
remained some time, faithfully working at his trade, 
assisting meanwhile a friend named Hall, who had 
come over on the same ship with himself, but who 
had not been successful in securing a place to work. 

While employed in New York Mr. Tilt became ac- 
quainted with a Boston gentleman by the name of 

' Dowell, with whom he arranged a partnershij). and 
the two, under the firm-name of Tilt & Dowell, 
began the manufacture of silk in Boston about 1838 
or 1839. The enterprise at first was a small one. but 
gradually cxi)ande(l, and in a sliort time became an 
important and successful manufacturing concern. 
They acquired a wide reputation for the quality of 
their goods, and received from the Mechanics" Asso- 
ciation of Boston a silver medal in recognition of 
that fact. Mr. Dowell having died, a new i)artner 
was admitted to the concern, and the business w:is 

, carried on umler the name of B. B. Tilt iV: Co. until 
1847, when it was changed to Tilt & Dexter. In 1849, 
owing to the necessity for larger commercial facilities, 
a store was established in New York, at which the 
products of the concern were sold. In 1855, Mr. Dex- 
ter and others purchased Mr. Tilt's interest in the 
business, an<l organized the firm of Dexter, Lambert 
& Co., which is elsewhere referred to in this work. 

After disposing of his interest in the manufactory 
at Boston, Mr. Tilt engaged in the silk commission 
business in New York for several years, and in l.stJO 
came to Paterson, where he began the manul'aclnrfi 
of silk on the top floor of the Phienix .Mill, which 
was then mainly employed for cotton manufacture. 
He still kept uji his New York store, but his nuinu- 
facturing business grew so rapidly that he was not 
only compelled to add to his facilities for manutaeture 
by the purchase of further machinery and the leasing 
of other rooms, but to give up the New York hous« 
altogether. He now concentnited all his energy and 
skill on the manufacture of silk, for which he had a 
great liking, and in which he was eminently fitted for 
success. In I8()2, upon attaining his majority. Al- 
bert Tilt, his son, was admitted to a |>artnership, the 
firm-name being changed to B. B. Tilt A: Bon. The 



CITl' OF PATERSON. 



471 



enterprise continued so successful, and tlie scope of 
the business expanded so rapidly, that the firm were 
obliged to seek still further manufacturing facilities, 
and in 18i)3-t)4 occupied wholly or in part the Phce- 
nix, the Beaver, and the old Watson Mills. In 1865 
the Messrs. Tilt obtained a controlling interest in the 
Phoenix Manufacturing Company, which had been 
engaged in the manufacture of cotton, and the product 
was changed from cotton to silk. Mr. Tilt, the elder, 
became the president of the company. The Phienix 
Mill was enlarged from time to time, and was not only 
made to include every branch of silk manufacture, but 
the building of the machinery itself, some of the best 
looms and machinery in use being built on the prem- 
ises. In 187(), during the heavy business depression 
that fell upon the country, the concern experienced 
many reverses, but still continued their manufactur- 
ing operations and maintained their place among the 
leading silk-manufacturers of the United States. In 
that year the products of the concern took a promi- 
nent place at the American Centennial Exposition, 
and afterwards at the World's Fair in Paris. They 
received numerous medals in recognition of the excel- 
lence of their products during this time, among them 
being medals of bronze, silver, and gold at the Ameri- 
can Institute Fair, of bronze and silver at Paris, and 
a medal and highest report at the Centennial Exposi- 
tion. 

Mr. Tilt sufliered a paralytic stroke in 1876, during 
the mental and physical strain that occurred on ac- 
count of the business difficulties of that year, and 
from that time on continued steadily to decline in 
health until his death on Sept. 30, 1879. For several 
yeai's prior to that event his son Albert had been the 
virtual head of the concern, and now succeeded to 
the presidency of the Phcenix Manufacturing Com- 
pany, a position that he occupies in 1882. He is 
following out the same line of manufacture in which 
his father engaged, and is at the head of one of the 
largest and most successful concerns of its kind in the 
United States. 

A large and handsome mill has recently been 
erected by the company at Allendale, Pa., where an 
important branch of their manufacture is carried on. 

The special characteristics of Benjamin B. Tilt were 
the po.ssession of an ambitious and aspiring spirit, 
untiring industry, a bright, intelligent mind, and 
superior taste in regard to colors, texture, and designs. 
He was born a silk-manufacturer, and was fitted by 
nature to attain the prominent place in that industry- 
that he occupied. He was of a genial and social 
nature, in close sympathy with the feelings and opin- 
ions of laboring men, and strictly honorable in all 
the tran-sactions of life. He was no public man, 
neither aspired to nor accepted political office, but 
duringtlie twenty years passed in Paterson was closely 
identified with the silk industry of the city, and did 
much in adding to its importance. He wa-s a liberal 
contributor to the support of the institutions of Pat- 



erson, and co-operated cheerfully in all worthy public 
enterprises. 

Iliimild- Booth. — Robert Hamil was foreman of the 
finishing-room in the Murray Mill in 1854, and being 
about to engage in other business recommended Mr. 
Eyle to employ James Booth in his place. In April, 
1855, Mr. Booth started in the silk business for him- 
self in the top floor of the Beaver Mill, with about 
twenty hands, where he spun sewing-silk. About two 
months later Robert Hamil joined him, and the firm 
of Hamil & Booth wa.s formed. After a while they 
added the making of fringe-silk. In the course of a 
year and a half they removed to the "Star" Mill, op- 
posite, taking the second floor. They now employed 
sixty to seventy hands in the same line of production. 
In 1858 they took the second floor of the Murray 
Mill, seventy-three by two hundred feet. They now 
enlarged their business, and had one hundred and fifty 
hands working for them. At this time they began 
throwing tram and organzine. In the spring of 1862 
they bought the property on Ward Street, north side, 
next to Railroad Avenue, paying twelve thousand dol- 
lars for it. There was a silk-mill, brick, two stories 
and attic, forty-five by one hundred and thirty feet, 
on the property, which had been erected during the 
winter of 1858-59 by Dwight B. Fuller and Joseph 
C. Fuller, who had come from New York to start the 
business, which they carried on as Fuller Brothers. 
One of them afterwards patented " Fuller's ^Erated 
Bread," in which he doubtless made more money 
than in the silk-mill at Paterson. They had consid- 
erable machinery for throwing silk, including some 
" railroad" machines, which took off the silk after it 
was spun and doubled it together. It was not a suc- 
cess, however, and Hamil & Booth discarded it. They 
used the other machinery of Fuller Brothers and 
bought more, in addition to what they already had. 
The firm still kept on at their original business of 
throwing until 1868, when they began experimenting 
in weaving. This proved to be a success, and in 1870 
they engaged in it quite extensively, weaving " cut- 
ups," — twilled silks for neck-wear. Meantime they 
had widened their old mill by twenty feet. When 
they began weaving, in 1870, they erected a frame 
building, twenty-five by one hundred feet, two 
stories high. In 1873 their present office was put 
up, of brick, thirty-five by forty-five feet, three 
stories high. In 1874-75 they made another addi- 
tion, brick, three stories, forty-five by seventy-five 
feet. But the most important single addition was 
the purchase, in 1872, of the large brick mill at the 
northwest corner of Market and Mill Streets, fifty- 
seven by one hundred and eighty feet, formerly run 
as a cotton-mill by A. Prall & Co. In honor of the 
senior member of the firm the new purchase was 
called the " Hamil Mill." It was fitted up in 1873 
with spinning machinery on the first and second 
floors. After a while the third floor was filled with 
looms for broad silks, but they were afterwards 



472 



HISTORY OF BERGKN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



changed to ribbons. The firm was in a measure 
forced into tiie weaving buiiiiiess at the outset, but 
having once started tliey coiuluded to go ahead, and 
now stand in the front rank of producers of woven 
fabrics, and of tiie choicest designs. 

From having a few liand-looms they liave Ijept on 
steadily increasing until now they have about 350 
looms, nearly all run by power. Their tli rowing depart- 
ment is still very large, embracing about 25,O((0 spin- 
dles. The annual production amounts to $1,250,(1(10, 
to make which 120,000 pounds of raw silk are used 
in the course of a year. The number of hands em- 
ployed ranges from 800 to 1000, whose wages foot up 
$200,000 to $250,000 yearly. They now weave hand- 
kerchiefs, dress goods, trimmings, summer silks, mil- 
linery silks, grenadines, ribbons, figured brocades, 
plain and figured satins, figured gros grain, etc. 
During 1881 they turned out 40,000 to 45,000 yards 
of broad silks monthly, or about half a million yards 
in the year. Their production of ribbons was 10,000 
to 12,0(10 pieces monthly, each piece containing ten or 
twelve yards. These ribbons would make a festoon 
along the railway from New York to Chicago, nine 
hundred miles. In 1880 they began weaving silk 
plush lor ladies' hats, cloakings, etc. They have also 
made some very fine velvet. Both branches will 
doubtless bo extended in the near future. The raw- 
silk is brought to the mill in bales just as it comes 
from abroad, and is put througii all the ])rocesses on 
the premises, except the dyeing. For several years 
it has been the aim of the firm to achieve originality 
of design in their productions. This has necessitated 
the very greatest alertness in watching the n\arkets. 
As soon as they find their designs imitated they 
switch off upon something new, and thus are con- 
tinually surprising the buyers. The association of 
ladies which has been recently urging the growing 
of American silk as a new and desirable industry for 
the women and children in agricultural districts, 
having collected a large (piantity of silk grown and 
rcel('(l ill Pennsylvania, New .Jersey, I'tah, and else- 
where in this country, sent it to Hamil Ac liooth in 
February, 1S82, to be made into a dress for Mrs. Gar- 
fielil, the willow of the late President. Some of this 
silk, raised by Italians at Vineland, N. J., and else- 
where, was of a very choice grade, and if all the 
silk grown and reeled in America were equally fine 
it would afford great encouragement to these ladies 
in their patriotic endeavors. The dress pattern wits 
woven according to a special design originated for 
this occasion, and look many weeks to perfect it and 
adapt a loom for the purpose. The ilesign nujy lie 
briefly di'srribed im an alternate stripe of siitin and 
lace, a grai'eful spray of delicate flowers being strewn 
over both stripes. The effect is as exquisite as it is 
novel. Technically it is what Is called a brocade of 
satin ground, a rich count, extra i|uality of goods, 
an extra number of fine threads to the warp. It is 
black, of course. Mr. llaiiiil died Sept. 11, 1880. 



Since then the business has been continued by his 
representatives and Mr. Booth, under the old firm- 
name. Mr. Booth attends to the New York store 
and the outside business generally, giving a general 
supervision over the entire establishment, while Mr. 
Peter Bannigan, a nephew of Mr. Hamil, superin- 
tends the mill. No operator in the employ of the 
firm makes longer hours than Mr. Booth himself. 
He quits his elegant Broadway mansion every morn- 
ing at lialf-])iLst six o'clock, no matter what the 
weather may be, and regularly puts in twelve hours 
or more of steady and engrossing work of the most 
laborious kind. But he says he enjoys it. 

RonKRT Hamil was born in County Antrim, near 
Lisburn, Irelaml, on March 17, 1818. His jiarents 
were James and Mary Hamil, the former being a 
small farmer, who also engaged in the weaving of 
linen. He was the fifth of a family of six children, 
the others, Henry, Arthur, John, James, and Mary, 
all emigrating to this country and locating in or near 
the city of Paterson with the exception of Henry. 

Mr. Hamil received only the rongli riidiment-s of a 
conimoni>lace English education, and was set to work 
as an assistant to his father at an early age. He emi- 
grated to this country in 1844, and labored first in 
the white-lead works at Belleville, N. J. .\fter a 
short time he came to Paterson, and worked at difler- 
ent occupations until about 1S4<), when, at the age of 
twenty-three or twenty-four, he applied to John Ryle, 
the founder of the silk interest in Paterson, for a 
position in his mill. His request was granted, and he 
at once entered upon his apprenticeship in the manu- 
facture of silk. Previous to this time he knew noth- 
ing of the business. He proved a faithful and intel- 
ligent workman, and remained with Mr. Kyle for eight 
years. During all of this time it is said that he 
never lost a day's time for any purpose, was always 
one of the first at the mill in the morning and the 
last to leave at night, and was the very model of an 
earnest, faithful, anil intelligent mechanic. He rose 
to the |)osilion of superintendent of the hard silk 
department. 

In June, 18-'>4, he resigned his position in the mill, 
and engaged in the coopering business on Ward Street, 
Paterson, with a branch establishment in Laight 
Street, New York City, for a few months. 

In IH.'i.'i, having a thorough knowledge of the silk 
business, and having by tliritl and economy accumu- 
lated a small cajiilal, he determined to return to his 
regular trade, and formed a copartnership with James 
Booth, a practical silk-worker, formerly superintend- 
ent of the finishing department at the " Gun Mill" 
of .lolin I{yle, to engage in the manufacture of silk. 
Mr. Hooth had already established the business in a 
small way in what was known as the " Heaver Mill." 
The new firm began as throwsters, employing twenty 
operatives. The enterprise was attended by a fair 
degree of success, and they subsequently leased two 
rooms in the Machinists' AH.sociation building and 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



473 



enlarged the scope of their business. They continued | 
at this location until 1859, and then rented the top 
floor of the Murray Mill, where they remained until ' 
1862, when they purchased the Passaic Mill, on Ward 
Street, near Railroad Avenue, which had been built i 
about 1858 by Fuller Brothers, of New York, for a 
specific line of manufacture. Hamil & Booth at once 
enlarged the mill, which by successive additions has 
been made one of the finest in the city, and is still 
owned and operated by the firm. In 1872 they pur- 
chased the old "Godwin Cotton-Mill," on the corner 
of Mill and Market Streets, which was named the 
" Hamil Mill," and is still successfully operated by 
Mr. Booth and the representatives of the Hamil estate. 
From a small beginning the business has become one ; 
of the largest in the city, all varieties of standard silk i 
manufacture being engaged in. Mr. Hamil acted as 
the etficient head of the concern until Sept. 11, 1880, 
when he was taken suddenly ill, and was called away 
from the scenes of life. 

In many respects the career of Robert Hamil was [ 
a remarkable one. Coming to this country when a 
young man, having neither the advantages of wealth 
or of education, he was thrown in his early experi- 
ences into associations calculated rather to drag a 
man down than to elevate and enlarge his character; 
yet so steadfast was he in the pursuit of an honor- 
able ambition, so fixed and resolute was his will, that 
he pressed successfully forward and made himself an 
important factor in the development of the silk in- 
dustry in America. Doubtless much of his stability 
of character and purity of life were derived from the i 
religious influences which attended his early home- 
life, both of his parents being zealous adherents of 
the Roman Catholic faith. One of his oldest and 
closest friends has informed us that he was just such 
a man as was calculated to establish the silk interest 
in the United States. He was truthful to a proverb, 
industrious and faithful as a mechanic, sober, reliable, ! 
and could have been " trusted with untold gold." 
This story is told, not by one who was associated 
with him in the profits of business, but by one from 
whom he derived his first lessons in silk manufac- 
ture, and whose successful rival he became; and when 
such a one, in discoursing upon the perfect symmetry 
of Mr. Hamil's character, speaks of him '' as a solid 
block of marble without a flaw," something of the 
true value of the man can be learned. Not alone in 
the silk business was his influence recognized and 
felt, but in all the institutions of the city, and in 
every good work that was undertaken for the public 
good. He was one of the most active in advocating 
the removal of the duty from raw silk, and the placing 
of a competent tarifl' on manufactured goods ; was a 
member of the Silk Industrial Association of New 
York, and was for years, and .at the time of his death, 
president of the Silk Industrial Association of Pater- 
son. For a time he was president of the Paterson 
Savings Institution, but was compelled to resign by 



the pressure of his private business. He was also one 
of the directors of the Second National Bank of Pat- 
erson, and one of the founders of the Old Ladies' 
Home, of which, as well as of other of the eleemosy- 
nary institutions of the city, he was a liberal sup- 
porter. His early religious training seemed to color 
his entire life, and for years he was one of the trus- 
tees and a zealous member of St. John's Roman 
Catholic Church of Paterson. He was genial and 
hospitable in character, but a close home-man, and 
loved to entertain his friends at his pleasant home on 
Broadway, where he presided as the host. He was 
extremely temperate in his habits, and seldom visit- 
ing the hotels and drinking-placfis of the city. He 
left to his family at his death a large estate, besides 
liberal bequests to several local institutions. 

The following resolutions were passed by the Pat- 
erson Board of Trade, of which he was a member, 
upon the occasion of his demise : 

" Resolved, That the loss we have thereby sustained is no common one, 
whether we consider our departed fiiend in the light of a genial associ- 
ate, an honored citizen, or a faithful member of this board from its or- 
ganization. 

" Hesolved, That the life and character of Robert Hamil afford one of 
the brightest examples our city has furnished of the power of strict in- 
tegrity, resolute will, and an honorable ambition to excel in true nobil- 
ity of ;isefulness to raise a man from an humble position to one exert- 
ing a wide influence for gO(jd, and serving as a constant incentive to 
others to follow the path so adorned by the achievements of a faithful 
life." 

Mr. Hamil married the only daughter of Peter and 
Catharine Bannigan. The former was one of the 
early coopers of the city. He did a large business, 
and besides supplying the local demand for hardware 
casks and other branches of his trade, did a large 
Southern business. He was one of the stanch old 
fathers of the city, a gentleman of the old school, 
plain, hospitable, genial, and one of the best-known 
and popular men of his time. Mrs. Hamil occupies 
the handsome homestead of her husband on Broad- 
way, and has no children. 

J. If. Booth & Co.— In 1858, James Tumblety and 
Robert Singleton, both young men, embarked in the 
manufacture of sewing-silk, fringes, twist, etc., in a 
small room in the rear of the building which is now 
the most southeasterly of the Pha-nix Mills, on Van 
Houten Street, the site being then occupied by Jolin 
E. Van Winkle's machine-shop. They had twelve 
hands at work, their machinery consisting of four 
winding-frames, two doubling-frames, four spinners, 
one twister, and one reel. They did throwing for B. 
B. Tilt, in New York and Boston. At the end of a 
year's trial they sold out to Stephen Van Winkle. 
(It may be remarked here that Tumblety still lives ; 
Singleton died in March, 1877.) At the time Mr. 
Van Winkle bought out the concern he was in the 
shoe business with James N. Harper, employing a 
goodly number of hands. He put several thousand 
dollars in his new venture, losing it all in six months. 
He began with thirteen hands and three hundred 
spindles, making fringe-silk, used for trimmings. In 



474 



HISTORY OF BEKGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



1862 he removed to Beaver Mill, where he occupied I 
the third floor, and now had thirty handfi at work. > 
In 1865, John H. Booth, of Brooklyn, and Albert 
Hoblay, of Willianishurgh, hocanie interested in the 
business, wliicli since then has been conducted in the 
name of J. H. Booth & Co. The firm now bought 
the Union Works, at the northeast corner of Spruce ' 
and Market Streets, and extended their business, em- 
ploying 50 hands and about 1000 spindles. Their ' 
pay-roll foot.s u|) $20,000 yeiirly. In 1879 the other 
partners bought out Mr. Hoblay. They now make 
45,000 pounds of raw silk annually into tram and or- 
ganzine, sewing- and floss-silk for the weaving and 
ladies' trimming trade, coverings, tassels, cords, etc. 
They have 4000 spindles, and employ 90 hands. In , 
one room, forty by one hundred and twelve feet, spin- • 
ning and some winding is carried on ; in another, 
fourteen by ninety, doubling; in another, thirty -si.\ 
by forty, spinning; in another, fifteen by twenty, the 
silk is drachmed, or separated into skeins of certain 
weights ; spinning is done in still another room, thirty- 
six by forty feet ; there is also a soaping- and steam- 
ingroom, an oflicc, etc. A striking evidence of the 
vicissitudes of the silk industry in I'aterson is found 
in the fact that of the hundreds who have engaged in 
the business in the last twenty-five years in this city | 
there remain not more than two or three who have 
been employers longer than Mr. Van Winkle, who is , 
himself but a young man. 

Between 1858 and 18t>0 several parties engaged in 
the silk manufacture, among them the following: 

Ford & McNab, — Edward (}. Ford and Thomas 
McXab, — who occupied a portion of the Union Works 
for a year or two. ■ 

•lame.s Inglis, Sr., who carried on the spinning of 
silk ill the Beaver Mill for about a year. 

Polhamus & Scott,— Aaron I'olhamus and John 
Jackson Scott, — over the present tirant Works. After 
running it for a year or two they sold out to Edwin 
U. Saunders, who continued the business there and 
at other places in I'aterson until about 1874-75, when 
he removed the machinery to Massachusetts, where 
he had a tempting ofler of water-power. The move 
was not a success, and the machinery was subse- 
<piei\tly sold, most of it coming back to I'aterson. 
Mr. Scott on selling out returned to the employ of 
John Kyle, and some years later again started in the 
business on his own account in the Union Works, 
and then about where he bail made his beginning, 
continuing in the last place until his death in Octo- 
ber, 1881. 

Thomiu N. Dak & (h., Dale Manufacturing Company, • 
Frolrrick S. DnU.—\n 1862, Thomas N. Dale & Co. 
(.lohn K. Harris, (Jeorge Rii-hmond, Joseph H. 
Brown) started in the manufacture of button-hole 
twist and sewing-silk for tailors' use, in a room sixty- 
five by one hundred and seventy feet, over the (irant 
Locomotive-Works. They employed about one hun- 
dred hands. In 1865 they were chartered as the 



" Dale Manufiicturing Company," and built the fine 
Dale Mill, on Railroad Avenue, opposite the Erie 
Depot. It was then the finest mill of any kind in 
I'aterson, and cost ^100,000. It is two hundred and 
seventy-five by forty-four feet, with a wing at each 
end extending thirty-one feet back of the main build- 
ing, and an extension in the rear of the centre one 
hundred feet deep ; the height is four stories. It is 
about equivalent to a building four hundred by forty- 
five feet. Here the company continued the manufac- 
ture of sewing-silk and machine-twist, braid, cut 
linings and cut trimmings. In IStit! Mr. Dale secured 
the entire control of the company and the mill, and 
kept on in the same business until 1877, when he be- 
came financially embarra-ssed, and in April, 1880, 
the property was sold to John D. Cutter, of Newark. 
Most of the machinery passed into the ])os.se.ssion ot 
Frederick .S. Dale, the son of Thomas N. Dale, and 
in the spring of 1878 he began manufacturing on his 
own account, carrying on the same businciss as his 
father and ctmimission throwing. He makes sup- 
|>lie8 for hatters, ladies' trimmings, tailors' trimmings, 
watch-guards, etc. He has 80,000 braiding spindles, 
and GOUO spindles for spinning raw silk ; 200 hands 
are employed, to whom he pays $«50,000 wages yearly. 
He occupies a part of the first floor, half of the 
second, and all of the fourth. He works up about 
;f2.')0,000 worth of silk for his own and others' use, 
his own annual products being worth about $100,000. 

Grorr/e Friift il" Siiiik. — George Frost began soft- 
silk winding in I8()(), in the mill in Ward Street, on 
the south side, between Railroad Avenue and Prince 
Street. He removed thence to Dunkerley's, corner of 
Grand and Spruce Streets, and next to the Beaver 
Mill, where he remained for eight years, until in 
1875 he removed to Dnnlop's Mill, on Morton .Street 
at .Straight. In the Beaver Mill he began throwing 
silk with 120 spindles. In 1880 lie built a substantial 
brick mill, which he calls the "Albion," on Madison 
Street, west side, between Essex and Morton, one 
humlred by forty-five feet, three stories high, with 
engine-house annexed. He took pos.session of his 
new home in November, 1880. In April, 1881, he 
took his sons I Frank and Harry) into partnership 
with him, and the firm has since been " George Frost 
& Sons." They d(t c(mimission throwing and soft-silk 
winding, employing 175 hands, and turning out 7o(i 
pounds of tram and likeamount oforgan/.ine weekly. 

Dunlop it- Mnlrnlni, Joliii Diin/o/i. — Abimt ISliO, 
John Dunlop and William S. Malcolm started making 
sewing-silks at the " Union Silk-Works," in Straight 
Street. Mr. Malcolm died several years ago, but Mr. 
Dunlop still carries on the business at the northeast 
corner of Straight and Morton .Streets, where he occu- 
pies the (irst lloor, fitly by (me hundred and fifty feet, 
employing l2o hands; he makes 500 or (iOO pounds 
weekly of tram and organzine and machine-twist, the 
business having doubled during the past year or two. 
Mr. Dunlop owns the building and a fine brick mill 



^- 



m m 

m m ., 




CITY OF PATERSON. 



475 



adjoining, which he leases to other silk-manufac- 
turers. 

Dexter, Lambert d- Co. — In 1853, Alison Dexter, 
who had been for some years associated with Benja- 
min B. Tilt in the manufacture of silk at Boston, 
Mass., under the firm-name of Tilt & Dexter, bought 
out liis partner, and took into the business Catholina 
Lambert and Charles Barton, both of whom liad been 
in his employ. Thus was established the firm of 
Dexter, Lambert & Co. They occupied a small two- 
story frame building, fifty by one hundred and twenty 
feet, on Coventry Street, so named by Mr. Tilt after 
the famous ribbon-weaving town in England, a name 
it still retains. They made ladies' dress trimmings, 
millinery trimmings, hatters' and furriers' trimmings, 
upholstering and other trimmings, cords, braids, etc. 
During the late war they made enormous quantities 
of military braids. Tilt & Dexter had attempted, but 
unsuceessfully, to weave ribbons as early as 1848; 
the new firm tried their hands at it, and after varying 
success gradually established a ribbon business, which 
has steadily increased until it is one of the largest in 
the country. In 1856 the firm built a larger mill on 
Lenox Street, Boston, fifty by one hundred and sixty 
feet, three stories high, of brick. At this time Mr. 
Barton visited Europe, and there bought additional 
ribbon-looms from Coventry. In 1861, Mr. Dexter 
withdrew from the concern, but at his request the 
firm-name was retained. His son, George R. Dexter, 
and William Nelson Lambert, a brother of Mr. C. 
Lambert, were admitted into the firm. William N. 
Lambert died a few months later, in South America, 
whither he had gone for his health. George R. Dex- 
ter remained in the concern until 1873, and died 
about three years subsequently. The business was 
carried on in the Lenox Street mill from 1856 until 
1866, when the establishment was removed to Pater- 
son, where Mr. Lambert had become agreeably ac- 
quainted and somewhat interested in various ways, 
and in fact had taken up his residence there. More- 
over, the firm had drawn its supplies from Paterson, j 
and it seemed desirable to settle down in that place, j 
They erected a brick mill, three stories high, two ! 
hundred and twenty by fifty feet, on Straight Street, 
east side, just north of Clay, with dye-house and en- 
gine-house attached. During the ten years preceding 
this removal the operations of the firm had grown 
greatly, until they had stores for the sale of their 
goods and large stocks in New York, Philadelphia, 
Boston, and San Francisco. On removing to Pater- 
son the business was concentrated in New York City. 
As with other silk-manufacturers, they have been 
constrained to change their manufacture from time to 
time to accommodate the changing market, and to 
compete successfully with their rivals. Originally 
they merely made tram and organzine for other man- [ 
ufacturers of woven goods ; then the weaving of rib- 
bons was begun and kept up, until the production is 
measured by miles every day. In 1873 they bought 



some broad-silk looms, and began weaving that class 
of fabrics, at the same time discontinuing their trim- 
ming department, and now they are among the most 
extensive broad-silk weavers in America. As an in- 
dication of the magnitude of their production in these 
two lines, it may be noted that in 1881 they turned 
out something like three thousand miles of ribbons, 
and about three hundred and fifty miles of broad 
silks. In 1878 the ribbon-looms of Soleliac Brothers, 
wjio had been largely in the business, were bought by 
Dexter, Lambert & Co., and the machinery of Ryle, 
Sterrett & Murphy was added in 1879. 

In the latter year they bought a plot of two acres 
on the opposite side of Straight Street, and proceeded 
to erect thereon one of the finest mills in the city, 
covering the whole area. In front it is two stories 
high, seventy-five by one hundred and twenty-five 
feet, the private offices, counting-room, and general 
oflices of the mill occupying spacious quarters on the 
Clay Street side, while in the rear is a one-story 
weaving-room, doubtless the largest single room in 
New Jersey devoted to manufacturing purposes, 
being one hundred and twenty-five feet in front and 
one hundred and eighty-five in the rear, and two 
hundred feet long, the ceiling thirty-five feet high, 
with great numbers of windows on the sides and in 
the roof It is full of ribbon-looms. This mill has 
been recently christened the " Dexter Mill," while 
the old one is now called the " Lambert Mill." 
W^hen the new structure was erected a handsome 
addition of fine brick was made to the front of the 
other, and a beautiful, graceful bridge was thrown 
across Straight Street from one to the other, and an 
illuminated clock was placed in front of the Dexter 
Mill. A tunnel was also constructed under the 
street to connect the two mills. The traveler ap- 
proaching the city from New Y'ork on the Erie 
Railway is agreeably impressed with this view of 
one of the handsomest mills in the city. In 1878, H. 
B. Wilson was admitted to the firm, and in 1879 Mr. 
Barton withdrew, after a quarter of a century of pleas- 
ant and profitable intercourse with his genial partner, 
Mr. Lambert. Their relations were always of the most 
agreeable character. The bu.siness of the firm in 1857 
was about $150,000 yearly. Now it has grown to up- 
wards of a million dollars. About 1000 hands are 
employed in the Lambert and Dexter Mills, who are 
paid in wages more than .$300,000 yearly. These two 
mills are under the superintendence of Charles N. 
Sterrett, who has been in the silk manufacture for 
several years. Even the extensive additions just de- 
scribed did not suflice for the rapidly-growing busi- 
ness of the firm, and within the past two years Mr. 
Lambert has been pushing the erection of an immense 
mill at Hawley, Pa., where there is a magnificent 
water-power. The new mill — the " Bellemont" — was 
dedicated during the fall of 1881, when a special train 
carried some hundreds of invited guests thither from 
New York, Paterson, and other places. The structure 



47 tj 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



is three hundred and twenty by fifty feet, with a cen- ' 
tral [irojec'tion of eighty feet more. It is three stories 
high on one end and five on the other, where the 
ground descends abruptly. It is built of a sort of 
griinite found on the spot. It was designed for 
tlirowing only, and is expected to turn out about 
four thousand pounds weekly of thrown silk. But 
some weaving will also be carried on there. A frame 
building adjoining has likewise been fitted up for a 
mill, and is known, in memory of Mr. Lambert's 
young brother, as the "Nelson Mill." It is filled 
with ribbon-looms and soft-silk machinery. The 
firm have for years aimed to produce only the finest 
ipialities of goods, and to that end are very particu- 
lar about the grade of raw silk used, buying only the 
finest Italian silk. Messrs. Catholina Lambert and 
H. B. Wilson constitute the firm, Mr. Wilson having 
charge of the New York store, while Mr. Lambert 
exercises a general supervision over the outside 
business. 

Wm. Strange d Co. — E. B. Strange and Albert B. 
Strange, under the style of Strange & Brother, were 
for thirty years silk importers in New York, and 
finding difficulty often in satisfying the demands of 
their customers for certain colors which happened to 
be p()|)ular, they estalilislied (in 1SG3) a small factory 
at Williamsburgh, in order that they might the more 
readily supply any deficiency in their imported stocks. 
Neither of them had any practical knowledge of the 
silk manufacture, and the mill was placed in charge 
of .John Day, a man of rare skill in that line, who 
afterwards engaged largely in tlie silk business in 
Paterson, where he is still manufacturing, though in 
a smaller way. They bought their tram and organ- 
zine. and had about forty looms. They had no idea 
of making money out of the mill, except as it enabled 
them to satisfy their customers in filling all orders 
that came in. The enactment of the high tariff on 
imported silk and the high rate of exchange, which 
acted virtually as a prohibitory tarifl" for some years, 
encouraged them to engage in the manufacture on a 
larger scale, and in 18tJS they removed to I'aterson. 
At this time E. B. Strange retired to attend strictly 
to the importing business, and Mr. A. B. Strange 
turned thcr business over to his son, the new firm iieing 
Wm. Strange & Co. (A. B. Strange). Mr. William 
Strange then devoted liimself to the management of 
the liusiness, which under his intelligent and sagacious 
direction has grown to be one of the most extensive 
in the country. Much clitruiilly had been experienced 
by the old firm in getting tram and iirgan7.ine of 
proper and uniform fineness and as promptly as de-' 
sired. Accordingly it was determined to do their 
own throwing, and machinery for that purpose wag 
purchased from a mill in Kngland. The new firm 
Icaseil the sec<md anci third floors of the (trcp|>o Mill, 
on the northwest corner of Slater Street and Dale 
Avenue, two hundred by fifty feet in area. They re- 
moved their forty looms from Williamsburgh to Pat- ■ 



arson, and filled the rest of the space with throwing 
machinery. This was in the spring of 1868. About 
three hundred hands were employed. The business 
was continued on about the same scale, with a slow but 
steady increase, for three or fouryears, when they leased 
the first floor of the mill and increased the throwing 
department. In 1873, Mr. Greppo built a wing on 
Dale Avenue, ninety by fifty feet, three stories, and 
the firm leased the whole of it, extending their ribbon- 
weaving, and the other branches in proportion. This 
met the demand for more room for a short time, but 
in the next year, 1874, they were obliged to extend 
still more, and this time bought the old velvet-mill 
on Essex, Madison, and Beech Streets, two hundred 
by forty-five feet, three stories high, of brick. One 
floor of this mill was devoted to the weaving, and one 
for winding, etc. Hitherto the business of the firm 
had been exclusively ribbon-weaving. 

When they moved into the velvet-mill, in 1874, 
they introduced a few broad-silk looms on the first 
floor, by way of experiment, but did not attempt to 
]iusli this manufacture for .several years. In 1877-78 
they enlarged the velvet-mill, or rather built several 
additional mills adjoining it, on each end, and con- 
nected these again by another, until the mill now 
forms a square, two hundred feet each way, with a 
depth of forty-five feet on Essex Street, forty feet on 
Madison Street, forty-five feet on Beech Street, and 
fifty feet on the north. A spacious quadrangle is in- 
closed by this block of buildings, in the centre of 
which is a pretty fountain, which in summer throws 
aloft cooling si)rays of water, and in summer the mill- 
hands sit about in the shadow and eat their lunches 
in the grateful shade on every side. The building is 
four stories high on the north side, and three stories 
on the other sides. It is more abundantly lighted 
than most silk-mills, there being innumerable win- 
dows on every side. The building is complete in 
every respect which |>ert;)ins to the comfort and con- 
venience of the operatives. Everything is scrupu- 
lously neat and clean, not only in every room, but in 
the cimrt-yard as well. Not a speck of dirt or waste 
will be .seen anywhere on the spacious floors, and the 
most perfect order is maintained in every part of the 
immense structure, an<l among tlie 12iiO hands em- 
ployed within its walls. The entire business was con- 
centrated in this mill in 1878, but since then it has 
again grown beyond its bounds, and the firm occupy 
the third flcKir, fitly by one hinulred and fifty feet, of 
the Arkwright Mill, on the o[>posite side of Beech 
Street. One floor of the nniin building is lighted up 
with the electric light as an experiment, but silk- 
nuinufacturers are not yet entirely satisfied with elec- 
tricity as an illuminating agent; it is objected that 
the light is too much ditfused, and not sufficiently 
concentrated upon the p.irticular work in hand. 
This is especially objectionable in the case of weav- 
ing, whore the weaver wants to see every thread 
and every speck in his warp. About 1880 the 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



477 



firm engaged extensively in tlie weaving of broad 
silks, and now have 168 broad-silk looms, making 
dress goods, millinery silks, ties, scarfs, grenadines, 
and broad goods generally. They run 162 looms on 
rlblions. In these munufactures 12((,000 pounds of 
raw silk are used yearly. Every process of tlie man- 
ufacture is carried on upon the premises except the 
dyeing of blacks. The firm even make their own 
blocks for blocking the ribbons. The pay-roll foots 
up !?350,000 in the course of a year, and the annual 
production is $1,500,000. An apparently inexhausti- 
ble well lias been sunk in the court-yard, from which 
five thousand gallons of deliciously pure, cool water 
is ]iiimped daily to tanks in the roof, whence it runs 
through pipes to all parts of the building, supplying 
the operatives with a wholesome and grateful bever- 
age during the warm days. 

Griinshaw Brothers. — In the early part of 1872, 
James, George, Jr., John, and David H. Grimshaw 
started in the silk manufacture in a small way at Nos. 
30 and 32 Pearl Street, under the firm-name of Grim- 
shaw Brothei's. They came from Macclesfield, Eng- 
land, where two or three of them had been educated 
in the technical schools of that place in the art of 
designing and other branches of the manipulation of 
silk. Having a thorough knowledge of every process 
through which silk has to be passed, from the raw state 
until it is ready to be sent to market, rich and glossy, 
ha.s been of invaluable service to them. They began 
with ten looms, and employed fifteen or twenty hands. 
They made piece goods, broad silks, and tie silks. 
After working in this modest way for six months, it 
was ajiparent that the venture was a success, and the 
machinery was removed to the Union Works, where 
two rooms were occupied, and another room was filled 
at Dunkerley's, corner of Grand and Spruce Streets. 
Fifty looms were now run, and about 100 hands were 
employed. They now carried on every branch of the 
business except the hard silk and the dyeing. James 
withdrew from the firm, which was continued by the 
other brothers. In 1877 the business was removed to 
the Arkwright Mill, in Beech Street, the second and 
third rtoors and part of the first being leased. The 
number of looms was now increased to 150, and 250 
hands were employed. In May, 1879, they were for- 
tunate enough to buy the Greppo Mill at a very low 
cost, and in August the machinery was removed thither 
from the Arkwright Mill. As already stated, this mill 
is two liundrcd by fifty feet on Slater Street, and ninety 
by fifty feet on Dale Avenue, three stories high. A 
full set of throwing machinery was now added from 
the Danforth Works, and every department of the silk 
manufacture except the dyeing has since been carried 
on. They make all kinds of novelties, dama.sse silks, 
fancy silks, tie silks, linings, handkerchiefs, etc. They 
are about engaging in the weaving of fine velvets on 
a double-pile loom, built specially for them by the in- 
ventor, Samuel Holt. They now have 300 looms, and 
employ 700 hands. They use about 1400 pounds of 
31 



raw silk weekly, in addition to what they buy thrown. 
They put their annual production at nearly $1,000,000. 
Pelgram d- Meyer. — This firm, started Jan. 1, 1873, 
has in nine years gone straight up into the front rank 
of American silk-manufacturers, standing second 
hardly to any in the magnitude of its operations, al- 
though the youngest of the large Paterson concerns. 
Charles R. Pelgram was for years the superintendent 
of Strange's great mill, and in Germany had acquired 
a large experience in ribbon and other weaving, so 
that he was admirably qualified to start and run suc- 
cessfully a mill of the largest size. Oscar R. Meyer 
was a business man of much tact, and well fitted to 
take charge of the sales department. On the date 
mentioned these two gentlemen organized the firm of 
Pelgram & Meyer. They leased the mill in Ward 
Street, opposite Hamil & Booth's, and put in about 
filty ribbon-looms and some spinning machinery for 
their own use. From one hundred and filty to two 
hundred hands were employed at the outset. The 
mill was gradually filled up with throwing machinery, 
and the number of looms was increased to some ex- 
tent. In the fall of 1875 they bought the old Heath- 
cote Cotton-Mill, brick, fifty by one hundred feet, 
three stories high, at the northwest corner of Temple 
and Matlock Streets, which had been standing idle 
for years, and was at this time quite dilajjidated. 
However, they fitted it up in good shape and filled it 
with their throwing machinery, the Ward Street 
building being devoted almost exclusively to weaving. 
During the year 1876, when business generally was in 
a state of deep depression, although the silk trade did 
not share in it as much as some other trades, Messrs. 
Pelgram & Meyer built a new ribbon-mill on Matlock. 
Street, adjoining the old mill ; the new structure was 
of brick, one hundred and sixty by fifty feet, four 
stories high, with a spacious and comfortable base- 
ment under it, which they fitted up with every appli- 
ance for a first-class machine-shop for making their 
repairs and much of their machinery. One hundred 
ribbon-looms were set up in this new mill. On Jan, 1, 
1877, the entire works were concentrated in the build- 
ings on Temple and Matlock Streets, the Ward Street 
mill Ijeing vacated. But the new quarters soon proved 
to be still inadequate lor the constantly increasing 
business of the firm, and during 1877 the old mill was 
enlarged by the addition of a fourth story, to make 
room for more ribbon-looms. A dye-house, of frame, 
one story high, one hundred and seventy by forty 
feet, was also built the same year. In 1878 another 
mill was erected on Temple Street, adjoining the orig- 
inal purchase, and also of brick, four stories high, 
one hundred by fifty feet in area, to provide additional 
facilities for the spinning department. The follow- 
ing year, 1879, still another building was put up, in 
the rear of the others, also of brick, one hundred by 
filty feet, four stories in height. This wa.s erected for 
the weaving of piece goods and dress silks, which was 
a new departure for the firm, as they had liitherto 



478 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



confined themselves to ribbons almost exclusively. 
These extensive series of buildings are run by a two 
hundred horse-power steam-engine. 

In 188(1, owing to theditliculty of securing sufficient 
help in Paterson lor the tlirowing departments, tiiey 
ventured on a new experiment, and leased a mill at 
Boonlon, Morris Co., one hundred and eighty by forty 
feet in area, two stories high, which they tilled with 
spinning maehinery. Then young hands were hired 
from the families in the town, where there had l>een 
no employment formerly for children, and these were 
taught the mysteries of spinning silk into tram and 
organzine, heathenish words to them before. The 
experiment worked so well that in 1881 the firm built 
a large mill especially for the purpose in Boonton, 
two hundred by fifty feet, four stories high, for throw- 
ing, and another one story high, one hundred and 
sixty by fifty feet, also for spinning. Two other build- 
ings, one story high, each forty by eighty feet, were 
erected, for engine-house, gas-house, machine-shop, 
etc. Most of the throwing department of their Pat- 
erson mills was removed during the year to Boonton ; 
it is expected that the rest will be carried tliitlier be- 
fore the close of 1882. Tlie first mill leased will also 
be retained, in addition to the new buildings they 
have put up. Mr. Pelgram regret*; very much that 
this step had to be taken, and admits that it is still 
in a measure an e.xperiment, but says it was a matter 
of necessity when it was undertaken. The firm now 
carry on every department of the silk manufacture, 
including the dyeing. They weave ribbons and dress 
silks, broad goods, millinery goods, plain and fancy 
dress silks. During the fall of 1881 they began the 
making of silk plush, meeting with gratifying success 
in their experiments. They have recently imported 
gome special looms from Crefclt, Germany, wiiich will 
weave sixteen yards of plush per day. Their ven- 
tures in the weaving of velvet have been likewise 
successful. In all their mills they now — February, 
1882 — have 270 looms and 22,0(M) spindles, using 
] 20,00(1 pounds of raw silk anmially. There are 
1200 names on their pay-rolls, and it takes ii?8((00 to 
$10,000 every week to pay their hands, or nearly 
half a million dollars in the course of a year. The 
value of the production for 1882 is ex|)ected to reach 
$1 ,.'i0O,0O0. .\n immense well forty feet in diameter, 
anil as deep, has been sunk on the |>remise.s, and ap- 
pcarn to be supplied by an underground water-course, 
as it bears tlie pumping out of it of sixty thousand 
gallons of water daily, which is principally used in the 
dye-house. It is also pumped through the buildings, 
and alfordsadrink that is ice-colil on the hottest days 
in summer, and is enjoyed by the upenitives far more 
than ice-water. The mills are all under the nutnage- 
ment of Mr. Pelgram, while Mr. Meyer attends to the 
New York store. 

Dnhfrty li Wadtworth. — This firm presents one of 
the most remarkable instances of recent success in 
the silk manufacture of any in the business. Uenry 



Doherty had been weaving on his own account for a 
short time when he formed a partnership with Joseph 
Wadsworth, and the firm leased an upper room, about 

' twenty-five by sixty feet, on the third floor over the 
Second National Bank, in Market Street near Colt. 
This was in October, 187y, and their machinery con- 
sisted of just one loom. In the course of a few weeks 
they had got up to seven or eight. On Jan. 1, 1880, 
they removed to the second floor of the Arkwright 
Mill, in Beech .Street, a room fifty by one hundred 
and fifty feet, where they still had only their eight 
looms for some time. Then they increased the num- 
ber gradually as circumstances seemed to justify that 

I step, until the room was well filled with looms. In 
the ensuing summer they leased half of the first floor 
and added winding machinery. In June, 1881, they 
t<")k the rest of the first floor, which is fifty by two 
hundred feet in area. They now have 142 looms, 

I weaving broad silks, dress goods, handkerchiefs, mil- 
linery goods, scarfs, grenadines, etc. Their specialty 
is grenadines, of which they claim to produce more 
than all the other mills in Paterson. The variety of 
designs they weave in these delicate fabrics is fairly 
bewildering, the patterns being of the most exquisite 

1 descriptions. Laces and satins and brocades are min- 

, gled in the most beautiful combinations, and in 
never-ending variety. The success achieved by the 
firm ill this chiss of goods is most gratifying, for it is 
a tribute to the excellence of American manufactures 

, which few who are not familiar with the subject 

i could believe it possible to be att4tined in this coun- 
try, where the industry is still in its infancy. About 

' 2.'J0 hands are em|)loyed, their wages amounting to 
$150,000 to $200,00(1 per annum. The pro.luction 
for 1881 wa.s nearly 5^")(M),00o, and that for 1882 is 
expected to reach fully $C00,(i(MI. They use the elec- 
tric light on the first floor of the mill,^the Fuller 
light, — the machine being of eight-light power, and 
requiring six or eight horse-power to run it. They 
carry on every de|)artment of the business pertaining 
to their goods, except the throwing and the dyeing. 
Even the finishing is done in the mill. Their goods 
are sold through their own store in New York. 

J. /,. Chapin came to Paterson from New England 
in September, 1880, and began weaving broad silks 
in the Arkwright Mill. Alter a short lime he re- 
moved to Dunlop's Mill, at Straight and Morton 
Streets, where he now occupies three floors, one hun- 
dred and seventy by forty feet each, and employs 200 
hands. He does all the manufacturing except throw- 
ing and dyeing. 

./-/Ah C. Ifi/lr if- (5,.— From 1864 to 1872, Mr. Kyle 
was in partnership with his uncle, John C. Kyle, in 
the Murray Mill. In the fall of 187.'! he formed a part- 
nership with John P. McKay, and carried on silk- 
weaving for a year. In the fall of 1875 he started in 
the business of commission throwing on his own ac- 
count, on the first floor of the .Vdily Mill, on Water 
Street, em|>loying fifteen hands. By May, 1879, 



S ILK WORKS OP FELGEAM & MEYE&. 




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CITY OF PATERSON. 



479 



the business had increased beyond the capacity of 
the room, and he leased the Byard Market build- 
ing, on Ellison and Van Houten Streets, which is 
three hundred feet long, and has an average width of 
about sixty feet. It is brick, one story high. He put 
a large amount of throwing machinery in this build- 
ing, and in July of the same year removed his entire 
establishment thither. He now employs about 150 
hands, paying them about $40,000 in wages yearly, 
and on his 7000 spindles spins about 60,000 pounds 
of raw silk annually. His son-in-law, George G. Til- 
lotson, is now as.sociated with him in the business, 
the firm-name being John C. Ryle & Co. 

Orescent Mil/.— About 1870, Eugene Walther, a Chi- 
cago merchant, formed a partnership with Frederick 
Baer, of Paterson, as E. Walther & Co., to manufac- 
ture silk ribbons in Paterson. They hired a part of 
Huntoon's Mills, in Broadway, opposite Bridge Street, 
and in the course of 1871 or 1872 erected a brick mill 
on Rip Van Winkle Avenue, near Cliff Street, two 
stories high, and about forty by one hundred I'eet in 
area. About 1875 the mill passed into the possession 
of Sterrett, Ryle & Murphy (Charles N. Sterrett, Reu- 
ben Ryle, and Boethius Murphy), who continued the 
weaving of ribbons until 1878, when they sold most 
of their looms to Dexter, Lambert & Co. After a 
while the Crescent Manufacturing Company took the 
mill, and they now employ 50 or 60 hands in throwing 
raw silk, paying $10,000 or .§15,000 yearly in wages, 
and working up about 20,000 pounds of silk in the 
course of a year. Gerrit Planten, Jr., and Peter Ryle 
are the principal owners of the concern. 

Hoieell <.i- Seholfa. — Jerome Vacher has been weav- 
ing silk in Paterson for many years in the Watson 
machine-shop building, on Railroad Avenue, in the 
Gun Mill, and in 1878 in the old duck-mill on Van 
Houten Street, oi>posite Mill, where he had sixty-five 
looms, weaving piece goods and chenille. In 1881 he 
sold out to Howell & Scholes, to whom he had become 
indebted, and moved to the Jlerrill building, on River 
Street, where he now runs 15 broad-silk looms. How- 
ell & Scholes have extended the business in the duck- 
mill, and now employ about 100 hands, weaving hand- 
kerchiefs and broad goods. They also have about 1400 
spindles to do their ow'u throwing. 

George Sp'ingenmac/ier. — Charles S. Auer started in 
the silk business in Paterson about the year 1870, 
carrying it on in a small way in several difierent 
places in or near the city, being one time at Haledon. 
In 1880, George Spangenmacher went into partnership 
with him, and they Iciused half of the one-story brick 
building along the raceway, in front of the Hope Mill, 
and in this place and in a large one-story addition to 
it they carried on the silk manufacture until Septem- 
ber, 1881, when Auer sold out his interest to his 
partner, but took all the machinery away, removing 
to Connecticut. Spangenmacher then proceeded to 
fit up the premises with new machinery, all looms. 
The building is forty-five by one hundred and twenty 



feet, and contains 70 hand-looms, on which are woven 
broad silks, grenadines, satin brocades, plain satin, 
handkerchiefs, and goods of a like character. There 
are about 100 hands employed, who work up 120 
pounds of organzine and 200 pounds of tram weekly, 
and receive wages amounting to ?f35,000 to .'!;50,U00 
yearly. In February, 1882, Mr. Auer returned to 
Paterson and resumed his former connection with 
Mr. Spangenmacher. 

Freeman & Small wood. — In 1873, John H. Small- 
wood started business in a modest way in a little 
room in the rear of No. 110 Straight Street, weaving 
cut-ups or broad silks on two or three looms. In 
1875, Henry H. Freeman bought an interest in the 
business, and the firm of Freeman & Smallwood was 
formed, continuing the business at the same place 
with six hand-looms. Having more capital they soon 
removed to Dunlop's frame mill, at the northeast 
corner of Straight and Morton Streets, where they 
occupied the upper floor, forty by one hundred and 
sixty feet, and employed fifty to seventy-five hands. 
Their business was now extended to include handker- 
chiefs, veils, grenadines, etc. In February, 1880, 
they began the erection. of a silk-mill on a plot of 
thirty-two lots, on Front and Rockland Streets, being 
the first mill erected for the purpose of manufacturing 
silk by steam-power in Totowa. This fact and its 
conspicuous position, it crowning the height to the 
northwest of the Falls, give it special prominence. 
The new building was to be completed in October, 
1880, but as a matter of fact was not ready for occu- 
pancy until April, 1881, when the firm removed 
thither. The mill is forty-two by one hundred and 
twenty feet, the first story of stone and brick, and the 
two upper stories of frame. Power is supplied by a 
fifteen horse-power engine. Water is pumped from 
a well on the premises to the top of the mill for 
various uses. From 125 to 150 hands are employed 
in the manufacture of broad silks, dress silks, grena- 
dines, handkerchiefs, etc., their wages amounting to 
$40,000 to !ii!50,000 yearly, and the finished goods to 
$125,000. During the year 1882 it is, expected that 
another mill, of brick, four stories high, forty-two by 
one hundred and twenty feet, will be erected on the 
adjoining lots by the firm for the extension of their 
business in the same lines as at present carried on. 

A,Mey & Bailey. — Dwight Ashley and Peter Bailey 
began business in the early part of 1873 in a small 
building on Tyler Street, where they had four looms 
running. In the course of nine months they re- 
moved to a larger room in Straight Street, op])osite 
Tyler, and there set fifteen looms in operation. In 
1875 or 1876 they took the top floor of the JaMray 
Mill, in Market Street, opposite Pine, a room forty- 
five by eighty feet, and there greatly extended their 
business, running forty looms. In January, 1880, they 
built a mill of their own on Warren Street, next to the 
Erie Railway, forty by one hundred and sixty feet 
in area, three stories high, occupying the second and 



480 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



third floors. In June of the same year a fierce hurri- 
cane swept over that part of the city and lifted off the 
roof and tlie greater part of the upper story, causing 
a loss estimated at $40,0(MJ. The mill was rebuilt, 
two stories in iieight, witli an addition in front, forty- 
five by forty feet, tlirec stories hijrh. Tiie tirui now 
occupy the whole of this addition and the upper 
floor of the rest of the mill. They have 'M power 
and 24 hand-looms, and make broad silks, handker- 
chiefs, tie-silks, scarfs, etc. They throw their own 
silk at another mill at Fort Plain, N. V., using about 
10,000 pounds of raw silk yearly. In the Paterson 
mill from 175 to 200 hands find eniplojnnent, and re- 
ceive about $80,000 wages yearly ; at Fort Plain 50 
hands are at work, wlio are paid about $800(» w.iges 
]ier year. 

Jd/in PhiZ/i/i" J/cA'";/.— Mr. McKay has been closely 
identified with the silk industry of Paterson for nearly 
twenty years. For most of that time lie has done val- 
uable service as secretary of the Paterson Silk Asso- 
ciation. Coming to America from Macclesfield, where 
he worked all his life in and about silk, he was for 
two years with the late William Kyle in the silk im- 
]K)rting trade in New York City. Two years later he 
came to Paterson to take a responsible position in 
the Murray Mill, which he held until 1872. In 1869 
he became interested in the Baare Manufacturing 
('oni|)any, which o|ierated the Upper Murray Mill 
until 1872. In the fall of the following year he 
entered into partnersliip with John C. Kyle, the firm- 
name being J.. P. McKay & Co. They occupied two 
floors of the brick mill of George Addj'; in Water 
Street, between Hamburg and Totowa Avenues, each 
floor being about forty-five by ninety feet, where 
they carried on silk-weaving. This partnership was 
dis.'iolvcd at the end of one year. Mr. McKay con- 
tinued the bu.siness on hisown account on the third 
floor of the same mill, employing about 20 hands, and 
running a dozen looms on specialties,— handkerchiefs, 
ties, warfs, grenadines, veiling, etc. He got along 
finely, and began branching out iminciliately. In 
1875 he commenced working on c(ininiis.sion, and 
then leased the second floor of the smne l>uililing, 
and in the summer of 1879 took possession of the 
first floor, which had just been vacated. In the fall 
of ISSO, Mr. .Vddy completed a new wing to his mill 
along the river-bank, on the west side of the first 
structure, of brick, three stories high and Itasement, 
forly-twi> by one hundred and twenty feet, and Mr. 
McKay leased it and soon filled it with machinery 
for a general extension of his business, all of which 
he had in operation by the 1st of January following. 
In .lanuarv, 1KK2, he began throwing silk on his own 
aci'ount. lie now has 150 looms, power and hand in 
equal niimberH, and throwing machinery in propor- 
tion. .Mioul.'iOO hands are employed, and it takes 
ttlMiul $150,000 to $175,000 to pay them all <luring a 
veiir. About -10,(WMI poun<U of raw silk are worked 
up in a twelvemonth into all sorts of beautiful falirics, 



: after designs made in the mill,— specialties: handker- 
chiefs, grenadines, veilings, dress goods, etc., — the 
value of which amounts to half a million dollars yearly. 
The machinery is run by a forty horse-power steam- 
engine, and by two turbine-wheels of fifteen horse- 
j)ower eacli. Some of Mr. McKay's specialties pro- 
duced in 1881 created a decided furore in the trade, 
so novel and beautiful were the designs and so excel- 
lent was the finishing, which, by the way, was all 
done in his mill. He now carries on every process 
excejit dyeing. He even cuts his own cards, which 
are placed in the Jacquard looms to work out the de- 
sign in tlie woven fabric. During the winter of 1.S81- 
82 he made some experiments in the weaving of a 
peculiarly rich and heavy silk plush, which may some 
day become an important feature of his business. 

(ieory Siiiijletiiii. — Mr. Singleton's first operations 
as a silk-manufacturer were in the Watson Works, on 
Kailroad .Vvenue and Grand Street. He w:is burned 
out there with heavy loss in 1875, when he removed 
' in July of that year to the Jaft'ray Mill, in Market 
Street near Spruce. In May, 187!>, he returned to 
the Wat.son Works, leasing the second floor of the 
building, two hundred by fifty-six feet, with an L 
I'orty-two by sixty feet, and another room fitty-four 
by seventy-five feet. His business is the manufacture 
of machine-twist, sewing-silks, embroideries, trams, 
and organ/.incs. He dyes and finishes his machine- 
twist and sewing-silks on his own premisi-s, all ready 
for the market. From I.'IO to 140 hands are employed. 
Mr. Singleton has combined the doubling and the 
twisting of machine-twist silk on the one umchine, to 
some extent giving the threads a slight twist while 
they are being doubled. The process is found to be 
a decided improvement over the old way, giving the 
twisted thread more uniformity and strength than 
formerly. Mr. Singleton has a large mill at Dover, 
I N. J., whither he contemplate.s removing. 

Barnes <l- Pee/. — In 1874, David A. Barnes and 

John T. Peel formed a partnership as Barnes iV: 

I Peel, and took two floors of the olil Beaver .Mill and 

I the long, low building in the yard, for the nmnufac- 

turc of silk braids and bindings, silk serges and 

sleeve linings, and trams and organzines. Their 

I business proved a complete success, and in the course 

j of time they oecupie<l the whole of the Beaver Mill — 

I three stories, biLsetnent. and attic — and the third lloor 

! of the Machinists' Association building opposite, and 

[ gave employment to one hundred hands, whom they 

paid thirty thousand dollars a year in wages. In 

January, 18X1, owing to the great expansion of their 

business, they removed to the Garret Rock Mill, just 

erected by the Harbours mi firand Street, west of 

Spruce, leasing the secon<l and third floors of that 

immense structure, each floor being fifty by four liun- 

drc<l and five feet in area. They now employ 200 

hands, who.se wages will amount to from $60,<Mmi i, 

$70,(MiO per annum, and they produce goods (o the 

value of ?mMi,oiMl to $.'■.00,000 yearly, princi|mlly 




.,|5 

. < ^- 















I 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



481 



tailors' trimmings. Tlie firm stands easily first in 
the United States in the magnitude of its production 
in this peculiar line of goods, no other coming any- 
where near it. Their machinery is run by steam- 
power. 

XUlhtiiiqale Brnihers. — These young men — Jolin 
and Joseph Nightingale — come of a family experi- 
enced for many years, if not for generations, in the 
silk manufacture, so that it came natural to them, as 
it were, to be in the business themselves. Their 
father, James Nightingale, Sr., was brought up to the 
business in England, and his sons learned it at an 
early age. Coming to this country, they worked for a 
while in various mills, and in 1875 concluded to set 
up for themselves. Their success has been really 
wonderful in the time that has since elapsed. They 
began in a small room in tlie Washington Market, 
with a single loom. That and their skill and untiring 
industry constituted their capital, and these have 
proved a sufBcieucy, as the event has shown. Each 
being so perfectly familiar with the manufacture in 
all its details, they were able to make a class of goods 
that readily found a market, and consequently their 
business rapidly increased, so that by 1878-79 they 
had to secure more spacious quarters. These they 
found in the upper floor of the old Boudinot .Mill, at 
the northwest corner of Straight and Ellison Streets. 
This was sixty-five by eighty feet in area. Here they 
branched out on a more extensive scale, and in a 
short time not only filled it with machinery, but hired 
a large frame shoj) on Pearl Street near Straight, 
forty by sixty feet, three stories in height, which they 
filled with hand-looms entirely. During 1881 they 
also leased the second and third floors of a new mill 
next north of their Straight Street mill, eacli floor 
being forty by eighty-eight feet in area, where the 
winding and warping machinery was concentrated. 
In November, 1881, the Boudinot Mill was bought, 
and immediately prepared for a further extension of 
their business. The entire building was thoroughly 
overhauled, and without delay both floors were com- 
pletely filled with new and improved machinery, the 
other premises previously leased being also retained. 
They now have about 170 power-looms and 30 hand- 
looms, and about 3000 spindles. The raw silk is 
taken into the mill and put through every process ex- 
cept the dyeing. A splendid new eiglity horse-power 
steam-engine sup|)lies the motive-power for the Bou- 
dinot Mill. About 400 hands are employed by the 
firm, and from 700 to 800 pounds of raw silk are used 
weekly, or from 3.5,000 to 40,000 pounds yearly, the 
value of which is from §200,000 to $250,000. The 
firm make all kinds of silk fabrics, dress goods, 
handkerchiefs, etc., but their handkerchiefs have been 
a specialty with them, and they have produced some 
of the finest grades in Paterson. They employ no 
agents and have no commission-house, selling their 
own goods directly through their New York store, 
No. 339 Broadway, New York. 



LouM Franke. — Mr. Franke started in the silk busi- 
ness on Jan. 1, 1876, or immediately thereafter, his 
lease of the Pope Mill on the river-bank dating from 
that time. This building is one hundred by forty-five 
feet in area, three stories high. He used but one 
floor at first, having 150 hands engaged in making 
tram and organzine, fringes, twist, etc. In the course 
of a short time he had filled the whole mill with his 
throwing machinery, and had found the business so 
remunerative that he felt justified in providing him- 
self with permanent quarters more spacious in their 
extent. He accordingly bought ground on River 
Street, extending back to the river, and immediately 
adjoining the Bridge Street bridge on the east. The 
land was partly covered with old buildings, and the 
earth sloped down to the river, the whole apjiearance 
of the property being anything but attractive. With 
the aid of an architect and skillful mechanii'S all this 
has been changed, and the corner is now one of the 
finest in the city. A massive wall was first built all 
along the river-front and carried up a trifle above 
the street-level, then the foundations for a mill were 
laid, and the earth filled in all around. The mill it- 
self was then carried up. It is one of the hand- 
somest in the city, the exterior being exceedingly at- 
tractive in its appearance. It is two hundred feet 
long, fifty feet deep, three stories high, with project- 
ing wings, forty by fifty feet. The interior is fitted 
up with every appliance that science could suggest 
and money provide for the comfort and convenience 
of the employes. Special attention has been paid to 
the heating and ventilation, the arrangements to that 
end being of the most elaborate and ingenious char- 
acter. The entire mill is occupied by Mr. Franke in 
carrying on the same business as formerly. When 
busy about 350 hands are employed, and it takes 
.SK500 per week to pay them. Henry W. Struss is a 
partner of Mr. Franke in the business, but the mill is 
run in the name of Louis Franke alone. 

R. & H. Adams. — Some account has been given 
heretofore of the cotton manufacture carried on by 
R. & H. Adams at the Harmony Mill. In 1875 this 
firm engaged in the silk business, starting with about 
4000 spindles, 26 ribbon-looms, and 25 handkerchief- 
looms, and employing 225 hands. Thus it was a large 
silk establishment from the first, being exceeded by 
not more than four or five in the city at the time. 
The firm did a general silk manufacturing business, 
taking the raw silk and turning it out as finished rib- 
bons or broad-silk dress-goods. They did all the 
work except the dyeing. In 1879, Henry Adams, 
then the sole owner, began enlarging the business, 
and on Nov. 1, 1881, he had 1400 winding spindles, 
2500 spinners, GOO doublers, 1900 last-time-overs, and 
500 tram-mil! spindles running in his mills, with 36 
ribbon-looms and 40 broad-silk looms, using 800 
pounds of raw silk weekly, and employing about 350 
hands, whose wages footed up $100,000 and more per 
year. Mr. Adams has a certain advantage in com- 



482 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



billing the silk manufacture with his cotton business. ' 
Everywhere the mosquito-netting, buckrams, etc., of 
R. & H. Adams are known, anil when a " drummer" 
cannot sell one cla.ss of tlie firm's productions he can 
generally sell the other, and thus there is always 
a market found for one or the other productions of 
these mills. 

Oeorge Briinmhall began weaving handkerchiefs for 
his own account in a small frame building in front of 
the Gun Mill in .Tune, 1878, having twelve hands 
working for him and si.x looms running. In Novem- 
ber he took the second floor of the building, where 
he put in some winding machinery and four hand- 
looms, and added another band-loom down-stairs. 
In February, 1880, he removed to Ashley & Bailey's 
mill, on Warren Street, leasing the first floor, forty 
by one hundred and si.xty feet. He now has the 
whole floor filled with machinery for weaving, wind- 
ing, and warping, there being sixty power-looms. He 
employs one hundred and twenty-five hands, paying 
out about $45,000 to $.50,000 in wages yearly. He 
uses about 20,000 to 2.5,000 pounds of tram and organ- 
zine annually. The production consists of handker- 
chiefs, figured piece goods, dress goods, and scarfs; 
there is a capacity for turning out six hundred dozen 
of handkerchiefs weekly, or one hundred dozen a 
day. 

AnI/iony Pncochard started weaving silk on his own 
account in the fall of 1877, in Smith Street, with three 
looms. In 1879 he removed to the third floor of No. 
177 Market Street, and has since extended his room, 
until he has a shop fifty by seventy feet, and runs 
twenty-one hand- and six power-looms, employing 
thirty hands in the weaving of broad silks, dress- 
goods, etc. 

Ben /'I III ill Ciir/'i/ has been since 1878-70 engaged in 
the manufacture of silk watch-guards, fish-lines, eye- 
glass cords, and silk braids. He has a room, thirty- 
six by forty feet, in the upper story of the Union 
Works, corner of Market and Spruce Streets, where 
be employs five or six hands. It is a peculiar and 
interesting branch of the silk industry. 

Jlie Winfield M'lnu/iic/iirini/ Coiiipnnij carries on the 
same business on a larger scale at Weavertown, Al- 
bert D. Winfield, the president, having been engaged 
in that braiuh of the silk manufacture for several 
years. 

JniiifK Mr.WiMrr began throwing silk on commis- 
sion in 187M, and now employs forty to sixty hands, 
in the upper floor of the mill at the corner of Jack- 
son and (ireene Streets. He works up about four 
hundred pounds of silk weekly. 

Unjiper <(• Srotl. — This firm started business in the 
spring of 187tt. The members are .lohn II. lIopiXT 
and Robert Scott. Mr. Hopper had previously had 
no experience in silk manufacture, but Mr. Scott 
was an old hand at it. He was brought from Con- 
necticut to Paterson by Mr. John Ryle to start up a 
power-loom for weaving silk, having been familiar 



with that kind of work before. In April, 1860, he 
experimented on a loom which had been used for 
weaving cotton-duck in Passaic Mill, No. 2, now 
known as Harbour's PiLssaic Flax-Mill, on Spruce 
Street opposite Oliver. He tested it for two or three 
days, |iutting on a warp and woof, and actually wove 
several yards of excellent silk cloth by power, being 
the first to succeed in the attempt in Paterson. But 
he found the loom too heavy and cumbersome for the 
work, and advised Mr. Ryle not to persevere with 
that kind of loom, as it would not be i)rofitable. He 
remained some time in Mr. Ryle's employ, then spent 
ten years with Hamil & Booth, and seven years more 
with John Dunlop from the fall of 1871. On leaving 
him he entered into partnership with Mr. Hopper. 
Hopper & .Scott first leased the third floor of the 
Hope Mill, on Mill Street opposite Passaic, a room 
thirty-eight by ninety-six feet, starting with twenty- 
five hands in throwing tram and organzine on com- 
mission. In six months they found it nece.ssan,' to 
lease the second floor of the same building, and they 
now occupy them both, and are contemplating the 
addition of still more room. They employ tJO hands 
exclusively in throwing, and pay them ^'!(»,0(»0 of 
wages yearly. They use oOO to GOO pounds of raw 
silk weekly, taking it in the bale and making it into 
thread ready for weaving. They have been among 
the most successful of new firms in Paterson. 

R. Ad'im» A- Co. — In 1880, Robert Adams (formerly 
of the firm of R. & H. Adams) and James Hunter 
formed a partnership as R. Adams & Co., and bought 
the Hamilton Mill, then just rebuilt after the fire 
which hail destroyed the old mill. The new building 
was of brick, seventy-five by forty feet, four stories 
high. The firm started the silk busines-s, buying the 
raw silk and weaving it into ribboiiii, handkerchiefs, 
dress-goods, and in brief carried on a general silk 
business in all its branches except dyeing. Their 
business soon extended so rapidly that they had to 
lease the lower floor of the Ho]>e Mill and half of 
its office, next to the Hamilton Mill, besides a por- 
tion of the Franklin Mill. Not having room enough 
even yet, they set about the erection of an immense 
addition to the Hamilton Mill, so that the enlarged 
mill is shaped something like the letter H. Tin 
narrow neck is fifty by forty-six feet, and the extension 
beyond that is ninety-six by forty-six feet, all four 
stories high, so that the new mill is one of the lar^n -t 
in Paterson. Before this was built the firm employed 
from 100 to 150 hands, paying them from |30,(KK) to 
$40,000 wagt-s yearly. When the entire new mill 
gets in operation, which will be some time in the 
spring or early summer of 1882, it is expected that 
about 400 hands will be employed. 

Jarnen H. Rof,erH.—\n the fall of 1880, Mr. Rogers, 
a young lawyer of Paterson, look the silk machinery 
formerly of Ekings & Birsfelder, in the Hope Mill, 
and removed it to the I'pper Murray Mill, in Mill 
Street opposite Ward. Since then he has more than 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



483 



doubled the machinery and the business. He occu- 
pies a room sixty by one hundred feet, one story high, 
with 70 looms, — 45 power and 25 hand, — employing 
about 100 hands, paying them about $50,000 yearly in 
wages. The annual production is about $150,000, and 
consists of handkerchiefs and dress-goods. In Feb- 
ruary, LSSl, he had but five looms. William Grim- 
sliaw is superintendent. 

Dale Mill. — In this great building there are several 
silk manufacturers besides Mr. Frederick S. Dale. 
In December, 1880, Joseph Bamford began the busi- 
ness at the corner of Grand and Spruce Streets, but in 
March, 1881, removed to the Dale Mill, where he oc- 
cupies two rooms on the first floor and another on the 
third -floor; he has 2G looms weaving handkerchiefs, 
and employs 30 hands, paying them 812,000 or $15,000 
yearly. His products are about $100,000 per annum. 
His principal weaving-room was lighted during the 
winter of 1881-82 by electricity. On the first floor, 
also, James Nightingale, Jr., weaves handkerchiefs 
and dress-goods with about 20 looms. John Locket 
has 20 hand-looms on the same floor, and 15 power- 
looms weaving handkerchiefs. On the same floor, 
also, Philip Dorgeval weaves dress-goods, gros grains, 
etc., with 50 looms. He also builds looms. On the 
second floor Paul Crawford weaves handkerchiefs and 
dress-goods, running 80 looms. Eugene Vogelsang 
weaves tie silks, scarfs, etc., on 15 box- or tissue-looms 
for weaving three or four colors at a time. He occu- 
pies a room one hundred by forty-four feet, and em- 
ploys about 25 hands. He represents an immense 
establishment at Crefeldt, Germany, where 1000 hands 
are emi)loyed on this class of goods; he is in America 
to supply special demands for their goods. Third 
floor: Samuel Greenwood throws silk on commission, 
and employs about 75 hands. Frederick Alcock 
bought the machinery of Edward B. Penrose in the 
spring of 1881, and has added largely to it since for 
weaving handkerchiefs and dress-goods. He employs 
75 hands, and occupies a room one hundred and 
twenty-five by forty-four feet. Mr. Alcock was for 
many years designer in the Phnenix Mill, and has a 
thorough knowledge of the silk business in all its 
branches. 

In February, 1882, Pfeffer & Wells leased the Pope 
Mill, on the north side of the river, formerly occupied 
by Louis Franke, and set up imported machinery for 
making spun silk, from which velvet is woven. Mc- 
Culloch & Gregson have been in the same business for 
two or three years at No. 42 Van Houten Street. 

The foregoing is far from a full list of the silk firms 
of Paterson, but the accounts given in the preceding 
pages of the several manufacturers sufliciently illus- 
trate the growth of this mighty and beautiful industry 
in Paterson. 

A few statistics by way of summary may be of in- 
teres here: In 1870 the silk manufactures of the 
United States amounted to $12,000,000; in 1880 to 
$34,000,000. In 1870 there were 12,000 hands em- 



ployed; in 1880 34,000. In 1870 the wages paid 
amounted to $3,000,000 ; in 1880 to $9,000,000. Al- 
most half of the total product of the country was 
made in Paterson, there being 1,400,000 pounds of 
raw silk used in New Jersey, more than half the total 
imports. In 1880 there were 12,680 persons employed 
in New Jersey silk-mills, to whom $4,168,000 was paid 
in wages. Paterson has about 90 per cent, of the 
silk manufactures of the State, so that the foregoing 
statistics would closely approximate the condition of 
the industry in Paterson in February, 1882. 



CHAPTER LXV. 

CITY OF PATERSON— (CoiidHi/erf). 

Velvet, Silk Plush, etc. — There are two meth- 
ods of weaving velvet, plush, etc. One, the old-fash- 

1 ioned way, is by the use of wires, and the other is by 
using a very ingenious machine, said to be the iuven- 

j tion of Samuel Holt, now of Paterson, by which two 

I piles of velvet are woven at once, and separated by a 

! knife just as they issue from the loom. 

About 1859 the first hat-plush was woven in Pater- 
son by a Frenchman, who seems to have got discour- 
aged before he finished his first warp. The plush 

[ was not a success for the purpose for which it was in- 
tended, as it failed to stand the hatter's iron, but it 
made up into fine vestings. 

Doubtless the first velvet woven in Paterson was 
the product of John Fletcher, who wove it on a loom 
with wires, in his own house. No. 106 Straight Street, 
about 1860-61. He wove twenty or thirty yards of 
it, twenty-two inches wide, but velvet was not in 
fashion just then, and the sale of it was so slow that 
he did not attempt to weave more than the one piece. 
It was an excellent article, and lasted a long time 
when made up into vests, as some of it was. 

In 1880, Mr. Fletcher started the making of silk 
plush for millinery goods in a small frame mill in the 
rear of 110 Straight Street, the building being forty- 
five by twenty-four feet, two stories high. Associated 
with him was his son William and his brother Wil- 
liam. They had four looms, and wove a very fine 
article, for wdiich they were ottered a higher price 
than the imported article of the same grade com- 
manded in the New York market. It was the finest 
in the market. All they made found ready sale as 
long as there was any demand for silk plush during 
1880 and 1881. They attribute their success largely 
to the peculiar style of looms they use, they having 
made their own looms. At the present writing they 
are preparing for a considerable enlargement of their 
business in 1882. 

The American Velvet Company. — In 1851, Samuel 
Holt, already mentioned in connection with the man- 
ufacture of Turkish towels, invented a machine for 



484 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES. NEW JERSEY. 



weaving silk plush ou power-looms, which also wove 
two piles at once anJ cut them apart at the same time. 
It is not easy to describe the machine, but the web as 
it comes through the loom is precisely as if two pieces 
of velvet were woven together, face to face, and then 
separated by a sharp knife. Tliat is |)rcci.scly the 
manner in which velvet and plush are woven on this 
machine invented by Mr. Holt. Uuriug the late war 
velvet was very costly in America, on account of the 
duty and the high rate of exchange, and some gentle- 
men from the United States made an arrangement 
with Mr. Holt to come to tiiis country and introduce 
the weaving of velvet iiere on his patent looms. He 
arrived here in August, 1804, with twenty or thirty 
experienced hands, and started oi)crations in Newark. 
In 1865 the parties who had induced him to come, 
having fornied the American Velvet Company, bought 
a tract of land on Kssex, Madison, and Beech Streets, 
in Paterson, and proceeded to erect thereon a hand- 
some three-story lirick mill, two hundred by forty-tive 
feet, fronting on E^ex Street. In February, 1866 or 
1867, Mr. Holt removed the machinery from Newark 
to the new building in Paterson. About forty looms 
were put in operation and about one hundred hands 
employed. They wove and finished several thousand 
yards of velvet and plush, having a capacity for pro- 
ducing three thousand yards weekly, and the goods 
were sold readily in the New York market, being 
scarcely surpassed for fineness of quality. The com- 
pany also imported some machinery for tearing up, 
carding, and spinning the silk from |)ierce(l cocoons, 
and a ferocious-looking machine the " Devil" was. 
But the stockholders were by no means harmonious, 
and in 1869 the mill was closed. The machinery was 
subsequently sold off at a great sacrifice, and some of 
the looms are to this day stored away at Manliattan- 
ville, where they have lain for years, the owner re- 
fusing to sell them. 

Sii.k-Dyeino. — In the early years of the silk manu- 
facture in Paterson one drawback was the lack of 
proper facilities for dyeing the silk on an extensive 
scale and with unilbrm etfcct*. There were many 
dyers, it is true, iiut they had only small shops, and 
could not fill large orders as |)romptly as was often 
desired. One of the first to start a dye-house on the 
European ]dan was 

C'/'iiitle (irr/ipri, who in 18(>7 or 1868 erected a large 
brick silk-mill and dye-house on Sinter and Prince 
Streets and Dale Avenue. Thr dye-house is one hun- 
dred by forty-eight feel, one story high, on Prince 
Street, with atiolher building fifty feel front on Prince 
Street and Dale Avenue, and two hundred feet deep; 
another building, of frame, is forty-eight by one hun- 
dred and tidy feet. He inlroducetl the most improved 
machinery, and spared no pains to dye and finish silk 
goods as finely as rould be done anywhere in the 
world. There is no doubt that his ctlorts in this direc- 
tion were of great value in stimulating the silk manu- 
facture in PatefHon. In 1877 he went into partner- 



ship with Jacob Weidmann, but in the course of a 
year again set up for himself, or with some capitalists 
established the Paterson Silk-Dyeing and Finishing 
Association, which has since been spreading out in 
its operations, and now has the largest works of the 
kind in the city, and among the largest in the country, 
at Riverside, where the entire business is to be con- 
centrated during the year 1882. Mr. Greppo has re- 
cently imported some very costly machinery for dye- 
ing and finishing velvet. 

llie Wiiilmnnii Sitk-l>yein(j Compauy. — Jacoli \\'eid- 
mann started in the business in a small way about ten 
years ago in the Dale Mill, removing in a short time 
to the corner of Paterson and Ellison Streets, where 
John O'Neill formerly spun and dyed silk. The 
business has grown to immense pro|)ortions, and now 
takes in a series of buildings on the corner mentioned, 
covering about two hundred feet square, and from one 
to three stories in height. A few years ago Mr. Weid- 
mann bought on the west side of Paterson Street, 
nearly opposite his works, and there put up a spacious 
building with ornate front, twenty-five by one hun- 
dred feet, two stories and basement ; back of that a 
dye-house with very high roof, one hundred by sixty 
in area, and back of that an engine-luiuse, etc. He 
acquired subsequently another brick buihling, extend- 
ing from the engine-house to Ellison Street, twenty- 
five by one hundred and twenty-five feet. Mr. Weid- 
mann was not only a skillful dyer, but he had a 
brother who was a chemist of high repute in France 
and Gernuiny, and whose knowledge was freely con- 
tributed to enable the Paterson works to turn out the 
most brilliant specimens of dyeing. All sorts of 
improved machinery have been used in the establish- 
ment, which .sometimes employs lus many as HOO or 
4<M) hands. In January, 1882, the concern was turned 
into a stock company, — the Weidmann Silk- Dyeing 
C<m)pany; Jacob Wel<lmann president, .lolm East- 
wood treiuiurer. Mr. lOastwood is a wealthy manufac- 
turer of dye-stufts at Belleville, N. J. 

See if- Shechaii .started in the silk-dyeing business 
several years ago in Paterson Street near Ellison, 
and have won much success. 

(iinrije M'irlnl was for many years the dyer for the 
Cheneys, the eminent silk numnfaclurers at South 
Manchest<'r, tJonn. About ten years ago he formed 
a |>artnersliip with Jacob Stettheinier and Samuel 
Nordinger, the two latter being New York moneyed 
men, under the firm-name of Morlot, Stcltlu'imer & 
Co. They bought some buildings which hail been 
erect<!d for the manufacture of nitro-glycerine on the 
river-bank near the foot of East Tenth Street, where 
a spring of fine water wius at hand and a large brook. 
In the course of time Mr. Morlot became the owner 
of the whole business, which he still carries on at the 
same place. His works have been greatly enlarged 
since he began. 

The American SiU- Fiiii»hiii(] f'oi;i/vnHy occupies the 
lower lloor, fitly by one hundred and twenty-five feet, 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



485 



of the old cotton-mill on Greene Street between Jack- 
son and Spring. They finish silks ready for the mar- 
ket, and have made some preparations for finishing 
velvets and plushes. 

There are half a dozen other smaller establishments 
in various parts of the city devoted to dyeing and 
finishing silks. 

Chemical- Works. — The dyeing of silks requires 
the use of a great variety of dye-stuffs, and for thirty 
years George Barnes has been making pyroligneous 
acid and other dye-stutfs at West Paterson. He has 
extensive works at that place, and does a widely-ex- 
tended business. 

Andrew Elvin has been in tlie same business for 
many years, occupying some frame buildings on Kip 
Van Winkle Avenue until the latter part of 18S1, 
when he took possession of some fine new brick build- 
ings he had just erected at Riverside, at the foot of 
East Eighteenth Street, — one, one hundred by si.xty 
feet ; another, one liundred by seventy ; another, one 
hundred by twenty-five. He employs 30 hands, and 
turns out 20 barrels daily of pyroligneous acid, and 
10 of nitrate of iron, besides tin liquors, crystals, etc. 

Silk Machinery. — When the manufacture of silk 
was begun in Paterson all the machinery required 
had to be imported from England and France. It 
was a long time ere there was sufficient demand for it 
to jiwtify its manufacture on any considerable scale 
here. Then the large machine-shops took hold of the 
matter, and soon began to turn out very creditable 
machinery, which found ready sale in this country. 
Some of these large shops have been mentioned in 
other connections. Within a few years there have 
grown up shops devoted exclusively to the manufac- 
ture of silk machinery and supplies. One of the old- 
est of these is that of 

Christian Koh/haas. — In 1863, 3Ir. Kolilhass began 
making ribbon-looms and doing all kinds of jobbing 
on silk machinery, having learned the trade in Ger- 
many. He had a small shop in the Franklin Mill, 
where he remained until burned out in 1871, when he 
removed to the old duck-mill. Three years later, 
his business having grown materially, he was obliged 
to seek roomier (juarters, and he leased the first floor 
of an old stone l)uihliug along the river-bank, below 
the Gun Mill, the room being forty by eighty feet. 
With the enormous growth of the silk industry in 
Paterson his business has kept pace, especially as he 
and his two sons have constantly shown a remarkable 
mechanical ingenuity in devising and improving all 
kinds of machines, with all sorts of odd motions. Some 
years ago they invented a loom which wove a cartridge- 
belt of canvas, with as many cartridge pockets as might 
be desired, woven in with the belt with a scarcely 
perceptible seam. It was the first time this sort of 
weaving had ever been successfully attempted, and it 
has not been [)erfectly imitated since. In March, 
1881, they invented a circular-motion shuttle, which 
places one-third more shuttles in the same space than 



the old style of shuttle-motion. It is an extremely odd 
atl'air, and works to a charm. They also make Jac- 
quard machines adapted to any loom, ribbon-looms, 
sott-silk winders, blocking-machines, ribbon-calenders, 
silk machinery generally, and do all sorts of jobbing 
in connection with the silk business. Mr. Kohlhaas 
employs about 20 hands, whose wages toot up 4^13,000 
yearly. 

Jarne^ Jackson. — Mr. Jackson served his time with 
his uncle, William Stubbs, who was superintendent 
of a silk-mill in England, and thus acquired a perfect 
knowledge not only of the mechanism of silk ma- 
chinery, hut also of the various processes of the man- 
ipulati(ui of silk from its raw state to the finished 
product. He was thus amply equipped to set uji for 
himself in the manufacture of silk machinery when 
he began it in the fall of 1873 in a small frame build- 
ing, one story high, twenty by sixteen feet, in the rear 
of his dwelling. No. 41 Sherman Avenue. Besides 
himself he had one of his sons and another man 
working in the shop. The panic coming on retarded 
the growth of his enterprise, but nevertheless in tlie 
course of six months he had another hand at work, 
and at the end of the first year there were four hands 
under him. His principal product was Jac(iuard 
looms, and he also made compass-boards. He was 
about the first in Paterson to engage in the manufac- 
ture of the Jacquard loom, which up to that time had 
been imported into this country. Mr. Jackson em- 
bodied some of his own ideas in these looms, among 
other things reversing the working of tlie baton, 
an idea which has since been adopted by most other 
loom-builders. His great object was to simplify the 
Jacquard as far as possible, and in this he has suc- 
ceeded to the satisfaction of all who use his looms. 
In the fall of 1875 he began to extend his business, 
and he then occupied part of the cellar of his house. 
This did not suffice to accommodate his expanding 
trade, and in September, 1877, he built a frame mill, 
thirty by twenty-two feet, two stories and a half in 
height, at No. 20 Albion Avenue, on land bought for 
the purpose. He now employed twelve men. Still 
his accommodations did not keep pace with the ex- 
pansion of his business, and a year later he was com- 
pelled to enlarge his mill to twice its former size, 
making it twenty-two by sixty feet and of the same 
height. He now had eighteen men in his employ. In 
the spring of 1879 he put-, on another addition in 
front, thirty by thirty feet, three and a half stories 
high. Wheu he began he used to turn out one loom 
every two or three weeks. He has gradually invented 
and perfected machinery to facilitate the manufacture 
of his looms, until in l+>80 he finished 800, about the 
same number in 1881, and in 1882 expects to show a 
record of 1000 finished looms, while his shop has a 
capacity of 1500 if they should be actually recpiired. 
In 1873 a 400-Jac(iuard cost the mill-owner forty 
dollars to import ; now Mr. Jackson makes and sells 
them for twentv-six dollars. Other sizes sell for from 



486 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



thirty-five to forty-five dollars each. Thus it appears 
that Mr. Jackson has been a benefactor to the Pater- 
son silk-inanuracturers, enabling thein to fill their 
mills with better looms than the imported at a cheaper 
rate than before he engaged in the manufacture. He 
also makes compass-boards, warping-uiills, both for 
hand and power; also beaming-frames, and silk 
machinery in general. His annual products are 
about $25,000. Twenty-five hands are employed, who 
are paid about $13,(X)0 yearly. 

Robert Atherton. — Mr. Atherton was for many years 
superintendent of the Van Riper Manufacturing 
Company's shops. In November, 1879, he set up for 
himself in a room twenty-five by seventy-five feet, on 
the first Hoor of the brick building on River Street, 
north side, near Main Street, where he began making 
silk machinery, — winders, doublers, and filling-ma- 
chines. In May, 1880, he moved to the brick building 
on Mill Street next south of tlie Esse.K Mill, occupy- 
ing one rtoor with his machine-shop, employing 
twelve or fifteen men. In May, 1881, he leased the 
two-story frame building, thirty by forty feet, on the 
front of the Gun Mill lot, taking both Hoors for his 
work. He makes the various kinds of silk machinery 
mentioned, and does jobbing and general repairing. 
Many of his machines are running in New York and 
Philadelphia, but most of it is for the Paterson Mills. 
He employs twelve or fifteen men when busy, and 
pays out from $3000 to $(5000 per year for wages. 

ChrMian Bndiler began making hand-looms for 
weaving broad-silk goods in a little slianty back of 
his house. No. .jii iSheridan Avenue, in 187o, the room 
being only big enough for one man to work in. He 
next moved into the basement of his house, which 
was large enough for his business for two or three 
years, when he was obliged to build a shop eighteen 
by thirty-five feet in area, two stories high, of frame, 
back of his house, and there he now employs six to 
ten men making silk machinery in general, his power 
being supplied by a six-horse steam-engine. The 
men's wagw amount to about .*3000 yearly, and his 
annual production is worth about !!l(l,0(i((. 

Jiihii Wrii/iri/ (I- ,Si>n. — John W'rigley started a small 
machine-shop in 1848 on the Nightingale -Mill lot. 
He afterwards went into partnership with his brother 
Thomas, and continued with him until 18o9, when he 
quit the business. Three years later he resumed his 
olil business of making comb-plates, wa-shcrs, etc., at 
the corner of (Jraiid and Spruce Streets, whence he 
soon removed to the foot of West Street, where he 
remaine<l until about 187(>, when he built a fine large 
machine-shop next to his dwelling, at No. 120 Madi- 
8<in Street, and with his son began to turn his atten- 
tion to the buililing of silk-looms as a specialtv. 
They speedily built U|> a large business in this line, 
their work meeting with much favor among silk-manu- 
facturers. They met with some heavy losses, owing 
to the failure of some buycr.-< of their machinery, in 
1880-81, which cripple<l them temporarily, but they 



have a fine shop, are equipped with first-rate tools, 
have established a good reputation, and will doubt- 
less get their share of patronage in the future, as 
heretofore. 

lien /inn in Eastu-ond set up in the making of silk 
and other machinery in 1873 in a very modest way 
in the rearof McCullnch's brass-shop, on Van Houten 
Street, removing next year to the Beaver Mill, and 
thence in due course to a fine set of buildings which 
he had erected on Ramapo Avenue. He has a foundry 
and blacksmith-shfip thirty-five by one hundred feet, 
and a machine-shop thirty-five by one hundred feet, 
two stories high. About 60 hands are employed, 
earning $;}0,000 of wages yearly. Mr. Eastwood 
carries on a general machine-shop, but latterly has 
been making a specialty of silk machinery, some of 
which he builds on patents of his own, which have 
found favor with the silk-manufacturers. 

I'.^PKK Boxes. — The growth of the silk industry 
has created a great demand for paper boxes for pack- 
ing the finished silk good.s. 

Robert BInekburn started the making of paper- 
boxes in 1805 at No. 67 Broadway, on the upper 
floor. He soon moved to the northeast corner of 
Market and Paterson Streets, then to the Smith & 
Jackson block, and in 1876-77 built a factory for his 
own use, thirty by .seventy-five feet, of brick, three 
stories high, on Railroad Avenue, next south of the 
Dale Mill. He employs 35 to 40 hands, paying them 
$7000 or $800o every year. About fifty tons of straw 
board are required to make the boxes he turns out in 
the course of a twelvemonth, and four hundred reams 
of glazed paper. Most of his boxes are for the silk- 
mills, but many of them are used by the shirt manu- 
' facturers and confectioners. He turns out about 2000 
daily, of all sizes. 

I-Yrileri'-i- Jlnriting began the same business in 1874, 
next to the corner of Ellison and Summer Streets, 
taking on three or four hands. In 1880-81 he built 
a fine brick factory in Straight Street, west side, just 
north of Ellison, forty by eighty-eight feet in size, 
tlirec stories high. He occupies the first floor, where 
he employs about 20 hands, and turns out LWo boxes 
daily, cutting up three or four tons of straw boards 
monthly, and about twenty-five reams of glazed 
paper. His pay-roll amounts to $5lKM) annually, and 
his production to about #20,000. 

HoiiiiiN-TfUNKKs. — The demands of the cotton- 
and (lax-mills gave rise at an early day to the estab- 
lishment of shops devoted to the business of turning 
bobbins. In 1824, Chauncey Andrews employed two 
or three hands to assist him in chair-making and turn- 
ing bobbins. In 1827 he employed three hands, and 
James Morris, William .Jacobs, and Thomas Van 
Riper were in the business. Samuel Ensign, from 
Matteawan, N. Y., in 1827 as-socialed himself with 
Abraham Carter, and the firm of Ensign & Carter 
carried on the turning business for several years on 
the Ucaver Mill lot. John Cutler made bobbins for 



CITY OF PAT^:RSON. 



487 



about fifteen years, part of the time in the rear of the 
Gun Mill. 

Van Riper Manufaffuriiip Compniii/. — Thomas Van 
Riper began the manufacture of bobbins at Cedar 
Grove, N. J., about 1825, removing to Paterson about 
1827, locating on' the river-bank, in the rear of Van 
Winkle's mill, on Boudinot Street. He died in 18.'M, 
and was succeeded in the business by his son, Peter 
V. H. Van Riper. The mill was burned down, then 
rebuilt, next it was washed away bodily by a freshet, 
and having been again replaced, was once more 
burned down. Mr. Van Riper then removed to 
Market Street, between Mill and Cross, running by 
steam-power. About 1845 he built a shop at the 
corner of Clinton and Water Streets, where the busi- 
ness was carried on until 1870, employing about forty 
hands towards the latter date. In 1866, George P. 
Van Riper, son of Peter, was taken into partnership, 
and in 1869 the concern was reorganized under a 
special charter as the Van Riper Manufacturing Com- 
pany. In the latter year the senior Mr. Van Riper 
died. During his life he had introduced many im- 
provements in the machinery for making bobbins. 
In the fall of 1870 the company built a frame mill, 
fifty by one hundred feet, four stories high, at Park 
Ridge, Bergen County, whither the entire bobbin- 
turning business was removed. Fifty-five hands were 
employed at the new^ mill. It was burned down in 
the fall of 1875, after which the business was carried 
on in the handsome new building erected by the con- 
cern in the spring ot 1867, and which is brick and 
iron in front, being fifty by fifty-five feet in area, four 
stories high and basement, with brick extension forty- 
five by twenty feet, and other sheds besides for storage 
purposes. The company now employ about 30 hands 
in making bobbins, using the very best macliinery. 
Silk- and cotton-mills are supplied all over the coun- 
try, especially in the East and South. Bobbins are 
made principally from dogwood and beech, though 
sugar-maple is also used. The company has a capi- 
tal of S62,000. President and Treasurer, George P. 
Van Riper; Secretary, William J. Atkinson. 

Scull & Co., Diiggers d- Row, John R. Daggers. — In 
1865, Isaac Scull and Ellen Durie carried on the 
business of bol)bin-turning in Boudinot (now Van 
Houten) Street. In 1858, Mrs. Durie retired, and 
John R. Daggers and William Row entered the 
firm, which was continued under the old title of Scull 
& Co., in the Broomhead building, at the foot of 
West Street, for a year or two, and then in the 
rear of Todd & Rafferty's works. Mr. Scull retired in 
1860, when the firm-name became Daggers & Row, 
under which title the turning business was kept up 
until 1880, when Mr. Row sold out to Mr. Daggers. 
Since 1865 the shop has been at the northeast cor- 
ner of River and Mulberry Streets. Judge Daggers 
employs about 25 hands, doing all kinds of wood- 
turning, — bobbins, spools, etc. 

J. Atkinson & Co. — In 1865, James Atkinson, Sam- 



uel Brooks, and John Reynolds formed a partnership 
to carry on wood-turning in all its branches, but es- 
pecially for spinning-machinery. The firm-name 
was Atkinson, Brooks & Co. They took a shop on 
River Street, nearly opposite Washington, but were 
burned out in the course of eight months after start- 
ing in the business. They thereupon bought the prem- 
ises Nos. 95 and 97 River Street, fifty by one hundred 
feet, with brick buildings three stories high and fifty 
feet deep. Mr. Brooks remained in the firm but two 
years ; since then the firm-name has been J. Atkinson 
& Co. Mr. Atkinson is the practical man of the busi- 
ness, and works as hard as any of his employes. 
They make bobbins and spools, and do job turning of 
every kind in wood. The whole building is occupied 
by the firm, either in manufacturing or in the storage 
of stock, of which they carry a large amount con- 
stantly, the better to supply any and all demands 
which may be made upon them. Their bobbins and 
spools are sold mainly to the silk-mills, but large 
quantities also go to cotton-mills, flax-mills, rope- 
walks, etc. Of late years they have done a large 
business in the turning of the wooden rollers for par- 
lor skates, which they have furnished to the skate- 
manufacturers by the hundred thousand at a time. 
About 25 hands are employed, their wages being about 
$10,000 altogether during the year. The value of the 
annual production is about $25,000 to #30,000. 

Daniel Brown began in 1867 to make quills for silk- 
weavers, occupying a part of the front building of the 
Franklin Mill and a small building in the rear. The 
latter was rebuilt after the fire in 1871, and Mr. Brown 
has since occupied it; it is two stories, twenty-eight 
by thirty feet. He employs 5 hands and very inge- 
nious machinery in making risers, mill-nuts, pulleys 
for ribbon-looms, swifts for winding silk from the 
hanks of spools, and all sorts of odds and ends in the 
way of wood-turning. 

Leather Bcl/ing.—Xhout 1850, Peter V. H. Van 
Riper and John I. Goetschius began making leather 
belts for machinery in the bobbin-shop of Mr. Van 
Riper, at the corner of Water and Clinton Streets. 
Mr. Goetschius retired from the firm in two or three 
years, and Mr. Van Riper then removed the business 
to a small shop in Jlarket Street, between Jlill and 
Cross. About 1863 he bought out the bobbin-shop of 
Messrs. Brooks & Blauvelt, on Boudinot Street, on the 
Nightingale lot, and occupied the premises for his 
leather belting business, which had been growing 
steadily since he began. In the spring of 1867 he 
removed the business once more to the building now 
occupied by the Van Riper Manufacturing Company, 
which company now carries on the business. The 
origin of this company has been described under the 
head of " bobbin-turners." Ten or twelve hands are 
employed in the business, and belts are supplied to 
many of the mills in Paterson and elsewhere. Among 
the largest belts finished at this shop was one forty 
inches wide, one hundred feet long, two-ply ; another, 



4&8 



HISTORY OF BKRGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



three-ply, twenty-eight inches wide, and more than chine- Works, to the manufacture of army shirts and 

one hundred feet lonp; others thirty-incli, three-ply, other army clothing. The making of shirts was car- 

and thirty-six-iucli, tliree-ply. A machine is used to ried on liere for some years, one Imndred or more 

scour and set out the leather which does tlie work of sewing-machines being run and huiidre<li< of hands 

several men. employed. So#n afti-r the "war the business was 

Edward C. May, who for many years had a harness- abandoned, 

shop in an old-fa.-*hioncil friiiiie building on the site Mniihatlnii Shlrl-Mills. — About 18<>.'>, Messrs. Stur- 

of what is now No. 74 Main Street, engaged in the gis, Perkins cS: Wilson, from Connecticut, started the 

manufacture of leather belting about 1861, and kept manufacture of shirts in a small brick building, forty 



it up for five or six years. As it was subsidiary to 
his other business, he did not go into it extensively, 
and did not make many large belts, not having the 
facilities in his cramped quarters. What he did make, 
however, were of excellent character, as he was thor- 
ough and painstaking in whatever he undertook. 



by forty, two stories high with cellar, on River 
Street, north side, opposite the foot of Patcrson 
Street. In the fall of 18<57, Jacob Levi, who had 
been carrying on the same business since 18o.") in 
New York, bought out the old firm and took pos- 
session of their mill. He took into partnership with 



When Peter V. H. Van Riper made his first leather him Morris Price, and in 1869 his brother, Louis 
belt he was assisted bv Cornelius C. Van Houtcn, i Levi, became a member of the firm of Levi Rrotliers 



who had been an apprentice and journeyman for him 
for years. In the year 1866, Mr. Van Houten started 
in the same busine-ss for himself, in connection with 
Louis Messenger, the firm being Van Houten & Mes- 
senger. They began operations in a two-story frame 
building. No. 37 Van Houten Street, about twenty- 
five by thirty-five feet, with extension twelve by fifteen 
feet. The business luis been carried on there ever 
since. Mr. Messenger withdrew in April, 1874, since 
which time the firm-name hiis been C. C. Van Houten 
& Co., Walter Van Houten, a son of the senior mem- 



it Price. In the spring of 1868 the firm built an ex- 
tension in the rear to the old mill, twenty-five by 
one hundred feet, two stories and basement, for laun- 
dry purposes. In 1874, Mr. Price withdrew from the 
concern, which was then carried on by Levi Brothers. 
In the same year a fine large building was erected on 
River Street, adjoining the other on the wejst, thirty 
by one hundred and twenty-five feet, four stories 
high, for cutting, machine-work, and general manu- 
facturing, .luty 1, 1881, Jacob Levi leased his mills 
and the business to Louis Levi and Benjamin Wechs- 



ber, having an interest in the concern. About half ler, who for years had been the New York agents of 
of their belts are made for Paterson mills; others are the Manlnittan Mills. The lease was for two years 
sent to other parts of New Jersey, and to New York and a half During the winter of 18K1-S2. Mr. Levi 
and other States, and they have sent some to Mexico erected another addition, forty by fifty feet, four 
and South America. Among their largest belts have I stories high, adjoining the principal mill of the con- 
been the following : one three-ply, thirty-inch, ninety eern. to be used by the concern if needed. The Man- 
feet long, worth $1000; one two-ply, thirty-inch, ninety hattan !^liirt-Mills make dress-shirts of all grades and 
feet long; one two-ply, twenty-fonr-incli. two hundreil fineness, of white and printed goods, soiling from six 
feet long, worth 5>1100. They use oak leather, tanned <lollars to fifteen dollars, and even more, per dozen, 
in cold liquors. Two men are employed besides the j They employ on the premises about IJoo hands when 
Messrs. Van Houten. 1 busy, besides large numbers outside, who are paid 
lu 1875, John Me.ssenger and Sigmond Dringer ! from six to ten dollars, and sometimes fifteen dollars 



began the business of making leather belting in the 
frame building, twenty-live by fifty feet, two stories 
high, at the northeast corner of Van Hcmten and 
Prospect Streets, up-stairs, and soon succeeded in es- 
tablishing a good reputation. The largest belt they 
produced wjis two-ply, twenty-nine-inch, one hundred 
and fifteen feet long; another was four-ply, twenty- 
four-inch, one hundred and eighty feet long, being 
one of the very largest belts ever made in Paterson. 
In the fall of 18.S1, Mr. Messenger withdrew from the 
firm, and the business liius since been carried on by 
Mr. Dringer in the same place. Two or three hands 
arc emploved. Mr. Dringer hits belts of his manu- 
facture in some of the largest mills in Paterson, and 
has always sought to produce the best ela.ss of work. 
SmitT MANfKA<-n;KK. — During the late war the 
dcnumd for army supplies le<l E. S. .lafl'ray, the well- 
known New York merchant, to devote his extensive 
mill, next west of the Dauforth Locomotive and Ma- 



per week, the pay-roll footing up the very neat sum of 
$f)(),oo" or 5=100,000 yearly. They turn out one hun- 
dred dozen shirts diiily. and during 1S.S0_81 they fre- 
quently produced looo dozen per week. The value of 
the annual production is about S!2.')0,000 to .■■s.ioo.iioo. 

Since withdrawing from the Manhattan Shirt-Mills, 
Mr. .lacob Levi has started the business of making 
rtannel shirts, wliieli under his management bids fair 
to assume very respectable (iroportions in a short 
time. 

M. Price <(• /MyMtv.— Morris Price having with- 
drawn from the firm of Levi Brothers &. Co. in 1874, 
immediately formed a partnership with .Vdolph 
Markewilz, leasing a brick buililing, forty by sixty 
feet, three stories high with cellar, in Broadway, 
nearly oj>posite Bridge Street, and adjoining llun- 
toon's codee- anil spice-mills on the east. Soon after 
they leaned the adjoining brick building, twenty-five 
by eighty feet, four stories high, also belonging to 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



489 



Mr. J. P. Huntoon, and subsequently, as their busi- 
ness continued to grow, they also leased the second 
floor of the coffee- and spice-mill, twenty-five by 
eighty feet. In 1878, Mr. Price bought out Mr. 
Markewitz, and in June, 1880, took into the firm his 
brother, Joseph C. Price. They make fancy and dress 
shirts, from muslins, cretonnes, percales, Dover cloth, 
cambrics, and cheviot.s, white and colored. They take 
the bleached and printed goods direct from the man- 
ufacturers, and having passed them through fifty dif- 
ferent stages of manufacture, turn them out fiuished 
and packed up iu boxes ready for the salesroom. 
From forty-eight to sixty thicknesses of muslin or 
calico are cut out at once, the goods being laid in 
thick layers, then marked with fixed patterns, the 
lines of which are followed by a man with a keen 
little knife that goes through the pile with a clean 
cut. Then one hundred bright-looking young women 
sew the |)ieces together on as many sewing-machines, 
run by steam-power, whereby they earn six, eight, 
ten, and as high as fifteen dollars a week, working by 
the piece. The collars, cuffs, bosoms, gussets, and the 
like are put on by farmers' wives and daughters and 
others in the country, and then the garments are jiut, 
twenty-four dozen at a time, into two huge wooden 
wheels, which are revolved with considerable rapid- 
ity, being filled at the same time with hot water, soap, 
etc., from which the "boiled shirts" emerge white as 
snow. They are then carefully examined to see that 
they are spotless, after which they are starched, prin- 
cipally by vicious-looking little machines with fero- 
cious teeth that grind and gnaw at the fabric with 
no more baneful eft'ect than to saturate it thoroughly 
with starch. The shirts next pass into the drying- 
room, where steam dries them quickly for the hun- 
dred ironers, chiefly men, who work very hard to put 
on that gloss which so delights the fancy of the well- 
dressed young man. Mr. Price says there is no secret 
about tliis gloss. It is the result of thorough starch- 
ing and ironing, and that is all there is about it. The 
cuffs and collars are ironed by a machine, and alter 
years of experimenting a machine has been invented 
which bids fair to successfully iron bosoms on the 
shirts. One of these has been introduced into these 
mills on trial. The ironing was formerly done by 
Chinamen, but they quickly forsook the mills when 
they learned that they could earn three times as 
much in their own laundries about town. Such is a 
rough outline of the many processes through which a 
shirt passes in the course of its development from the 
raw material to the indispensable article of every 
gentleman's attire. There are 250 hands em)»loyed 
in the mills, and 1000 outside, in various charitable 
and reformatory institutions in Newark, New York, 
Brooklyn, and elsewhere, with scores of women in 
and about Paterson. The weekly production is be- 
tween 600 and 800 dozen shirts, the annual produc- 
tion being valued atS-250,000. The hands in the mill 
receive from $100,000 to $120,000 yearly, besides 



$75,000 paid to the wives and daughters of farmers in 
the vicinity. The mills have not been stopped for 
lack of work for a single day since they were started. 

Jacob Levi has recently started the manufacture of 
flannel shirts on a large scale in the extension erected 
in 1881 to his shirt-mill in River Street. 

Wood-Type and Pkinters' Furniture. — In 
1827, Darius Wells, a practical printer, invented the 
wood-type now so commonly used in printing posters, 
etc. He also invented what he called a "routing" 
machine, for cutting away the superfluous wood from 
around the letter. About 18.39 he removed to Paterson 
and opened a shop on the site of the present Addy 
Mill, iu Water Street, near Matlock. Ebenezer Rus- 
sell Webb entered into partnership with him at this 
time,- and had charge of the Paterson factory for three 
years, while Wells attended to their factory in New 
York ; then Mr. Wells superintended the Paterson 
shop. In 1844 they removed to an old building farther 
down the river, which they enlarged from time to time 
to meet the increasing demands of their business. In 
1867 the whole factory was burned down. At that 
time they were doing all their work in Paterson ex- 
cept the finishing of engravers' blocks. A fine new 
brick building, one hundred and six by thirty feet, 
three stories high, was erected in place of the old one 
by the owner, Samuel Pope, and leased by the firm, 
who have since carried on their work at that place. 
They did not replace their wood-type machinery, how- 
ever, in this mill, but do all that work in their New 
York factory. The [irincii)al business in Paterson is 
the making of printers' furniture, stands, etc. They 
also prepare the wood for type-making and for en- 
gravers' blocks, the rest of the work being done in 
New York. Fourteen hands are employed. The 
wood-type is made from sugar-maple; the engravers' 
blocks are mostly made of boxwood, though maple 
is often used. Darius Wells sold out to Webb in 18r)6, 
who carried on the business for some years in various 
names. In 1804 he died, and the property was sold to 
Alexander Vanderburgh, Heber Wells, and Henry M. 
Low, when the firm became known as Vanderburgh, 
Wells & Co. Mr. Low died in 1865, but his widow 
retains his interest in the business, and the firm-name 
remains unchanged. 

It has not been the writer's aim in the foregoing 
pages to give a complete history of all the manufac- 
tures that have been or are now carried on in Pater- 
son. The object rather has been to outline in a gen- 
eral way their origin and development. It has seemed 
to him that this could be best done by taking individ- 
ual instances of the struggles of early manufacturers, 
and to indicate some of the difficulties they had to en- 
counter in winning their way to success, which, after 
all, comparatively few achieved. It will be observed 
that those who did succeed generally made their way 
by patient, persistent toil from the humblest begin- 
nings, and despite obstacles at least as great as any 
which have to be overcome at this dav bv those who 



49(1 



HISTORY OF BKRGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



may wish to imitate them. The examples of sturdy 
independence set by these men who have conquered 
success is full of encourugenieut to every arnliitious 
youth. 

As tending more fully to illustrate the rise and prog- 
ress of Paterson's manufactures, the writer has been 
somewhat particular in setting out tlie first eflbrt.-* to 
establish in the town various industries, some of which 
have vanished and others of which have flourished 
beyond the wildest dreams of the citizens of half or 
even a quarter of a century ago. Perhaps the 
thouglitful reader on pondering these pages and 
looking about him may see indications of tlie devel- 
opment of new manufacturing interests in Paterson 
which are destined to eclipse in magnitude any of 
which the city is now so proud. Who knows? 

The Passaic Falls. — We add here a cut of the 
Pa.-'saic Falls. \\ liicli, at Paterson, furnishes the mag- 
nificent water-power for most of the industries wliicli 
have been described, as well as the supply of water 
for the city. Both of these practical utilities contrast 
somewhat strikingly with the fancies of Wimhington 
Irving in the accompanying poem. 




PASSAIC l-ALL.-^, I'.VTtllSU.N, N. J. 



TIIK rAI.I^ OF THE PASSAIC. 

In « vIM, Intnqull ralr, tlinKoil wllli fcnTnti of (nxili, 

Wl n»liiri< bad fiisliloOMl a Mifl, p>Itaii Hceiic, 

T)i'- rclriMil >if Uio ringHluTc, U)» liaiinl of tlir tippr, 
I'lunalc 111 alienee nillri] i^ntle anil rleAr. 

Nil gnuidnir iif pru<pert utonlthiMl the aiKtit. 
N.I nliniprnfMtiilillnin mlnfcl'^l awe wUli ilellKht; 
llerr tin- Willi nowirel lilo«i<>nie<l, tlio elm priillillv w»vrd, 
Aiitl pure WM Uio rurrent the green l«nli UiftI UtmI. 



Bat Ibe iplrit tbiit ruled o'er the tblck taocled wood, 

.\nd de«p in Iff i;1oodi flxe<l his murky almde, 

Uliu loved the wild ecene that the vrhirlwindu defunu. 

And gloried In thunder and lightning and eturm ; 

All flushed from the tumult of Imttlc ho came. 
Where the re<l men encountered the children of flame, 
While the nole« of the war.whiNjp utill rang in his eaia. 
And the fresh (deeding iicalp tut a trophy he bean*. 

With a glance of disgust, he the landscape surveyed, 
With its fragrant wild-tluwers, its wide-waving shade, 
Where l*a«saic meanders through nwrglus of green. 
So transparent its waters. Its surface serene. 

He rived the green hills, the wild woods he laid low; 
He taught the pure stream in rough channels to flow ; 
He rent the rude rock, the sleep precipice gave. 
And burled down the chasm the thundering wave. 

Countless moons have since rolli-d in the loug la|iae of time. 
Cultivation has softened those features sublime; 
The axe of the white man bos lightened the shade. 
And dispelled the deep glmim of the thicketed glade. 

Hut the stranger still gazos, with wondering eye, 

On the rock^ rudely toru, and groves mounted on high ; 

Still loves on the clifl^s dizzy t>i>rdera to ronm. 

Where the torrent leaps headlong, enilioeomed in fooci. 



CHAPTER LXVI. 

riTY OF PATEK.SON— I (V„,ii««,rf). 

Ecclesiastical History.— Reformep Churches. 
— The lirst settlers cit' what is now Passaic County 
being Dutch Protestants, tlie first religious organiza- 
tions in the county were of the Reformed Dutch de- 
nomination. For more than half a century the 
people attended the Acquackauonk Church, but in 
course of time, as the population of the several neigh- 
borhoods increased, tliere Wius a demand for additional 
accommodation. The residents in and almut the 
present city of Patersun took measures to secure 
])reacliing in their vicinity, and it is probable that 
for some years the dominie settled at Acquackauonk 
was accustomed to hold service and to catechise and 
baptize at the houses of those who were able to ac- 
commodate the people. In 1755 the church-niembers 
in the neighborhood mentioned appear to have secured 
leave to erect a church edifice on land belonging to 
Henry Brockholst, of Pompton, the lot being situated 
on what is now known as Water Street, on the east 
side, within one hundred feet of Matlock Street. It 
was a quaint stone building, the roof rising steeply 
from all four sides to a point in the centre, whereon 
was perched a square cupola, this being in turn sur- 
mounted by a gilded weather-cock. The are* of the 
house was about thirty by forty feet, the walls being 
eighteen or twenty feet high, the cornice overhanging 
them by two or three feet. On various stones in the 
walls were rudely carved the initials of some of the 
contributors and masons cmploye<l in the work. The 
doorway was in the middle of the front, a huge win- 
dow on each side, and above, in the centre, was a 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



491 



stone set diamond-wise in the wall, bearing the in- 
scription, " Het huius dex Heeren, 1755," — "The house 
of the Lord, 1755." The door opened directly into 
the auditorium, which was divided off into two rows of 
pews, a gallery on each side. The pulpit was very 
high and very odd, and overhung by a huge sound- 
ing-board. Before the pulpit was a special pew for 
the voorlezer, who led the singing, — there was no 
choir in those days, — and in the absence of the dom- 
inie conducted the service himself, and doubtless, if 
the truth were known, believed the congregation 
missed nothing by the exchange. Tliere was no 
arrangement for heating the building; instead of one 
stove for that purpose, everybody carried his or her 
own private foot-stove, or else froze patiently while 
the dominie deliberately plodded along to his seven- 
teenthly and his twentiethly. The church having 
been completed, the Totowa people petitioned for a 
portion of the time of the preacher stationed at Ac- 
ijuackanonk, and agreed that the two churches should 
be governed by the one consistory. But this did not 
seem to be favorably regarded on maturer considera- 
tion, and in February, 1756, permission was given for 
the organization of a consistory for the Totowa 
Church, which was done, and then a new call was 
made out for Dominie Marinus, who had hitherto 
preached regularly at Acquackanonk and Pompton 
Plains, and who doubtless had been the first to hold 
preaching service at Totowa. The new call provided 
that the dominie should preach half the time at Ac- 
quackanonk, one-fourth of the time at "Totua," and 
one-fourth at Pompton, for which Acquackanonk was 
to pay him £58, and each of the other places £29, 
besides house, barn, well, garden, and six acres of 
land near the Acquackanonk Church, probably the 
present parsonage of the First Church at Passaic. 
The members of the first consistory at Totowa were 
as follows : Simeon Van Winkle, Jacob Van Houten, 
Johanuis Ryerson, and Jacobus Post, elders ; Dierck 
Van Gieson, Helmich Van Houten, .Tohannis Van 
Houten, and Frans Post, deacons. Prior to this time 
Marinus had lived on what is now Totowa Avenue, 
near Jasper Street. 

Although the church was erected in 1755, it was 
not until 1762 that the trustees got a deed for the 
property from Henry Brockholst, the only considera- 
tion being " the good will I owe and the regard I have 
for the progress of the Christian Religion, and espe- 
cially the Manner of Worship of the low duch Re- 
formed Church of Holland," and in consideration 
of four seats in pew No. 1 ; this pew, by the way, has 
been always reserved for the accommodation of Mr. 
Brockholst and his legal representatives in the three 
ditterent edifices in which the congregation have wor- 
shiped in the last one hundred and twenty-seven 
years, but not within the memory of man has it been 
occupied by any of its rightful owners. The trustees 
of the church to whom this deed was made out were 
Cornelius Kip, Robert Van Houten, Cornelius Wester- 



velt, Johannis Van Blarcom, and Cornelius Gerretse. 
The lot was an acre in extent; about 1795 a plot on 
the southwest side of Water Street was added for a 
burying-ground, wherein at one time lay the ashes of 
many of Paterson's best citizens. In 1762 a party in 
the Reformed Dutch denomination, known as the 
Conferentie, got control of the Totowa Church, and 
united with Fairfield and Montville in calling the 
Rev. Cornelius Blauw, who remained only about five 
years, when he removed to Hackensack. In 1772 
Totowa united with Pompton in calling the Rev. 
Hermanns Meyer, D.D., who was one of the ablest 
preachers in the denomination, a man of great erudi- 
tion and piety. In 178-1 he was appointed Professor 
of Hebrew, and in 1786 lector or assistant to the Pro- 
fessor of Divinity in Rutgers College. He died at 
Two Bridges in 1791. Totowa thereupon dissolved 
its connection with Pompton, and renewed its early 
association with Acquackanonk, securing from the 
latter one-third of the time of its pastor, the Rev. 
Henry Schoonmaker, who labored with much success 
in this field until 1816, when advancing age con- 
strained him to resign his charge. He preached only 
in Dutch. Upon his resignation the Totowa people 
concluded that they were able and willing to pay for 
half a preacher's time, and so notified the Acquacka- 
nonk consistory. But the latter were not willing, and 
the former soon after secured the services of the Rev. 
Wilhelmus Eltinge, of Paramus, to preach for them 
on twenty-two Sundays, besides on two holidays, for 
three hundred dollars per year. Further, and this 
was a great victory for the younger element in the 
church, although sadly deplored by their elders, he 
was to preach in English. Meanwhile the old church 
had been thoroughly overhauled and refitted inter- 
nally, and when Dominie Eltinge preached his first 
sermon in English, on July 14, 1816, it was in a quite 
attractive building. The pews were sold at this time, 
fetching S2056. In the course of the next ten years 
the congregation prospered, and matters .seem to have 
gone on quietly. In 1817 there were 130 families 
and 67 members in communion ; in 1826 there 
were 180 families, 1150 persons, and 129 members. 
On March 26, 1827, shortly before noon, a man pass- 
ing by the church fired a gun at a bird on the cupola, 
and the burning wad catching in the dry shingles set 
fire to the roof Within half an hour the woodwork 
of the ancient and sacred edifice was in ruins, to the 
great consternation and unbounded grief of the mem- 
bers, whose fathers and grandfathers had worshiped 
within those walls during seventy years. For some 
time previous to this event there had been a senti- 
ment in certain quarters favorable to the removal of 
the church to tlie south side of the river. 

Five days after the fire the consistory called a meet- 
ing of the congregation, to get their views " relative 
to the building of a new church, when and where." 
The congregation having met, resolved to proceed at 
once with the erection of a new structure, to be fifty 



492 



HISTORY OF BKIIGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JEHSHY. 



by sixty-five feet, with a steeple at one end, the front 
Willi and steeple to be of brick, the rest of stone. 
There was n strenuous opposition to the removal of 
the cliurcli from its ancient site, but on June 23d the 
male meml)ers of the coiigresration votod, 20 to 18, to 
build at the corner of Ellison and Ilaniilton Streets. 
Thereupon the dissatisfied members decided to with- 
draw and organize a new church. This embarrassed 
the others for a while, but on Nov. 12, 1827, the old 
congregation voted to build on Main Street, near El- 
lison, and in February, 1828, gave out a contract to 
Peter E. Jlerselis for the carpenter-work for ?!24<l0, 
and ilecided to have the masonry done by day's work. 
On March 15, 1829, the new church was opened and 
dedicated by Rev. Mr. Eltinge, who preached from 
Psalm l.xxxiv. 1 : "How amiable are thy tabernacles, 
O Lord of hosts!" The next day pews were sold to 
the amount of §8000. The site of the old church on 
Water Street was dis])osed of, but the old burying- 
ground was not, and unfortunately it lias been sadly 
neglected, so that for many years it has been an eye- 
sore. Dominie Eltinge remained with the Totowa 
Church until Dec. 10, 18:53, when he withdrew, and 
thereafter devoted his time to the I'aranius Church 
until his death in 1852, liaving been pastor at Para- 
mus for fifty-one years. He was succeeded in the 
church at Paterson by the Rev. John C. Vandervoort, 
who remained from 1834 to 1837, when lie wiis called 
to Kinderhook, N. Y. He was greatly esteemed, and 
gratifyingly successful while in Paterson. The Rev. 
Eberifzer Wiggins, who had just been graduated from 
the New Brunswick Theological Seminary, was called 
to Paterson in 1837, and remained here for nineteen 
years. He was of the straightest sect of orthodox 
preachers, and therein was highly acceptable to the 
old people. His successor was the Rev. I'hilip Peltz, 
who came here in 1857, and labored with excellent 
success for three years, when he was chosen corres- 
ponding secretary of the Board of Foreign Missions of 
the denomination. In the summer of 1860 the Rev. 
Alexander McKelvey was cjilled, who remained until 
18fi5, and soon after went to I'oxsackie, N. Y. The 
next pastor was the Rev. Jcdin Steele, who was called 
in the fall of the .same year, and who for twelve years 
filled the pulpit to the entire satisfaction of the con- 
gregation. It was during his ministry that fire for 
the second time visited the society, and on the night 
of Dec. 14, 1871, once more destroyed their place of 
worship. Again there was dissension among the 
members aa to the expediency of changing the loca- 
tion, but at last the party of removal carried the ilay, 
and the present fine edifice was erected in Division 
Htre<-t, north side, between .Straight and Auburn, at a 
cost of about ?70,000, most of which was defrayed by 
the proceed.s of the sale of the old site on .Main Street 
ami the insurance on the burned buililing. There was 
a commodious lecture-room ami Sunday-school build- 
ing on the corner of Main an<l Ellison Streets, which 
was raised bv the new owner nnd converted into the 



admirable business building it now is.' Dr. Steele 
having accepted a call to Cohoes, N. Y., with the 
utmost reluctance the congregation agreed, on June 25, 
1877, to the dis-solution of the jiastoral relation. The 
pulpit was vacant until 187!l, when the Rev. A. A. 
Raymond, a young man of marked eloquence, waa 
called, who filled it accejitably until the spring of 
1881, when he accepted a call to Plainfield, N. J. 
The Rev. J. Le Moyne Danner was installed i)astor 
Nov. 1, 1881. About 1.50 active members are enrolled. 
When the congregation of the old Totowa Church 
voted to rebuild on the south side of the P.issaic River, 
those who preferred the former location decided to 
organize a new church, and Messrs. G. Van Houten, 
John J. Blauvelt, Martinus I. Hogeneamp, Adrian 
R. Van Houten, Cornelius S. Van Wagoner, David 
Bensen, and Cornelius G. Hopper notified the con- 
sistory that they would apply to the next meeting of 
the Chtssis of Paramus for that purpose. This was 
done, and Oct. 14, 1S27, the Classis agreed to organ- 
ize the Second Reformed Dutch Church of Totowa. 
The new society at once set about the erection of a 
suitable place of worship at the northwest corner of 
Temple and Water Streets, which was o]>ened Sunday, 
June 8, 1K28, the Rev. Jacob T. Field having been 
called from Pompton to the pastorate in the preced- 
ing Ai)ril. There were forty-eight members in the 
congregation, and they worshiped meantime in St. 
Paul's E[)iscopal Church. When Mr. Field left, in 
September, 1832, the congregation numbered 110 
families and eighty members. In .January. 1S33, the 
Rev. Isaac Cole was installed pa-slor, remaining until 
the end of the year. The Rev. John A. Liddell was 
called in July, 18.34, remaining until Septend)cr, 1838. 
In February, 1839, the Rev. John H. Duryea, then 
stationed at Wawarsing, N. Y., came to the pulpit of 
this church, the membership being then 130. He hius 
served his people for a lifetime, and is now the patri- 
arch among the Paterson clergy, none being more 
generally esteemed and beloved than he. During 
his pastorate the church has prospered exceedingly 
anil in every respect. In l.'<58 the edifice wa* ex- 
tcniled eighteen feet, arid in 18()7 it was newly roofed, 
provided with furnaces, new carpels and cushions. 
In 1872 a hand.some new lecture-room and Sunday- 
school building wius erected in the rear of the church 
at a cost of about $(jO(W. The church has no debt. 
The present niendiership is about 3(Hl. Dr. Dur- 
yea preached his fortieth anniversary sermon in 
1879, in the course of which he gave 'some very 
interesting statistics of the growth of the congrega- 
tion and of his own work. This sketch is chietly 
from data given by Dr. Duryea in that and other 
sermons. I'p to 1879 he had delivered more than 
(>2oO discourses, had baptized 740 eliililren, and mar- 
ried (>90 couples. In the live hundred eliurehes of 

1 Tlip forpguliig ikptcli !■ conileniv<l fnmi ■ iinrle* uf nrtlclM compiled 
fn.m orlKlDnl •.>iiri-o« ■>,¥ tlio wrK<.r liprrof, Hinl piiMlthed In a PfttonuD 
newB|iap<.r iH'TemI yoitn ngi>. 




l(n/w^ JC J) ivi Y 



u< 



^^ 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



493 



I 



the denomination there are not more than two or 
three, if there are so many, which have been min- 
istered unto by one pastor so long as the Second Re- 
formed Church of Paterson. It is safe to say that 
none has been ministered unto more faithfully. 

Rev. John H. Dukyea, D.D. — The family repre- 
sented by the subject of this sketch is directly de- 
scended from one of those fearless and pious men who 
were forced to leave the sunny confines of France 
after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1682, 
and for God and conscience' sake to seek an asylum 
and an abiding-place in other lands. The history of 
the Frencli Huguenots is the history of the triumph 
of truth and faith over the sinister machinations of 
men, and of the planting of the seeds of a true and 
independent religion in a soil on its face uninviting, 
but afterwards rich in spiritual productiveness. 

The original ancestor of the Duryea family in this 
country settled on Long Island. Yost, or George, the 
great-grandfather of our subject, emigrated from Ja- 
maica, L. I., at an early period, and planted the family 
name in Orange County, N. Y^., where the representa- 
tives of the family are numerous to this day. He 
located in the township of Blooming Grove, situated 
in the centre of a rich and productive region, where 
he was one of the pioneers of the country. He died 
in 1760, and was buried at Greycourt. He had three 
children,^ — George, Garret, and Hannah. 

Garret was the grandfather of Rev. Dr. Duryea, 
and was a farmer by occujjation. A man possessed of 
strong characteristics, full of energy, thrown by the 
accidents of birth into a wild and undeveloped section 
of the country, he proved a valuable factor in the 
pioneer development of his section, and a useful and 
esteemed citizen. During the trying scenes of the 
American Revolution he performed active service in 
the cavalry department of the Continental army, re- 
maining true to that spirit of independence and in- 
tolerance of oppression which had transplanted his 
family from the soil of monarchical France to that of 
free America. He married Hannah Hudson, of 
Goshen, whose father came from New London, Conn., 
and was the first sheriff of Orange County, N. Y''., 
and bad a family of five sons and four daughters, viz. : 
George, John, Henry, Garret, Hudson, Hannah, who 
married Cornelius Decker, of Montgomery township, 
N. Y. ; Dolly, who became the wife of John Rosa, of 
Sullivan County, N. Y. ; Betsey, who married Pier- 
son Geming, of Blooming Grove ; and Mitte, who 
never married. Mr. Duryea lived to the ripe age of 
eighty -six years, and at his death, in 1832, was buried 
on the homestead upon which his years of toil had 
been pa.ssed. 

John Duryea, the father of our subject, was born 
at the ancestral seat of the family in Blooming Grove, 
where he was reared, on Dec. 29, 1778, and his ediica- 
tional opportunities were such only as the district 
schools of his day afforded. In early life he learned 
tlie trade of a blacksmith. On Feb. 18, 1800, he mar- 
32 



ried Mary, daughter of Samuel and Jeannette (Mc- 
Curdy) Crawford, of Montgomery township (born 
May 12, 1778), and the same year removed to Wall- 
kill township, in Orange County, and settled upon a 
farm about two miles east of Bloomingburgb, where 
he passed his life as a farmer. He was a man of 
plain parts, modest and reserved in both thought and 
deed, and held himself aloof from public affairs, per- 
forming the part only of a good and useful citizen. 
He died Jan. 21, 1859, and his wife Nov. 27, 1857. 
The children were Nancy, who married Daniel Brush, 
of Bloomingburgb, and subsequently a farmer in 
Crawford township, N. Y. ; .Teannette, who became 
the wife of Horace Mills, of Bloomingburgb; Han- 
nah, who married James G. Thompson, of Craigville, 
N. Y. ; Mary A., who resides in Middletown, N. Y. ; 
John H. ; Samuel, who is a farmer in Crawford town- 
ship ; and Jonathan, who for many years occupied 
his father's homestead, but who now lives in Middle- 
town. Two other children died in their youth. 

Rev. Dr. Duryea was born on the paternal farm, 
near Bloomingburgb, N. Y'^., on Nov. 28, 1810. His 
tirst educational training was had in the district 
school of the neighborhood, but he subsequently at- 
tended the academy at Bloomingburgb, where he was 
prepared for admission to college. He entered the 
junior class of Rutgers College, N. J., in 1832, and 
was graduated the year following. Among his class- 
mates were Rev. J. F. Mesick, D.D., present pastor of 
the Second Reformed Church of Somerville, N. J. ; 
Rev. W. J. Polman, late missionary to China; Rev. 
Talbot Chambers, D.D., of the Collegiate Church, 
N. Y. ; and Rev. John T. Demarest, author of the 
commentaries on the minor epistles, and at present 
pastor of the church at Pine Bush, Orange Co. 

After leaving college, Dr. Duryea at once entered 
the theological seminary at New Brunswick, N. J., 
with a view of preparing himself for the gospel min- 
istry. It had always been his cherished intention to 
labor in that field. At the age of sixteen he had ex- 
perienced conviction of sin, and had connected him- 
self with the Reformed Church of Blnoniingburgh, 
then under the pastoral care of Rev. Samuel Van 
Vechten. After three years in the seminary he was 
graduated in 1837, and the same year was licensed by 
the Classis of Orange. In the autumn of 1837 he 
was called to an old and venerable church in the 
township of Wawarsing, LTlster Co., N. Y., known as 
the Reformed Church of Wawarsing, having bis resi- 
dence at Napanock. He remained in that difficult 
field, striving to cover the territory and perform the 
1 work which now fills the hands of four ministers 
1 of the Reformed Church, for a period of eighteen 
j months, when he received an invitation to preach as 
a candidate for the Second Reformed Church of To- 
towa, at Paterson, N. J. His first sermon was deliv- 
ered in that church on the second Sabbath of Janu- 
ary, 1839, and was followed by a call to become the 
' regular pastor of the church. The Classis of Orange 



494 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



having dissolved his conoection with the church at 
Wawarsing, Dr. Duryea occupied the pulpit of the 
church over whicli he has since presided so long for 
the first time a.s pastor on the third Sabbath of Febru- 
ary, 18.'{9. For nearly forty-tliree years lie has been the 
faithful pastor of tlie church, a length of time tiiat 
has not been exceeded by but one of tiie jjresent pa.s- 
tors of the five hundred churches of the denomination, 
— Rev. Dr. James Brownley, of Staten Island. 

The statement of this fact, coupled with a retro- 
spective view of the growth and development of his 
church up to the influential one of to-day, furnishes 
its own commentary on the fidelity and ethciency of 
Dr. Duryea's labors. In a plain, modest, yet ener- 
getic and substantial manner; he has performed the 
dual labors of both pastor and preacher, constantly 
promoting the temporal and spiritual welfare of his 
church, and working in harmony with its constituted 
officers. So long hsis he filled the pulpit of the Second 
Reformed Church that but few are left of those who 
strengthened his hands and imparted confidence to 
his soul in the earlier days of his ministry. One by 
one they have crossed the silent river and been laid 
to rest with their fathers, yet he labors on, enjoying 
the respect and esteem of not only his own congrega- 
tion but of the entire community. 

Dr. Duryea has confined his life-work almost en- 
tirely to the care of his church, and has found but 
little time to engage in outside matters or to contrib- 
ute many papers to the i)eri<>(lical literature of the 
day. Several pamphlets, however, have been jtrinted 
containing sermons and addresses delivered by him, 
and still others have been printed in the local press 
of the city. lie has taken a lively interest in the 
growth and development of the institutions of I'atcr- 
son, and tor twenty years was one of the examiners 
of teachers for the public .schools. He was also su- 
perintendent of public schools of Manchester town- 
ship (North Paterson) for a number of years. He 
has l)een for years a member of the Board of Domes- 
tic Missions of his denomination, and a member of 
the executive committee of that body, an<l has en- 
joyed a wide influence in the councils of the Re- 
formed Church. It is likely that his entire ministe- 
rial life will be pa.ssed in the field in which he has 
been so long. Old in years, but strong in faith and 
devotion to the Master's cause, he maintains his place 
among the active piLstors of Paterson, performing all 
liis pastoral work in an energetic and elficicnt nuiii- 
ner. He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity 
from Rutgers College in 1871. 

Dr. Duryea has been three timea married. His 
first wife, to whom he was united on Sept. .1, 18.'?7, 
was Sophia, daughter of Nial Townslcy. ol llloom- 
ingi>urgli, who died five years later. His second 
wife was Mrs. lCli/,abcth Thompson Wallace, of Craw- 
ford township. Orange Co., the marriage occurring 
April 10, 1844. The issue of this union was four 
children, viz. : John, Mary, Elizabeth, and Robert 



I Duryea. The first two reside at home, the others 

i having died in early life. Mrs. Duryea passed away 

' on Feb. 21, 1852, and on Dec. 12, 1854, Dr. Duryea 

married his present wife, nte Sarah Jane, daughter of 

John and Sarah Hurhans, of Paterson. 

In November, 1804, fifty-five members of the First 
Reformed Church were at their request organized into 
a separate society by the Chissis of Paramus, and 
having decided to build on Broadway, the new con- 
gregation was called the " Broadway Reformed 
Church." They worshiped for some time in Odd- 
Fellows' Hall. Their first ])astor was the Rev. Wil- 
liam W. Halloway, under whose ministry they grew 
apace, and in July, 1867, they erected their present 
neat chapel near the northeast corner of Broadway 
and Paterson Street, at a cost of about $8000. The 
exj)ectation was that a fine church edifice would be 
built in a few years immediately adjoining the chajiel 
on the west, but unforeseen circumstances have so far 
frustrated the execution of this project. Mr. Hallo- 
way was succeeded in May, 1872, by the Rev. W'illiam 
H. Clark, who soon became one of the best-known 
and generally liked pastors in the city. His depart- 
ure in the summer of 1S81 for a field that promised 
greater results in the future was deeply regretted in 
Paterson. The Rev. Nathaniel Hicks Van Arsdale 
was installed as his successor on Nov. 3, 1881. The 
church has been quite successful. Its growth of late 
has been somewhat hampered by the location in its 
immediate neighborhood of the First Church. The 
society has 237 members. The Sunday-school has 29 
officers and teachers and loO pupils. 

In 1856 a number of Hollanders thought their 
people sufficiently numerous in Paterson to support 
a church in which the |>rea(hing should be in their 
own language, and at their request the Classis of 
Paramus organized them into a church. They held 
their services in the consistory- room of the Second 
Church, the Rev. Jacobus de Roy serving as their 
pastor, by consent of Classis, although he was not 
regularly ordained. In 18.">0-GO the congregation 
built the large brick church at the southeast corner 
of River and Bridge Streets, and about the same time, 
under the persuasion of the jiastor, withdrew from 
the Reformed Dutch denomination, and, while pre- 
serving an independent organization as " the Holland 
Refornu'd (Jhurch," affiliated to some extent with the 
"True Reformed Dutch I'hnrch," commonly called 
the "Seceder" (.'hurch. Mr. De Roy returned to 
Holland in 18t>;(, and was succeeded by the Rev. H. 
Bechtold, but in 1865 the officers closed the church to 
him, his views being too liberal for them, and they 
called the Rev. W'illiam Van Leenwen, who was suc- 
ceeded in 1875 by the Rev. Le<iiniril Rietdyk. In 
1.S81 tlicy placed themselves under the care of the 
Michigan Holland Synod. Their building seats eight 
hundred persons, but they have more than that num- 
ber of members, and contemplate enlarging their 
house or forming a new church. 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



495 



When the doors were closed to Dominie Bechtold, 
about one hundred members withdrew from the 
church, and, applying to the Classis of Paramus, were 
organized into the "Second Holland Reformed Dutch 
Church," in October, 1860, meeting in Monumental 
Hall, No. 199 Main Street, until the summer of 1869. 
The Rev. A. K. Kasse was chosen pastor in 1868, and 
served some time. The organization was ultimately 
disbanded about 1878. 

The secession of Dominie De Roy and his flock 
from the denomination which had first recognized him 
and them led to the organization of another church by 
the dissatisfied members, and in 1862 they were or- 
ganized by Classis as the " First Holland Reformed 
Dutch Church," calling the Rev. James Huyssoon as 
pastor, and in the following November a.'isembling in 
their own building in Clinton Street, the funds for 
which had been collected mainly through tlie energetic 
exertions of Mr. Huyssoon. In 1865 he accepted a 
call to Michigan, and during the ensuing year the 
congregation was torn by dissensions, ending in a 
division ; those remaining called the Rev. P. B. Bah- 
ler, who remained until the spring of 1868, when they 
recalled the Rev. James Huyssoon, who lias since 
labored with them. The church lias about two hun- 
dred members. In consequence of the dissensions 
in 1866, many of the members, led by the Rev. J. M. 
Rutte, a student who was supplying the pulpit, got 
the Classis of Passaic to organize them into the 
"Sixth Holland Reformed Dutch Church" in the 
spring of 1867, they holding service in the old Bap- 
tist Church in Broadway, north side, between West 
and Mulberry Streets. > They subsequently built in 
Godwin Street near Paterson, and called the Rev. 
Wm. Houbott, who was succeeded in 1879 by the 
present pastor, the Rev. H. R. Koopman. About 
five hundred members are enrolled. In 1880 the 
Union Holland Reformed Church was organized, and 
the society forthwith erected a neat frame edifice on 
the southwest corner of Auburn and Tyler Streets, 
with a parsonage adjoining, at a cost of about S5000. 
The pastor is the Rev. Helraus Elizaus Nies. The 
church, young as it is, already musters something like 
three hundred members. 

Presbyterian Churches. — While there had been 
occasional preaching by Presbyterian clergymen in 
Paterson from a very early day in the history of the 
town, it was not until 1811 that steps were taken to 
secure regular services under the auspices of the 
denominational authorities. In the spring of 1812 
supplies were sent hither by Presbytery, and the 
Rev. Hooper Cumming, of the Second Presbyterian 
Church, Newark, occasionally visited Paterson. When 
he came here to preach one Sunday in June, 1812, he 
was accompanied by his young wife, then but .six 
weeks a bride. On Monday morning he took her to 
see the Falls, and after viewing the wonder from 
various points of view, they paused on the brink of 
the precipice that overlooks the basin below the Falls. 



After gazing down the sheer wall for some moments 
he remarked that it was time to go, and turned away. 
Looking back, as he stepped over a narrow cleft in 
the rocks, to his horror he observed that he was alone ! 
His wife had disappeared. She had fallen over the 
precipice ninety feet into the basin below. The town 
was alarmed, and the following day the body was re- 
covered and removed to Newark, where there was an 
immense concourse assembled at the funeral. Mr. 
Cumming never seemed to be the same man after 
that terrible event.' Other supplies were sent hither 
with some regularity for two years. In August, 1813, 
the little band of Presbyterians felt themselves strong 
enough to maintain a formal organization with a set- 
tled minister, and accordingly met and formed a new 
church. At this meeting vSamuel Colt, Brown King, 
Oshea Wilder, Alvan Wilcox, John R. Gould, David 
Auchinvole, and John Colt were elected trustees. 
Efforts were at once made to secure a subscription for 
the support of a pa.stor, and in June, 1814, the Rev. 
Samuel Fisher, of Morristown, was installed pastor of 
the First Presbyterian Church of Paterson. The con- 
gregation had been worshiping hitherto in the old 
Dutch Church at Totowa, but they now set about 
getting a house of their own. The Society for Es- 
tablishing Useful Manufactures generously gave them 
the site now occupied, bounded by Main, Ward, 
Cross, and Oliver Streets, and on this handsome plot 
they erected a large and far from ornamental brick 
structure facing Oliver Street. It was one of the first 
brick buildings in the town, and consequently the 
church came to be known, by way of distinction, as 
the " Brick Church," an appellation which has always 
clung to it, with the characteristic conservatism of 
Paterson, although it has for many years lost its dis- 
tinctiveness. The congregation was extremely for- 
tunate in its first pastor. Dr. Fisher was a man of 
remarkable energy, took a deep interest in affairs, 
and was interested in everything that pertained to 
the welfare of the town. He was foremost in all 
public enterprises for the advancement of Paterson, 
and being a man of ability, came to be regarded 
highly by all in the place. He even took the trouble 
to make a thorough census of the town in 1824, again 
in 1825, 1827, 1829, and in 1832, setting down the 
names of all the heads of families by streets, the 
number of each sex in each family, their occupations, 
etc., with full statistics of the manufactures. His 
manuscript census for each of the years named is now 
in the possession of the writer hereof, and they have 
been frequently referred to for facts and figures given 
in this sketch of Paterson. Under his ministrations 
the church grew exceedingly, and being the first in 
Paterson, south of the river, and the first in which 
the services were held in English, it naturally came 
to be emphatically the First Church in most respects. 



1 Fuueral sermon on the death of Mrs. Cumming, 1812 ; Minutes of 
the Synod of Albany, N. Y., 1820. 



496 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Still, it was in a chronic state of impecuniosity, each 
new obligation being " paid" by giving a note, and 
when the note came due a committee would be ap- 
pointed to devise ways and means of meeting it, 
whidi generally ended in giving another note. 

In 1834, Dr. Fisher felt con.-^trained, by reason of 
failing health, to resign his charge here, and con- 
cluded to enter upon the work of an evangelist at the 
Raniapo Iron-Works, and to the sore regret of the 
church he left Paterson to engage in this new field of 
labor. The Rev. Sylvester Eaton, of IJuffalo, N. Y., 
was called to the pul])it soon after, at a salary of 5-900 
yearly. At this time there were 291 communicants 
in the church. The society did not prosper, but ran 
continually behind in every way, and in 1S36 had a 
debt of $i5000 to carry. At the end of the year Mr. 
Eaton resigned. The ne.xt pa.stor wa.s the Rev. John 
F. Clark. During his mitiistry the Presbytery of 
Newark withdrew from the Synod ol New Jersey, to 
join the New School body of the denomination ; this 
church elected to cast its lot with the Old School 
body, and therefore withdrew from the Presbytery of 
Newark and joined the Presbytery of Elizabeth, with 
which it reiiiuincil until the reunion in 1869. In this 
action the pitstor took an active part. One conse- 
quence of the step was the withdrawal from the 
church of a large and influential membership to form 
a new cliurch. The society was much weakened, anil 
the following winter voted to reduce the salary of the 
pastor to $800, which le<l him to resign in the follow- 
ing May. The pulpit wiis subse<iuently filled by the 
Rev. Matthew Allison, and by the former pastor, the 
Rev. Mr. Eaton. The health of the latter failing, the 
Rev. William H. Hornblower, then a young man of 
tweiity-tlin'C years, a licentiate of the Presbytery of 
New lirunswick. was engaged t<i assist the |)astor, and 
came to Paterson in November, 1844, and the fol- 
lowing month. Dr. Eaton having concluded that his 
health would no longer justify him in officiating in 
the pulpit, Mr. Hornblower was unanimously elected 
pastor. Under his ministry the society at once took a 
new U'lLse of life, and in a short time the entire ilebt 
was cancelled, a lecture-room was built on the church 
grounds, and steps were t^tken to repair and improve 
the church edifice. While a tinner was at work on 
the roof in the fall of October, IS-IO, his charcoal- 
furnace was upset, the roof caught fire, and in a short 
time the building was destroyed. The congregation 
immediately set about rebuilding, when the present 
edifice was erected, and dedicated Nov. 10, 18.'")2. 
There was preaching by the Rev. Nicholas Murray, 
D.I)., of Elizabeth, at three l-.M., the Rev. Dr. Fisher 
and the Rev. John F. Olark, former pastors, being 
present, and in the evening the Rev. Dr. David 
Magie, of Elizabeth, preached from the text: "A 
little leaven Icaveneth the whole lump." Dr. Horn- 
blower remained with the church, more and more 
beloved by his congregation and respected by the 
whole community, until the summer of 1S7I, when he 



received a call from the Western Theological Sem- 
inary at Allegheny City, Pa., to fill the newly-en- 
dowed chair of Sacred Rhetoric, Pa.storal Theology, 
and Church Government in that seminary. At his 
urgent request, but with the utmost reluctance, the 
society consented to the <lissolution of the pastoral 
relation, and on Oct. 1,1871, Dr. Hornblower ])rcached 
his farewell. Before he left some of his people made 
up a purse of more than $2000, which they presented 
to him as a ]>arting gift. He still occupies the chair 
to which he went from Paterson. 

The congregation met on Jan. 4, 1872. and unani- 
mously agreed to call to the vacant pulpit the Rev. 
Dr. David Magie, of Penn Yan, N. Y., the son of the 
eminent and venerable divine of the same name who 
had preached twenty years before at the dedication 
of the rebuilt church. Dr. Magie has exercised a 
marked influence for good in the chnrch during the 
ten years of his ministry here, and particularly in the 
way of stimulating the members to active work in 
the cause of religion. He has labored especially 
among the poor, and largely through his ctiort.s a 
mission school was established, which has grown 
almost into an independent church, while help has 
been often extendcil to other needy congregations. 
A debt of $7000 and more which had remained on 
the parsonage for many years has been removed 
through the earnest efforts of the ladies of the 
church, aided by generous members, and upwanls of 
le!lll,(l(M( has been exi)cnded in the iniprovemrnt of 
the church edifice, the lecture-room, and the grounds. 
The annual income of the society is now about $<j4<Ml. 
There are 450 members of the church and .300 pupils 
enrolled in the Sunday-school. The .Session coiisista 
of the Rev. Dr. Magie, moderator, and Messrs. Abram 
(iould, Henry Muzzy, Henry \. Williams, Andrew 
Derrom, Francis (". Van Dyk, Samuel Mcllroy. 

When the First Church cimcluded to ca.st its lot 
with the Old School body of the denomination, in 
1840, twenty-seven of the members witlnlrew, and in 
May following were organized as the " i^econd Pres- 
byterian Church of Paterson.'" They met in a Meth- 
odist Church at the corner of Smith and Hotel 
Streets, where they were ministered unto by the Rev. 
Elias I. Richards, of Newark, who remained two 
years, when he removed to Philadelphia, much to 
the regret r)f his congregation. Two years later he 
went to Reailing, Pa., where he died in 1H72. In 
the fall of 1841 the congregation bought for $17.'>0 
the old Methiidi.st Church in Prospect Street, between 
Ellison and Van Houteei, where they worshiped for 
four or five years. Mr. Richards was succeeded by 
the Rev. (Jeorge R. H. Shumway, who remained only 
about a year, accepting a call to Newark, N. Y. .\l 
this time tln' atfairs of the society were in a very low 
state, and many of the members thought it inadvis- 
able to struggle longer against what seemed to be 
insurmountable obstacles. Uut other counsels pre- 
vailed, anil it was decided to call the Rev. Thomas 



CIT^ OF PATERSON. 



497 



H. Skinner, Jr., a recent graduate from the Union 
Theological Seminary, his father being the pastor of 
the Mercer Street Presbyterian Church in New York. 
Aid was promised I'rom the Home Missionary So- 
ciety, and the Mercer Street congregation were lib- 
eral towards the son of their pastor, raising $1500 
towards the erection of a new and better place of 
worship, which was a small frame building on the 
site of the present church, at the southeast corner of 
Church and Ellison Streets. The new building was 
opened for public service in November, 1845, the 
Prospect Street property liaving been sold a few 
months previous to the Methodist Episcopal congre- 
gation which now owns it. A few months after oc- 
cupying the new house of worship the Rev. Mr. Skin- 
ner accepted a call to New York City. A month 
later the Rev. Michael F. Liebenau, of New Paltz, 
N. Y., was called, who preached with favorable re- 
sults for three or four years, the Rev. Stephen D. 
Ward succeeding him in 1850. With the ending of 
the year 1852 his ministry here ceased. The church 
was uow again weakened and somewhat discouraged, 
and no pastor was secured for several months. The 
Rev. Robert W. Landis occupied the pulpit for 
nearly three years, and while he was here a base- 
ment was fitted up under the church, in the spring 
of 1855. Some months after his departure a call was 
extended to the Rev. Ebenezer Cheever, of Bloom- 
field, who came in August, 1856, remaining for eight 
years, when he resigned on account of failing health. 
His ministry is remembered with great pleasure, and 
during his stay the society prospered greatly. In 
1860 the building was greatly enlarged to accommo- 
date the growing congregation. 

In June, 18()2, the Rev. Charles D. Shaw, who had 
been graduated but a short time before from the Union 
Theological Seminary, was engaged to supply the 
pulpit, which he did until regularly called to the 
pastorate, in which he was installed in the ensuing 
November. The salary was then but $800, but so 
greatly did the church prosper under him that within 
two years the congregation voluntarily raised the 
salary to $1400. In 1863 a debt of .^TOO was paid, an 
organ was bought at a cost of $1500; in 1865 the pres- 
ent parsonage was bought for $5500, and in 1867 the 
basement of the church was enlarged and much im- 
proved. In August of the last-named year Mr. Shaw- 
accepted a call to Wilmington, Del. He was suc- 
ceeded by the Rev. Isaiah B. Hopwood, from Park- 
ville, L. I., who conducted a very successful ministry 
in Paterson until the summer of 1874. He was a 
pastor of much energy, great good nature, and was 
generally esteemed. In 1869 the basement wa.s again 
enlarged, and in 1873 the auditorium of the church 
was thoroughly overhauled and improved. Upon the 
departure of Mr. Hopwood to a growing church in 
Newark, the congregation extended a call to their 
former pastor, the Rev. Charles D. Shaw, who was 
installed May 5, 1875. On Saturday night, March 18, 



1876, the church caught fire from a defective flue, and 
was much damaged. Although it was by no means 
ruined and could have been restored at a cost of a 
few thoustmd dollars, the congregation by a very de- 
cided vote concluded to replace the building with an 
edifice which should be an ornament to the city and 
an evidence of their zeal in the cause of religion. 
The corner-stone was laid Sept. 21, 1876, and the work 
prosecuted with such vigor that by the following Feb- 
ruary the basement was ready for occupancy, and the 
main auditorium June 3, 1877. The building, of 
brick, is very striking and attractive; it is fifty by 
one hundred and three feet in size, and seats 720 per- 
sons, the floor sloping upward from the platform, back 
of which is a splendid organ. Soon after the church 
was completed a severe storm sent the steeple whirl- 
ing over against the residence of Mr. Edward Os- 
borne, on the opposite side of Ellison Street, — a re- 
markable accident. The new building cost $30,000, 
all of which was paid as the work progressed, except 
$5000, which has been paid since. The members 
number nearly 350, and the Sunday-school, under the 
zealous superintendence of Mr. Watts Cooke, attained 
a membership of nearlj- 700. During the summer of 
1881 the congregation with great cordiality gave their 
pastor a vacation that he might visit Europe, con- 
tinuing his salary and supplying the pulpit mean- 
time. In his absence the degree of D.D. was con- 
ferred on him. His ministry has been remarkably 
blessed in many ways, and there is a deep attachment 
between pastor and congregation.' The church has 
370 members, and the Sunday-school 640, with an 
average attendance of 450. The Session is thus com- 
prised : Moderator, the Rev. Dr. Shaw ; Elders, Jona- 
than Johnson, David Stewart, John Johnson, W. 
Oakley Fayerweather, Daniel Miller. 

About 1827 a number of Presbyterians from Scot- 
land and the north of Ireland who were then living 
in Paterson thought it would be well to organize a 
church more in sympathy with the old-country Pres- 
byterianism than the First Church. They affiliated 
with the Reformed Presbyterian body, but were com- 
monly called Calvinists, or Scotch Covenanters. They 
called the Rev. William J. Gibson to be their pastor, 
and in 1828 built a small frame house of worship in 
Church Street, near Broadway. But they did not 
agree among themselves, and in the course of five or 
six years were obliged tO' relinquish their property 
and to abandon their organization. They were very 
strict and exacting in all that pertained to creed and 
deed. Mr. Gibson taught school to eke out his 
meagre and uncertain salary as pastor. 

In 1852 a congregation was formed in connection 
with the Reformed Presbyterian denomination, and 
had preaching by supplies furnished by that body 
until 1854; then the Rev. Robert Hill was called, 

1 Most of the foregoiug information regarding the Second Presbyte- 
rian Church is taken from the " Manual" of the church, principaUy 
compiled by the Rev. Dr. Shaw, 



498 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUxNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



who remained until I806, when trouble arose in the 
congregation, some of whom concluded to leave the 
Reforiiu'd Presbyterian body and join the Associate 
Presbyterian Church, which was done, and in ISo? 
they called the Rev. Hugh W. Todd, wlio labored 
zealously with them until the summer of 1869, when 
he accepted a call elsewhere. Meantime the society 
occupied a neat frame church at the corner of Smith 
and Hotel Streets, and in 1858 had sold that property 
and built a commodious brick edifice, one story high, 
on Smith Street, nearly opposite Union. The Rev. 
R. D. Williamson came to the jiulpit in May, 1870, 
and was succeeded two years later by the Rev. John 
Teas, who remained until May, 1877. During his 
ministry the church grew exceedingly, and the con- 
gregation felt encouraged to raise tlieir place of wor- 
ship another story and make other iniprovement.s, at 
a cost of about $10,00o, or more than the cost of the 
original building. It is now forty-three by eighty 
feet, and seats six hundred persons. The Rev. Alex- 
ander Smith, who succeeded Mr. Teas in November, 
1877, is the present pastor. The church has a mem- 
bership of 120 in good standing, and a Sunday-school 
under the superintendence of J. G. Patton, having 
120 scholars and 15 teachers. The elders are James 
Moore, ordained in 1861, and William Brown and 1 
Joseph Beggs, ordained in 1874 ; Trustees, J. G. Pat- 
ton, William Brown, William A. Arnold, Jolin Mul- 
hoUand, and James Barr ; they are elected annually. 
The pastor is president of the board ix officio. In 
1858 the union took place between the Associate and 
the Associate Presbyterian Churches, the two forming 
the " United Pre-sbyterian" denomination. May 1, 
1881, the congregation had a debt of $6000, which 
was reduced during the year to $4500, and is to be 
all paid by May, 1883, the whole of it having been 
pledged. 

In August, 1869, about ninety members of the 
United Presbyterian Church withdrew and organ- 
ized the Third Pre-sbytcrian Church. They were al- 
lowed to worship in the lecture-room iif the First 
Presbyterian Church, and Hcv. David Winters, a 
young man of much ])romise from Canada, preached 
to them for a year or more, when he was formally 
called to be their pastor. In the summer of 1871 
they set about providing a house of tlieir own, and 
bought a site at the northwest corner of (irand and 
Prince Streets, whereon they erected a handsome 
frame edifice, which cost them twice as much iis it 
ought to have done, or in the neighborhood of $30,000, 
including the site. This was far beyond the uieAns of 
a new church, mainly composed of jjcople who earned 
their bread by daily hard work, and when the trying 
financial pressure of 1873 came on, soon after the 
church was completed, the heavy debt hampered 
them sorely. Mr. Winters had the faculty of attract- 
ing large congregations, and of making remarkable 
additions to the congregation, while he won many 
warm friends; but even these perceived when too 



late that he had not managed the building fund as 
prudently as could have been desired. In 1874, Mr. 
Winters accepted a call to Philadelphia, where he 
still preaches to a large church. At\er a considerable 
delay he was succeeded by the Rev. John Reid, a 
young preacher of much force, who remained for 
about two years. After another interval the i)ulpit 
was occupied by the Rev. James H. Clark. During 
his ]ia.storate the aflairs of the church came to a crisis, 
and the property was sold under foreclosure, being 
bought in by the Presbyterian Board of Church Ex- 
tension, with the aid of generous friends in Paterson. 
Mr. Clark remained for a year or two, when he Wiis 
succeeded by the Rev. Joshua B. Galloway, in 1880, 
under whose energetic ministry its condition has 
greatly im])roved. The general prosperity of the city 
has had something to do with this, and the removal 
of the heavy load of debt under which the congrega- 
tion formerly staggered. There are 40 members, and 
250 pupils enrolled in the Sunday-school. 

About 1875 the Lake View Baptist Church was 
sold to the Presbyterians of that place, who formed 
the Fourth Presbyterian Church of Paterson. The 
population of the neighborhood has been scant, and 
the society has not grown. The Rev. George C. Megie 
I was pastor for a short time and died there. The Rev. 
James H. Clark hsis been preaching for them for the 
piist year or two. The membership numbers about 
25, with 80 children enrolled in the Sunday-school. 

The Westminster Chapel, which is situated on the 
corner of Spring and Weiss Streets, originated in a 
Sunday-school which held its first session Sept. 21, 
1873, in the basement of the house 568 Main Street, 
with 50 children in attendance. Mr. John Ramage 
was superintendent. On the !>th of October the first 
prayer-meeting was held. On Sunday. November 
i)th, the attendance of scholars was 132, which 
crowded the room so that no teaching could be done. 
The next week two lots were purchased on Si)ring 
Street, and the week following a building was begun, 
and the first session of the Sunday-school was held 
in it on Christnuis morning, 1873. The first jirayer- 
meeting was held here on Jan. 8, 1874. An en- 
largement became necessary during the following 
year, and in 1876 the addition to the building was 
completed. The second addition, which brought the 
chapel to its present proportions, was finished Jan. 
2(t, ISSO. 

During the year 1874 jjreaching services were held 
upon the Sabbath at irregular intervals, the Rev. 
David Magic, D.D., pastor of the First Presbyterian 
Church, and others otficiating. On Dec. 18, 1874, 
the Rev. W. H. Mcgie wa.s engaged to work among 
the people, which he did for six months, when regular 
|)reaching services were iliscontiinied. In May, 1876, 
Mr. Willard Scott, then a student in Union Theo- 
logical Seminary, was engaged, and he remained until 
May 31, 1877. The interval between Mr. Scott's res- 
ignation and the Rev. J.C. WyckolPs term of service, 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



499 



which began June 7, 1878, was filled by Dr. Magie 
and the Rev. Mr. Woodbridge, of Princeton Theo- 
logical Seminary, who died shortly after coming to 
Paterson. The Rev. J. C. Wyckoff resigned in June, 
1880. 

Mr. L. L. Overman, of Princeton Seminary, 
preached during the summer vacation, wlien Dr. 
Magie again preached once upon the Sabbath at the 
chapel until Feb. 1, 1881, when the Rev. Laurens T. 
Shuler was called. Since March, 1881, two services 
upon the Sabbath have been sustained in addition to 
the Sabbath-school and the weekly day meetings. In 
June, 1881, a provisional organization was effected, by 
which the Session of the chapel consists of the elders 
of the First Presbyterian Church and the pastor of 
the chapel. Since that time communion services 
have been observed every three months. The num- 
ber of communicants at the close of 1881 was 37 ; 
the number on the Sabbath-school roll, 380. 

In June, 1880, some of the residents of the East 
Side met at the house of Mr. George J. Coulsen, on 
Vreeland Avenue, to talk over the feasibility of hav- 
ing Sunday-school and weekly religious services in 
their own vicinity. It was concluded to hold weekly 
prayer-meetings from house to house in the neighbor- 
hood, and to proceed at once with the erection of a 
chapel. They bought six lots at the northwest corner 
of Willis and East Twenty-ninth Street, and had 
erected on two of the lots on East Twenty-ninth 
Street one of the most charming little church edifices 
in Paterson. It is about thirty-six by eighty feet in 
area, with an outside tower and vestibule at the south- 
east corner. The side walls are low, and the roof 
rises very steeply. The windows are richly stained 
glass. The interior is beautifully and richly furnished 
with semi-circular seats of black walnut, which have a 
cosy appearance. The cost of the chapel was about 
$6000, and is all paid for. The site cost $3000, which 
was assumed by Messrs. Watts Cooke and George 
Coulsen and one or two others. The weekly meet- 
ings were largely attended as soon as the chapel was 
thrown open for use, which was on the second Sun- 
day in January, 1881, when a Sunday-school was or- 
ganized, with Watts Cooke as superintendent. Start- 
ing with about 70 pupils, in February, 1882, the roll 
had been swelled to 150, with an average attendance 
for the first year of 110. The weekly meetings are 
conducted by Mr. Coulsen, who is president of the 
East Side Presbyterian Association. It is believed 
that this is the nucleus of a flourishing church to be 
organized at no distant day. 

The German Presbyterians of Paterson used to 
hold religious services many years ago, in what was 
formerly Military and is now Druid Hall, at the -south- 
east corner of Cross and Ellison Streets. There they 
had preaching more or less regularly for several 
years, until in 1848 they organized the " First Ger- 
man Presbyterian Church of Paterson." The first 
pastor w.is named Lichtenstein. The church met in 



the infant-school in Elm Street until 1852, when it 
was proposed to build on Bridge Street, but other 
counsels prevailed, and it was determined to erect a 
brick edifice on the site of the old school, to which 
they were given title by the First Presliyterian 
Church and the Society for Establishing Useful Man- 
ufactures. While the building was going up they 
held their services in the church then standing on 
the corner of Smith and Hotel Streets. The new 
church was a small aftair, and about 1860 was 
greatly enlarged to its present size. Mr. Lichten- 
stein was succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Rosenthal, who 
served the people for about eight years. The next 
pastor was the Rev. Edward M. Weiss, who began 
preaching for them in 1858, and was called in 1859. 
He resigned in 1866-66, and soon after the Rev. 
Jacob Wahrenberger was called. He stayed here 
until his death, about 1878, which was very sudden. 
The Rev. P. A. Schwarz succeeded him. There are 
about 150 members of the church, and 170 children 
in the Sunday-school. 

About 1857 a second German Presbyterian Church 
was formed, the Rev. G. C. Goehring, pastor. The 
society met for a year or two in the consistory-room 
of the First Reformed Church, at the southeast cor- 
ner of Main and Ellison Streets, and then bought 
the old Baptist Church property on Broadway, where 
they still worship. Mr. Goehring remained for ten 
years, and has been succeeded by Carl Berns for 
three years; Charles Steinhauer, from about 1870 to 
1873; Jacob Heberle until 1S75, who was succeeded 
by August C. Stange, and he in turn by Frederick 
E. Vogelin. The church has about 100 members, 
and the Sunday-school 120 pupils. 

In this connection, though not directly connected, 
it might be noted that about 1866-67 a German 
Evangelical Lutheran Church was formed. They met 
for a time in Derrom's Hall, in West Street, then 
in Van Houten Street, until in 1870 they erected 
a very neat little house of worship in Van Houten 
Street, south side, near Prospect. The congregation 
is called St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran. Heinrich 
Walker was the pastor until 1<S74, when Alexander 
Broemmer was called. The present pastor is the 
Rev. Hermann Stecholz. 

Methodist Episcopal Churches. — Within the 
first two or three years of the present century occa- 
sional circuit-riders of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church would stop at Paterson and give a brief ex- 
hortation whenever there was an opportunity. About 
1804-5 they began to hold services with something 
like regularity in the old Essex Mill, in Mill Street, 
near Van Houten. About 1812 they removed to an 
old carpenter-shop of John Clark, on Broadway, near 
Mulberry Street, which they occupied for some years. 
Subsequently services were held in the old academy, 
in a building in Van Houten Street, and at the corner 
of Main Street and Broadway. About 1817 Paterson 
was established as a station where regular preaching 



500 



mSTOHY OF BEKGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



should be held by the circuit-rider. This encouraged 
the little stru{;gliug band of Methodists, and they set 
about securing a place of worship that they could call 
their own. Three years later they accomplished this 
and built a very niode.<t little frame structure in Pros- 
pect Street, east side, between Ellison and Van Houten 
Streets. They were still too poor to support a sta- 
tioned preacher, and were obliged to continue to rely 
on the circuit-riders or some local preacher, the latter 
being a dependence that turned out badly for the 
church, at leiist in one instance. In 1825 the Confer- 
ence assigned a regular preacher here for the first time, 
in the person of the Rev. John Creamer. He was 
well liked, and worked earnestly and as arduously as 
his strength would permit, but the congregation profited 
by his labors less than a year, as he died in May, 
1826. His widow married Deacon Horatio Moses, 
who figured for many years as one of the most promi- 
nent characters of Paterson in many respects. "The 
sign of the brass kettle," which is still to be seen in Van 
Houten Street, "just around the corner" from the 
church of which he was such an active member for 
many years, continues to be a reminder to the older 
citizens of the business which Deacon Moses carried 
on in that location. In those early days the itinerant 
system was in full operation in the Methodist Churches, 
and every year a new ]>reacher was allotted to Pater- 
son. The church was poor and could not pay much 
salary, and indeed the clergymen of that denomina- 
tion did not exj)ect, as a general thing, to receive any- 
where more than the barest subsistence, and often iiad 
a hard time to get that. They were e-xpected to have 
a profound faith in Providence, and frequently that 
was all they had to live on. To enable the pastor to 
earn .something more than the poor pittance they were 
able to pay him, the congregation built a small house 
adjoining the church, with living rooms in front and 
a large room in the back, which they designed for a 
dwelling and school-room for the pastor, and this 
building was dignified with the name of the " Meth- 
odist Academy." Despite many difficulties which we 
of the present day can hardly appreciate, and in fact 
encouraged by those very dilRculties, wliicli they re- 
garded as so many incentives to adilitional labor, the 
society steadily grew, inspired with an unflagging 
zeal, and in 183(! decided to eregt a new building for 
the accommodation of the members in a more prom- 
ising and convenient location for all concerneil. That 
part of the city in the neighborhood of Mill and 
Market Streets had recently been ileveloping ra|>idly, 
and it was therefore decided to locate at the northwest 
corner of Cross and Elm Street*. A plot seventy- 
five feet square wan bought for $.3000, and the erection 
of the new house of worship prosecuted with such 
energy that by the following May, lM;t7, the ba-scment 
was ready for occupancy, and the congregation began 
to hold services therein. The room was also rented 
to the county for the holding of the county courto, 
whereby the revenue of the society was increased by 



the munificent sum of $60 per year, an addition that 
was highly acceptable at the time. In October the 
church was dedicated, and the congregation imme- 
diately almost doubled. 

Mi'untime, in 1820, the society bad become incor- 
porated under the laws of the State, William Jacobs, 
Joseph Law, and David Martin being the first trus- 
tees. A Sunday-school had been organized within a 
few years after the erection of the first church, and 
in 1827 there were 150 .scholars enrolled, with an at- 
tendance of about 115. Some of the early records 
of the Sunday-school — now in the )iossession of the 
writer — are extremely interesting from the quaint 
simplicity of the entries of the evidently anxious and 
zealous superintendents, while they might also be 
valuable to the meteorologist, as each entry notes the 
state of the weather at every session of the school, 
which, by the way, met morning and afternoon, a cus- 
tom that was kept up till as late as 1850. About 
1840-41 there was a great revival in the church in 
Cross Street, which perhai>s doubled its membership, 
and created a profound sensation throughout the whole 
town for a long time. It is still remembered by the 
older members as one of the most remarkable visita- 
tions the church has ever experienced, and they have 
been many. As the congregation increased it became 
too large for the old house to hold them all, and from 
time to time new churches were organized, so that 
old Cross Street came to be spoken of as " The Hee- 
Ilive of Methodism" in Paterson. t«till, a large num- 
ber stood by the old clitirch, notwitlistamling its loca- 
tion had long ceiised to lie as attractive lus when it was 
first erected. 

Although there had been for years a party in the 
congregation which favored a removal to a more de- 
sirable neighborhood, it wtis not until the ministry 
of the Kev. Daniel Iv. Lowrie that this movement 

! took a definiU.' shape. He pushed it vigorously, and 
secured large subscriptions towards the erection of a 
new edifice on Smith Street, south side, between Main 
and Maitland Streets. Here a plot was purchased, 
and the cellar walls built for a building which would 
have cost not far from ?^0,000. Hut by the time 

; the work had progressed thus far the movement 
lost strength, ,Mr. Lowrie was transferred to another 

' station, the .society found itself heavily in debt, and 
soon after the panic of 1873 occurred, and the project 
of abamloning the old church, alioiit which cmwded 
so numy rich a.ssociations, was definitely given yp. 
It was some years ere the society recovered from the 
sacrifices this unsuccessful scheme had necessitated. 

I Since that time, however, the church has been con- 
siderably renovated, tin- pulpit recess has been en- 
larged, a hand.Home organ hiLs been put in, and in 
other respects the society has shown that Cross Street, 
tlxiugh the oldest, is by no means the lea-st vigorous 
of the Methodist Episcopal Churches of Paterson. 
Among the recent pastors have been Isaac N. Felch, 
C. A. Lippincott, David Graves, R. B. Lockwood, D. 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



501 



R. Lowrie, George F. Dickinson, Jonathan F. Crane, 
D.D., Alexander Craig, and J. I. Boswell. 

In 1844 a number of members of the First Church 
thought it was about time there was another Metho- 
dist Church in ^'aterson, and tliey organized the 
"Second Methodist Church." The old church prop- 
erty in Prospect Street, which meantime had been 
occupied by the Second Presbyterian Church, was 
rented for a while, and then bought in 1845 for $1700, 
though not paid for until some years later. There 
were eight members in the new society. Their first 
pastor was the Rev. Lewis T. Maps, who came hither 
in the spring of 1845, being then but twenty-five 
years of age. He was a young man of much " bril- 
liancy of mind, close habits of study, and faithful- 
ness in all departments of his work." There was an 
interesting revival during his ministry, in the course 
of which he preached seventy sermons in ten weeks. 
He died in July, 1846, just when his people's hopes 
were raised highest in regard to their prospective 
prosperity under him. The little band grew ra)iidly, 
and in the course of five years felt able to build 
a new, larger, and finer place of worship. The 
result was the erection (in 1851 1 of the present brick 
edifice with its extensions in the rear, used for Sun- 
day-school, lecture-room, and class meeting-rooms. 
It was then the largest building in the city devoted 
to religious purposes, and was a remarkable under- 
taking for so young a society. But there were many 
zealous men in the congregation, and they spared 
neither time nor effort nor means to promote the 
success of the cause they had .so much at heart. Re- 
vival after revival was inaugurated and prosecuted 
with zealous vigor, until the new society bade fair to 
outstrip the old in size. But the large and costly 
building was a heav}' load on the congregation, and 
when seasons of financial depression came they had 
a hard struggle to save their property. Through it 
all stood together, and when good times came they 
rejoiced in company even as they had suffered. Some 
thought the old church did not assist its young off- 
spring as generously as it might have done, but the 
very sacrifices the members had to make knit them 
together all the more strongly, and to-day there exists 
the warmest kind of feeling among those who for so 
many years labored like members of one family in 
the old Prospect Street Church, even though their 
footsteps for many years have been turned in other 
directions. The church building h;is been altered 
and improved from time to time, the latest work of 
this character being effected in the fall of 1881, when 
the house was repainted throughout, the windows of 
dark stained-glass replaced by lighter ground-glass, 
two new heaters put in, and other improvements made 
at a cost of about $1000, greatly enhancing the at- 
tractiveness of the interior. Prof Henry A. Buttz, 
now president of Drew Theological Seminarj', was 
one of the ablest and most beloved of the pastors 
who have been stationed at Prospect Street Church. 



Other pastors were Thomas H. Smith, John O. Win- 
ner, Ralph S. Arnat, George B. Day, R. Vanhorne, 
H. D. Opdyke, T. E. Gordon, J. S. Gilbert, T. Wal- 
ters, S. N. Bebout. 

In 1859 a new Methodi.st Church was organized, 
chiefly from the members of the Cross Street society, 
although some of the Second Church also joined in the 
movement. .The new congregation worshiped for a 
while in Continental Hall, then the principal hall in 
the town. But they lost no time in preparing for the 
erection of a suitable house of their own, and this re- 
sulted in the building of the Market Street Methodist 
Episcopal Church, which when finished was one of 
the most pretentious church edifices in Paterson. 
Services were held for several months in the base- 
ment, the society being unable to complete the build- 
ing as soon as they would have desired. The church 
was dedicated in April, 1861, at a time when the 
whole country was in a state of profound excitement 
over the attack on Fort Sumter. The Rev. George 
W. Batchelder, a young man of but twenty-five years, 
who had been just assigned to New Brunswick, 
preached the dedication sermon, which was an ex- 
ceedingly eloquent production. The first pastor was 
the Rev. William Tunison, who preached in Conti- 
nental Hall, and afterwards in the new edifice; he 
w-as just the man to push along the building enter- 
prise. He was succeeded by the Rev. J. K. Burr, one 
of the best-known clergymen in the Newark Confer- 
ence. The subsequent pastors were James A. Free- 
man, C. S. Van Cleve, J. L. Hurlbut, Lewis R. Dunn, 
William Nelson Searles, James A. Monroe, Jonathan 
H. Daly, appointed in April, 1881. For many years 
after the church was built it remained without a 
belfry or steeple, presenting a squatty appearance from 
the street. In 1871 the congregation set about im- 
proving the building in this respect, and raised a 
large subscription for the purpose, when the present 
elegant and graceful spire, designed by E. J. M. Der- 
rick, was placed upon the church. The cost was 
about $4000. No bell has been provided yet. 

In 1873 another large sum was raised, wherewith 
they purchased the handsome parsonage in Ward 
Street, which is surpassed by none in the city among 
the Protestant Churches. The church has made steady 
progress, and is now regarded as the wealthiest in the 
Methodist denomination in Paterson, as it is one of 
the largest and healthiest. 

In 1866 the Paterson Land Improvement Company, 
which owned large tracts of land in Totowa, offered 
a plot for the erection of a Methodist Episcopal 
Church at the southwest corner of Totowa and Pat- 
erson Avenues. The Methodist residents in Totowa 
organized a new society, which took the name " Pat- 
erson Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church," and 
Conference assigned the Rev. I. W. Cole to the pas- 
torate. He was an earnest worker, and under his min- 
istry the little congregation grew to respectable pro- 
portions. They erected a modest frame building on the 



502 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



plot named, and their house was literally " founded 
on a rock." They worshiped in the upper story, 
which was reached by a long and disagreeable Hight 
of steps, extending in part over a huge projection of 
trap. In 1878 they excavate<l in the rock and built 
a fine basement, wherein their Sunday-school meets 
and week -night services are held. A convenient par- 
sonage was also erected, and now the church is one of 
the completest in all its appointments of any of the 
Methodist Churches in l'ater.son. The society is es- 
tablished ou a firm basis, and has every prospect of 
long continuing i)rosperity. The pa.«tors have been 
I. W. Cole, S. D. Jones, W. H. Dickerson, Albert H. 
Brown, John L. Hays, John Gutteridge. 

The growth of Methodism continued apace in Pat- 
erson, and stimulated by the success of the other col- 
onies whicli had swarmed out of the old " Bee-hive," 
in 1870 another swarming took |)lace, this time from 
all three of the churches on the south side of the 
river. The new society took the name " Grace Jleth- 
odist Episcopal Church," and speedily set about pro- 
viding themselves with a neat little frame building 
on High Street, their lot extending to Water Street, 
the intention being to erect a costly permanent struc- 
ture on the Water Street front of the lot when their 
means should justify that step. Almost before they 
were well settled in their new quarters the society 
grew so rapidly that an enlargement of the building 
became an immediate necessity, and the mortar was 
scarcely <lry on the walls of the addition ere an ex- 
tension had to be put on. So within six or eight 
years the church was nearly quadrupled in size, and 
the congregation had grown to something like 400 
members, while the Sunday-school was still larger. 
The congregation had only got fairly settled down in 
their completed church, as it were, when the entire 
building wius set on fire one night in .May, 1880, and 
within an hour was merely a heap of smouldering 
ruins. Coming as it did while the people of the 
country were still sufl'ering from the ellects of the 
panic of 1873, this wa.s a severe disaster, but the con- 
gregation lost no time in erecting another building 
on the old site. Thev have not lost heart by their 
misfortune, but are patiently biding the time when 
they shall be able to carry into execution their origi- 
nal plan of erecting one of the finest churches in the 
city. " Grace worketh patience." Pastors, James 
N. Fitzgerald, C. S. Coit, Robert Harcourt, S. B. 
Rooney, J. A. Hammond. 

In 187.'Jorl874 a number of the colored .Methodistti 
of the city organized the Sixth Methodist Episcopal 
Church, and hired Monumental Hall, No. 2!).') Main 
Street, for their place of worMhi|>. William Holland 
wan appointed to preach for them. The Rev. S. W. 
Decker supplied the pulpit for three years, anil then 
the name of the church was changed to St. Philip's 
Metho<Iist Episcopal Church. The Rev. William (J. 
Wiggins has supplie<l the pulpit since. 

A Colored Methodist Episcopal Church was organ- 



ized in Paterson as early as 1845, and for some years 
worshiped in a school-house adjoining the Prospect 
Street Church. They then built a church on Godwin 
Street, north side, near Bridge, where they still wor- 
ship, under the name of the Zion Methodist Episco- 
pal Church, affiliating with the Zion .Methodist Epis- 
copal connection. Some of the pastors in the last 
twenty-five years have been Peter Lee, Moses Man- 
ning, John Taylor, John Robinson, Samuel J. Bern,-, 
Jaseph P. Thompson, .John H. Hector. 

Another Colored Clnirch was formed about 1865, 
which for some years held services in the public 
school-house in Clinton Street, at the base of the hill. 
In 1874 the society built a neat little frame church on 
North First Street, about forty by fiflj- feet in size, 
and have worshiped there since. The pastors have 
been Albert J. Dudley, tiabriel Rice, Henry Mat- 
thews, Walter Thompson, James T. Rex, Tur- 
ner, R. H. Coleman, .Vnthony G. Lane, William H. 
Rogers. The church has 27 members, and about UK) 
attendants. It belongs to the African Methodist 
Episcopal connection. 

The first statistics oHicially published of Methodism 
in Paterson were reported to the Philadelphia Con- 
ference in 1821), that Conference embracing New Jer- 
sey, Delaware, and part of Pennsylvania. In that 
year Paterson reported 185 members. The statistics 
for 1881 were as follows: Cross Street, 417 members, 
(134 pupils in Sunday-school ; Prospect Street, 1()9 
members, 220 iiui>ils ; Market Street, 488 members, 
870 pupils, including Embury Mission, 142 Beech 
Street; Paterson Avenue, 144 members, 210 pupils; 
tirace, 446 members, 750 pupils; St. Philip's, 18 
members, 30 pupils. Total membership, 1682, to whom 
should be adde<l about 200 joined during the year. 
Total pupils, 2714. 

Romas C.\tiioi,ic 1'iiir(He.s. — Many of the first 
employfe in the Paterson mills were Irishmen be- 
longing to the Catholic Church. They were obliged 
to travel all the way to New York to confession or 
to see a priest, and this they di<l fur years. Occasion- 
ally a priest passing through the ."^tate would stop in 
Paterson and give the people instruction. About 1805 
or 1807 the Catholics took steps to secure regular 
ministrations, and a room was fitted up in a dwelling- 
house on Broadway, near Mulberry Street, as a chapel, 
with the proper ap|)iirtenances, and thereat^er ser- 
vices were held in this room with tolerable regularity. 
Father Langton was among the first priests who used 
this modest chapel. The room was large enough to 
accommodate all who desired to attend for several 
years.' .\bout 1820, the Rev. Richard Bulger being 
priest, the congregation began to grow too large for 
the limited <|uarters, and a movement was made to- 
wards securing a more spacious and permanetit place 
of worship. At this juncture the Society for Estab- 

1 GommiinlcttteO to tlia wriUr by tha Ul« Darn*/ HcNamM ati'l 
olhoni; iNst alwi flUtorjr of the C«thoUc Church In Now York, bjr tin. 
Ul< Ancliblihop Daxlojr, p. DT. 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



503 



lishing Useful Manufactures came forward and offered 
to give the congregation a plot of land at the south- 
west corner of Congress — now Market — Street and 
Mill Street, " for the purpose of erecting, maintain- 
ing, and keeping a building or house for the public 
worship of God." This was in 1821. The gift of the 
society was gratefully accepted, and subscriptions 
were raised for the building of the new chapel. A 
very small house was built, scarcely more than 
twenty-five by thirty feet in size, one story high. It 
probably cost barely more than $1000. In 1822 the 
trustees were incorporated as " The Catholic Chapel 
of St. John." Having once a settled habitation and 
a name among religious bodies, the Catholic congre- 
gation of Paterson rapidly increased, so that the little 
chapel had to be enlarged, and in the course of twelve 
years they felt themselves strong enough to move into 
a more aristocratic part of the town and to erect a 
much larger church of stone. In 1833 they bought a 
large plot of land in Oliver Street, opposite Cross 
Street, and soon after set about building a house of 
worship that should eclipse anything of the kind in 
Paterson. There had been a project on foot to enlarge 
the old chapel on Market Street, but finally it was 
decided to sell the old property and build a fine house 
on the new site. It seemed a mighty undertaking 
for the small and very poor congregation, but, nothing 
daunted by its magnitude, they set about it with a 
right good will tliat stopped at nothing. The foun- 
dation was laid for a church to be fifty feet front and 
twice that in depth, all of stone, and of suitable 
height for the other proportions. The old chapel 
was sold for iSl()2o, and this was about the only cash 
capital wherewith to begin the erection of the im- 
mense new church. By the time the foundation was 
laid the funds gave out, and more moderate counsels 
prevailed. It was then decided to erect only the 
front half of the projected building, and this was 
done. James Galbraith being the mason. Father 
Duffy was the priest in charge at the time. He was 
succeeded in 1837 by the Rev. Father O'Reilly, from 
West Point, who was a large stout man of command- 
ing presence, of an extremely sociable character, so 
that he did much to popularize a church that had to 
encounter a hostile prejudice on the part of the first 
settlers. Innumerable stories are told to this day 
about Father O'Reilly, his acts, his sayings, his ver- 
satile accomplishments, and his genial qualities. In 
1847 the rear half of the building was completed upon 
the foundation as originally laid, and a gallery put 
around the inside, when the church had a seating 
capacity of 1300. It is said that the whole building 
cost little, if anything, more than $15,000.' The 
front was surmounted by a neat spire covered with 
shingles, painted yellow, so that often when the rays 
of the setting sun shone upon the steeple they seemed 



^ The details of the erection of the church in Oliver Street were kindly 
fornisbed to the writer by Charles O'Neill. 



to bathe it in a glow of golden light that was won- 
drously beautiful. 

Various clergymen succeeded Father O'Reilly : 
Father Quinn, Father D. Senez, whose assistant in 
1857-59 was Father G. McMahon ; Father Victor 
Beaudeven, in 1860, his assistant being Father J. 
Schandel. Father Beaudeven was followed (in Oc- 
tober, 1863) by the Rev. William McNulty, who has 




^»'^' : 




'- (?Poi^-c^c6L, , 



remained longer than any of his predecessors. Under 
his supervision the church has grown with unex- 
ampled rapidity and branched out until instead of a 
single congregation there are now in Paterson five of 
this denomination, all growing and prospering. He 
has been from the first an earnest and unflinching 
enemy to intemperance in every form, and by his firm 
stand and energetic measures to check that evil has 
done incalculable good in Paterson. At an early 
stage in his pastorate here he conceived the idea of 
building a new church, the old one being too small 
and inconvenient for the proper accommodation of 
the constantly-growing congregation. In this, as in 
every other work which he undertook, his people were 
with him. In 1864 a site was bought at the northeast 
corner of Main and Grand Streets, at a cost of !?1 0,000, 
which was paid within two months, and designs were 
secured from a competent New York architect, P. C. 
Keely, for an edifice which at that time was unequaled 
in New Jersey. Willing volunteers were found in 
the congregation to do the excavation ; stone was con- 
tributed freely, and in September, 1865, the founda- 
tion was completed, and the corner-stone was laid 
with solemn pomp by Archbishop Bayley, of Newark. 



504 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Then the work of erecting the walls was begun. The 
people stinted themselves to contribute liberally to- 
wards the building, and monthly collections for that 
purpose were taken up, often amounting to upwards 
of ^'10,000. Slowly but steadily the structure grew 
into shape, until at last it was inclosed, and then for 
another year or two the artisans were engaged on the 
interior before it was ready for dedication. That im- 
posing ceremony was celebrated in 1870, by Arch- 
bishop Wood, of Philadelphia, the bishop of the 
diocese being in Europe at the time. The building 
is in the Gothic style; it is eighty-eight feet front by 
one hundred and eighty-eight feet dee|); twin turrets 
rise on each side of the front to the height of the 
peak, ninety feet, but are to be carried thirty feet 
higher; on the Grand Street side there is a square | 
tower, about one hundred feet high at present; it is ' 
to be adorned with a spire rising to the lieight of two 
hundred and twenty-five feet from the ground. The 
luuin entrance is on Main Street, througli a fine door- 
way, the arch of which is about thirty feet high. The , 
roof is supported on the interior by graceful trefoil 
stone columns, sixty feet high, from which spring 
stout arches of wood painted to resemble stone. The 
ceilings and walls are decorated in the niedia-val style 
by two cclebrate<l artists from Munich, Messrs. Lang 
and Kirkeln. Symbolic paintings on the side walls 
depict the twelve Stations, upon a background of 
gold flecked with blue. The windows are of stained- 
glass, each contributed by some member of the con- 
gregation. The stone was brought from Little Falls 
by canal and road, and dressed upon the grounrl as 
rc(|uired. The Rev. Father McNulty was indefati- 
gable in his devotion to the supervision of the erec- 
tion, which was done mostly by day's work, and he 
was jissisted in this by Charles O'Neill, Robert Hamil, 
William G. Wat.son, and some others, who acted as an 
advisory building committee. The cutting of the fine 
work — the doors, windows, columns, corbals, etc. — 
cost more than $25,000. The slate for the roof was 
imported from England. The interior decorations 
cost $70<Mt ; the organ, one of the largest in the Slate, 
$10,il(t(l; the main altar, also in the Gothic style, and 
designed by the architect of the church, $2(M)(i; the 
windows, all gifts, ils before stated, $8000. The work 
progressed through fourteen years, so that it is diffi- 
cult to give the exact cost of the entire building, but 
it has been usually placcil at about $2fMt,0(MI. Sev- 
eral years ago a handsome stone parsonage wiuh built 
on Grand Street, next to the church, at a cost of 
about $70(10. The entire debt on the church and 
parsonage is now about $27,000. 

During all the time that this great church wius in 
process of construction the people were not idle in 
other directions, but a large hospital w;is bought and 
paid for, school-houses have been provided for about 
nine hundred children, an orphan asylum wherein 
one hundred little girls are supported, two new 
churches have been started, a cemetery tract of 



I twenty-three acres on Haledon Avenue, which is not 

I used, and another of seventy acres, inclu<ling orphan 
asylum property, near Lincoln Bridge. The annual 
receipts of the church from all sources are about 
$30,000, which barely suffices to meet all the numer- 
ous and large demands upon the treasury. The old 
church property on Oliver Street wsis retained, and 

j the former church was refitted into a hall, known as 
St. John's Hall, for public meetings, lectures, enter- 
tainments, and school purposes. A large school- 
liouse adjoins it. The chime of bells, the only one 
in the city, which once hung in the tower of St. 
John's Church has been transferred to the new edi- 
fice. A neat little chapel at the northesist corner of the 
church was fitted up some time before the main build- 

I ing was ready for occupancy, and is still used for 
confessional and other purposes. The number of 
Catholics in the city is estimated at about 18,000, 
one-half of whom belong to St. Jolin the Baptist's 
Church. This building will seat 1700 or 1800 persons. 

I In 1859 a plot one hundred feet square was bought 
by the Catholics of Paterson, at the southeast corner 
of Main and Slater Streets, and in the course of the 
next year a neat little brick building was erected 
thereon for a German Catholic Church, which was 
formally incorporated in 18t)4 as St. Boniface's Cath- 
olic Church. The Rev. J. J. Schandel was the first 
priest, and remained in charge for several years, until 
1871-72, when he was transferred to other fields of 
labor; he is now at Passaic. His succes,sor was Rev. 
Nicholas Hens, a man of great energy. During the 
piLst ten years the church ha.s been greatly enlarged, 
a new school-house has been erected, a large house 
has been provided on Jackson Street, in the rear of 
the church, for a religious sisterhood, who are ex- 
tremely active in attending to the schools and other 
work connected with the churcli, and the congrega- 
tion has greatly increased in membership. The church 
has a seating capacity for about 700 or 800 persons. 
The German Catholic population of Paterson has in- 
creased very much of late years through immigration. 
About 1X07, St. John's Church bought a Irai-t of 
land on Broadway, near East Eighteenth Street, and 
extending back to Fair Street, whereon a large frame 
building was erected for a church, in the rear of the 
plot, and a seminary for young ladies was provided 
on the Broailway front. St. .Vgnes' Institute enjoyed 
a fair degree of prosperity for some years. The 
church grew quite rapidly. Father .McNulty kept 
charge of it, and had regular .services held there, to 
the great satisfaction of the many people in the 
vicinity, who had long felt the want of a church of 
their own faith in that neighborhood. In 1>(7."> these 
thoughc the time had come to have an independent 
organiiiation, and St. .loseph's Parish was created. 

The Hev. Nicholas Molloy wilh the first priest, but 
ill less than a year he bought a site on the northwest 
corner of Market and Carroll Streets, at a cost of about 
$2300, and proceeded to erect thereon a large frame 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



505 



building for a school and church, and St. Joseph's 
congregation thenceforward worshiped in the new 
location, much to the regret of large numbers of the 
members residing in the eastern portion of the city. 
Tlie church has a seating capacity of about 600. 
Father Molloy was constrained to leave Paterson in 
the summer of 1880 on account of illness, which 
caused his death in New York shortly after. He was 
very greatly esteemed by a large circle of acquaint- 
ances. The Rev. Dr. Smith, a clergyman of unusual 
scholarslup, was his successor, and is still with the 
congregation. 

In 1872, Father McNulty bought another parcel 
of land, this time on Totowa, for another Catholic 
Church. The site was on Sherman Avenue, a short 
distance west or noith of Union Avenue, and ex- 
teniled through to Wayne Avenue, comprising eight 
lots. On this a neat and substantial brick chapel was 
built, forty by ninety feet, two stories high, for chapel 
and school. It was speedily attended by a large num- 
ber of residents of the neighborhood and their chil- 
dren, and continued to grow steadily until in the 
summer of 1880 it was set off into a separate parish 
(St. Mary's), in charge of Father Curran, who re- 
mains there. Since that time a fine large parsonage, 
of brick, two stories high, has been erected on the 
Wayne Avenue front of the property. The church 
seats about ;'iOO persons. 

About 1872-73 three Carmelite friars, whose order 
had been driven out of Germany by the decree of 
Bisnuirck, came to Paterson and built a very plain 
little two-story brick house at the corner of West 
Fifteenth and West Twenty-ninth Streets, — Stony 
road. They had a little chapel on the first floor, and 
the cells of their monastery on the upper floor. They 
were recalled to Europe, and the property soon after 
passed into the hands of some Franciscan friars, who 
had also been driven out of Germany. In a short 
time they began holding religious services regularly, 
and then commenced the erection of a large brick 
church, called significantly St. Bonaventura, which 
being completed mass was first celebrated in it on 
Pentecost Sunday, 1879. It will hold 800 or 900 per- 
sons, and is very creditable in appearance. Father 
Albert was in charge of the monastery and church 
until January, 1882, when he was sent elsewhere, to 
the great regret of his people. The friars are very 
active in every work pertaining to their denomina- 
tion, not confining themselves to their own church bv 
any means. Father Francis is the present priest. 

For some time there had been a strong desire on the 
part of many Holland Catholics to have a church of 
their own. Accordingly, in February, 1882, Father 
McNulty and Father Hens repurchased the building 
in which St. Joseph's Church had formerly wor- 
shiped, and w'hich had been sold, with the other 
property on Broadway, in 1881, to William Strange, 
the silk-manufacturer. They also secured a site on 
River Street, south side, just east of the Erie Railway 



crossing, whereon to place the old church, for the ac- 
commodation of the Holland Catholics, who in the 
course of time will be formed into a church and par- 
ish of their own. 

Protestant Eplscopal Chukches. — The first 
services of the Protestant Episcopal Church were 
held in Paterson in 1817, by the Rev. Lewis P. Bayard, 
rector of Trinity Church, Newark, N. J., who came 
twice during the summer of that year.' In the same 
year Mark W. Collet was admitted to the diocesan con- 
vention as a representative of the unincorporated con- 
gregation at Paterson. Bishop Croes paid an epis- 
copal visitation to the town on Oct. 19, 1817, and 
officiated at two services. The congregation met in 
the old Totowa Church for some time, also in the old 
academy, and in other places. Among those who 
ofticiated at these early services were the Rev. Benja- 
min T. Onderdonk, afterwards Bishop of Long Island ; 
the Rev. F. H. Cuming, the Rev. John M. Ward, the 
Rev. Dr. Milnor, the Rev. Dr. Berrian, the Rev. John 
Grigg, and the Rev. John Croes, Jr., the son of Bishop 
Croes. Mr. Croes took uj) his abode in Paterson in 
1824, and prosecuted his ministry with such energy 
that the movement which had been pending since 
1822 for the erection of a permanent house of worship 
immediately took definite shape, and subscriptions 
were solicited from all their friends in Paterson and 
elsewhere towards that end.-' On A|)ril 29, 1825, St. 
Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church was incorporated, 
and the following w^ardens and vestrymen elected : 
Wardens, Timothy B. Crane, Thomas Parker; Ves- 
trymen, Daniel Holsman, Philemon Dickerson, Mark 
W. Collet, John Travers, Elias B. D. Ogden, John 
Flood, Warren Haight, Andrew Parsons, David Cogan, 
Charles Voung, Cornelius Blauvelt, Robert Morrell. 
Mr. Croes was directly formally called to be rector of 
the new parish, and accepted. Contracts were awarded 
without delay for the erection of a church to Henry 
A. Hopper for the carpenter-work, and to John Wal- 
ker for the masonry. The corner-stone was laid on 
Aug. 5, 1825, by Bishop Croes, who consecrated the 
completed edifice on Sept. 13, 1826, and preached the 
sermon on the occasion ; the Rev. Clarkson Dunn read 
the lessons, and the Rev. John M. Ward read the 
prayers. The building was of wood, and far from 
beautiful in point of architecture. It had a square 
tower and belfry. The rector was guaranteed the 
munificent salary of $350 per annum. He remained 
until 1830, when he resigned. He was followed by 
the Rev. Frederick W. Beasley, who remained but for 
ten months. The congregation at this time was poor 
and in debt, and it was seriously proposed to abandon 
the organization and close the church, but the society 
kept along in a feeble sort of way, and in 1835 called 
the Rev. Samuel Ashton Warner, under whom aflairs 
began to brighten. He kept up the work for seven 



1 '* The Days of Old," a centenuial discourse delivered in Trinity Clmrcli, 
Newark, Feb. 22, 1746, by tlie Rev. Mallhew H. Henderson, p. 41. 
- The original subscription-list is in the author's poasession. 



506 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES. NEW JERSEY. 



years, when he resigned, to the sorrow of his congre- 
gation. The pulpit was supplied for a year or two, 
and in 1844 the Rev. J. Elliot Thompson was called. 
During the ensuing two years the edifice was over- 
hauled and refitted, at a cost of about $30(10, and then 
the people sat down to en joy 'a season of quiet pros- 
perity under their able and popular rector. On the 
night of June 26, 1848, the building wsw destroyed 
by fire, communicated from the Paterson Machine 
Company's Works, where the flames had broken out, 
on the opposite side of Market Street. What added 
to the sadness of the circumstance was the loss of life 
with which it was attended. One of the members of 
the church was e.\ceedingly active in his efforts to 
save property ; he plunged into the burning edifice 
and brought out some books, and again rushed in, 
hoping to save the organ, when the building fell and 
he Wius buried beneath the ruins. In their affliction 
the congregation found many comforters, and oflers 
of aid came in from every direction. 

For a time services were held in Odd-Fellow.s' Hall. 
Meantime the people made preparations for the erec- 
tion of the present neat stone building, wherein they 
now worshi|>, which was placed on the site of the old 
structure, on Hamilton Square, the front on Market 
Street, between Colt and Hamilton. Its cost was 
about $9000. On Jan. 25, 1851, the new edifice was 
consecrated by Bishop Doane, of New Jersey. Two 
years later a fine organ was placed in the church, at 
a cost of ?;800. In May, 1854, Mr. Thompson ilied, 
in Paterson, after a lingering illness, and about the 
same time Mr. Warner, the former rector, died in An- 
tigua, in the West Indies. In September of the same 
year the Rev. Edward O. Flagg came to Paterson, 
resigning in November, 18.56. In the following Feb- 
ruary the Rev. .lolin Kelly was instituted in the rec- 
torship, remaining for seven years. The Rev. Jo- 
seph M. Waite was rector for the ne.xt four years, 
being succeeded by the Rev. .Mason Gallagher, who 
officiated as rector from July, 1868, until November, 
186!', subsequently entering the Reforiiie<l Ejiiscopal 
Church, where he immediately took a pniniinent part. 
In February, 1X70, the Rev. John M. HeUernan en- 
tered upon the duties of the rectorship, and served 
his people with great faithfulness until his death, at 
Charleston, S. C, whither he had gone for his failing 
health, on March 21, 1877. During his ministry the 
chureb bought a lot at the southwest curner of Elli- 
son and (Jliurch Streets, and erected thereon a com- 
modious .'^unday-schoid building, at a total cost of 
about $10,IMM). Through his entliusiaslic etl'orta the 
church celebrated itji semi-centennial on April 29, 
1875, with great i'-clat. (Jn that occaiion he delivered 
an historical discourse, replete with interesting laeLs 
concerning the early history of the cliurili. The fore- 
going sketch has been principally compiled fnun that 
discourae. -Mr. Hell'ernan's succe.ssor was the Rev. 
Thomas A. Htarkey, who being chosen bishop of the 
diocese of Northern New Jersey, left the people for 



a time without a rector. They then called the Rev. 
E. B. Russell, who remains in charge of the parish, 
and is one of the most popular and esteemed pastors 
in the city. 

In February, 1856, a new Episcopal Church was 
organized in I'aterson, on the free-seat principle. It 
was under the charge of the Rev. John Grigg for 
about a year, he being succeeded by the Rev. Samuel 
J. Evans, who labored zealously in the promotion of 
the enterprise. The new society took the name of 
St. John's Ei)iscopal Church. They met for some time 
in Crane's Monumental Hall, No. 295 Main Street, and 
in 1857 appear to have been in a prosperous condi- 
tion, with a growing Sunday-school. Mr. Evans re- 
mained about two years, when the society began to 
dwindle away. In 1861 the Rev. Charles E. Beards- 
ley a.ssumed the rectorship, remaining for a year or 
two, |)erhaps, when the enterprise was discontinued. 
In the spring of IStiG about a dozen persons met and 
decided to start anew a church on the same principle 
that St. John's had been founded to inaugurate, and 
for convenience' sake they concluded to revive the or- 
ganization of the old church. This was done, and in 
July, 1806, the first services were held in the upper 
room of Andrew J. Sandford's law building, No. 269 
Main Street. F'ifty or si.xty persons were present. 
The Rev. Charles M. A. Hewes was called to be rec- 
tor, and assumed charge without delay. In 1868 the 
name of the society was changed to " The Church of 
the Holy Communion." In .lanuary, 1X69, they occu- 
|)ied the old Congregational Church, in Market 
Street, opposite Pros])ect, their former room being 
insufficient for the growing congregation. In 1870 a 
site was bought at the southeast corner oi Carroll and 
Pearl Streets, and on May 20, 1871, the corner-stone 
of a new church edifice wjis laid by Bishop < )ileii- 
heirner. The building was constructed of bluestone 
from the neighborhood of Paterson, with a tower and 
low spire. The interior dimensions were thirty-five 
by eighty-five feet, with accommodations for about 
four hundred persons. An arch wiis built in the wall 
for the chancel, in order that it might be extended 
some distance when there shouM be funds at com- 
mand for the pur]iose, which unfortunately hit-i not yet 
been the case. The building is quaint and attractive 
ou the outside, and very neatly fitted up inside. The 
cost was somewhat above $20,tM)0. The church was 
opened lor public worship in February, 1872, and has 
since been occupied by the congregation. Mr. Hewes 
labored with remarkable energy and zeal for his 
people during a period of twelve years or m<ire, when 
he was taken away by death in the midst of his use- 
fulne.KS. He was highly esteemed by all who knew him. 
The present rector is the Rev. Charles Pelletreau. 

In 1X72 the C'liurcli of the Holy Communion started 
a mission Sunday -.school at Riverside, ami in the fall 
of that year built a neat little chapel on East Eigh- 
teenth Street, near Fifth Avenue. It was kept up for 
eight or nine years. 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



507 



In the fall of 1881 Trinity Chapel was organized 
on Totowa, and one of the neatest little ecclesiastical 
edifices in the city erected on Totowa Avenue, at the 
corner of Marion Street. It is in the Queen Anne 
style, and seats about 8<l0 jiersons. The corner-stone 
was laid Oct. 20, 1881, by Bishop Starkey. The chapel 
is under the charge of the Rev. Mr. Russell, of St. 
Paul's Church, but there is some probability that in 
a few months the people connected with it will be 
able to support a rector of their own. 

Baptist Churches. — The story of the beginnings 
of the Baptist Churches of Patersou has been told in 
an interesting manner by the venerable Alfred Stout- 
enborough, Sr., on the occasion of the semi-centennial 
celebration of the organization of the First Baptist 
Church in this city. The following particulars of the 
earlier history are niainlj' from his address read on 
that occasion: During the year 1823 the Rev. Joseph 
W. Griffith, of Rockland County, a Baptist clergyman, 
came to Paterson to spend a Sunday with a young 
man named James Moore, and in the evening preached 
by request for the Rev. Dr. Fisher, in the First Pres- 
byterian Church. Having stated incidentally that 
he was a Baptist, at the close of the services seven 
persons in the congregation came forward and in- 
formed him that they were of the same denomina- 
tion as himself. Thus encouraged by their numbers, 
these and others began to hold meetings at the house 
of Mr. Moore, and at the residences of others in the 
town, the interest and attendance constantly increas- 
ing. In the fall of 1823 the Rev. William Parkinson, 
of the First Baptist Church of New York, baptized 
two persons — Thomas Coombs and Catharine, his wife 
— in the river near the foot of Mulberry Street. This 
was the first immersion of the kind in Paterson, and 
naturally attracted a large crowd of spectators. In 
December four more persons were immersed. On Jan. 
1, 1824, a council was held to organize a Baptist Church 
in Paterson. The meeting for the purpose was held 
in the academy, and the "First Particular Baptist 
Church of Paterson" was then and there constituted, 
with the following members : Thomas Coombs, George 
Damerel, David Cole, John Hallet, Uriah Everson, 
John Cole, Jr., Mary Jackson, Esther Curial, Isabel 
H. Franks, Elizabeth Coombs, Deborah Bates, Sarah 
Ackerman, Elizabeth Cole, Catharine Everson, Alfred 
Stoutenborough, William House, Maria House. The 
Rev. William House was called to be the first pastor, 
James Moore was chosen clerk and treasurer, and 
George Damerel and Thomas Coombs were elected 
deacons. For a year or more the congregation wor- 
shiped in a private school-room in the upper floor of 
an old yellow building which had formerly been used 
as a tavern, and which stood on Broadway, opposite 
the Washington Market, or almost on the site of the 
present First Baptist Church edifice. An outside stair- 
way led to the room. 

In 1825 or 1826 the congregation erected a build- 
ing of their own on the north side f)f Broadway, be- 



tween Mulberry and West Streets, forty-eight feet 
front on Broadway and thirty-six feet deep, the de- 
sign being to extend it deeper when necessity re- 
quired, whicli was the case about ten years later, 
when the church was nearly doubled in size. After 
a two years' ministry the Rev. Mr. House was suc- 
ceeded by the Rev. Daniel D. Lewis, who remained 
seven years, being followed by the Rev. Zelotes 
Grenell, from Orange County, N. Y., who has been 
long regarded as the father of the Baptist Church 
in this part of the country. During five years he 
baptized no less than 145 converts. The Rev. Charles 
W. Dennison (installed Sept. 4, 1839) occupied the 
pulpit for a year, and then came the Rev. George 
Young, in whose time there was a marked revival, 
so that in two years he baptized 87 persons. The 
Rev. Richard Thompson came next, remaining a 
year and a half, and then the Rev. Charles H. Hos- 
kin, who served the people nearly three years, to 
their edification. The Rev. Mr. Grenell was then 
recalled, officiating this time for more than four 
years, and with much success. The Rev. Stiles S. 
Parker succeeded him, and in 1855 gave way to the 
Rev. Dr. Rufus Babeock, who remained for a little 
more than eight years, resigning in January, 1864, 
having baptized 158 converts during his ministry. 
He was a man of much ability and of great energy. 
He started the movement for the building of a new 
church in 1859-GO, and the work was prosecuted 
with such vigor that the present handsome and com- 
modious edifice on Van Houten Street, north side, 
between Washington and Church Streets, was en- 
tirely completed and paid for by the spring of 1861, 
at a cost of almost exactly $23,000. At that time 
there was "no thoroughfare" where Washington 
Street now extends from Broadway to Van Houten 
Street, and where Van Houten Street now connects 
Washington Street and Main Street there were a 
number of buildings. The only approach to the 
front of the new church was by way of Van Houten 
Street from Church, or by way of what was then 
called Mansion Street, now Washington, from Elli- 
son Street. The rear of the building was towards 
Broadway. There was a beautiful lawn, shaded by 
two venerable pear-trees, extending from the north 
end of the church to Broadway, and a pathway 
through this lawn was the favorite route of the 
congregation until, in 1870-71, the land was filled 
up with the present elegant block of stores on 
Broadway. This was done with a view to placing 
the church on a sound financial basis, and to give 
it a permanent income from the rents of the stores. 
The panic of 1873 came on before this expectation 
could be realized, and the venture proved a losing 
one for the church, burdening it for years with a 
heavy debt. In 1867 the streets referred to were 
cut through as they now are, greatly improving the 
desirability of the location of the new edifice. 

Dr. Babeock was followed by the Rev. Samuel J. 



508 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Knapp, a preacher who was extremely popular with 
the masses, and who drew hirge congregations, and 
was instrumental in exciting several revivals during 
the two years of his ministry, resulting in the addi- 
tion of 91 members by baptism. When he accepted 
a call to New York there were few in the congrega- 
tion who did not regard his departure as a serious 
loss to Paterson. In October, 1865, the Rev. Dr. 
Joseph Banvard was called from Worcester, Mass. 
He was the most scholarly pastor the church has ever 
enjoyed, and was a valuable acquisition to the city. 
He was an indefatigable worker, a voluminous author 
on historical, scientific, and religious topics, several 
of his works being translated into Asiatic languages 
by the Baptist Missionary Board, and he was familiar 
with geology, mineralogy, conchology and other 
branches of science, often illustrating his sermons by 
apt comparisons drawn from the book of nature. He 
was largely instrumental in founding the Pa.ssaic 
County Historical Society, of which he was president 
and the most active member. Large numbers were 
added to the church during his stay here. In 1870 he 
accepted a call to New England, a more congenial 
atmosphere to one of his tastes than Paterson. The 
puli)it was vacant for some time, when (in April, 1877) 
the Kev. Albert 11. Burlingham was secured, remain- 
ing until February, 1878. The Rev. Frank Fletcher 
followed in April, resigning in January, 1880. The I 
Rev. E. Arthur Wood, the present pastor, came in 
May, 1880. The churtli suffered severely from the 
panic, but is now once more on a good basis. This 
result is dut- in no small clegree to the eflbrts of the 
young people of the congregation, who did much to 
promote and restore good feeling among all the mem- 
bers, and by various means contributed to relieve the 
churi'h from its temporary financial embarrassment. 
During the fall of 1881 a public reading-room Wiis 
fitted up and o|pened in the basement of the church. 
During the past twenty years the church has raised 
upwards of $130,000. There are 400 members on the 
roll. 

In the spring of 1840 upwards of fifty members of 
the First Church prayed to be dismissed, owing to 
unhajipy disagreements which had occurred in the 
mother-congregation. They formed a Second Bap- 
tist Church, which flourished apace for a while. Its 
Sunilay-school numbered 100 scholars when opened, 
and a year later ha<l ItiO pupils. The inenibership 
of the church grew to 120, and then began to fall oil', 
until it mustered but few more than there had been 
at the start, and in the course of two or three years 
the society disbanded, most of the members return- 
ing to the old church. 

In 185f) the parent church decided to start a mis- 
sion at " San<ly Hill," as the section east of the Erie 
Railway was callcil, there being no church or Siinday- 
Hchool in all that locality. A lot was bought on the 
east side of Straight Street, between Market and 
Willia, and a little frame building one ittory high was 



erected about twenty-five by thirty-six feet in area. 
In August it was opened for a Sunday-school, and soon 
was filled to overflowing. Alfred Stoutcnborough,Sr. 
was superintendent for two months ; then James Stiles 
for six years, and he was followed by Abram Croys- 
dale for sixteen years, or until 1876. In 1861 the 
building was enlarged. Soon after the Rev. Sanjuel 
J. Knapp left the First Church, a number of his 
friends and admirers thought it would be well to have 
him back in Paterson once more, so they set about 
organizing a new Baptist Church, which was not a 
difficult thing to do with the ])rosperous Sandy Hill 
Chapel as a nucleus. But the project Wiis managed 
in a way previously unexampled in Baptist annals, 
and with few precedents in the history of other de- 
nominations. A number of gentlemen interested in 
the enterprise — James McNab, Dr. A. W. Rogers, 
John Byard, John J. Brown, Henry B. Crosby, James 
Crooks, and Abram Croysdale — associated themselves 
tfigether to see the project carried out to a successful 
issue. Messrs. McNab, Crooks, Crosby, and David 
B. Beam each gave one thousand dollars to start it 
with, and Messrs. Rogers, Byard, Brown, and Croys- 
dale each gave five hundred dollars, while all of them 
gave of their time and additional money besides. Six 
lots, four on Willis Street and two on Mechanic Street, 
iu the rear, were bought in Mr. Croysdale's name, and 
the erection of the Willis Street Baptist Church was 
begun in 1808. The building is of brick, about sixty 
by eighty-live feet in area, with ba.scmcnt. and all the 
conveniences requisite for the comfort of the congre- 
gation. The organ put in was at the time one of the 
finest in the city. The lots cost ij^^JOOO, and the edi- 
fice $26,000 more, for all of which the gentlemen first 
named became personally responsible, Mr. Croys- 
dale even more than the rest, as all the purchases 
and contracts were made in his name. What money 
was needed in addition to the cash subscriptions was 
obtained on notes made by the gentlemen already 
mentioned. The ba.sement was occupied in the spring 
of 1860, and the main audience-room in the ensuing 
fall, when it was fully liirriished throughout, organ and 
iill. All this work had been acconiplishc<l without 
an organization and without a pastor. The building 
being entirely completed a church society was orgiui- 
ized by the election of tru.stees, to whom Mr. Croys- 
dale then deeded the property as it stood. 

The Rev. Mr. Knap|> was now called to the pas- 
torate, and by liis peculiar, popular style of i>reacliiiig 
speedily filled the large building to overflowing, and 
swelled the membership until at one time it was as 
high as 600 or 700. The debt of the society was 
steadily le.*iened too, and everything bade lair for a 
long era of prosperity. The financial revulsion of 
lS7;t all'ected some of its principjil su|q>orlers very 
seriously. The pastor, too, began to feel the inces- 
sant strain upon his nervous system, and was advised 
by his physicians that he must give up work, or his 
brain woulil give out. Still his people clung to him, 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



509 



and would not accept his resignation, hoping that a 
long rest would restore him to his wonted vigor. For 
a year or more he was able to preach hut little, and 
at last he insisted upon giving up the pulpit, in 
March, 1877. The Rev. Walter Gallant was engaged 
for one year, but after preaching a few weeks he re- 
signed. The Rev. M. Clarence Lockwood was called 
to the vacancy June 1, 1877, remaining three years, 
when he accepted a call to a leading church at Al- 
bany, N. Y. He was a young man of much independ- 
ence of thought and action, by no means tolerant of 
stagnation, and his ministry stirred up the congrega- 
tion not a little. The present pastor, the Rev. Shad- 
degg Washington, was called to the pulpit Sept. 1, 
1880. 

In 186G a mission was organized on Totowa, a plot 
of land being given for the purpose by the Pater- 
son Land Improvement Company, on Totowa Avenue, 
north side, near Albion Avenue. A very neat little 
building was erected thereon, wherein a Sunday- 
school was held, which grew rapidly, soon necessi- 
tating the enlargement of the building. In the 
course of a few years preaching was held occasion- 
ally there in the evenings, and on July 29, 1873, fif- 
teen members were dismissed from the First Church 
to form the Union Avenue Baptist Church. The 
Rev. P. S. Vreeland was called to the pulpit, and 
preached very acceptably for several years. He was 
succeeded by the Rev. Z. Grenell, who remained two 
or three years, and then the Rev. J. B. McQuillan, 
the present pastor, was called. The church has 
about 200 members. 

About 18(56 a mission-school was started under the 
care of the Willis Street Church, at East Eighteenth 
Street (formerly York Avenue), Weavertown. It has 
enjoyed a varying degree of prosperity. 

Another Baptist mission was started at Lake View 
about 1868 or 1870, and a pretty little chapel was 
built on Lake Avenue, near Knickerbocker Avenue. 
Owing to financial difficulties the attempt to establish 
a regular church organization was abandoned by the 
Baptists, and the property was sold in May, 1873, to 
the Presbyterians of the neighborhood, who have since 
organized a Fourth Presbyterian Church. 

When the Rev. Walter Gallant withdrew from the 
Willis Street Church; a number of the members fol- 
lowed him and organized the " Fourth Baptist 
Church." They worshiped for a time in the Auburn 
Street Church (then at Riverside), and latterly in the 
lecture-room of the Second Reformed Church, in 
Temple Street. The rite of baptism was administered 
several times in the Passaic River, near the Midland 
bridge, at Hawthorne. There are about 30 members 
attached to the society. 

Non-Episcopal Methodist Chtjeches. — About 
1833, Mrs. Sarah Cocker, then recently from England, 
where she had belonged to the body known as " Primi- 
tive Methodists," a non-Episcopalian body, was living 
at the northwest corner of Prospect Street and ^Vhite 
33 



Alley, and being desirous of worshiping as she had 
been accustomed to in the old country, she invited a 
few of her friends to meet at her house, where they 
could hold informal services in their own way. Soon 
a regular class was organized, which met statedly 
every Saturday night, the Rev. Mr. Rains, a mission- 
ary from Newark, conducting the class and occasion- 
ally preaching. In a few weeks the house became 
too small to accommodate all who desired to attend, 
and a congregation was formed, called "the American 
Primitive Methodist Society of Paterson," the old 
academy being hired for their use. In the course of 
four or five years the academy was insufficient to hold 
the growing congregation, and the third floor of the 
" New Market," in Cross Street, west side, between 
Passaic and Ellison, was leased. After a time the 
second floor was taken, and here the society met until 
1845, when they raised money enough to build a 
church in Division Street, north side, between Bridge 
and Washington, on a lot fifty by one hundred feet, 
given for the purpose by the Society for Establishing 
Useful JIanufactures. The building was forty by 
sixty feet, one story high, and was placed flush with 
the line of the street. It cost !51800, of which .sHOO 
was paid ; the rest was beyond the means of the con- 
gregation to meet. About 1850 dissensions arose in 
the congregation, growing out of their relations with 
the Conference. 

The latter body failed to send them a pastor whom 
they wanted, and the church withdrew Irom the Con- 
ference, a local preacher named John Pilling acting 
as their pastor for a time. A lawsuit followed for 
the control of the property, and the pecuniary and 
spiritual interests of the congregation surt'ered greatly. 
One Sunday a handsome and eloquent young Irish- 
man, just arrived in the country, and then on his way 
to Canada, where he intended to settle, visited the 
church with a friend from New York, in the expec- 
tation of hearing a sermon by an eminent divine of 
the Primitive Methodist connection. The young 
stranger was prevailed upon to preach himself in the 
morning, and again in the evening consented to make 
a few remarks. 4ft6r the service the congregation 
eagerly gathered about him and strenuously urged 
him to come and be their pastor. They were too 
poor, they said, to pay him mucli salary, but if he 
would stay with them, they would pay his board and 
allow him §100 a year. He smilingly told them that 
his plans called him to Canada, but he would remain 
with them a month, if it would be any accommoda- 
tion, and their terms would be ample remuneration 
for the length of time he should stay. That was in 
1852, and the Rev. John H. Robinson has remained 
ever since ! In 1856-57 the building was rai.sed six 
feet, and set back twenty feet from the street, while 
another story was placed under it for a lecture-room 
and living apartments for the sexton. The Division 
Street Methodist Church now has about 120 members, 
and a Sunday-school of about 175 children. The 



510 



HISTORY OF HERGKN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



trustees of the church are Robert Lenning, president ; 
John Fiirlow, William Mills, William McLane, John 
Dyson, Nicholas Cooper, John Me^rginson. 

In 1837 a Methodist Protestant Church was formed, 
and erected a frame house of worship at the south- 
east corner of Smith and Hotel Streets. It appears 
to have been unfavorably atiecteil by the prosperity 
of the Primitive Methodist Church, and in 18.'>2 the 
property was sold to the congregation now known as 
the United Presbyterian body. 

In 1840 there was formed the " First Congregational 
Methodist Church," which met for a short time in the 
old building first occupied by the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church, in Prospect Street. The society does not 
appear to have long survived. 

When Mr. Robinson was called to the pastorate of 
the Division Street Church, the Rev. John Pilling and 
some of his friends were disappointed and oH'ended 
and withdrew, forming the " Wesleyan Methodist 
Church," under a different connection. They secured 
a lot on Marshall Street, near Clay, and built a very 
small church edifice, where they worshiped a few 
years. The Rev. Mr. Pilling preached for them until 
1860, when .\brahani Butterworth, a local preacher, 
who hail previously acted a-s sexton, occupied the 
pulpit for about a year. The congregation were not 
able to pay for their property, and it passed out of 
their possession. They soon after disbanded, about 
18«2. 

About 1868 a movement was made towards organ- 
izing a new Methodist Church in the southern part of 
the city. In the spring of 186'.i a site was bimght on 
Main Street, east side, a short distance south of Hlater, 
and the foundation was begun for a large building. 
The congregation called the Rev. William Lord, a 
young preacher, with whom they were much plca.sed, 
but who turned out badly, and wa.s comiiclled to quit 
the citv ignominiously. This checked their growth 
for a time, but they subsequently pushecl ahead, ami 
finally erected the present building, with stores in 
front, where they have since worshiped. Previously 
their meetings were held in the court-house. They 
were unable to meet the interest on the indebtedness 
incurred by Mr. Lord in the erection of their lumse, 
and the properly was solii at sheriff's sale, and bought 
in by the Rev. J. H. Robinson, who still holds the 
title, but allows the congregation to occupy it until 
they shall be able to reimburse him for his outlay. 
The pastors following Mr. Lord have been John 
Dwyer, James R. Laupblin, James M. Herrian. <i. K. 
Woodward, R. M. Ofl'nrd. Alfred Milliiigton, Daniel 
H. Leitli, and W. S. Hanks, appointed in November, 
1881. 

CoNOREOATIONAl,. — In 1837 a number of members 
of the First Presbyterian Church formed a new 
society, inteniling to erect a building in which the 
seats shiMild be free. They appliol to Presbytery 
to be recognized as a society in connection with 
that IxMly, but their retjuCMl was refu.sed, the then 



pastor of the First Church opposing it. They were 

bitterly liisappointed, and proceeded to form the 
"First Free Independent Presbyterian Church," 
iu February, 1837. They met for two years in 
the upper part of the Centre Market, in Cross 
Street, between Ellison and Pa-ssaic Streets. Having 
bought a site in Market Street, opposite Prospect, 
they proceeded to erect thereon a fine frame buililing, 
with a spire in front. The corner-stone was laid on 
the Fourth of July, 1839, and the edifice dedicated In 
January, 1841. The Rev. R. J. Jute was installed 
pastor in the ensuing November. The new church 
had a precarious existence for some time, and after 
a few years joined the Congregational Association. 
The society was small and not always harmonious, so 
that frequently it was without a settled pastor. In 18.59 
Newell A. Prince f)ccupied the jnilpit; then followed 
the Rev. Charles Bulkley, the Rev. Frank Rutler 
(afterwards chaplain of the Twenty-fifth New Jer- 
sey Regiment, and killed May .S, 18G:l, at the battle 
of Suffolk, Va. ), the Rev. George B. Day (previously 
of the Prospect Street Methodist Episcopal Church, 
and who soon afterward withdrew from all connection 
with any religious body), the Rev. George Pierce, Jr. 
The last named was an energetic, pushing man, and 
speedily pressed forward a movement to change the 
location of the church. Under him the jiroject was 
carried into execution, a very large building of brick 
being erected at the southeast corner of .Vuburn and 
Van Houten Streets, at a cost of something like 
$40,(100. The load was too heavy for the small congre- 
gation to carry, and Mr. Pierce witliilrew fnim Pater- 
son. For some time the |)ulpit was supplied; then 
the Rev. S. Miller Hagenian, a young num of great 
promise, was called, remaining, however, but a short 
time. He was followed in l.'^T^J-'y by the Rev. Thomas 
Heywood, formerly a Parliamentary reporter in Lon- 
don. In lS7.'>-7t> the Rev. S. Bourne succeeded him. 
By the kindness of the mortgagees the congregation 
continued to occupy the property until 1878, when 
the church was sold at sherifi"s sale and bought in by 
the insurance company which had advanced most of 
the money to buihi it. Since then the members have 
worshiped in a large roon\ under the Washington 
Market on Broadway, wherefore they call the |)lace 
the " Broadway Tabernacle." Mr. Bourne remains 
with them. There is still a possibility that they may 
regain pos.session of their old chvirch on .\nburn 
Street. 

Hkhiikw Sy.v.v<;i)(;i-k. — It was probably about 
184.'i that the Hebrews in Paterson began to feel the 
want of regular provision in this neighborhood for 
holding services according to the practice of their 
fathers. Meetings were held for some time in private 
houses, and in 1847 a formal organization wils made of 
" the Congregation of B'Nai Jeshurun." .\bout 1860 
they bought a private residence in Mulberry Street, 
east side, an>l fitted it up as a synagogue, wherein 
therealler they had readings and prayers for seventeen 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



511 



or eighteen years. The movement did not at first have 
the sympathy of the wealthier Hebrews, who had 
formed and preferred to retain tlieir connection with 
New Yorlv synagogues, and the attendance was seldom 
large, and often the synagogue was allowed to remain 
without a rabbi. Among the rabbis of late years 
were Hermann Bleichrode, Ja*ob S. .Tacobson, Solo- 
mon Bergman, A. Brasch, Max Molle. In 1877-78 
they bought a commodious and more ])leasantly lo- 
cated house at Xo. 124 Van Houten Street, which 
had been built for, and occupied for some years by, 
the " Society of Independents," led by Mr. George 
B. Day. Tlie services have been better attended since 
the removal to this place, and the congregation is on 
an excellent financial footing. A school is conducted 
in connection with the synagogue by the rabbi for 
instruction in German and Hebrew. 

About ten years ago an effort was made to organize 
a Reformed Jewish congregation or synagogue, but 
it was not successful, one of the prime movers dying 
ere it was carried into execution. 

SwEDEKBOKGlAN.— In 18(34 some of the believers 
in the teachings and revelations of Emanuel Sweden- 
borg formed a "'New' Jerusalem Church," and in 
September of that year bought a lot on the north 
side of Division Street, about one hundred feet east 
of Washington, and thereon erected a very neat little 
chapel. They have never attempted to secure the 
whole time of any pastor or teacher, but occasionally 
have a series of lectures given by some eminent 
member of the denomination. In 1872, '73, '74, 
Samuel Beswick preached or lectured for them with 
some regularity, and by his discourses on secular sub- 
jects of a recondite character attracted much atten- 
tion in the community. He appeared to be a man of 
remarkable attainments on scientific topics, and on 
theology as well, and some of his discourses of a con- 
troversial nature were greatly enjoyed by those who 
heard them. During the winter of 1881-82, Albert 
Schaack delivered several lectures on the tenets of 
Swedenborg. 



CHAPTER LXVII. 

CITY OF PATERSON— (ro,i(/.,«erf). 

History of Schools in Paterson.— It is probable 
that a school-house was built at Wesel, near the north- 
ern approach to the present Market Street bridge 
across the river, nearly a century ago. This was the 
first school within the present limits of the city of 
Paterson, and for that reason the following somewhat 
extended notice may not be without interest : 

"The buiUUng was altout furt.v feet long, running from east to west, 
and twenty or twenty-five feet wide ; ttie walls jierhaps eight feet higli, 
of stone laid up in cliiy mortar, supporting a sliingle roof. The liouse 
was tlius 1-trge, because designed for a double purpose, — for a school, and 
for the dwelling of the teacher and his family. Do you wonder where 
were his dining-room, sitting-room, parlor, and bedroom ? They were 



all comprised in a space of twenty feet square. Perhaps he divided that 
into two rooms, for three-quarters of a century ago the Jersey Dutch in 
the niral districts were scarcely a-s fastidious 03 we are now, and the al- 
most universal practice of 'bundling' a whole family into one room, if 
not into one bed, was a wonderful economy of space, whatever may be 
said of it in other respects. Under the teacher's quarters was a cellar ; 
under the other half of the building none. A vast fileplace at ouch 
end of the house was all the beating and ventilating 'aliparatns' pro- 
vided for many years. They answered the purpose of ventilation ad- 
mirably, but for beating were not particularly successful, although con- 
suming vast quantities of cordwood provided from time to time by the 
parents. By the yearlS'il the clay mortar had fallen out from between 
the stones, and the walls were so full of air-holes that the old school- 
house was familiarly termed 'the Bellows.' When the wind was from 
the northwest you might pile cords of wood on the tire, and the tre- 
mendous draught would almost carry the entire building out tiirongh the 
chimney. About 1825 the trustees pnt in a box-stove, which was more 
comfortable, and afforded the boys intense amusement in expectorating 
on the cast-iron and he;tring the curious 'sizz,' and enjoying the con- 
sequent annoyance of the master. As for furniture, a plank ten or twelve 
feet long, Willi frequent legs, answered for half a dozen children, and a 
like plank, with a slight slope, supported by longer niirights, formed a 
desk that was substantial if not ornamental. Comfortable chairs, fitted 
to support every part of the body, and handsome desks, with lids or 
drawere, book-racks, ink-wells, etc , were all undreamed of for the school- 
room, and would have been regarded as tlie designs of a fit candidate 
for the insane asylnni,— had there been such an institution in those ilays. 
The boys and girls sat on opposite sides of the lootn, on the nortli and 
south respectively, and were abontequal in numbers. Each pu|iil brought 
his or her own books, slates, pencils, pens, and ink-bottles, jirovided by 
their parents. The school held two sessions daily, — three hoiii-s in the 
Diorniug and three in the afternoon,— there being a half-holiday every 
Saturday afternoon, subsequently changed to a whole holiday every other 
Saturday. Stated vacationswere unknown, hut the frequent changes of 
teachers, who were about as uncertain as are church choirs, afforded the 
children plenty of play-days through the year. The rales for 'school- 
ing' ranged from Bi.\ to twelve shillings per quarter, while a few of the 
very oldest pupils, who stmlied unusual branches, occasionally paid two 
dollars per ipiarter ; but that was an extravagance in which few parents 
thought of indulging their children. About 1S2II the teacher was paid 
twelve shilliiigs per pupil per quarter if ho ' found' himself, or ten shil- 
lings if he ' boarded 'round.' " l 

The school-house had fallen into such decay by 
1835 that it was torn down, and replaced by a frame 
building that stood until about 1875, when the school 
was given up. 

The first teacher there of whom the writer has 
heard was William Jenner, who had charge of the 
school in 1798. Joseph Henderson taught the chil- 
dren in 1802, and about 1806-7, Bernard Sheridan, 
on whose tombstone, in the First Reformed church- 
yard, at Passaic, is this flattering tribute to his un- 
doubted worth : 

" Here lies an honest man at rest 
As ever God in his image blest, — 

A friend of man, a friend of truth, 

A friend of age, a guide of youth. 
If there's another world he lives in bliss, 
If there's none, he made the best of this," 

Among other teachers were Thomas Gould, about 
1820, Jacob Goetschius, and Bryant Sheys. " Sbevs 
was an Irishman, who retained a rich brogue to the 
last. He was a political exile, it is said, and came to 
America about a century ago, settling at Taunton, 
Mass., where he taught school during the Revolution. 
Of the incidents of 'the times that tried men's souls' 



1 Historical Sketch of Schools in Paterson, by William Nelson 1877 
pp. 9, 10. ' ' 



512 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



he was very fond of talking, especially when his tongue 
was loosened (and it was ever quite limber) by a glass 
or two. He used to say he ' always liked the Baptists, 
because he never knew a Baptist who was a Tory dur- 
ing tlif Revolution.' He came to Paterson i)revious 
to 1800, and kept tavern in Oliver Street, adjoining 
St. John's Roman Catholic Church, and being some- 
what of an antiquarian, accumulated a valuable col- 
lection of local curiosities. He sold his tavern in 
1R02 to Judge Charles Kinsey (who occupied it as a 
dwelling), and took charge of the Wesel School for 
a short time. He was a Protestant, and married a 
farmer's daughter near Clifton, it is said, and when 
he resumed his sway at the old school-house in 1822, 
his wife, his son James B. (afterwards a New York ' 
lawyer who achieved quite a reputation), and his 
daughter Harriet lived with him. Sheys was short 
and stout in build, was a man of tine parts, an excel- 
lent scholar, frank and generous, and his only fault 
was an overfondness for a 'social glass,' which unfor- 
tunately grew upon him in his later years. He taught 
at Wesel till 1828, and died soon after." > 

FiR.-sT Schools ix the Tows of Paterson. — 
When Peter Colt came to Paterson he was imn\edi- 
ately impressed with the importance of providing* 
for the education of the children, and at his request 
the Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures au- 
thorized him "to employ a school Master to teach the 
children of the Factory on Sundays, and that the 
compensation of the Master shall not exceed ten 
shillings jier week." 

Meantime, Mr. Colt's daughter, the late Miss 
Sarah Colt, began in April, 1794, to teach some of 
the factory hands on Sunday in tlie b.isement of her 
father's residence. This Suiiday-sehool was preceded 
by but one or two in America. The youthful teacher 
was but twelve years of age. It is jirobable that, act- 
ing under the above authority, Mr. Colt built a small 
school-house at the southeast corner of Broadway and 
Prospect Street, where one John Wright taught at 
the expense of the society. One Smith followed him, 
and, in 1802, Joseph Sherburne. Bryant Sheys and 
Thomas Wills also taught there, the hilter about 
1820. He was one of the best-known of the early 
teachers, having swayed the rod in and about Pater- 
son for nearly thirty years. He died in 1823. 

The house occupied as a residence by Peter Colt 
in 171I4, in Market Street (where Masonic Mall now 
is), was used iv a sidiool-hduse for many years. In 
1805, Joseph Henderson lived there; David Steven- 
son had a school in the house in 1806; Thoma.s Wills 
and .\bruliani Willis also had schools in tlie same 
building', and from ISIO to 1812, Joseph Sherburne 

.\l»iut 1H09 a frame school-house was built back nf 
the nld Tototta Church. Anmng the teachers were 
Richard Todrl, one Thompson, John W. House, and 
Charles Upson. 

) IIliilur7 of Pntenion 8ch(M»lii, ul ni/irti, |>, 1:i. 



In the upper room of a long building on Broadway, 
opposite the Wa-shington Market, a school was car- 
ried on for many years by Otis Wilmarth, Mrs. 
Phofbe Fairchild, John W. Woodward, and Bradford 
W. Lyon, all prior to 182S. 

In 18.31, Isaac Sewen opened a school in the base- 
ment of the First Reformed Church on Main Street. 

In 1825-30 the Rev. John Croes, Jr., had a classi- 
cal school of a high grade on Market Street. 

There were several schools for girls at a very early 
day. Even in 1799 the Rev. John Phillips and wife 
started a public boarding-school for young ladies and 
gentlemen; the girls' school was kept in the "Old 
Hotel," on Market Street, between Hotel and Union. 
The institution was discontinued in the spring of 
1803. 

In 182fi, Mrs. Wilde taught a young ladies' school 
in the old Peter Colt house: a Miss Bennett and a 
Miss Collis also ha<l schools, where young ladies were 
taught the ordinary branches and various accomplish- 
ments, particularly drawing and painting, painting 
on velvet, lace- and embroidery-work. In 1828, Mrs. 
Conover opened a young ladies' school on Broadway, 
between Wjishington and Bridge Streets. < )ne of the 
most select schools for young ladies was conducted for 
some time by the Misses Inilay, from Trenton, on El- 
lison Street near Church. 

The Paterson and other Acapemies. — It was 
doubtless in ftirtherance of the early project of the 
.society to jiromote the cause of popular education in 
the town that in 1X11 a site was given for the erection 
of a larger school-house at the southeast corner of 
Market and Union Streets, and " Paterson .Vcademy" 
was incorporated with the following trustees : Abra- 
ham Van Houten, Charles Kinsey. John Parke. Sam- 
uel Colt, William Ellison. The building was frame, 
two stories high, about forty feet front, and twenty- 
five feet deep. Bradford W. Lyon taught there, prob- 
ably about 1820. James W. King and a Mr. Ware 
also taught in the academy. In 1823, William S. 
Davis was in charge. Dr. Lambert Sythotf had the 
building in lS2o-2(), and filled the school with pupils. 
Moses E. De Witt followed, and in 1H29 the Rev. 
William .1. (iibson opened a school in the lower room, 
and Bradford W. Lyon up-stairs. Henry White and 
a Mr. Collins had the building in 1K.30. Mr. White 
sub.seqnently erected a small school-house in the rear 
of his re.'<idenee on Broadway, near Church Streii 
where he taught until 18i>4-0.'). About ISMtJ iIm 
academy was renioveil to the northwest corner of 
Smith and Union Streets, when it was remodeled and 
continued in use until 1846. 

" Though it scarcely realized all the hopes indulged 
in by its founders, the academy in its day exerted a 
moral intluence not eiusily estimate<l. While it stood, 
.science had a home peculiarly her own. New church 
soeietiiw met there till they were strong enough to 
build for themselves; the first |iermanent Sunday- 
school in Paterson (the First Presbyterian) was or- 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



513 



ganized there ; it was the popular lyceum ; and indeed I 
for fifteen or twenty years 'the academy' was the 
headquarters of nearly every movement for the sjjir- 
itual, moral, intellectual, social, or physical improve- 
ment of the town, — so naturally do men turn to the 
school-house as the proper starting-point for any good 
work they may have in hand." 

During the winter of 1824-25 the Methodists erected 
a small frame building on the south side of their 
church, in Prospect Street, fitting up the front for a 
dwelling, and the rest for school purposes. In .Tanu- ! 
ary, 1825, Uzal W. Freeman opened the " Methodist j 
Academy." He had seventy pupils that summer. 
He left in July, 182G, when Zetus Searle took charge, 
remaining for two or three years. His succe.ssor was 
one Briggs, about 1830-31. I 

The " Manchester Academy" was opened in 1829 i 
by the Rev. Jacob T. Field, pastor of the Second Re- 
formed Church, in a large building erected by him 
for the purpose. He taught the classical branches, 
and had assistants in the English department. Mr. 
Field sold out in 1831. 

In the spring of 1829 the " Jeffei'son Institute" was 
formed by some of the Paterson admirers of Fanny 
Wright, an atheistic lecturer of the day, for the 
avowed object of establishing a public school " free 
from sectarian bias." They carried on a school for 
several months in St. John's Hall on Broadway. 

The Elm Street Ixfamt School. — During the 
winter of 1826-27 a number of benevolent ladies of 
the town took steps towards providing a free school 
for poor children between three and eight years. At 
the town-meeting in 1827 a tax was levied for the 
purpose of supporting free public schools. These 
ladies having first agitated the subject, and so having 
been instrumental, as they believed, in securing the 
levying of the tax, thought they ought to have re- 
ceived a part of the public moneys for the support of 
their projected school, but being disappointed never- 
theless went ahead with their enterprise. They met 
on May 11, 1827, in the lecture-room of the Baptist 
Church, and organized the "Infant School Society," 
witli the following officers: Mrs. Fisher, first direct- 
ress ; Mrs. E. Berry, second directress ; Miss C. Colt, 
secretary; Miss E.Colt, treasurer; Mrs. P. Sythoff, 
Mrs. E. Catlin, Miss M. Godwin, Miss Sarah Colt, 
Mrs. Elizabeth Speer, Mrs. Eveline Godwin, Miss 
Jane Van Houten, managers. Mrs. Catharine Inslee 
(daughter of Abraham Willis) was employed as 
teacher at §85 for the first year. The school was 
opened August 1st, and during the year ninety-two 
children were enrolled. In 1828 a school-house was 
built, the site being now occupied by the Elm Street 
German Presbyterian Church. The school was kept 
up for twenty or thirty yeare, doing a noble work. 

FiR.sT Free Schools. — A public meeting was held 
at the academy on Saturday, April 7, 1827, at which 
Mark W. Collet, Dr. James Warren, and Abraham 
Godwin, Jr., were appointed a committee to draw up 



a memorial to be presented for the consideration of 
the voters at the town-meeting the next Monday, rec- 
ommending the raising by tax of §400 for school 
purposes in Acquackanonk township, " to be ex- 
pended by the town committee, agreeable to the act 
of 1820, in the education of poor children of the town- 
ship." This recommendation was almost unanimously 
adopted by the voters at the town-meeting. In June 
the town committee met and allotted $275 to Paterson 
and $125 to the rest of the township, a committee of 
prominent citizens being appointed " to take charge 
and select such children whose parents were not able • 
to pay for their education, and employ teachers and 
apportion the amount of money equally amongst them 
for their education." The Paterson committee were 
the Rev. Samuel Fisher (Presbyterian), the Rev. John 
Croes, Jr. (Episcopalian), the Rev. Francis O'Don- 
oghue (Roman Catholic), the Rev. John Kennaday 
(Methodist Episcopal), the Rev. Daniel D. Lewis 
(Baptist), the Rev. Wm. J. Gibson (Covenanter), and 
Mr. Caleb Munson Godwin. The Paterson committee 
engaged the Rev. Mr. Gibson, a graduate of Washing- 
ton College, Pennsylvania, at $75 per quarter, he to 
find his own fuel. They also hired the lower room of 
the Academy, at $7.50 per quarter, and the first free 
school in Passaic Counit/ was opened there July 2, 

1827. During the year one .hundred and thirty-four 
scholars were enrolled, seventy or eighty of whom be- 
gan with the alphabet. The average attendance was 
about eighty. The school was visited at least once a 
week by some member of the committee. 

The experiment was so successful that at the next 
town-meeting, in April, 1828, the sum of $500 was 
voted for school purposes, of which the town commit- 
tee thus apportioned to Paterson $340. Committee, 
the Rev. Messrs. Fisher, O'Donoghue, Gibson, Wig- 
gins (Reformed Dutch), Croes, Lewis, and Adrian 
Van Houten. The Paterson committee held their 
school in the room under the Baptist (now Second 
German Presbyterian) Church edifice on Broadway, 
near Mulberry Street. The Rev. Mr. Gibson declined 
a re-engagement at the old rates, and started a school 
of his own in Mr. Goetschius' building, so the com- 
mittee employed a Mr. Childs, a graduate of Union 
College, New York, at a salary of $300, he to find his 
own fuel. He remained but two quarters, when Mr. 
Gibson took charge once more. The number of schol- 
ars this year was one hundred and fifty-seven, with an 
average attendance of eighty. 

In 1829 $500 was voted, and appropriated as in 

1828, the committee for Paterson being John W. 
Berry, David Reid, and John Strong. 

The township of Paterson having been incorporated 
in 1831, in that year the inhabitants voted a tax of 
$300, " to be appropriated for a free school of all de- 
nominations," and elected the Rev. James Richards, 
John Brown, and Henry Whitely a school committee. 
The sum of $203.50 was also received from the State. 
In 1832, '33, '34, $300 was voted. In 1835 it was 



514 



HISTOUY OF BEKGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIKS, iNEW JERSEY. 



" UttoUtd, That nollilog bs raiKd thU jr»r for wiiport of tne Khoolt, | 
Inasmuch as the law will not allow th^ school muney to he appropriated ' 
for the exclusive U*nefit of poor children ; un<i the town-nieetinfc reconi- | 
mend the school committee, in hehilf of the inhnliitants of Paterson, to 
petition the LeKlplature of llie Stiite of New Jersey to nller or amend 
the law, that each townsltip can have it in their ix>wer to appropriate 
their school money for one or more schools." 

Accordingly, .Jan. 2(), 18:56, the Legislature piissed . 
an act which made it the duty of the school trustees , 
"to estahlish one or more public school.s within the 
townsliip of Paterson. and provide, as far Ss the means 
may extend, for the education of a/t children in the 
said townsliij> not otherwise provided for, whethcrsuch 
children he or be not the proper object.s of gratuitous 
education." The trustees were also "authorized to 
require of the pupils jeceived into the schools under 
their charge a moderate compensation adapted to the 
ability of the parents of such children." No child 
was to be "denied the benefit of said public school 
on the ground of inability to pay for the same," but 
should "at all times be freely received and educated 
by the said trustees." The trustees were authorized, 
with the approval of the town committee, to acquire . 
and dispose of real school property. 

The township school tax in 18.'t6 was only $200; in ; 
1837, '38, $.500; in 1839, iiothimj ; in 1840, '41, 5^500; 
in 1842, '43, $300; in 1844, '45, '46, '47, '48, '49, $600; \ 
in 1850, no lux. 

In 1847 a superintendent of |iublic schools was 
elected for the first time (the office having been cre- 
ated under the general school law of 1840), Silas D. 
Canfield being cho.sen. In 1848 there was none ap- 
pointed. In 1849, John K. Flood was elected. 

The designation " free schools for the poor" was I 
dropped after 1836, and they were known as " free 
schools" or " public schools," open to all classes and 
creeds. 

The school accommodations in the days of the 
township eilucational system were rude and tem- 
porary. In 1835-36 the school was held in the Me- 
chanics' Institute. In 1837-38 the committee hired 
the basement of the Cross Street Methodist Episcopal 
Church, and the school was carried on there lor two 
years. The first term of the Passaic County courts 
was held in the same premises in the spring of 1837, 
the school taking a brief vacation meanwhile, or oc- 
cupying a building in the rear of the church. The 
school was next held for several years in the basement 
of the Kaptist Church (then on Broadway, near Mul- 
berry Street) ; then in the old ncademy until the par- 
tial destruction of that building by lire in 184(i ; again, 
t^-mporarily, in the Cross Street Methodist Episcopal 
Church, when two hundred children were crowded 
into two small rooms. It was next held in a private 
H<-hool-rooni in the rear of No. 90 Ellison Street. 

SoMiiTow.ssim'Sciiooi.-TKAciiicKS. — The teacher 
of the publii- school in 18,3.5-37 was John D. Kcily. 
He was an Irishman who had been educati'd in 
France for a priest, but he joined the Methodist 
Church in Paterson. He had about one hundred 



children in bis charge, and is remembered as an ex- 
cellent instructor and disciplinarian. He removed a 
few years later to Virginia, and for many years past 
has been one of the leading citizens of Petersburg, 
where he has been president of the Relief As.sociati(m 
for a long time. One of his sons, born in Paterson, 
Col. A. M. Keily, is one of the most prominent law- 
yers of the Sttite. Miss Mary Wylie had charge of 
the infant class while the public school was held at 
the Cross Street Church. Joseph Perry was the 
teacher of the " free school" in 1839. He was fol- 
lowed by Sampson W. BulTum, from New Hampshire, 
who was brutally severe in his discipline. Isaac 
Hamilton and then L. I). Williams taught the school, 
and in 1846, Samuel B. Brands, who still remains in 
the public service. His father, David I. Brands, 
had charge in the winter of 1847-48, and was suc- 
ceeded by the ])resent Dr. Sherburne R. Merrill, 
formerly from Deerfield, Mass. He and James Stiles 
bought a small house and lot on the north side of 
Ellison Street, about one hundred and twenty feet 
west of Main, and built a two-story frame school- 
house, thirty by forty feet, in the rear of the dwelling, 
and in September, 1848, the public school Wius opened 
on the ujiper floor, while Mr. Stiles had a ]>rivate 
school on the floor below. Mr. Merrill introduced 
many valuable improvements in the organization and 
regulation of the school. 

Paterson City Schooi^. — The city having been 
incorjmrated in 1851, a larger .school appropriation 
was made, and Merrill iS: Stiles' entire building was 
hired, Mr. S. H. Merrill teaching on the upper floor, 
and his brother, Samuel C, on the lower floor. The 
first public evening school was held in that building 
in the winter of 1851-52. Another ptiblic school was 
opened in Division Street, near Washington, where 
the Swedenborgian Church now stands, and another 
in the infant school building on Elm Street. In 
1854 three school committeemen were elected from 
each of the four wards of the city, — East, West, South, 
and North, — who were empowered by law to buy land 
and build school-houses, with the approval of the City 
Council. The latter body appointed .Vndrew Dcr- 
rom to be school superiiitemlent, and he, with the 
energy which always characterized him, immediately 
called a meeting of all the school coinmittecnien to 
take steps towards the formation of a system of city 
schools. They met April 15, 18.54, organized as a 
joint committee, and delegated to Dr. Charles Inglis, 
Jr., Cornelius T. Vandervoort, Robirl Miller, and 
Isaac D. Blauvelt the work of drafting a series of 
school regulations, which were prepared by Dr. Ing- 
lis and itdopted May 22d, forming the basis of the 
regulations still in force. They had the merit of 
being very brief and simple. The same month the 
West Ward committee bought of Messrs. Merrill i<; 
Stiles their Ellison Street school, which with mollifi- 
cations from time to time continued in use until 
1872. In August, 1854, the East Ward committee 



CITY OF PATEKSON. 



515 



bought a plot on Van Houten Street, and erected the 
brick school-house now known as School No. 1. It 
was formally dedicated on Monday, Sept. 3, 1855, the 
occasion being one of great rejoicing in the town. 
In September, 1854, the South Ward committee 
bought a site on Main Street, on which the present 
School No. 3 was built, being dedicated June 15, 
1857. In June, 1856, the site of School No. 4, on the 
northeast corner of Temple and Matlock Streets, was 
bought, and the present structure erected thereon, 
being dedicated Feb. 9, 1857. In 1856 all the school 
property was transferred to the mayor and aldermen 
of the city. 

In 1855 the several schools were consolidated under 
one management, and it was decided that the East 
Ward school should be the grammar school for the 
whole city, all the others to be primary. Mr. Hosford 
was appointed principal, at a salary of S900 ; Miss 
Tanner, vice-principal of the female department, at 
$350; and Miss Eliza Stitt, of the primary depart- 
ment, at $300. Miss Mary Stitt was principal of No. 
2, in Ellison Street, at S300 ; Miss Elizabeth Cox, of 
No. 3, in Elm Street, at $275 ; Miss Mary Wiley, of 
No. 4, in Marshall Street, at $250; Miss Charlotte 
Donkersley, of Intermediate, No. 1, in Elm Street, at 
$285 ; Miss C. G. Tuttle, of No. 5, in Clinton Street, 
at $300 ; Miss Ford, of No. 6, probably in the same 
building, $250 ; Miss E. R. Geroe, of No. 7, in North- 
west Street, at $200; Miss Eliza M. Halsted, of the 
colored school, at $350. In all there were twenty-six 
teachers, their salaries ranging as low as $75. Male 
teachers were dispensed with. Among them was 
Charles O. Hurlbut, from the spring of 1854, principal 
of the South Ward school In Elm Street. 

At this time, and for some years after, there were 
male and female departments in the larger schools, 
but for a long while past there has been " no distinc- 
tion on account of sex" in making up the schools and 
classes, and the present plan works so satisfactflrily 
that it is likely to be permanent. 

When the Main Street school-house was occupied 
a grammar department was established there, Miss 
Cox being principal, with brief interregna, until 1865, 
when Alfred H. Decker was appointed, who was fol- 
lowed by Samuel B. Brands. The Temple Street 
school was first in charge of Miss Osborn, with Miss 
Ford as assistant; Peter A. Youngblood (1861) and 
Orestes M. Brands were the successive male princi- 
pals. 

Male assistants were soon employed in the male 
department of the East Ward grammar school. C. 
M. Harrison was the first; then Robert De Hart, who 
being transferred to the charge of the South Ward 
school, was succeeded by C. M. Myers, and later by 
Edward S. Ellis, now superintendent of the Trenton 
public schools. 

In January, 1855, a school for colored children was 
established. It met for a few months in the Godwin 
Street Colored Church, then in the Division Street 



school, and in September, 1857, it was removed to a 
small building on Clinton Street, at the foot of the 
hill, erected in 1848 by the Manchester Literary As- 
sociation for school purposes. In December, 1872, 
all the colored children of the city were allowed to 
attend any of the public schools, and as most of them 
attended those in their immediate neighborhood, the 
Clinton Street school was ordered disbanded on May 
30, 1873. Miss Eliza M. Halsted was the teacher 
throughout its existence. 

A normal school had been authorized by the regu- 
lations of 1854, but it was not opened until the fall of 
1855. It met on Wednesday evenings, then on Tues- 
day and Thursday evenings, and then on Saturday 
mornings. It has had a varied and somewhat irregu- 
lar existence since. 

In 1862 a model training-school was opened by the 
board in the basement of the Second Presbyterian 
Church, and the system of object-teaching was ex- 
plained by accomplished experts. The school was 
kept up for a year. 

Thus it will be seen that twenty and thirty years 
ago the school authorities of Paterson were alive to 
the desirability of testing the latest experiments in 
pedagogism, and were decidedly progressive and intel- 
ligent in their action. 

In 1856 the board of education was given the power 
of electing the superintendent, and he was to preside 
over that body. A member wa.s elected secretary, 
and another acted as financial secretary. Andrew 
Derrom was elected superintendent in 1856-57 ; in 
1858-60, Cornelius S. Van Wagoner was chosen ; in 
1861, William Swinburne. In 1862, for the first time, 
a member of the board was elected to the position, — 
Dr. Ezra S. McClellan. The Legislature of 1863 pro- 
vided that the board should elect one of its members 
to be president, and another person to be secretary 
and superintendent. Dr. McClellan was a candidate 
for the latter office, and for six months the board was 
unable to agree on the subject, and then elected Mr. 
Hosford for the rest of the year. In 1864-70, Wm. 
Swinburne filled the office. In May, 1871, Samuel 
C. Hosford was appointed ; he resigned in September, 
1873, to give way to John Laird, who held the office 
one year. William J. Rogers was then superintend- 
ent until June, 1880, when the present incumbent, 
Esmond V. De Graft', was ai)pointed. 

On Monday, June 3, 1861, the " Sandy Hill" school 
was opened in the Baptist chapel, a long, low frame 
building, then standing on Straight Street, between 
Market and Willis. There were forty children in 
attendance when it opened, and within three days 
the number swelled to two hundred and fifteen. Miss 
Susan H. Rathburn was the first principal, succeeded 
in June, 1862, by Miss Jennie Andrews. In March, 
1869, the building changed hands, and the school was 
removed (pending the completion of No. 6) to an old 
building in Dickerson Street, previously used as an 
orphan asylum. 



518 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



increased by the end of the year to $256,000. The ; 
stockliolders voted on December 27th, to increase the 
capital to $2.'>0,00(l. In 1867 the capital wa.s increased 
to $3.''>M,000, and in 1870 $.50,000 nvore was added, 
bringing the total up to $400,000, the present amount. 
Until Feb. 1, 18t!(j, the bank ocwupied the parlors of 
a fine brick house. No. 240 Main Street, since raised 
one story. The bank was next located on the oppo- 
site side of the street, in the premises now used by the 
Paterson Savings Institution. In January, 1809, steps 
were taken for the erection of a suitable banking- 
hou.se, which should be commodious and creditable 
to the city. It was not until Feb. 21, 1870, that 
ground was broken at the northeast corner of Ellison | 
and Washington Streets. The corner-stone was laid 
August Oth, following. The building was occupied 
April 27, 1S71, having cost, including site, furniture, 
and all appurtenances, $120,000. j 

It was one of the most striking-looking structures 
in the city ; is of iron, three stories high, all the ceil- 
ings being very high, and there is a lofty Mansard 
roof above all. In the attic story several Masonic 
lodges held their meetings for ten years. The bank- 
ing-rooms are on the first floor, which is reached liy 
ea.sy steps from the sidewalk. The main room is ele- 
gantly fitted up. The clerks' desks rest upon a sup- 
port of variegated marble, surmounted by plate-glass. 
The corridor is paved with tiles, and the whole in- 
terior is bright, airy, and beautiful. The president and 
cashier have desks in an adjoining room, comniaiiiling 
a view of the employfo. The directors' room is fitted 
up with quiet elegance. In the ba.sement, fronting on 
Ellison and Washington Streets, is the post-office, and 
next to it, on the eiLst, is the office of the Western 
Union Telegraph Company. Thus tliree institutions 
of indispensable |)ublic utility arc grouped in the one 
building, tending to make it a centre of public in- 
terest. On theflo<irabove thebanking-roomsareofl[ices 
for lawyers. Owing to the subsequent depreciation 
in real estate, the property is rated on the books of the 
bank to-day at only $.'>0,000, which is considerably 
below its actual cash value. With the incresise of 
the stock from time to time a corriisponding increase 
wiLs made in the circulation, which at last stood at 
$;t(i(),0OO, the full amount allowed on a capital of 
$4'KI,(K)0. In 1877, in view of the approach of specie 
payments, the circulation was reduced to $270,000, at 
which figure it still stands, though it is not unlikely 
that it will be still further curtailed as the six per 
cent, bonds arc called in. All during the trying days 
of the financial depression following the dark days of 
1873 the officers of the bank stood firm, and having 
taken every precaution against danger, never wavere<l. 
Their confidence ami the evident care they hail taken 
impressed the community with a sense of safety and 
confidence, so that there was scarcely the first symp- 
tom of a " scare" in Paterson. Thnmgh that ordeal 
the bank came out with the smalh'st poasible loss, 
that did not even interfere with the declaration of tlie 



usual five per cent, semi-annual dividend. The re- 
duction of the legal rate of interest in 1878 to six per 
cent., and the natural shrinkage in business and 
profits since the panic, has of course lessened the earn- 
ings of banks, as well as of other persons, and the later 
dividends have been at the rate of four per cent, for 
the six months ; but on the 1st of January, 1882, the 
First National returned to its old figure of five per 
cent, for the actual net income of the jirevious half 
year. The statement for that day showed a line of 
individual deposits looting up $l,021,lt')S, loans and 
discounts of $l,20it,009, a surplus fund of $100,000, 
and other undivided profits of $18,0oo. The bank has 
loaned about $50,000,000 since it began business, and 
in all that time has lost only about $50,000, an average 
of less than one per cent, per annum on the capital em- 
ployed in the last seventeen years. In that time about 

i 40,000 notes have been discounted. No more signifi- 
cant comment could be made upon the rare good man- 
agement of the institution by the ofl[icers and directors 
who have been in charge of its affairs. Mr. Hrown 
has been i>resident from the beginning, an<l the wis- 
dom of that choice has never been doubted. Mr. 
Bell remained cashier until the close of 1874, when he 
retired to engage in other business. He was an in- 
valuable coadjutor of the pre.sident in the active man- 
agement. John Swinburne was his successor, and 
still retains the (losition, although during the winter 
of 1881-82 his health com|iclled him to absent him- 
self from the city. Mr. Christie was vice-i)rcsident 
until 1870, when he resigned ; John Cooke has since 
held the office. Mr. Gledhill was counsel until his 
death, in December, 1869; Henry A. Williams has 
been counsel from that period. 

In 1869 the Paterson Savings Institution was incor- 
porated by the Legislature with a capital of $100,000. 
It began business promptly, with an excellent board 
of managers, who had the confidence of the people. 
Robert Haniil was president, .Vndrew Derrom vice- 
president, and E. Theodore Hell the secretary and 
treasurer. Its business wiusconduetetl at No. 122 Mar- 
ket Street. For several years the management was 
closely connected with that of the First National 
Kank, but latterly this relation has not been quite .so 
intimate, though several directors of the latter bank 
are managers of the savings in.stitution. Mr. Hamil 
resigned several years ago, and was succeeded by 
Jcdm Reynolds, the incumbent. Mr. Hell gave way 

' to Edo I. Merselis, the present treiusurer. The bank 
has been wonderfully successful. Its deposits have 
steadily increased in a progressive ratio, until they 
now amount to about $2,OiMi,ooo, having nearly 
doubled in two years. Two or three times there have 
been slight " runs," but each time the bank made 
money by the loss of interest to the withdrawing de- 
positors, and the security of the institution was each 
time made more apparent. There are but four or five 
stock savings-banks in New Jersey, but there is no 
savings institution in the i?tatc which can make a 









^ 



i 
^ 




CITY OF PATERSON. 



519 



better showing. The stockholders have paid in only 

$10,000 on their subscriptions, but the earnings placed 
to the credit of tlie stock account have increased the 
amount of paid-up capital to $55,000, which is so 
much additional security for the depositors. Six per 
cent, interest was formerly paid ; the rate has been re- 
duced, first to five and then to four per cent., and a 
further reduction is anticipated. 

Encouraged by the marvelous success of the above 
enterprise, some other Patersonians secured a charter 
for the Passaic County Savings-Bank, which was 
opened in May, 1872, with a nominally paid-up capi- 
tal of 815,000. The deposits ran up to nearly $200,000, 
when the bank was closed, in December, 1877, it being 
found that the president and the principal member of 
the finance committee had borrowed nearly twice the 
amount of the paid-up capital and were not able to 
reimburse the bank in cash. The stockholders have 
never got their money back yet. 

The Merchants' Loan and Trust Company was 
chartered in 1S72. It was a bank authorized to lend 
money, not only upon the usual collaterals, but upon 
merchandise and manufactured goods. Some silk- 
manufacturers were of the opinion that it would be a 
help to that industry, enabling a man to borrow 
money upon his finished product, which had a fixed 
value. The bank was opened in the fall, in a build- 
ing liandsomely fitted u[) for the purpose at the 
southeast corner of Market and Hotel Streets. Wil- 
liam Ryle was president, and J. F. Preston, of Hart- 
ford, Conn., was treasurer. Mr. Preston and his 
friends took a majority of the stock. A savings-bank 
department was opened, seven per cent, interest being 
allowed on deposits. For a time the enterprise 
seemed to prosper, and handsome dividends were 
paid to the stockholders. But when the panic of 
1873 came the institution had not taken suflScient 
root to weather the storm, and thenceforth it seemed 
to fall away gradually in tlie popular esteem. Then 
some men got into the management who were not 
trusted ; bad practices were adopted, and in the spring 
of 1876 it transpired that the city had been defrauded 
out of the taxes due from the bank. Mr. Ryle re- 
signed when he learned of the loose way the business 
was conducted. Efforts were made to bolster up the 
institution by changes in the official board, but all 
would not do, and in July, 1877, it was closed. Then 
followed disclosures concerning the internal affairs 
that resulted in the consignment of the cashier to the 
State prison. 

The banking capital of Paterson to-day is less than 
$700,000, exclusive of the money in the savings institu- 
tion. It seems remarkable that a city with such im- 
mense and varied business interests should have so 
small an amount of available banking capital. The 
unfortunate experience of so many banking concerns, 
briefly outlined above, is doubtless one explanation. 
Another is the fact that all the large mills have their 
principal oflBces in New York City, and are obliged, for 



the convenient transaction of their business, to keep 

accounts in metropolitan banks. 

Passaic Water Company.^— This company was in- 
corporated by the Legislature in 1849, with a capital 
, of $100,000, since increased materially. A small reser- 
; voir was constructed on the Falls grounds, and sup- 
I ply pipes were laid through such portions of the city 
I as seemed to promise best for returns. The pipes 
were of sheet-iron, coated thickly with cement, and 
were for the most part four inches in diameter. It 
might not seem reasonable that pipes of such a char- 
: acter would stand the pressure to which they were 
necessarily subjected of more than one hundred feet 
head, but there has never been the slightest difficulty 
on that score when they were properly laid. The 
engineering work was done by the late Gen. Thomas 
D. Hoxsey, who for many years was the president of 
the company ; William Ryle was treasurer, Thomas 
Thorp secretary, and George Vanden hoof superinten- 
dent, a position he held for nearly thirty years. John 
Ryle, Peter Ryle, and John J. Brown, with Jlessrs. 
Hoxsey, Thorp, and William Ryle constituted the 
board of directors. The company did not make much 
progress with their scheme for a time, as the project 
was mooted of establishing a city water-works. This 
was voted upon by the citizens in 1852, when they 
decided, by a vote of 710 to 233, against the city's own- 
ing water-works. The company was thus encouraged 
to extend its system, which it did quite rapidly. John 
Ryle was really the most interested in the company, 
and was continually experimenting to get a better 
and more efficient source of supply. A wheel-house 
was erected at the east end of the Falls precipice, and 
a wheel put in, turned by the falling cataract, which 
pumped w-ater up a short distance into the reservoir. 
In 1868 new arrangements were made with the Society 
for Establishing L'seful Manufactures, and with Gen. 
Hoxsey, by which additional water privileges were 
secured. Soon after a large reservoir was constructed, 
forty feet higher than the old one. and holding five 
times as much water, or about 15,000,000 gallons. 
Some years later, owing to the rapid growth of the 
Totowa neighborhood, a still higher reservoir was 
constructed of masonry. 

Within the last two or three years great improve- 
ments have been made in the pumping facilities, 
powerful steam-engines having been put in, to be used 
when there is not sufficient water to run the turbine- 
wheels. Very many other improvements have been 
made to render the system of supply as effective as 
possible. The water is unusually pure, there being 
no city in the State better off in this respect than 
Paterson. In 1871 the company offered to .sell its 
W'orks and the Falls property to the city for $750,000. 
The matter was submitted to a popular vote, and the 
offer was rejected by more than 2000 majority. The 
company subsequently bought the Franklin Lake, 
with the idea of utilizing that as a source of supply, 
with little or no pumping, but it has not proved avail- 



522 



HISTORY OK 15KRGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



State to form a lodge of that order, but by some mis- 
understanding they were numbered 2 instead of No. 
1. BeiK'vok-nt Lodge, No. 2, is really the <)lde.st lodge 
in the State. At an early stage in its career it suc- 
ceeded in getting a house of its own, Odd-Fellows' 
Hall being erected in 1848, at a cost of about ten 
thousanij dollars, by the Odd-Fellows' Hall Associa- 
tion, a considerable portion of the stock in which is 
held by the lodge. Many of the leading citizens of the 
town have been enrolled among its members, and it 
has always ranked high in the estimation of the public. 
Industry Encampment, No. 1, was organized many 
years ago. Passaic Lodge. No. 33, was formed about 
ten years since by the younger members of the order. 
It has enjoyed an excellent degree of prosperity. 

Palo Alto Lodge, No. (J, of the tjrder of Druids, 
was formed in Paterson in 1846. It disbanded after 
some years. Germania Grove, No. 7, i? now in exist- 
ence; it is made up of Germans almost exclusively. 

The Knights of Pythias liave been remarkably suc- 
ce-ssful since the organization of their first lodge, Fa- 
biola. No. 57, ten years ago. They now have a second 
lodge, — Zeno, — and number about five hundred 
members. 

There are four or five " tribes" or " camps" of " Red 
Men," one of Germans. 

The Order of United Americans had a flourishing 
existence twenty-five years ago, and about ten years 
since the order of United American Mechanics en- 
rolled nearly a thousand members and had some fine 
lodges. It has not been quite so popular of late. 

There is scarcely a secret society of any kind or 
description in the country that Iuls not a " lodge," 
" council," "chapter," "tribe," "grove," " Ibre.sl," 
"tent," "conclave," "commandery," "encampment," 
"division," "court," or "post" in Paterson, where 
such lUHsociations appear to flourish to an unusual 
degree. 

Cemeteries. — As the grave is the end of all things 
here below, so it seems not out of place to conclude 
this sketch of Paterson with some notice of its bury- 
ing-places. Unlike most towns, it has never been the 
custom in Paterson since the town was founded to 
have the graveyard next to the church. That was 
the case witli the olil Totowa Church, long before Pat- 
erson was dreamed of, but no church erected within 
the present limits of Paterson in the bust hundred 
years has followed that precedent. It was usual with 
some of the old families to have burying-plots on 
their farms, or sometimes a vault. One of the latter 
receptacles of the dead is preserved in good order on 
Ka.st Eighteenlli Street near Seventh Avenue. The 
first cemetery was provided in 1K14 hy the First Pres- 
byterian Church, who obtained from the Society for 
the Promotion of Useful Manufactures a triangular 
plot of half an acre on Market Street just east of 
Vine. People of all dcnomiiiallons were buried 
there, Protcstjint and Catholic. In 1S24 the Meth- 
odists bought a plot of two acres on Willis Street, 



and in the same year St. John's Chapel bought, 
through .John Kear, a small plot on the opposite side 
of Willis Street. Meantime the State of New Jersey 
had come into possession of large tracts of sandy 
waste land on the south side of Market Street, and it 
being considered good for nothing else, sold it off for 
burying-grounds at the rate of fifty dollars per acre. 
The Presbyterians bought of the State three acres in 
1826, adjoining their old cemetery ; in 183.') the society 
sold to the Fir.-t Reformed Church two acres on Willis 
Street, next to the Methodists ; in the same year the 
State sold to St. Paul's Church five acres on the south 
side of Market Street; and in 1839, three acres to St. 
John's Roman Catholic Church, next to the former; 
and in 1844 three acres to the Baptist Church, next to 
the last two. In 1851 the Methodists extended their 
cemetery by purchase from the society, and in 1854 
the Presbyterians bought from the society a new plot 
on the north side of Market Street, adjoining those 
on the Willis Street siile of the block. Altogether, 
the cemeteries above enumerated contain twenty-two 
acres, divided into 4500 lots, in which there have been 
made about 15,000 interments. The growth of the 
city in the neighborhood has convinced most people 
that in time these graveyards must be removed. In 
187() a bill was proposed in the Legislature providing 
that the reversionary interest of the State should be 
vested in the city; that any church might ctmvey to 
the city its interest in the lots unsold, and that six 
months thereafter all interments in such cemetery 
should be unlawful ; that the city might improve and 
Ijcautify the grounds, without removing any bodies, 
unless with the consent of the lot-owners. The belief 
of the frauier of the bill was that in this way the city 
might in time secure a beautiful public park in the 
very heart of the city, and at little cost. It was also 
his belief that unless some such action should be taken 
in time the grounds would be converted to other use- 
and built up. Apparently in confirmation of this 
view, an act was passed by the Legislature in 1882 
providing lor vesting in the Ladies' Hospital Associa- 
tion of Paterson the feeof the Baptist cemetery, the ul- 
tinuite object being to erect thereon a permanent hos- 
pital luiilding. Their"SaMdy llilT'eemetery lieingall 
tilled, ill ISiK) tile aulhorilics of St. John the Baptist's 
Cliurcli lioiight a tract of twenty-five acres on llaledon 
Avenue for a cemetery, hut its use was prohibited by 
the Legislature, and in 18G7 the church bought sev- 
enty-three acres on Totowa, near the Lincoln Bridge, 
part of which they laid out as the "Cemetery of the 
Holy Sepulchre." It contains a great many graves, 
and some fine monuments ami tombs. 

In 1st;.'), Mes.-rs. Thomas 1), Hoxsey and David B, 
Beam secured a charter for the " Cedar Cliff Ceme- 
tery Company," intemling to establish a cemetery on 
the side of the Preakness .Mountain, between Pat- 
erson and Hiilediin. They sold out in 18l>(3 to other 
gentlemen, who hail concluded that the hest location 
would be on the hillside above Dundee Lake, alon^' 






^v 




n 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



523 



the Wesel road, and in October, 1866, the company 
was organized, with F. C. Beckwith, Tliomas Barbour, 
Thomas D. Hoxsey, Adam Carr, Henry B. Crosby, 
William S. Kinch, and James Croolcs as directors, 
who elected Mr. Beckwith president, and Mr. Carr 
secretary and treasurer. John J. Brown and Socra- 
tes Tuttle were soon after added to the board.' Gen. 
Egbert L. Viele was employed to lay out the grounds, 
which he did in the most approved style. In 1867 
the name of the company was changed to " Cedar 
Lawn," and that is the name their beautiful cemetery 
now bears. On Sept. 19, 1867, the cemetery was dedi- 
cated, the occasion being one of general public in- 
terest, in which hundreds of citizens participated." 
The grounds are. admirably situated in every respect 
for their purpose, and have been laid out and beauti- 
fied with much care and good taste. They are con- 
venient of approach, and at the same time are so 
located that there is not the slightest probability that 
they will ever be disturbed by the onward march of 
" improvement." The first interment was made the 
week after the dedication, and from that time to Jan. 
1, 1882, 6538 interments had been made, about 1500 
being removals from the " Sandy Hill" graveyards. 
It is estimated that the cemetery is capacious enough 
for a population of one hundred thousand within the 
limits of that "city of the dead." Upwards of a 
million dollars have been laid out in monuments, 
tombs, and other adornment of its sacred precincts 
by lot-owners, and the company has expended a 
quarter of a million more on the land and in various 
improvements. This heavy investment is justly re- 
garded as an assurance of the permanence of the 
cemetery. As this fact has become more and more 
settled, almost every day the asheij of some of Pater- 
son's earlier citizens who have helped to make the his- 
tory so imperfectly outlined in the foregoing pages are 
removed from other places, where the growing city is 
impatiently throbbing and bustling about them, and 
are tenderly deposited at Cedar Lawn, where, with 
the eternal hills on the one hand and the gently- 
flowing river on the other, they may rest in peace 
until the archangel's trump shall sound. 



CHAPTER LXX. 

CITY OF PATERSON— (Co/KjiiiieiO. 
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 

James Booth, the surviving member of the large 
silk-manufacturing firm of Hamil & Booth, was born 
at Doddiugton, Cheshire, England, on Jan. 1, 1833. 



1 Mr. Brown and Mr. Crosby have remained in the board ever since. 
Mr. Crosby is president; J. H. Tindle, vice-president; G. A. Hobart, 

treasurer. 

- The foregoing sketch of Paterson cemeteries is condensed from 
" History and Description of Cedar Lawn Cemetery," etc., 1S76, by 
Wm. Nelson. 



His parents were Joseph and Ann (Turner) Booth, 
hoth of whom were natives of Staftbrdshire. His 
father, Joseph, second son of Joseph Booth, was left 
in good circumstances in life, and engaged in the 
dry-goods trade during the earlier years of his busi- 
ness career. He removed to Staffordshire in 1837, 
where he engaged in agricultural juij-suits until his 
death about 1852 ; his wife died six months later. 
Neither of them came to this country. They had a 
family of six children, of whom four grew to years of 
maturity, namely, William T. ; Ann, who married 
Joseph Dodds ; James ; and Mary, who became the 
wife of Charles Ford, of Warwickshire. 

James Booth received a good village education at 
Hilderstone, Staffordshire, and when about fourteen 
years of age attended the academy of Chalmers & 
Critchley, at Stafford, where he completed his aca- 
demic course. When sixteen years of age he left 
school and went to Leak, where he became an ap- 
prentice of Thomas Carr & Co., silk-manufacturers of 
that city. He remained at that place until he at- 
tained his majority, and learned all the details of 
silk-manufacture, including hand-throwing and the 
making of braids. 

In 1854, having become impressed with the idea 
that the United States afforded a better opportunity 
for the exercise of his trade, he set sail for that coun- 
try from Liverpool in the ship "Sarah Sands," and 
landed at Portland, Me., on April 17th of that year, 
after a voyage of .seventeen days. 

The third day after arriving in this country he se- 
cured a position as clerk in the employ of a dry-goods 
merchant named Billings, in New York City, where 
he remained for a short time. In June, 1854, learn- 
ing that Paterson was the chief centre of silk manu- 
facture in America, he visited that city, and secured 
a position as under-foreman in the winding depart- 
ment with John Eyle, who was manufacturing silk 
in the Murray Mill. Robert Hamil was then foreman 
of the finishing department of the same mill, but re- 
signed two weeks later, and was succeeded by Mr. 
Booth, who occupied the place for about a year, 
during which time he commanded attention as an in- 
dustrious, hard-working, and successful mechanic. 
At the expiration of that time Mr. Booth withdrew 
from the employ of Mr. Ryle, and in May, 1855, be- 
gan the manufacture of tailors' sewing-silk in the 
Beaver Mill. He started at first with about fifteen 
men and three thousand dollars' worth of machinery, 
and was joined two months later by Robert Hamil, 
the two carrying on the business together. Owing to 
the gradual growth of the business, the enterpri.se was 
subsequently removed to the Machinists' Association 
building, where two rooms were leased. In 1859 the 
firm of Hamil & Booth rented the top floor of the 
Murray Mill, where they engaged in business until 
1862, at which time they purchased the Passaic Mill, 
on Ward Street, enlarged it, and which they continue 
to operate. In 1872 they purcha.sed the old " Godwin 



5J4 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Cotton-M ill," on the corner of Mill and Market Streets, 
whicli was named the " Haniil Mill," and wliich is 
still operated by Mr. Booth and the legal successors 
of Mr. Hamil. The latter died on Sept. 11, 1880, and 
the extensive business of the concern is now carried 
on by Mr. Booth and Peter M. Banni(;uM, who rep- 
resents the Hamil interest, and has i)roven an efficient 
and valuable coailjutor in the management of the in- 
terests of the establishment. Mr. Booth has suc- 
ceeded to the management of the financial and com- 
mercial affairs of the concern since Mr. Hamil's death, 
having his office at the New York salesrooms. No. 96 
and !t8 Grand Street. Mr. Bannigan has charge of 
matters at the factories, a duty which Mr. Booth for- 
merly perlornicd. The enterprise which they repre- 
sent is one of the largest and most successful of its 
kind in the country, and is treated of in detail else- 
where in this work. 

Mr. Booth has resided in Paterson since his first 
coming in 18")."), and occupies a handsome residence 
on the corner of Broadway and Auburn Streets, in 
that city, which he erected in 1869. He belongs to a 
class of self-made and successful men of Paterson 
who have raised themselves by their own exertions 
from humble positions to places of honor and influ- 
ence in the community, and who, while illustrating 
the true nobility of labor, have acquired han<Isome 
competencies. He has never participated in political 
atfairs, but confined himself closely to his business of 
silk manufacture. He has nevertheless been identi- 
fied with the local institutions of the city, and held a 
number of jiositious of importance. In connection 
with .lames ,Jack~on, .Tohn Dunlop, John Shaw, Peter 
Dorenius, A. B. Woodrutf, Francis C. Van Dyk, and 
William Watson, he was one of the organizers of the 
Passaic County Savings Institution in 1870, and was 
elected vice-president of that institution. Upon the 
withdrawal of llic president, Mr. Watson, Mr. Booth 
became acting presiilent, and a'lministered that oflicc 
with ability until the institution went into voluntary 
liquidation. The affairs of the concern were closed 
up in an honorable and legitimate manner, and the 
claims of the depositors were paid in full out of the 
jirivate funds of the directors, some of the securities 
held by the institution not yet being realized on. 
The honorable closing of the affairs of the bank in- 
ured greatly to the benefit of the other financial 
institutions of the city, ami probably jirevented a 
moiK-tary panic. 

.Mr. Booth is a nieniber of the Paterson Board of 
Trade, of the Silk Industrial .Vssociiilioii of that city, 
and is a director of the Silk Industrial .\s,sociation of 
New York City. He is a regular attendant of the 
First Presliytcrian Church of Paterson, and a inein- 
Iht of the boanl of trustees. He has been an active 
contributor to the support of the Old Ladie.s' Home 
of that I'itv, and is now one of the directors of the 
institution. 

Mr. Booth was married on May 15, 1860, to Addie, 



daughter of John D. and Mary Shorrock, of Paterson, 
and has had si.x children, five sons and a daughter, 
of whom the former are living, viz. : Charles Ells- 
worth, who has been thoroughly educated in the silk 
business and is a designer in the mill of his father ; 
Frederick Mortimer, who is a book-keeper in the 
New York store; William Turner, who while se- 
curing a good education is also learning the silk 
business; Hurry Sliorrock, and John Morgan Booth. 

Abraham H. Godwin.— The Godwin family is one 
of the oldest of Pa-^saic County. Long prior to the 
Revolutionary war Abraham Godwin was born upon 
the ocean, while his parents were en rou/r from Eng- 
land to America. The family settlement wius made 
at Totowa, and here the Abraham above referred to 
lived throughout his life. He was the great-great- 
grandfather of the subject of this sketch, and was 
succeeded by his son Abraham, who also lived and 
died in that locality. The latter had a large family 
of children, among whom were Henry, .\braham. and 
David, each of whom ]ierformed active service in the 
Revolutionary war. Henry established an early news- 
paper at Newburgh, N. Y., small in dimensions but 
patriotic in spirit, and edited it with ability during 
the greater portion of the war in behalf of our 
national independence. He wiis a captain in the 
patriot army, and was taken prisoner at West Point, 
and died in the hands of the enemy. David settled 
at Peekskill, N. Y., after the war, and sub.sequently 
resided at Hoboken, N. J. Abraham was the grand- 
father of our subject. He married a Miss Monson, 
of Morris County, X. J., and had children, — Phebe, 
who marrie<l Peter (i. Van Winkle, a mitiveof Pater- 
son, and leading merchant in New York; Henry; 
Susan, who married John Davis, of Philadelphia; 
Caleb Monson ; Abraham, father of Parke Godwin, 
of the New York Kvniiiiri Paul; Elizabeth, who be- 
came the wife of Ira Miinn, of Orange, N. J.; Mar- 
garet, who marrieil Robert R. Taylor, of Paterson ; 
and Maria, who married Halmegh Van Houten, of 
Totowa. Abraham Godwin died Oct. 6, 1835, in his 
seventy-fourth year. His son Henry was born at 
Morristown, N. .1., and was one of the early merchantis 
of Paterson. During the years 1S1;{, 1814, anil 181.') 
he also engaged in the manufacture of cotton in that 
city. He died in 1814 or I81."i. His wife wius Mary, 
daughter of Edo and Eleanor Marselis, of Little Falls 
township, and the children five in number, of whom 
four attained matureycars, viz. : Abraham H., Eleanor, 
widow of .Vbraham Prall, of Paterson ; Jane M., who 
jiiarrieil .lohn Campbell, of Mobile, Ala.; and Phebe. 

.Vbraham H. (lodwin was born on the Little Falls 
turnpike, near Paterson, on Jlay 2, 1807. He re- 
ceived only a common-school e<lucation, and when 
about eighteen years of age started u store near the 
old Totowa brlilge. in Paterson, opposite the Pa.ssaii 
Hotel, where his lather had traded as early as 1812. 
Alter one year he worked a.s a clerk in the employ 
successivelv of Aaron .V. Van Houten and Peter 




-^^5^^. 




CITY OP PATERSON. 



525 



Jackson, merchants of Acquackanonk township, and ' 
after a few months returned to Paterson and assisted 
his grandfatlier, Abraham Godwin, in keeping tlie 
old Passaic Hotel. Two years later he engaged in 
the manufacture of cotton yarn on the lower raceway ; 
in Paterson as a member of the firm of Post & God- 
win, and then formed a copartnership w'ith his cousin, 
Peter G. Van Winkle, and engaged in the grocery 
trade for several years. 

About the year 1834, Mr. Godwin went to Mobile, 
Ala., and shortly after entered into the cotton-broker- 
age business at that place. By close attention to his 
affairs he became recognized as one of the leading 
brokers of the South, and did business for some of 
the heaviest European purchasing houses. His busi- 
ness attained such large proportions that he was 
finally compelled to take in a partner in the person 
of John G. Davis, of Philadelphia, the firm of God- 
win & Davis doing a successful business down to near 
the opening of the late war, when the enterprise was 
given up. While in active business in Mobile, Mr. 
Godwin was jironiinently identified with the growing 
interests of the locality. He w-as one of the first 
stockholders and an early director of the steamship 
line between New Orleans and New York. In 1843 
he returned to Paterson, and while still maintaining 
his interests at Mobile, entered upon the manufacture 
of cotton yarns in connection with Abraham Prall, 
Henry M. Low, and Maj. John Edwards, and subse- 
quently pursued that business with his sister, Mrs. 
Prall, as partner for several years. The enterprise 
was successfully prosecuted during the war, the mill 
occupied at present by Haniil & Booth having been 
erected for the purpose by Mr. Godwin and his sister. 
Soon after the war the mill was sold to the latter firm 
and the machinery to other parties, and Mr. Godwin 
withdrew from active business. He has lived in re- 
tirement at Paterson since, being recognized as one 
of the .-ubstantial residents of the city, and enjoying 
that freedom from business annoyances which his 
successful commercial career entitles him to. He 
Ikis never taken special interest in politics, nor aspired 
to public position. He was at one time a member of 
the board of directors of the Manufiicturers' National 
Bank of Brooklyn, and is now a director in the Far- 
ragut Fire Insurance Company of New York. He 
has enjoyed an extended acquaintance with the lead- 
ing business men of the United States, and been fav- 
orably known as a man of enterprise, integrity, and 
moral |)rineii)le. His wife was Miss Ann E. Park, of 
Pliiludeliihia, and has had no children. 

Peter Adams was born in Forfarshire, Scotland, 
on Feb. 2, 1807. His parents were George and Louisa 
(Sutherland) Adam, the former a native of Aberdeen- 
shire, and the latter of Caithness-shire. The family- 
seat of the Adam family was about fifteen miles north 
of Aberdeen, where Peter Adam, the grandfather of 
the subject of this sketch, resided. It was not until 
the emigration of Peter Adams to this country, in 
34 



1827, that the final "s" was added to the family pat- 
ronymic by himself (ieorge Adam was a gardener 
by occupation, a calling which in the mother-country 
signifies something, and after a liusy and industrious 
life died in 1812. After his death his widow married 
Henry Travis. By the first marriage were born six 
children, of whom only three reached mature age. 
viz. : Jeannette, who married Robert Kerr; Peter, our 
subject; and Ann, who married John Thomson, of 
Whippany, N. J. The only issue of the second mar- 
riage was Sarah, who came to this country with her 
mother and half-sister, Ann, in 1840, and who is the 
widow of Lewis Schaeffer, of Jersey City, and resides 
there. She and Peter Adams are the only children 
living, Mrs. Travis having died on Oct. 24, 1856. 

At the age of eight years Peter Adams began a life 
of labor by entering the paper-mill of Robert Tullis 
& Co., in Fifeshire, Scotland, of which his uncle, 
John Craig, was superintendent, and where he re- 
mained two years, working during the day in the 
mill, and receiving the only book education he ever 
enjoyed by attending the night-school of the locality. 
He then returned to Aberdeen, and until he was sev- 
enteen years of age worked in a fiax-mill and a cot- 
ton-mill at that place. At that time he became an 
apprentice to the trade of paper-making with his 
uncle, John Craig, the paper at that time being made 
by hand. He remained in Fifeshire for three years, 
and when nearly twenty-one years of age became a 
journeyman at the trade. Soon after he determined 
to emigrate to the United States, where the oppor- 
tunities for work and development in his business 
were greater, and on Aug. 26, 1827, he set sail from 
Greenock, Scotland, on the vessel "Samuel Robin- 
son," Capt. Shotwell, and landed in New York on 
October 4th of the same year. He went at once to 
Saugerties, Ulster Co., N. Y., and began work on 
October 24th, in the paper-mill that was started by 
Henry Barclay at that time, and whose modern suc- 
cessor is now operated by J. B. Sheflield & Son. 
Upon beginning work in this pioneer paper-mill, Mr. 
Adams was one of four Scotchmen — the others being 
Thomas Lindsay, Alexander White, and David Grieve 
— to start the first Fourdrinier paper-machine in this 
country. He remained in Saugerties, working stead- 
ily at his trade, until September, 1835, when he re- 
moved to Morristown, N. J., and assumed the man- 
agement of the paper-mill of William Knight. In 
October, 1837, he removed to Paterson, N. J., and on 
November 22d of that year became foreman of H. V. 
Butler & Co.'s Passaic Paper-Mill, of that city. He 
remained in that position until May 11, 1859, and 
then retired from ])aper manufacture for a time. In 
1854 he established Adams' New York and Paterson 
Express, and placing it in charge of his sons, did a 
successful business until Nov. 23, 1869, wdien he dis- 
posed of it to James Fisk, Jr., of New York. It is 
now known as Fuller's Paterson and New York Ex- 
press. 



526 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



In 1863, Mr. Adams determined to engage in the 
making of paper on lii^; own account, and taking with 
liim John Kauiagc, who liad succeeded him as fore- 
man for H. V. Hutler & Co., he went to the village of 
Buckland, Conn., and purchasing the mill formerly 
operated by Godwin & Sheldon at that place, began 
manufacturing on Jan. 1. 1864. 

The firm of Adams it Kamage continued to do a 
8ucce.'<sful bnsine.-s until Jan. 1, 1860, when the latter 
withdrew, and Mr. Adams hiis continued to operate 
the mill to this day. During a portion of this time 
the deceased son of Mr. Adams, Peter C. Adams, was 
in partnership with his father, the business being 
carried on under the firm-name of Peter Adams & 
Son. The capacity of the mill is six tons of chronic 
and plate paper a day. In 1866, finding that liis 
business was expanding verj' rapidly, Mr. Adams, in 
connection with Dr. Garvis Prince, purchased the 
Isaac Oakley paper-mill, at Newburgh, X. Y., and 
since that time has continued to manufacture fine 
hook-paper there. Dr. Prince withdrew from the 
firm after one year. William Bishop, a nephew of 
Mr. Adams, was admitted as a partner in this enter- 
prise in 1872, the firm of Adams & Bishop turning 
out about three and a half tons of fine paper daily at 
the present time. 

Mr. .^(lams is now at the head of a large enterprise, 
and is recognized us one of the oldest and most suc- 
cessful paper-manufacturers in the United States. 
The i>roduct of his mills goes all over the world, and 
stands at the head of the market for excellence in 
(|ualily and finish. He made the paper on which was 
printed the catalogue of the World's Fair at Paris in 
1870, and received a bronze medal in recognition of 
the superiority of his productions. He has also re- 
ceived, within a few days, a beautiful silver medal, 
awarded by the Melbourne International Exhibition 
of .Vuslralia for paper that had been made and sold 
in the regular coui-se of trade, and which he did not 
know was to be placed on exhibition. The extensive 
salesrooms of the concern are at No. 57 Murray Street, 
New York. 

Mr. Adams was connected with Mr. Butler, of 
Patcrson, in the making of paper for twenty-two 
years, during which time the Ivanhoe Mill was 
erected under his supervision. He has since devoted 
himself closely to his own personal business, and has 
led an active, industrious, and sober life, which has 
been crowned by the acquisition of a handsome com- 
petency, and by the building up of a good name. He 
has resided in Patcrson since 18;i7, and in the house 
which he now occupies since 1842, when it was erected 
by himself, but lias since been remodeled. He has 
not sought political j)rominence nor personal popu- 
larity, but devoted him.-<clf strictly to the manage- 
ment of his own private affairs. He is n member of 
the New York Hoard of Trade, and a liberal supporter 
of the progre-Hsive enterprises of his day. He is a 
regular attendant of the First Presbyterian Church 



of Paterson, and is a man of unblemished reputation. 
He was married on July 16, 1831, to Hannah Schaef- 
fer, widow of Calvin Floyd. Mrs. .\dams died on 
July 7, 1868. An only daughter is all that is left of 
the six children born of the union. In 1860, Mr. 
Adams visited the place of his birth and childhood, 
and while in Scotland assisted in laying to rest the 
remains of his uncle, John Craig, from whom he had 
derived his first lessons in pajier-making. The Craig 
family is still engaged in the manufacture of paper in 
S(X)tlaii(l. 

Louis Franke was born on Sept. 7, 1827, in 
Schkeuditz, Prussia. His father, Karl Friedrich 
Franke, was a manufacturer of leather gloves and 
similar articles at that place during his life. Both 
he and his wife died on successive days of the 
cholera in 1848. They had a family of seven chil- 
dren, of whom only two came to this country, viz., 
Louis and Ernst, the latter of whom is employed in 
his brother's silk-mill in Paterson. 

The earlier career of Louis Franke was a rather 
checkered one, and he engaged in many occupations 
and encountered many obstacles before he finally 
achieved success. Until he wsis fifteen years of age 
he remained at home and attended the city school, 
and then went to Leipsic, where he became an ap- 

' prentice in the wholesale and retail dry-goods store 
of J. H. Meyer for five years, without pay, in order 
to learn the business. Remaining a year longer as 
clerk, he then went to Berlin, where he entered the 
employ of Herman Gerson, a large wholesale and 
retail dry-goods dealer, who engaged largely in the 
manufacture of cloaks and mantillas, in which de- 
partuient Mr. Franke served for two years, during 
which time he cultivated his titste and skill in de- 
signing and making the above articles, and in conse- 
quence receiving from A. Selchow, of the same city, 
an offer to manage his cloak- and mantilla-factory at 
a liberal salary, which he accepted. While there he 
made frc(iueiit trijis to Paris to get the newest fash- 
ions, and afterwards alter the same to suit the tasti 

I of the different German countries. 

' In 1852 he was ]>ersuaded by a friend to go to 

, America, landing at Galveston, Texas, from where he 
went to the interior of the State, in the fall of tin 
same year going to New Orleans, l.,a., where In- 

I clerked in the dry-goods store of Moses Loeb for a 
few months. Here he made up his mind to re- 
turn to Germany, as the chances of success in lil'i- 
seemed very slim to him, and after visiting all tin 
cities in the Mississippi Valley and San .luan, Nica 
ragua, Havana, and Charl&tton, finally landed ai 
New York, where he attended the World's Fair :il 
the Crystal I'alace in ISfy.i. 

He then suileil on board the " City of Manchester" 
from Pliiladel|diia to Liverpool. A few ilays before 
reaching Liverpool they had one of the most exciting 
and perilous piL«sages through innumerable and large 
icebergs, lasting from daybreak till about three o'clock 




^..^. 





C. (il'.Kl'l'O. 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



527 



in the afternoon, and about an hour later saw the ill- 
fated steamer " Cit\- of Glasgow," which was never 
seen again. 

Upon returning to Berlin he took his old position 
again with Mr. Selchow, and working with renewed 
vigor, gained great success for the above house. The 
American panic of 1857 having a disheartening eflect 
on Germany, Mr. Franke, in the spring of 1858, came 
back to the United States, going to Cincinnati, where 
he became connected with the silk-importing house of 
Walter & Kahn. A year later he went to New Orleans, 
where he made a contract with Moses Loeb to buy dry- 
goods for him at auction in New York and ship them 
to New Orleans. This connection was stopped by 
tlie breaking out of the war, which put an end to 
all commercial transactions between the North and 
South. It was about this time that the turn in the 
tide of Mr. Franke's affairs occurred. In 1862 he 
began the manufacture on a small scale of dress and 
cloak trimmings on the corner of Broome Street and 
Broadway, in New York City, and soon gained a 
reputation for the manufacture of a superior quality 
of goods, and deserves credit for breaking the exist- 
ing prejudice in favor of foreign goods by making the 
workmanship and designs as good as the French, but 
using better material than they and taking more care 
in tlie finish, a fact that became generally acknowl- 
edged by the trade. He was the first one to manu- 
facture the celebrated Angora goat-hair fringes in the 
United States, and afterwards to introduce the equally 
well-known braid fringes, which he manufactured on 
a large scale and in large varieties. His business ex- 
panded so rapidly that he was compelled to enlarge 
his facilities continually, until he occupied eight large 
lofts at Broome Street and Broadway. 

About this time, January, 1873, Mr. Henry W. 
Struss, who had been in his employ in various posi- 
tions, from office-boy to book-keeper, was takeu into 
partnership, the business being carried on under the 
sole name of Louis Franke, which ha.s become widely 
known in the trade. 

They had obtained their silk for the purposes of 
manufacture from the best throwsters, but having, by 
buying large quantities aud selling again to smaller 
manufacturers, established quite a trade in thrown 
silks, they conceived the idea of throwing their own 
silk, and in December, 1875, hired the newly-built 
mill belonging to Mr. Samuel Pope, at Paterson, re- 
moved to it their braiding machinery from the factory 
in Greene Street, New York, that had been established 
a number of years, and putting in new and suitable 
machinery, commenced throwing silk on their own 
account. The business increased so rapidly that they 
disposed of their dress and cloak trimming manufac- 
turing business in New York to Schmadike & Under- 
bill, on Jan. 1, 1880, and have since devoted their 
whole energies to the importing and sale of raw silk, 
and the manufacture of thrown silks to supply manu- 
facturers of trimmings, ribbons, piece-goods, etc. 



Finding their ([uarters at the Pope Mill too small, 
they purchased a piece of property at the corner of 
Bridge and River Streets, Paterson, and erected 
thereon the commodious and handsome mill which 
was finished in January, 1881, and is a model of its 
kind. It is three stories in height, the main floors 
being each fifty by two hundred feet, with a wing at 
each end of about thirty by thirty leet, besides the 
engine- and boiler-houses, which are separate from 
the main building. 

The mill is filled with the bpst machinery, employs 
over three hundred hands, and has a productive 
capacity of from three thousand five hundred to four 
thousand pounds per week. It is almost fire-proof, 
having solid floors of six and a quarter inches thick- 
ness, in three layers of plank crossing each other 
diagonally and resting on heavy girders. 

It is warmed and ventilated by mechanical means, 
thus insuring pure air and perfect health to the em- 
ployes, who no doubt appreciate the interest taken in 
their welfare. During the summer fresh air, and 
during the winter air that has been heated in a large 
chamber over the engine-room, is forced by means of 
a powerful blower through a system of flumes and 
tubes to every part of the large establishment; at the 
same time every bit of foul air and offensive smells 
are drawn out by another system of flues, and thus 
the air completely changed in the rooms in the course 
of about every forty-four minutes. The building is 
lighted by gas, all the jets on a floor being lit instan- 
taneously by means of electricity, thus avoiding all 
risk by the use of matches and other means of light- 
ing. The motive-power is transmitted \>y a one hun- 
dred and fifty horse-power Corliss engine, made by 
Watts, Campbell & Co., of Newark, N. J., driven by 
steam generated by two Babcock & Willson patent 
safety boilers. 

The firm is carrying on a large business, and is now 
one of the largest manufacturers in their line in the 
United States. 

Mr. Franke resides on Lexington Avenue, in New 
York City, but is a firm believer in Paterson and its 
institutions. He is a member of the Paterson Board 
of Trade, and of the Silk Association of America. 
He married, about 1863, Miss Auguste WoUenhaupt, 
a sister of the celebrated composer, Hermann Wol- 
lenhaupt, and has one daughter, Anna Emilie, who 
resides at home. 

Claude Greppo was born at Charnay, about fifteen 
miles from Lvfns, France, on Dec. 29, 1834. His 
parents are Antoine and Louise (Burnand) Greppo, 
the former of whom is a wine-grower by occupation, 
and owns a tract of land devoted to that purpose. In 
this pursuit the subject of this sketch was reared. 
His first education was derived at a boarding-school at 
Alix, and at the age of fifteen he entered the Normal 
School of the department, and at seventeen took the 
first prize in the school, consisting of a " Dictionary 
of Universal History and Geography," which is still 



528 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



in his possession. He did not receive a diploma from 
the institution, because he had not reached the retpii- 
site age of eighteen. 

After leaving school he went to Lyons, France, 
where his unt-le, Burnand, was a prominent dyer of 
silks, and became an apprentice to the trade of silk 
manufacture. In 18.54 and 1855 he engaged in the 
silk commission business in Paris as a clerk, and sub- 
sequently went to London for the purpose of learning 
the ICnglish language. On Sept. 7, 1857, with a view 
of establishing business for himself, and on the special 
instigation of a friend, he sailed from Liverpool for 
the United States, and landing in New York, started 
the silk-importing business at No. 57 5Iurruy Street, 
where he remained until 1867. In the mean time he 
began the manufacture of silk braids at Craiiford, 
N. J., where he purchased and enlarged a factory for 
the purpose. In 1867 the conditions of the importing 
business having changed, he determined to devote all 
his attention to the manufacture of silk, and removed 
his business from Cranford to the city of Palerson, 
where he built a mill fifty by two hundred feet in 
size and three stories high, on the corner of Slater 
and Prince Streets. A portion of the mill he rented 
to William Strange & Co., who occupied it for the 
purposes of silk nianufacture until 1877. The other 
portion Mr. (ireppo used himself, and besides manu- 
facturing silk, was accustomed to do his own dyeing. 
By degrees he did the dyeing for Strange & Co., and 
gradually found himself running naturally into the 
business of dyeing altogether as successive den)ands 
were made upon him for that purpose by other man- 
ufacturers. He is now one of the leading dyers of 
silk in this country, and h.ts a wide reputation for the 
quality and superior finish of his work. All the light 
shades of colors and the most difficult tints are pro- 
ducetl by him with perfect success, and in the art of 
making a uniform, brilliant, and permanent black — 
ackiiowletlged to be the most dltlicult of nil — no one 
is more successful. .Mr. Greppo has largely outgrown 
his'own mill, and is finishing his goods in the " Old 
Oun Mill," and doing his dyeing at the old site. 
Meantime he has in process of erection several large 
mills on the corner of Railroad Avenue and Pns.saie 
River, which will cover several acres of ground when 
completed, and bring together, all the iletails of his 
extensive business. He dyes his skein-silk under his 
own imme, but piece-goods of every description, silk 
and mi.xed goods and cotton velvets, in the name of 
till' I'atcrson Dyeing and Finishing Company, which 
was orgaiii/ed .June 15, 1S77, ami of which he is the 
president and sole owner. He has a large line of pat- 
ronage outside of the city of Paterson, and is known as 
a successful dyer throughout the United States. His 
New York office is at No. 27 Mercer Street. He is a 
member of (he I'alcrson Board of Trade, has resided 
in that city since l.'^ti7, and is held in high esteem by 
a large circle of aci|Uaintances. He was marrieil in 
1860, to Ellen Douglas Bateman, a native of Balti- 



more, and has five children, viz. : Claudia, Theodore, 
Uolicrt, Ellen B,. and Francis. 

James Jackson was born at Caton, England, on 
April 8, 1826. His father, Wm. Jackson, spent his 
life as a silk-dresser in Caton, and died in 1876, aged 
.seventy-five years. His mother was Hannah, daugh- 
ter of James Stubbs, a master-carder at Caton. She 
died in 1854, aged fifty-one. The children were 
John, who is an engineer at Oldham, England; 
James; William, who is foreman of the gas-works at 
Lancaster, England ; Rachel ; and Joseph, deceased. 

James Jackson enjoyed limited educational oppor- 
tunities at the private schools of his locality, and at 
thirteen years of age began to learn the trade of a 
machinist and the manufacture of spun silk. When 
twenty-one years of age he worked as a ma.ster- 
mechauic in the Forge cotton-mill at Caton for three 
years, and then became its superintendent, a position 
he held for seven years longer. He then removed to 
Oldham, where he acted a.s superintendent of the 
coltonmill of Moore A Simmons for twelve years. 
In the spring of 1869, desiring to better his condition 
in life, he emigrated to the United States, and after 
spending seven mouths in the city of Philadelphia re- 
moved to Paterson, N. J., where he worked as a ma- 
chinist in the works of the Rogers Locomotive and 
Machine Company for four years. In 1873 he estab- 
lished himself at No. 41 Sherman .V venue, Paterson. 
and began the making of Jacquard machines for silk 
manufacture. After one year he erected his present 
factory, ninety-eight by twenty-two feel, three and a 
half >tories high in front, and two and a half in the 
rear, on Albion Avenue. By cli>se application to 
business and the judicious management of his allairs 
he succeeded in securing a wide reputation for the 
manufacture of Jacquard and other machinery, and 
the products of his skill are in large demand through- 
out Ihel'Miteil Slates. He includes among his |iatrons 
the IciKling silk-manufacturers of Paterson, and many 
of his machines are shipped to Canada. Starting in 
life without capital, he luu* by industry, persever- 
ance, and economy succeeded in acquiring a fair 
coni|)etency, and ranks among the most intelligent 
and trustworthy mechanics of Paterson. He was 
eh'cted alilerman of the Second WanI, Paterson, in 
1880. Me w:is married in 1846 to Jane, daughter of 
Edward and Mary Di.Kon, of Caton. England, who 
was born in 1825. His chihlren arc William, who is 
connected in business with his father, and is a local 
preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church ; Ed- 
ward, who resides at Oldham, Entiland ; Jidin, who 
is loom-overlooker in the mills of the Pho>ni.>c Man- 
ufacturing Company of Paterson; Hannah, wife of 
James Cocker, of Paterson ; Mary A., wife of Robert 
Swinley, of the same city; Rachel, wife of Thomas 
Clark, of Paterson; and Janie--* Stubbs, who is also 
asscH i;i(i'i| willi his (:illicr in business. 

Samuel A. Van Satin was horn .Vug. 22, 1802, at 
Tot4)wa, then in the county of Bergen, now Piuwair. 




Jtn^"^- 








^^Lo/.m ^./^^t^^^ 




\ 








^-J-^/,/ ^^^/f f^Q^ 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



529 



N. J. His ancestors, both on the paternal and ma- 
ternal side, came to this country from Holland at 
a very early period. 

His great-grand liither, Isaac Van Saun, then known 
as Van Zandt, settled in the neighborhood of Hack- 
ensack, Bergen Co., and was probably the first repre- 
sentative of the Van Saun family who came from 
Amsterdam. 

His grandfather, Samuel Van Saun, was born in 
this country, and resided for many years in the same 
place, and died at Totowa. He married in the Za- 
briskie family. 

His father, Albert Van Saun, the second son of 
Samuel Van Saun, resided at Totowa during the 
greater part of his life, and died in Paterson in 1837 
in his sixty-ninth year. His mother was the daughter 
of Adrian and Elizabeth Van Houten, of Paterson, 
and died in 185(5 in her eighty-first year. They had 
five children, only two of whom are now living, — 
John, who resides in tlie city of New York, and 
Samuel A., the subject of this sketch. 

The boyhood of Samuel A. Van Saun was passed 
upon his father's farm at Totowa. His early educa- 
tion was such as the schools at that time afforded. 
When only nine years old he was accustomed to walk 
daily to and from the district school, three miles dis- 
tant ; afterwards he attended the academy at Pater- 
son, and received a good business education. 

In 1826 he married Anna, daughter of Casparus 
and Natia Wessels, of Paterson. The issue of this 
marriage was five children, — Sopiiia D., who died in 
infancy; Elizabeth V. H., wife of Henry Muzzy, of 
Paterson, who died a few years since ; Mary Louisa, 
wife of ex-Senator Henry A. Williams, of Paterson; 
Jane A., wife of William Williams, of Hackensack ; 
and Albert Van Saun, of Paterson. His wife, a 
woman of strong will and devoted piety, died in 1844. 

In 1857 he married an estimable lady, Abigail 
Oakley, widow of John S. Fayerweatlier. 

For nearly half a century, from 1826 to 1874, he 
was engaged in mercantile pursuits in Paterson. In 
1847 he erected the brick building on the corner of 
Main and Ellison Streets, and there established the 
business of agricultural implements, seeds, painters' 
supplies, etc., which has been so successfully carried 
on there since. In 1874 he retired from active busi- 
ness, and was succeedetl by his son, Albert Van Saun. 
and grandson, S. V. S. Muzzy. 

In politics he is conservative, and was a Whig of 
the Henry Clay school as long as that party existed. 
In 1844 lie was chosen on a Union ticket to represent 
Passaic County in the I^egislature. He served as 
judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Passaic 
County for the term of five years. In 1860 he was a 
delegate from this State to the National Convention 
at Baltimore which nominated Bell and Everett. 

Upon the breaking out of the Rebellion he became 
identified politically with the Republican party, and 
was a firm supporter of the Federal government. 



Judge Van Saun has now attained the age of sev- 
enty-nine years. He is the oldest living merchant of 
Paterson, and nearly the last representative of a class 
which is fast passing away. His life has been closely 
connected with the history of Paterson from the time 
it was a hamlet of a few hundreds to its present more 
than fifty thousand inhabitants. He is a man of plain 
habits and retiring disposition, genial and kind- 
hearted. His life-work has been confined chiefiy to 
private business, in which he has ever been active 
and energetic, though always performing cheerfully 
such public duties as were required of him as a citizen. 
He has accumulated an ample fortune, the result of 
an active and industrious business life. He and his 
ancestors have always been identified with the Re- 
formed Dutch Church, and for many years he has 
been officially connected with the Second Reformed 
Dutch Church of Totowa at Paterson, both as deacon 
and elder. 

Joseph Gledhill was born at Greetland, York- 
shire, England, on Nov. 16, 1796, and was one of the 
ten children of John and Sarah Thwait Gledhill. 
His father was a manufacturer of woolen textures. 

Joseph received an ordinary English education at 
the common school of his parish, and at fifteen years 
of age commenced to learn the trade of shoemaking 
at Greetland. He worked at this business in Liver- 
pool until April, 1819, when he set sail in the ship 
"Amity," Capt. Maxwell, to seek his fortune in the 
New World. After a voyage of twenty-one days he 
landed in New York City, and came directly to Pat- 
erson, W'here he soon after established a shoe-store on 
Park Street, now the lower portion of Main Street. 
After spending a little over a year in that locality he 
removed to near the corner of Van Houten and Main 
Streets, and continued business there for several years. 
He then moved to the west end of Van Houten Street, 
near the race, where he lesised a tract of land for thirty 
years and erected a house and shop of his own. At 
this point he continued for eighteen years, laboring 
industriously and faithfully at his trade, and gradu- 
ally extending the scope of his business. At the end 
of that time, owing to failing health, he sold his 
property to Jonathan Taylor, and after a few years 
purchased the Andrew Parsons farm, consisting of 
about forty acres, in Acquackanonk township, near the 
canal, where he engaged in agricultural i)ursuits for 
about eighteen years longer, when, owing to the loss 
of his wife, he disposed of his farm and moved into 
Paterson to reside. Since that time he has not en- 
gaged in active business, although he has operated to 
some extent in real estate. He is now one of the 
oldest residents of the city, has led a retired, modest, 
and industrious life, and by judicious management 
has accumulated considerable property. He has never 
been a seeker after public position, although he filled 
the office of county collector of Passaic County for 
two years, and served as a member of the board of 
chosen freeholders of the same county. 



530 



HISTORY OF BKKGKN AND PASSAIC COUNTIKS. NKW .lEUSMY. 



Mr. Gledhill is the only living reiiresfiuutive oi a 
large family of children. Besides hinit-elf, a brother 
James and sister Sarah came to this county, the latter 
of whom married John Collins, of Croton Falls, N. Y., 
and the former engaged in woolen manufacture at 
New London, Conn., and at Garretsville, Otsego Co., 
N. Y'., where some of his descendants still reside. 
Our subject has been twice married, — first on Sept. 1.5, 
1821, to Eliza Davis, of Paterson, who was born April 
20, 1804, and who died about the opening of the late 
war; and secondly to his present wife {nre Ann Staf- 
ford), widow of John Carsley. Of the first marriage 
were born four children, viz. : William, a prominent 
lawyer of Paterson in his day ; Sarah, who married 
Robert T. Creamer ; Robert .Ydams; and John, who 
died in infancy. Robert A. Gledhill, of Paterson, is 
the imly one of the diildren living. 

Charles O'Neill. — Among the old citizens of Pat- 
erson, whose portrait will be recognized by many, is 
that of Charles O'Neill, who was born in County 
Derry, township of Cranney, and parish of Dessart- 
martin, Ireland, in May, 1S03. The ancestor of the 
family was one of the County Antrim O'Neills. His 
grandfather was Peter O'Neill, who lived near Des- 
sartmartin Village, and engaged in hackling flax. He 
had four children, — Charles, John, Martha, and 
Henry. Of these, John was tlie father of our subject, 
and came to this country about 18.34, engaging in 
shocmaking at Paterson. He married Su.san Mc- 
Geoghan, who came with him to this country. The 
children were Mary, who married David Russell ; 
Martha, who became the wife of Edward Mellen ; 
Charles; Susan, who marrieil Jlichail McHride; 
Henry ; Ellen, who married Paul Martin ; John, and 
Bernard. 

The early life of Charles O'Neill was passed in Ire- 
land, where he received a plain English education in 
the private schools. He subsequently learne<l the trade 
of a shoemaker, and workeil at that business, and on the 
farm, in connection with his father. On Oct. 27, 1824, 
he married Margaret Carrigan, and in 182<!, with his 
wife and an infant son, embarked in the brig " Rose- 
bank." under Capt. Bain, for the shores of the New 
World. After a voyage of eight weeks and two days 
they lamleil at (Quebec, Canada, where Mr. O'Neill 
remained threi' months, plying his traile of shoe- 
making. He subse(|Uently located at Charlotte, Vt., 
where he worked at his trade in the winter season, 
and on the neighboring farms in the summer. In the 
month of April, 1828, he removed to New Y'ork City, 
and for six months ran a boot and shoe store on Chap- 
pel Street (now EiLst Bmadway) for his bnithcr-in- 
law, David Russell. Having a great numy friends in 
Paterson, he removed to that city on Oct. 27, 1828, 
where he has since resided. 

Upon his first locating in Paterson, Mr. O'Neill 
started a shoe-store on Prospect Street, near Ellison, 
where he labored faithfully at his traile until the fol- 
lowing spring, when he built a shop on the jtrescnl 



site ol .No. ;i engine-house, where he remained until 
1837 or 1838. His health now failing him, he was 
compelled, under medical advice, to seek a less seden- 
tary occupation, and in 18.3(J he established the coal 
business on the corner of Prospect and Van Houten 
Streets, on a tract of land that he still owns. About 
the same time he established his present yard, at 238 
Mill Street, where he has engaged in almost continu- 
ous trade for the past forty-five years. During that 
long period he hjis sold over two hunilro<l ami fifty 
' thousand tons of coal from his yard, and filled out, 
j mostly with his own hand, a million and a half de- 
livery tickets. He still stands at the head of the en- 
terprise, and at the ripe age of seventy-eight has a 
clear head and retentive memory, and writes a clear, 
bold hand. • Besid&s engaging in the sale of coal, he 
also deals extensively in building materials. 

Mr. O'Neill is regarded as one of the successful, self- 
made citizens of Paterson, who by a long life of in- 
dustry and judicious business management li.a-s accu- 
mulated a handsome competency, and proven himself 
worthy of the confidence and respect of all. He has 
never been a seeker after public position, but has 
I voted for every Democratic candidate for the Presi- 
dency from Jack.son to Hancock. He was a member 
of the town school committee of Paterson in 184;' and 
18.50, and in 18.'J2 representeil the South Ward in the 
board of education. He hits been a member of St. 
John's Roman Catholic Church of Paterson since 
his first coming to the city, and a member of the 
board of trustees of that body for many years, partici- 
pating actively in the building of the present imposing 
church edifice, and making many sacrifices in behalf 
of the institutions of the church. 

Mrs. O'Neill is still living, in the enjoyment of 
good health, and still performs her regular functions 
as the head of her household. ChiMren to the num- 
ber of seventeen have been born to this venerable 
couple, nearly all of whom have received excellent 
educations, and a number of whom have become 
prominent in church and society. The celebration 
of the golden wedding of their aged parents in 1874 
was an occasion of gladsome reunion in .so large a 
family, and many useful and valuable gifts were be- 
stowed upon the bride an<l groom of fifty years before. 
The names of the children are Patrick, born in 
Ireland, Oct. 15, 182.'), died in Georgia, .May, IKXO; 
Mary, born in Charlotte, Vt., Dec. 7, 1826, married 
•lolin Donavan, of Paterson ; John, born in Char- 
lotte, March '.). 1828, died Aug. 4, 1865, represented 
the old South Ward of Paterson in the board of alder- 
men for several terms; Charles Henry, born Sept. l.">, 
1820, in Paterson, a prominent resilient of Jersey 
City, and mayor for a number of terms; Susan, born 
April 6, 1832, wife of John Agnew, of Paterson; 
Catharine J., horn Jan. 2, 18,34, widow of Patrick 
Sharkey, of Mauch Chunk ; Margaret .Vnn, born 
August, 1837, filed Nov. !>, 1S77, a leading teacher and 
Sister of Charity at .St. Elizabeth's Academy, Madi- 





n.i^^'-e>^^Ut.// 




(yy^'^Jrc<:^ 



4 







^n 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



531 



son, N. J., known as Sister Mary Agnes ; Ellen, born 
June 2, 1838; Martha and Theresa, born Aug. 6, 
1840, the former the wife of Dr. John I. Kane, of Pater- 
son, and the latter the Lady Superioress of a branch 
of St. Elizabeth's Academy, at New Brunswick, N. J. ; 
Esther, born Oct. 3, 1843; Agnes, born Aug. 1, 1844, 
died March 2, 1857; Thomas Edward, born Aug. 25, 
1846, died June, 1847 ; three died young ; and Thomas 
Edward, born July 27, 1853, educated at Seton Hall, 
in business with his father. All the girls, except 
Mary and Susan, were educated at ^Nlouut St. Vin- 
cent Seminary. 

John O'Neill, who for many years stood at the 
head of the shoe trade of Patereon, and who at the 
time of his death was the oldest of its active business 
men, was born in the County Derry, township of 
Cranney, and parish of Dessartmartin, Ireland, on 
Sept. 20, 1815. His grandfather was Peter O'Neill, 
who engaged in hackling flax near the village of Des- 
sartmartin, and his father John O'Neill, a shoemaker 
by trade, and also a small farmer, who emigrated to 
1 this country about 1834, and located in Paterson, 
^yhere he worked at his trade. 

John O'Neill, our subject, was the seventh of the 
, eight children of John and Susan (McGcoghan) 
O'Neill. Previous to coming to this country he 
worked at shoemaking in connection with his father 
in Ireland, and enjoyed only limited educational ad- 
vantages. In 1834 he arrived in Paterson with other 
members of the family, and immediately began to 
labor at his trade. He commenced on a very small 
capital, but by close application to business and 
frugal and industrious habits gradually enlarged the 
scope of his business, and acquired a reputation for 
the manufacture of goods of a superior character. 
This reputation he maintained throughout the re- 
mainder of a long business life in Paterson. He first 
located on Market Street near Cross, in a building 
which he subsequently owned, and after leaving there 
occupied different locations in the city. For a por- 
tion of the time he was in partnership with his 
brother Charles, on Prospect Street, and finally es- 
tablished himself on Main Street near Van Houten, 
where he remained a good many years. He then re- 
moved to the Van Houten building, within a few 
doors of the present location of the store of his widow, 
and finally purchased the latter store of the James 
King estate, where he traded until his death on Jan. 

119, 1881, having been continuously engaged in the 
nianufactuie and sale of shoes since November, 1834. 
He died suddenly of pneumonia, after only a few 
days' illness, and while still in the enjoyment of good 
health, and in the performance of the active duties of 
life. He was thoroughly devoted to family and busi- 
ness, and one of the most extensive manufacturers of 
custom-shoes in Paterson. The other shoe-stores of 
the city closed on the day of his funeral as a mark of 
the high esteem in which he was held, not only by 
members of the trade but by the community in gen- 



eral. For many years he made it a custom to do 
business strictly for cash, a valuable rule that is still 
followed by his widow and sons. He led a plain, 
modest life, attending strictly to business, and neither 
aspired to nor accepted political place. He was a de- 
voted member of St. John's Roman Catholic Church, 
and contributed liberally to the support of its institu- 
tions. On March 26, 1837, he married Isabella Brad- 
ley, a native of County Tyrone, Ireland, and left seven 
children living, viz. : Susan B., wife of William Ryan, 
of Brooklyn ; Claude, who with his youngest brother, 
John, carries on the shoe-store in behalf of their 
mother; Mary Ann, wife of Timothy Hogan, a grocer 
of Paterson ; Charles B., who is in a wholesale shoe- 
store in New York City ; Joseph B., who also assists 
in the store at Paterson ; and Isabella. 

Samuel Pope. — The Pope family in this country is 
descended from four members of the family who 
came from Scotland about the opening of the 
eighteenth century and located on a tract of land 
seven miles square near Elizabethtown, N. J. Their 
representatives subsequently spread throughout the 
United States. 

Jeremiah Pope, grandfather of the subject of this 
sketch, was the son of one of these emigrants. He 
resided at Hackensack, N. J., at the time of the Rev- 
olutionary war, and while serving in the patriot army 
was wounded by the British with seven buckshot and a 
ball while on a foray. He was nursed by Polly Van 
Emburgh, daughter of old Dr. Van Emburgh, of 
Hackensack, and subsequently made her his wife. 
After the close of the Revolutionary war he removed 
to Western New York, between Cayuga and Seneca 
Lakes, where he engaged in farming. As a member 
of the famous " Silver Grays" he served under Gen. 
Scott in the war of 1812, and fought atLundy's Lane. 
His children were Samuel ; Betsey, who married John 
Van Iderstine, of Paterson; Peggy, who married 
Henry Phillips, of the same place; Mary, who became 
the wife of John Beya ; and Sally, who married Ben- 
jamin March. His son Samuel was born at Hacken- 
sack, and when about fifteen years of age removed to 
Western New York with his father, whom he assisted 
in his farming operations. He also fought atLundy's 
Lane, having been drafted for service in the army, 
his father, however, insisting upon going in his place. 
Unknown to the father, the son stood near him in the 
thickest of the fight. Both escaped injury, but were 
seized with the dreaded camp-fever soon after and 
died. Jeremiah Pope's widow subsequently drew a 
pension of three thousand six hundred dollars. 

Samuel married Elizabeth Edwards, a native of 
New England, and had two children, — John and Sam- 
uel. The first died about thirty years ago. He mar- 
ried a Miss Onderdonk, and had two children, both of 
whom have since died. 

Samuel Pope, our subject, was born in Western 
New York, on Oct. 9, 1811. After the death of his 
father and grandfather his grandmother removed the 



532 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND I'ASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



family to tlie city of Paterson, Samuel being tlien an 
infant of two years. At tlie sige often he entered the 
factory of John Colt, engaged in the manufacture of 
flax and cotton-duck, with whom he remained several 
years. He then entered the employ of John Trav- 
erse, who was engasred in the same line of manufac- 
ture, and while working in his factory had the fingers 
of his left hand cut almost entirely olf. During the 
time that he was convalescing from this accident he 
received the only book education he ever enjoyed, 
consisting of two (|uarters' schooling. He next joined 
William Jacobs, an old Methodist minister, to learn 
the traileof wood-turning; but this connection proved 
unsatisfactory, anil Jacobs not paying him for his 
services, the lad sued him, employing Judge Ogden 
as his coflnsel, and paying him by his personal labor. 
Thus early in life did Mr. Pope manifest a disposition 
that h:is clung to him through the long years of his 
busy life, namely, to maintain his rights even at the 
expense of force and litigation. 

After leaving Jacobs, young Pope engaged in 
driving stage from Paterson to New York for about 
eight years. He also helped to build the turnpike to 
New York, the Jlorris Canal, and the I'aterson and 
New York liailroad, working daily on these siriietures 
with his horses and carts. AftiT the completion of i 
the railroad, the cars on which were drawn by horses, | 
Mr. Pope drove on the road, and attended to the bag- ' 
gage for a time, and (hen entered theeniploy of John, 
Robert, and Edward Stevens, of Hobokeii, and ran 
their opposition line of stages to New York. About 
1834 or lS3i) three locomotive-engines were brought 
from England and placed on the Paterson and New- 
York road, of which Judge Ogden was then presi- [ 
dent. Mr. Pope was called upon and a-ssisted in 
setting up the first locomr)tive that was run on the 
road, and ran on it as fireman for about eight months. 
A new president having been elected for the road, 
Mr. Pope then left, and started an opposition stage- [ 
line of four stjiges, the fare to New York being two 
shillings and sixpence. He ran his line successfully, 
so far as the time made was concerned, for one season, 
an<l about the year IW37 turned his attention to the 
wood busine.ss. He cut ofl' about three thousand 
acres of wood and sold it to the Now York and Erie 
Railroad, which had then leased the obi Paterson 
road, and to others. He engaged in this underlaking 
with success for a number of years, and gradually 
extending it, made it the principal Itusiness of his 
life. One .xecret of his success hits been that he has 
never felt above any kind of labor that was honest 
and remunerative, and so, besides his wood specula- 
tion, he built niillit, opened and developed ijuarries, 
and did mason- and carpenter-work, having as many 
US seventeen journeymen carpenters working (or him 
at one lime. His business gradimlly a.ssume<l large 
proportions, and he became recognized as one of the 
most Huccessful and clear-headeil men of enterprise 
in Paterson. In connection with Abram S. Hewitt 



and Edward Cooper, he owned the half of Wynockie 
! a few years ago, and now owns three mills in Pater- 
son, a number of houses and public places, a mile of 
quarries, and has recently purchased the fine (piarry 
at Haledon. Without an education, starting in life 
without either a father's or a mother's support, and 
under the most adverse circumstances, his hardy 
Scotch nature and honest toil have brought him 
through, and marked bim as one of the most success- 
ful of the self-made citizens of Paterson. He is now 
seventy-one years of age, stands six feet six and a 
half inches high, and attends daily to his extensive 
business matters. Posses-sed of a good heart and 
kindly nature, he is at once the truest of friends and 
the most bitter of enemies, and he who once does 
him an injury must beware of his revenge. At the 
same time his enemy once punished, he is the first to 
extend him a friendly hand. 

Mr. Pope has been an adherent of the Democratic 
l)arty through life, and has filled a number of posi- 
tions of prominence and influence. He was first 
elected to the office of constable without bis consent, 
and paid a fine of fifteen dollai"s because of his re- 
fusal to qualify. He served as superintendent of 
streets for a number of years, and in KS.'il ami l.'^.j2 
represented the Fifth and South Wards in the board 
of aldermen. While an incumbent of the latter office 
be was elected city treasurer, and served in that posi- 
tion for one year, giving security bonds to the amount 
of si.xty thousand dollars, receiving a salary of only 
two hundred dollars a year, and paying his own ■fVice 
rent and his book-keeper a -salary of three hundred 
dollars besides. In 1857 he was elected to represent ' 
the South and Fifth Wards and Acquackanonk town- 
ship in the State Legislature, and was successively 
re-elected for five terms. As a member of the Legis- 
lature he enjoyed a commanding influence, repri-- 
sented the Stevens road from Hoboken to Newark 
with ability, fought the old New Jersey road with 
success, being elected in spite of the latter sending 
three thousand dollars to his district to defeat him, 
and amid all this clashing of interests maintained a 
reputation for boni^sty and fair ilealing. He would 
accept no office after his retirement from the Legisla- 
ture. He has assisted the various churches of the city 
by generous contributions, and recognizes the right 
of each person to select his own route to heaven. He 
married, in ISIiil, Eliza Rose, of Haverstraw, N. Y., 
who is still living, but has bad no children. In l''>72 he 
anil his wife were bound while in bed by eight masked 
burglars, who entered their handsome resilience on 
Broadway, and succeeded in obtaining about thirteen 
thousiind dollars in bonds and money. He loaned the 
New York and Lake Erie Railroad the money with 
which were constructed their depots and freight -houses 
at i'aterson, and has been a character in that city for 
many years. 

Patrick Magennis was born in Dublin, Ireland, 
.\pril 4, lhU2, and died at his residence in Paterson, 

V -T.,, •• u'i 'f~-'.: \ 





^ f l^^^l • 



■» 
i 




6cCur^Ay.J2/- QfcJA/r" 



The Clark family has been identified with the growth, history, 
and development of the city of Paterson from its first settle- 
ment to the present time. John Clark, the progenitor of the 
family, was born in Renfrewshire, Scotland, on Jlay 21. 1763, 
and being a machinist by trade, and a personal friend of Hon. 
Alexander Hamilton, emigrated, with a wife and two children, 
to America in 1794, and located at Paterson, where he was em- 
ployed by the Society for Establishing Useful jNIanufactures, of 
which Mr. Hamilton was an earnest patron. A certificate, 
written and signed by Peter Colt, superintendent of the first 
cotton-mill established at Paterson by the society, and dated 
Aug. 22, 1817, testifies that ''he (Mr. Clark) made, in company 
with a partner who worked in iron and brass, all the valuable 
machinery worked in the first cotton-mill that was ever erected 
in this part of the country, and the first (as I believe) that was 
worked in America." Further, that " Mr. Clark has been a 
resident in this town ever since the period first mentioned 
(1794), and has always carried un the business of making ma- 
chines for spinning both cotton and the wool of sheej), and is 
a very able mechanic and an industrious citizen." A long 
itemized account against the society, furnished by " Jlcllivham 
k Chirke," on Mnrch 18, 1794, shows that the services first ren- 
dered amounted to £2101 \>*. 2iL Mr. Clark continued hi;: resi- 
dence in Paterson until his death, on Oct. 12, IS^iO. Besides 
manufacturing machinery for cotton and woolen-mills, he en- 
gaged prominently in the manufacture of woolen fabrics for a 
long time, and may be classed among the founders of the in- 
dustrial interests of the city. He was not a public man, and 
attained to no prominent jtolitical position. His wife, whose 
maiden name was Jane Slater, was born in Sterlingshire, Scot- 
land, on May 1, 17fiS. and died in Paterson, May 30, 1838. 
The children were Jane, born Oct. 5, 1791, in Renfrewshire, mar- 
ried Robert Cunningham, a machinist of Paterson. died Aug. 
6. 1853; John. Jr.. born March 4. 1793, in Renfrewshire, died 
at Patersou, April 3. 1841 ; AVilliam L., born in Paterson, Oct. 
3. 1795. died Nov. 9. 18:)9; Robert, born Sept. 22, 1798, died 
March It, 1869: Elisha B., born May 30, 1801, died Mnrch 1, 
1842; Alexander, horn Oct. 17, 1803,'died at Paterson: Henry, 
born Feb. 14, 1807, died Aug. 11, 1875.; and Edward, twin 
brother of Henry, died May 15, 1875. 

All of these children attained to years of maturity and passed 
their lives in the city of Paterson. John was for many years 
a prominent manufacturer of the city, and a member of the 
firm of Clark &. Rogers (Thomas), who in 1819 began the 



manufacture of cotton-looms in the "Beaver Mill," which 
John Clark, the elder, had erected many years before. He 
continued in active business throughout the greater part of his 
life. William L. Clark managed the store connected with Peter 
Colt's cotton-factory for some time, and subsequently kept the 
books of Rogers, Ketehum &, Grosvenor, locomotive builders. 
Elisha B. Clark was a member of the firm of Clark & Robin- 
son, cotton-sjpinners. who occupied the present site of the Ivan- 
hoe Paper-I\lill. He was a man of influence and prominence, 
held several local offices of importance, and represented his 
district in the State Legislature. 

Edward Clark, whose portrait accompanies this sketch, was 
for many years a substantial business man of Paterson, and 
was identified throughout a long life with the growth and de- 
velopment of the city. He received only a common-school 
education, and was thoroughly trained in the trade of a ma- 
chinist in the shops of his brother John. He subsequently as- 
sisted his brother, William L. Clark, in the Colt store for a 
short time, and in 1826 established an iron foundry on the cor- 
ner of Mulberry and River Streets. In 1829, in company with 
his brother Henry, he started the hardware business on the cor- 
ner of Main and Ellison Streets, and subsequently moved next 
door, where he continued in active trade until his death, on May 
15, 1875. Mr. Clark was a gentleman of refined tastes and 
modest instincts, and mingled little in the turmoil of public 
affairs. Upon the incorporation of the city he was elected a 
member of the first council from the East Ward, and was 
chairman of the finance committee. He was thoroughly de- 
voted to his business, bore himself with dignity and reserve in 
the management of his aff"airs, and sustained the reputation in 
the community of an upright and honorable man. He was a 
regular attendant of the First Presbyterian Church of Paterson, 
and contributed freely to the support of the institutions of the 
city. He married, on Nov. 8. IS28. Ann, daughter of John and 
Mary Mclntyre. of New York City. She was born May 26, 
1812, and dieil Dec. 7, 186S. The issue of the union were 
Morton Clark, who succeeded his uncle Henry in the hardware 
business. June 1, 1S75, and is now trading at the old stand, and 
Livingston, born April 22, 1841, died Oct. 14, 1857. 

Henry Clark was the close friend and business partner of his 
brother Edward for forty-six years. He was a man of exemplary 
character, an elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Paterson, 
and died only a few months after the demise of him with whose 
life, from birth to old age, he had been so closely identified. 



I 



* 



M 






'(cr/^- 





CITY OF PATERSON. 



533 



N. J., Jan. 15, 1882. Arthur Magennis, fatlipr of 
Patrick, was a wealtliy manufacturer in Dublin, was 
a leading jKitriot during the rebellion there, and 
therefore was obliged to leave Ireland. He accord- 
ingly placed his family in England, and set sail for 
America, landing at Baltimore in 1810, where he en- 
gaged in manufacturing cotton and velveteen. He 
went to Hudson, N. Y., in 1S12, where he again en- 
gaged in manufacturing cotton goods and velveteen; 
thence to Matteawan, N. Y., where he manufactured 
all kinds of fancy cotton goods. He finally gave up 
business to his son, and died in Paterson, N. J., at the 
age of eighty. By his second marriage to Catharine 
Magonnis he had one daughter, Eleanor, Mrs. James 
Brett, now living at Matteawan, and Patrick, subject 
of this sketch. 

Patrick Magennis received an academical educa- 
tion at Hudson, N. Y., as his father, who was a grad- 
uate of Trinity College, Dublin, took great interest in 
the early education of his children. 

Patrick came to Paterson about LS.So, and began 
maiiulacturing cotton goods, in partnership with 
Samuel (_i. Wheeler, at the Beaver Mills, which they 
owned. Mr. Magennis owned also the Beaver Mill 
House, where he resided. After the dissolution of 
the partnership with Mr. Wheeler, he added to his 
business dyeing and printing, and subsequently built 
the Grant Locomotive- Works, and continued build- 
ing locomotives for several years. 

From tliat time until nearly the time of his decease 
he was among the foremost iji building up the inter- 
ests of Paterson and contributing to its material growth. 
He possessed an ingenious mind, and obtained a patent, 
himsell as patentee, dated April 21. 1838, entitled 
" Improvement in the art of dyeing cloth by machin- 
ery by one process." Mr. Magennis was comptroller 
of Paterson for two years, was one of the first alder- 
men, and president of the board for a number of 
years, and one of its principal citizens in incorpor- 
ating Paterson as a city. He retired from manufac- 
turing — bleaching and dyeing — before he became 
com|)troller, and never resumed the business again. 
For two years he was a member of the State Legisla- 
ture, where he discharged the duties incumbent upon 
liim with credit to himself and honor to his constit- 
uents. He was a man of remarkable energy, keen 
perception, strict integrity, and correct habits, and 
esteemed by his fellow-citizens for his uprightness of 
character in all his dealings and business relations. 

In early manhood Mr. Magennis took an active 
part in military matters. He became a member of 
the Light Infantry, One Hundred and Forty-ninth 
Regiment New York State Militia, Oct. 8, 1824; was 
commissioned ensign of it by Governor De Witt 
Clinton on May 26, 1826; was appointed lieutenant 
l>y Governor E. T. Throop, with commission dated 
Jan. 11, 18;?2, John A. Dix being then adjutant- 
general ; and he was appointed captain of the same 
regiment April 80, 1834, by Governor W. L. Marcy. 



He was once the actuary of St. Paul's Church, 
Paterson, and warden, and during his active business 
life was a liberal supporter of church and kindred in- 
terests. For a long time prior to his death he was 
afiiicted with rheuniatism, and much of the time a 
constant sufferer and confined to his bed. 

His wife, Ann, a daughter of James and Mary Cun- 
ningham, and a native of New York City, survives him. 
Their children are George, was city clerk of Paterson 
for several years, and died while the incumbent of that 
office. He was formerly an editor of one of the lead- 
ing journals of Pater.son. He left a widow and four 
children. The only daughter is Catherine, widow of 
the late Sanford C. Brown, son of Judge Nehemiah 
Brown, who now resides on Broadway, in Paterson, 
where her father died, and is a lady of culture and 
Christian excel lejice. 

James Nighting'ale. — His father, John Nightin- 
gale, was born near Chorley, England, Nov. 25, 1783, 
and with his wife, Mary Fallis, and three children 
emigrated to this country in 1818. They landed in 
New York City after a tedious passage of nine weeks, 
and being a weaver by trade, Mr. Nightingale located 
at Paterson, then a small manufacturing city. About 
the year 1820 he removed to Lake View, where he 
kept a public-house, attended the toll-gate on the New 
York turnpike, and carried on the business of weav- 
ing on the premises. Jn 1825 he located at Wesel, 
near Paterson Landing (Passaic), where he purchased 
twelve and a half acres of land, on which stood a 
saw- and grist-mill. These latter he converted into a 
bleachcry, which he placed in charge of a friend from 
England. After a few years, the latter not proving 
successful, Mr. Nightingale assumed control of the 
business, and successfully carried it on until 1828, 
when, in connection with Judge Pliileniou Dickerson, 
he purchased a cotton-mill on Boudinot Street (now 
VanHouten). This they leased out for a few years, but 
Mr. Nightingale finally succeeded to the business, and 
carried on the spinning and weaving of cotton on his 
own account until 184!t, when he leased the property 
to William and J. Watson and retired from active 
life. He died March 17, 1859. He was ever of a 
genial and social nature, courteous towards all, a good 
entertainer, and being possessed of a fine voice and 
su](erior musical talent, made himself a welcome 
guest in many homes. He composed a number of 
the most popular political songs of his day. His first 
wife died Jan. 2, 1822, aged thirty-four years. The 
children who grew up were Ann, born in England, 
Nov. 20, 1807, widow of Thomas Slater, a weaver of 
Paterson ; Joseph, born in England in 1814, died in 
Paterson, Jan. 1, 1825 ; Ellen, born in England, July 
13, 1817, married, first, Alexander Lacklison, and 
secondly, Richard Booth, and who now resides in San 
Franci-sco, Cal., and James, our subject. Mr. Night- 
ingale married for a second wife Eliza Sullivan, who 
bore him several children, of whom only two grew to 
maturity, viz. : John, who has resided in San Fran- 



634 



HISTOUY OF liERGKN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Cisco since 1849, and Joseph, who died Dec. 19, 
18.').'). 

James Kiglitingale was born Aug. 11, 1821. He 
received only a coninion-school education, and at the 
age of seventeen entered upon the study of medicine 
witli Dr. E. J. Marsh, of Paterson. He attended 
Iccture-x at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, 
Ni'w York City, and wils graduated in 1841. Dr. 
Lewis A. Sayre, of New York, was one of his class- 
mates. After graduating as a physician, Mr. Night- 
ingale felt compelled by the exigencies of his father's 
business to abandon the practice of medicine and 
enter into business life. He accepted an interest in 
the business with his brother John at Paterson, and 
opened an office at 156 Pearl Street, New York, where 
he sold the yarns, warps, and fillings manufactured 
at tlie factory in Paterson for a few years. In 1849 
his brother removed to San Francisco, and James 
settled up tlie business of the concern. In 18.58 he 
and his father placed new machinery in the Night- 
ingale Mills and began cotton-spinning again. The 
latter died in 1859, and the son continued the busi- 
ness until 1864, when he sold the machinery, rented 
the property, and retired. For a number of years 
thereafter he did business tus a fire insurance agent, 
but has now withilrawn from active business life. 
During his long residence in Paterson he has al- 
ways been interested in all matters pertaining to its 
growth and development, and been favorably known 
as one of the live, enterprising residents of tiie city. 
He filled the office of city clerk for one year in 1873, 
though a Republican, was appointed assessor at large 
by a Democratic mayor, and held the position of 
deputy collector of internal revenue under Boyd 
Headley, for the Fourth District of New Jersey, for 
several years. He represented the old West Ward 
in the Common Council for several years. 

Mr. Nightingale was married, in 1844, to Mary L., 
daughter of William .\. Cobb, president of the Ful- 
ton Insurance Company of New York. The children 
are Emily, wife of (Irant Boyd, a merchant at San 
Francisco; Mary, wife of A. K. Shepherd, of New 
York; and .lamesC, a clerk in the Manufacturers' 
Niiti(in:i1 I'.Miik- of Brooklyn. 

John Agnew. — His father, Patrick Agnew, was a 
native of the city and county of Armagh, Ireland, 
and came to this country about the year 1820, when 
he was about twenty-one years of age. He was a 
weaver by tradr, and located at Paterson, N. J., where 
the weaving of duck wils then a leading industry. He 
subsei|uently started a liquor-store on Cross Street, 
corner of John (now Ellison) Street, and later estab- 
lisheil the grocery and li<|Uor business at No. .53 Cross 
Street, where he engaged in traile for a nund)er of 
years. He retired from buHineH.H alxmt 1.1.')2, an<l clied 
in .\pril, l.%5, while filling the position of lussociate 
justice of the Court of Common I'leas. He was a 
DennK-rat in politics, and a member of St. .John's 
Roman Catholic Church of Paterson. His wife was 



Jane Fielton, and four of his children attained adult 
age, viz.: John, our subject ; Margaret, wife of Hon. 
Charles H. O'Neill, ex-mayor of Jersey City ; Luke, 
dece.ised ; and Thomas, who is engaged in the real 
estate and insurance business in San Francisco. 

John Agnew wits liorn at Paterson on ^ov. 1, 1831. 
His earlier education was obtained at ditVerent private 
schools in the city, supplemented by a three years' 
course at Montreal, Canada. After leaving school he 
entered the employ of Ins father, and served him as 
clerk for eight years, and then established a store of 
his own on the corner of (Jrand and Marshall Streets, 
where he engaged in trade until 18t>."). In that year 
he entered the coal trade on Mill Street, where he 
remained three years, and then changed his location 
to the corner of Slater and Prince Streets, where he 
has since remained. He hiis enlarged the scope of 
liis business, and is not only one of the leading coal 
merchants of the city, but deals extensively in lime 
and bluestone, and in the sale of masons' materials 
generally. 

Mr. Agnew is one of the oldest and best known of 
the native business men of Paterson. He has at- 
tended strictly to his private business atl'airs, and, while 
an active supporter of Democratic jirinciples, has not 
been an aspirant after political position. He served 
as school commissioner for some time from the South 
Ward, arid represented the same ward in the Common 
Council in 1858 and 1859. He is a member of St. 
■lohn's Roman Catholic Church, and a man of integ- 
rity and moral principle. He was married on .Vpril 
31, 1855, to Susan, daughter of Charles and Margaret 
O'Neill, of Paterson, and has had fourteen children, 
of whom seven survive, viz. : Charles, Mary Agnes, 
.Tohn. Maruarct. Francis, Susan, and .lennie. 

Josiah p. Hlintoon. — .\mong the old residents of 
Paters(m, whose venerable fiico ami form have been 
fiiniiliar to its citizens for nearly half a century, and 
who has during that time become intimately identi- 
fied with the growth and development of the city, is 
Josiah P. Huntoon. 

His ancestry can be traced back to a remote date, 
when Philip Huntoon was abducted from the island 
of Guernsey, on the western coast of France, and 
brought to Exeter, N. II., where he was sold to pay 
his passage. This was about the year 1640, when 
Philip Huntoon was a mere lad. His descendants 
are known to have participated in the taking of 
tiuebcc uniler Oen. Wolfe, in 17.59, and in all the 
subsequent wars with the French and English down 
to the close of the Revolution, (^ne of these, Charles 
Huntoon, the great-grandfatherof our subject, settled 
on a wilderness farm on one of the bleak hills of 
Unity, Sullivan Co., N. H., where lie dosed his life, 
engaged in the arduous agricultural operations of 
those pioneer ilays. Here were born .losiah, grand- 
father of our subject, and IJemsley, his father. The 
latter in early manhood left his native county and 
located at Berlin, Washington Co., Vt., where he 



^ Ife^-. 



"^ -. 






jt^/. 




CITY OF PATERSON. 



535 



married Florinda Nye, wlio bore him a family of ton 
children, of whom Josiah P. Huntoon was the oldest. 
The family subsequently resided at Montpelier, Vt., 
and at Ogdensburgh, N. Y. 

Josiah P. Huntoon was born at Montpelier, Vt., 
on July 16, 1813. His early educational advantages 
were very limited, and in 1828, at the tender age of 
fifteen, he left the paternal roof at Ogdensburgh, 
without other capital than the supporting strength of 
a mother's prayers and a strong and resolute will, to 
enter alone into the battle of life. He landed in 
New York City, friendless and penniless, in June of 
that year, and soon secured a position as clerk in a 
book-store. For several years thereafter he filled the 
same position with success in various branches of 
trade in New York. In 1835 he commenced the 
roasting and grinding of coffee for the grocery trade 
on his own account, and successfully followed that 
business until compelled to suspend during the terri- 
ble financial crash of 1830. About this time Mr. 
Huntoon married his first wife. Miss Bowlsby, of 
Morris Count}', N. J., and removed to that locality soon 
after, where he undertook the management of her 
homestead farm. He continued in that pursuit for 
several years, during which time he taught the neigh- 
boring district school with great acceptance, and in 
the spring of 1841 went on a prospecting tour to the 
West with a view of settling in that section. Not 
finding a desirable opening he returned to New Jer- 
sey, and in the fall of 1841 removed to Paterson, 
where he established the coffee and spice business in 
a small way, and without either capital or friends. 
For years Mr. Huntoon struggled on, devoting all of 
his time and energies to the development of a branch 
of business of which he was the pioneer in Paterson, 
meeting many discouragements, but finally achieving 
marked success. From a small beginning the busi- 
ness which he had established attained an annual 
production of $300,000 or $400,000, and the commod- 
ities which he manufactured were in constant and 
increasing demand. Until 1872, Mr. Huntoon con- 
ducted his business affairs in a profitable and pros- 
perous manner, but subsequent years of disaster and 
•shrinkage told heavily upon his resources, and on 
Jan. 1, 1879, he withdrew from the management of 
the business, and separated himself from the cares 
and annoyances of an active business life. His suc- 
cessors, Messrs. Huntoon, Paige & Co., occupy the 
substantial brick factory on Broadway he erected in 
1855, and are doing a large and successful business. 

Mr. Huntoon is a man of great individuality of 
character, original both in the conception of his plans 
and in the method of carrying them out, and pos- 
sessed of great energy and force. In the transactions 
of daily life he ever manifests a jocund good humor, 
and is courteous, kind, and forbearing towards all. 
In all of his affairs he has always exercised the 
strictest integrity, and his personal honor has never 
been questioned. 



In politics Mr. Huntoon was first a Whig and then 
a Republican, holding extreme anti-slavery views, 
and voting for James G. Birney in 1844, and for 
Horace Greeley in 1872. In early life he took an 
active part in local politics, and was elected to various 
offices of trust and responsibility. He was president 
of the board of chosen freeholders of Passaic County 
for several years, and also president of the board of 
education. He has been identified with various local 
organizations of Paterson throughout his long resi- 
dence in that city, and was a member of the board of 
trustees of the Paterson Savings' Institution from 
the time of its organization until a recent date. He 
has been a member of the board of directors of the 
First National Bank of Paterson since its organiza- 
tion in 1843. Mr. Huntoon's first wife died in 1864, 
and he subsequently married Miss Sarah M. Doremus, 
of Morris Co., N. J., who is his present wife. Of his 
eleven children seven are living, — -viz., Ada, wife 
of Henry I. Clark, a banker and broker of New York 
City ; James and Walter, members of the firm of 
Huntoon, Paige & Co., of Paterson ; Bertha and 
Jennie, residing at home; and Masters Edward and 
Louis Huntoon. 

Henry Barrett Crosby. — The Crosby family in 
this county are of English descent, the name being 
traceable as far back as the year 1204, the sixth in 
the reign of King John. The etymology of the word 
is " town of the cross," the termination " by" in Eng- 
lish towns being a Danish form of " burgh," " burg," 
or " borough." The towns so called are found in 
great numbers where the Danes formed their settle- 
ments, principally along the sea-coasts of the north 
of England. It was common with the Northmen to 
erect a cross where the settlement was made. 

The original ancestor of the family in the United 
States was Simon Crosby, who emigrated to this coun- 
try in 1635 and settled in Massachusetts. 

Watson Crosby, father of the subject of this sketch, 
was born at Cape Cod, Nov. 7, 1776. His mother was 
left a widow with seven small children, of whom he 
was the eldest. Having lost a brother at sea, she 
dreaded the effect of its fascination upon her boys, as 
it offered the only means of support on those barren 
shores. She therefore removed with her family to 
Brattleboro', Vt., where she bought a few acres of 
land and made her home, and where Watson grew up 
and lived until some years after bis marriage. On 
Nov. 4, 1804, he married Desire Bangs, daughter of 
Deacon Joseph Bangs, of Hawley, Mass., a represen- 
tative of an old New England family, whose ancestors 
can be traced back to the historic " May fiower." Their 
children were Olive, Ruth, Abigail, Miranda, Joseph 
B., Henry B., Jeremiah M., Charles H., and Frances 
Crosby. Mr. Crosby was engaged in farming and 
manufacturing shoes. He was a plain, hard-working 
man, performing his duties faithfully, and achieved 
the reputation of an upright, honorable citizen. He 
accumulated only a moderate com[)etency, but lived 



536 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JKKSKV. 



to sec all his children grow to manhood and wonian- 
liood and enter into useful and honorable ijositioiis 
in the world. He died Sept. 24, 1859, at the advanced 
age of eijrhty-tliree. 

Henry Barrett Crosby; the subject of this sketch, 
waa born in Brattleboro', Vt., April 13, 1815, where 
he spent his earliest years and attended the district 
school. The family being large and their circum- 
stances moderate, his advantages for education were 
limited. He was early impressed with the necessity 
of earning liis own living, and at ten years of age 
worked on the adjoining farm of Deacon Russell 
Hayes, an uncle of e.x-President Hayes, attending 
school only in winter. About lJSl'7 the family moved 
to Springfield, where young Crosby worked in a cot- 
ton-factory at Chicopee Falls, near that city, for about 
two years. He then entered the employ of Ames 
Brothers, of Springfield, with tlie view of learning 
the business of jiaper-making, which at that time was 
carried on extensively by hand ; but the introduction 
of machinery for that purpose put a stop to his con- 
tinuing at that trade. 

The family returning to Brattleboro', he wits thrown 
entirely upon his own resources, and went to work 
upon a farm in the outskirts of Springfield, receiving 
fifteen dollars a month fi)r his services. A farm-life 
was unsuited to his mechanical taste, and in the au- 
tumn he went to Woonsocket Falls, R. I., where he 
worked in Cook & Grant's machine-shop. It was 
common at that time for apprentices to spend three 
years learning a trade, but young Crosby was unwil- 
ling to take so much time before being entitled to 
wages, and as especial favor made arrangements ' 
to work six months for his board. Uosea Ballou, i 
manufacturer of looms in the same village, employed 
him the following eight months at one <lollar per 
day. At the expiration of this time he rcliiriicd to 
Chicopee Falls, and worked in a machine-shop at 
making flyers for spinning-frames for one year In ' 
June, 1.S34, he returned to his old home at Brattle- 
boro', where he attended the academy for six months 
anil completed his limited education. Before leav- 
ing home again he purchased his minority of his 
father fiir two hundred and twenty <lollars, gave his 
note for the amount, and in due time paid it with 
interest. He next went to Ware, Mass., where he 
worked in the machine-shop of the Ham|ishire Man- 
ufacturing (^'ompany, which was un<ler the superin- 
tendence of I'liny Lowton, Mr. Crosby and CJeorge 
Hitchcock taking a contract to build tlyers for the 
company's new cotton-mill. Here he renuiined three 
yearx. In May, 188(), Mr. Crosby felt a desire to visit 
the " West." He crossed over to Albany, N. Y., by 
stage, and reailied Ulica by way of the Erie Canal, 
remaining only lung enough, however, to pay i-urreiit 
expi'iises. Keturniiig, he was taken very ill with 
fiver at West Troy, which cletjiineil him several 
weeks, reducing his strength and his resources to the 
lowest ebb. When sullicientlv rei-overed he went 



down the river to IVmghkeepsie. where his first work 
wiis the building of two engines designed for driving 
spiles in constructing a Southern railroad. This was 
in the winter of 1S36-37, when the busine.ss capacity 
of the country had been expanded to the utmost and 
the final coUap.-iC was wellnigh at hand. The busi- 
ness be was engaged in especially felt the reaction, 
and in the spring he determined to return to 
Springfield, among old acquaintances. On board 
the steamer, near Hartford, he met his old friend, 
Superintendent Lowton, who persuaded Mr. Crosby 
to accompany him to I'aterson, N. J., to engage in 
the manufacture of revolving guns and pistols, first 
introduced by Colt's patent about that time. 

This seeming accident proved to be the turning- 
point in his life, and Paterson became his permanent 
residence. He arrived there on April 23, 1S37, and 
on the 2t;th began work under Mr. Samuel Colt in 
the old Gun Mill, and took a contract fi>r making 
portions of the lock-work. He performed his work to 
the entire satisfaction of his employer, and even ac- 
companied Mr. Colt to Washington and other places 
for the |uirpose of having his gun tested and accepted 
by the United States government, but owing to the 
failure of the enterprise, elsewhere described in this 
work, he was comjielled to seek other employment. 
Being broken in health he spent one summer at Capo 
May, N. .1., and in 1842 returned to Paterson with 
restored health. He determined to sUirt a small 
grocery busine.ss temporarily. He reasoned that as 
there were no remnants of tea and sugar, or getting 
out of fashion to groceries, he con hi sell out at any 
time, and when the prosperity of business would ad- 
mit of it he could return to his former occujiation. 
Taking the few hundred dollars which he had saved, 
he purclia.-'ed his stock, and o|ieneil a store on Main 
Street, near Broadway, on May (J, 1st:}. His knowl- 
edge of trade w:is limited, and he employed Mr. Lewis 
L. Conklin, father of the present postmater of Pater- 
son, to assist him. Notwithstanding the gloomy 
prophecies of bis friends, who predicted failure unless 
he should add the sale of liquors to that of groceries, 
Mr. Crosby achieved success from the beginning in 
his new enterprise, and in two years was compelled to 
seek more commodious quarters, which he obtained 
in the old Van Blarcom property, corner of Broailway 
and Main Street.s. He made extensive alterations at 
that place, and continued in active trade there fiir the 
period of ten years. At the expiration of that time 
be puri'ba.sed of David Roe the Main Street portion 
of his present store, and subsequently bought the 
property directly in the rear, and facing on Wiu-ihing- 
ton Street, where he established his wholesale ilepart- 
ment. He liius since continued to carry on one of the 
largest wholesale and retail grocery enterpriso in 
the State, and is recognized by all as /arile jirhirept 
among the dealers in groceries of the city of Pater- 
son. In 18U7 he took into partnership his son. .1. 
Henry Crosby, the firm being now known as II. 15. 



^•"•^ tttN 



L^ 





^^-t^ T>>Z /^; 




^.^ 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



537 



Crosby & Son. Mr. Crosby has done the largest mer- 
cantile business in the city or county (or more than a 
quarter of a century, and at no time in nearly forty 
years' bu.siness has he had a note protested, check 
dishonored, or failed to meet a payment the hour it 
was due, and during all the panics of those years 
he never paid less than one hundred cents on the 
dollar to meet all of his obligations. 

We have thus traced in a plain way the upward 
career of one who, starting from an humble station in 
life, has raised himself, by great persistency of pur- 
pose, close application to business, and the intelligent 
and judicious management of his affairs, to a leading 
place among the business men of Paterson. It has 
been our intention to present only a truthful account 
of the early struggles and later successes of Mr. 
Crosby, as an incentive and example to the young in 
treading the devious pathway of life. It will be 
observed that the prominent qualities that have 
enabled him to succeed have been a willingness to 
work at any honest vocation, however humble, a 
steady persistency in life, and the manifestation of 
that fertility of invention and of resource which is 
inherent in people of New England birth and an- 
cestry. Mr. Crosby has confined himself closely to 
his business, and with the exception of an extended 
tour in Europe in 1869 with his family and eight 
months in California, he has seldom absented himself 
from his store for any length of time. He is method- 
ical and exact in business, at once exacting and for- 
bearing towards his employes, and has a settled habit 
of buying only when the market is low and for cash. 
He has kept out of politics, and refused to be nomi- 
nated for public office. He has acted in close accord 
witli the Republican party, and was one of the dele- 
gates from New Jersey on the occasion of the first 
nomination at Chicago of Lincoln for the Presi- 
dency. He is in active sympathy with all worthy 
local enterprises, and has been closely identified with 
a number of the institutions of the city. He has 
been one of the largest stockholders and a director of 
the First National Bank of Paterson since the organ- 
ization of that institution, is a member of the board 
of trustees of the Paterson Savings Institution, one 
of the board of government of the Paterson Board of 
Trade, and a member of the New York Produce Ex- 
change and Butter and Cheese Exchange of New 
York. In church affiliations he adheres to the Bap- 
tist denomination, and is a member of the First Bap- 
tist Church of Paterson. He has been president of 
the building association connected with that body 
since its organization, and he is one of the trustees of 
the church, and was a member of the building com- 
mittee at the time of the erection of the ])resent 
church edifice. He was actively interested in the 
laying out of the Cedar Lawn Cemetery, and besides 
owning a handsome lot there, has been president of 
the association connected therewith for a number of 
years. He is also president of the East Side Land 



Company, and for many years held the same relation 
to the Passaic Land Improvement Company at Lake 
View, and lal)ored hard in laying out streets, buililing 
houses, and advancing the general interests of the 
enterprise. He was one of the first in the city to 
adopt the modern style of architecture, as distin- 
guished from the old Dutch style, in the erection of 
dwelling-houses, and in 1853 built his present hand- 
some residence on the corner of Broadway and Pater- 
son Streets. He moved into it on Sept. 15, 1853. In 
all his undertakings he manifests a spirit of enterprise 
that is worthy the emulation of all, and brings to the 
discharge of the duties of life a degree of force that 
few are able to command. 

Mr. Crosby was married on Feb. 27, 1840, to Pau- 
lina F., youngest daughter of Thomas W. Hathorn, 
of Paterson, who died in January, 1872. She was a 
woman of excellent judgment, and a good counselor 
for her husband. Her grandfather was Gen. Ha- 
thorn, a w-arm patriot during the struggle for national 
independence, and a member of the first American 
Congress. 

The children were Josephine, widow of Samuel C. 
M. Allen, a former New York merchant and manu- 
facturer and popular resident of Paterson ; John 
Henry, in partnership with his father in the grocery 
business, married Mary, oldest daughter of Hon. 
Joseph T. Crowell, of Railway, N. J. ; Anne Louise, 
wife of Isaac Newton, Jr., of New York City ; and 
Isabel Stewart. Mr. Crosby's present wife, Har- 
riet E., daughter of Noah and Catharine (Clark) 
Rogers, of Cornwall, Conn., is of New England birth, 
and a descendant on the paternal side of old Puritan 
stock, and on the maternal of Frencli Huguenot an- 
cestry. The issue of the present marriage are Henry 
Barret Crosby, Jr., and Florence Lyon Crosby. 

His married 'children are settled and living near 
him, and when the families are called together on 
joyous occasions he can look with pride and pleasure 
upon eleven promising grandchildren.' 

WiUiam Crossett was born in County London- 
derry, ])arish of Dessartlin, Ireland, March 21, 1797, 
and was the only child of William Crossett, a farmer 
by occupation, who lived to the advanced age of 
ninety-nine years, and of his wife, Mary Cunning- 
ham. His grandfather was John Crossett, who re- 
sided in the same locality. 

Mr. Crossett was educated at the private schools of 
Dessartlin Parish, and in 1819 came to this country 
to seek a place for himself in life. He landed at East- 
port, Me., after a six-weeks' voyage, and soon after, 
in connection with ninety others, engaged Capt. 
Lovett to transport them to Philadelphia. The cap- 
tain proved, however, to be the same one who piloted 
the British into Portlantl, Me., during the war of 
1812, and upon reaching that port he was assaulted 
by the populace. The vessel then started for New 
York, but owing to some misunderstanding the pas- 
sengers attempted to seize the vessel. They were ac- 



538 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIKS, NEW JERSEY. 



cordiiigly carried into Townsend, Me., and delivered 
up as priMiuers for trying to capture the vessel, but 
the charge was there dismissed by the justice before 
whom it was brought. Mr. Crossett and others were 
then carried by another vessel to Boston, from which 
place he walked to New York, where he tarried for a 
short time. He subsequently located near Blooming- 
burgh, N. Y., where he worked on a farm for two or 
three months. In the fall of 1819 he came to Pater- 
son, and entered the employ of David Reed as an 
apprentice to the carpenter trade. Having become a 
journeyman to that business, he followed it for the 
greater part of thirty years, first by day's work, and 
afterwards as contractor and builder. During that 
time he worked as a millwright for Hogg & Paul for 
three years, and for eight years made a specialty of 
repairing the wood portion of the machinery of Col- 
lett & Smith. After leaving the employ of the latter 
firm, Mr. Crossett entered the Colt gun-factory, first 
as a pattern-maker, and finally at making stocks for 
the guns. He was very expert at this, and made the 
stock for the gun that received the gold medal at the 
American Institute Fair, New York. After several 
years he again engaged in the regular carpenter busi- 
ness, in which he continued until 1S50. In that year 
his health failed him, and he revisited his native 
country of Ireland for a few months. Since his 
return his only business occupation has been the 
management and control of the real estate which he 
owns in Paterson. He has never sought political 
place, but filled only the minor offices of the city. 
He has been a member of the First Presbyterian 
Church for many years, and was for some time a 
member of the board of trustees. 

Mr. Crossett married on July 10, 1823, Ann, daugh- 
ter of Robert and .Vnn (Morel Johnson, of Pater- 
son (natives of County Tyrone, Ireland). She is still 
living, but has no children. Mr. Crossett is now 
eighty-four years of age, and has led a useful, indus- 
trious, and faithful life, achieving a handsome com- 
petency, and maintaining the respect and confidence 
of his friends ami ncighlxjrs. 

John E. Van Winkle is the son of Edo and Jane 
Van Houten Van Winkle, and was born in Pater- 
son, N. J., Feb. 2^, 1814, his present home being 
located on the corner of Broadway and Carroll 
Streets, the exact site of the old homestead. He 
represents the seventh generation in the line of de- 
scent from Jacob Van Winkle, who emigrated from 
Amsterdam, Holland, in lt;84, and settled in Bergen 
County. 

Mr. Van Winkle ha-s always resided in Paterson, 
his home being upon ground which has, with the ex- 
ception of a brief interval, been in the family for a 
period of nearly two centuries. At the final settle- 
ment of the estate of E<lo Van Winkle, his son pur- 
chased in l>v.">4 several large tracts of his father's 
farm, which were held until the speculation of 1808, 
when he sold and erei-ted his present home. John K. 



Van Winkle was in 1838 married to Miss Rebecca, 
daughter of John G. Oldis, a representative of one of 
the oldest families of Bergen County. To this mar- 
riage were born six children, — Edward, a machine- 
manufacturer, of Atlanta, Ga. ; John A., a hardwar' 
merchant in Paterson ; Henr>-, superintendent of tin 
Phienix Manufacturing Company; Franklin, Pr'i- 
fessor of Mechanical Engineering at the State Col- 
lege of Texas ; and two daughters. 

Mr. Van Winkle may in an eminent degree be re- 
garded as a self-made man, whose energy and me- 
chanical skill have rendered his career a successful 
one. At an early age he w:is apprenticed as a ma- 
chinist to Messrs. Plunkett & Thompson, of Pater- 
son, N. J., who retired from business before his tradi 
was acquired, and necessitated its completion in thi 
Rogers Works. After becoming of age he served for 
some years as a journeyman, and in 1848 establishi'l 
himself as a machinist in a frame building adjoiniii. 
the old Beaver Mill I now Wiley estate property . 
The demands upon his skill were so great as to render 
more space necessary, and two floors of the old Beaver 
Mill were leased and devoted to purposes of manu- 
facture. In 1857 a mill-site w:is purchased on the 
present Van Houten Street, upon which were erected 
a foundry, machine-shops, and a blacksmith depart- 
ment. Business was successfully conducted here un- 
til 1868, when the buildings were entirely consumed 
by fire. With his accustomed energy Mr. Van Win- 
kle at once rebuilt, and in 187-5, just after he h^d ex- 
ecuted an engagement with the Phienix Manufactur- 
ing Company for the .sale of the property, it was again 
destroyed by fire. By a subsequent transfer it became 
and is now a portion of the Pha>nix Manufacturing 
Company's works. 

The inventive genius of Mr. Van Winkle has 
found exprassion in many valuable improvements in 
machinery, which are i)rotected by iiatents. 

In 18ti3 he invented and |)atented a cotton-open<r. 
or cotton-willow, which has since been further im- 
proved. This macliine has proved eminently success- 
ful, and has found general favor in all the cotton-mil 1- 
throughout the I'nited States, Canada, South .\nii i 
ica, and Mexico. During the war of the Rebelli<ii: 
the deman<l for ilieni was so great as to render tli' 
filling of orders an impos-sibility, and premiums wer^ 
offered in many cases for a speedy execution of t'i. 
work. In 1880 a caveat was filed for improvement nu 
this machine. Mr. Van Winkle has been able, not 
withstanding the arduous demands upon his time, t'> 
devote some attention to public and ofticial life. He 
was elected tax-collector in 1840—44 for one-half the 
then town of Paterson, and in 18l>0 was chosen school 
commissioner. He was in 1873 appointed by Presi- 
dent Grant commissioner to the Vienna Exposition. 
hut failing health necessitated his ileclining tli. 
honor. He was in early life an GUI-Line Whig, bui 
left the parly to support Van Buren lus the Free-Soil 
candidate for llii' Prp^idencv. He was a member of 




^^^^/:^/^#<^ 



i 





^ err y i^ r-<-<-/ 




C cv- »-*— -5^— i!^ t/ Xi£>^ 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



539 



the first Republican convention at the organization 
of the party, and has since endorsed its platform. Mr. 
Van Winkle has never been an aspirant for official 
honors, and on repeated occasions declined such dis- 
tinctions. 

In early life he became a member of the First Pres- 
byterian Church of Paterson, in the prosperity of 
which he was greatly interested. In 1839, together 
with many others, he withdrew from that church 
(then the Old School) and founded the Second Pres- 
liyteriaii Church (New School), of which he is .still a 
member. 

He has ever been active in the I'urtherance of its 
interests, and has served for many years as elder and 
Sabbath-school superintendent. He has also been a 
prominent delegate at meetings of the Presbytery, 
Synod, and General Assembly. 

Though time has to some extent imjiaired the vigor 
and activity of Mr. Van Winkle, he still manifests a 
lively interest in public afl'airs, and devotes a portion 
of his time to the subjects that have employed his en- 
ergies during a long and to some extent eventful life. 

Francis C. Van Dyk. — This gentleman traces his 
descent to Johannes Cornelius Van Dyk, who held 
the important otfice of commodore in the Holland 
navy during the Napoleonic wars, and who was killed 
by a French captain in an engagement with the en- 
emy. He married Anna Catharina Peters, of the Cape 
of Good Hope, and had three children, viz.: Johannes 
Cornelius, George Augustus, and Harry Stowe Van 
Dyk. 

The second of these was the father of the subject of 
this sketch, and was born in 1798. Early in life he 
entered upon the study of medicine and surgery under 
the celebrated Sir Astley Cooper, in London, and 
when twenty-one years of age was graduated with 
distinction. He gave special attention to the study of 
anatomy and practical surgery, and in his subsequent 
practice was recognized as one of the most skillful 
surgeons of his day. His father owned two planta- 
tions in British Guiana, South America, and here 
Dr. Van Dyk first located in the practice of his pro- 
fession. He was very successful in the treatment of 
his cases, and three years later located at Porto Rico, 
where he enjoyed an extensive practice. His useful 
life was cut short in 1840 at Santiago de Cuba, where 
he had resided from July 21, 1837, as physician to 
those operating the copper-mines at that place under 
the direction of the British government. He received 
a large salary from government, and had charge of 
the hospital at Santiago also, performing a large 
number of important surgical operations, and adding 
to his reputation as a surgeon. His .services were also 
highly valued in the treatment of disease among the 
slaves on the plantations. Dr. Van Dyk married in 
February, 1833, Maria E., daughter of Hcrmanus and 
Anna (De Groot) Funtman, her father being a native 
of London and her mother of Amsterdam, and each 
being descended from Huguenot families who tied 



from France after the revocation of the Edict of 
Nantes in 1682. The family resided for a time in 
British Guiana, where Mr. Funtman labored in a 
clerical capacity in the court-house. Mrs. Van Dyk 
was born in Holland, and had three children, viz. : 
George, who died at Porto Rico at the age of five ; 
Harry, who resides in Paterson, and is employed by 
the Danforth Locomotive and Machine Company; 
and Francis Cornelius Van Dyk. 

The latter was born at San Juan, the capital of the 
island of Porto Rico, on Sept. 2(1, 1837. His early 
education was imparted by his mother and grand- 
mother, both ladies of intelligence and culture. After 
the settlement of his father at Santiago de Cuba, the 
remaining members of the family resided at Porto 
Rico for a few months, and then sailed for America, 
where Dr. Van Dyk expected soon to follow them, 
arriving at Philadelphia on July 21, 1838. They 
first took up their residence at Elizabeth, N. J., with 
Mrs. Van Dyk's mother, who had married for a sec- 
ond husband Jean M. De Ciplet, a native of Brussels, 
and subsequently lived at Newark for a few years, 
during which time the sad intelligence of the death 
of Dr. Van Dyk, who was daily expected to join his 
family, was received. In 1842 they removed to New 
York City, where Mrs. Van Dyk established a young 
ladies' private seminary, and was assisted in teaching 
by her mother, Mrs. De Ciplet, a highly-educated and 
very talented lady. 

From ten to thirteen years of age the subject of 
this sketch was under the instruction of Henry W. 
Dunshee, principal of the Collegiate School of the 
Reformed Dutch Church, which was established by 
Petrus Stuyvesant, director-general of New Nether- 
lands (New York) from 1047 to 1664, nearly two 
hundred and fifty years ago. At the age of thirteen, 
although offered a scholarship in Rutgers College, 
N. J., by S. B. Schieffelin, of New York, Mr. Van 
Dyk, during a school vacation, went to New Bruns- 
wick, N. J., and entered the dry-goods store of his 
uncle, Henry Towle, as a clerk, where he remained 
nearly nine years. In March, 1860, he formed a part- 
nership with Mr. Towle, and established a dry-goods 
store at No. 228 Main Street, Paterson, N. J., the 
firm-name being Towle & Van Dyk. The business 
was attended with success from the beginning, and 
five years later Mr. Van Dyk purchased his uncle's 
interest in the concern, and carried on the business 
alone from 1865 until 1872. In 1870 he purchased a 
desirable tract of land, and soon after began the 
erection of a new store, known as No. 298 Main 
Street, which he occupied in 1872. During the later 
years of his dry-goods business he had built up a 
large trade in carpets, oil-cloths, and mattings, and 
he gradually formed the idea of adding the sale of 
furniture to these lines and abandoning the general 
dry-goods trade. The new store was built expressly 
to accommodate this business, and was the first build- 
ing in Paterson erected for a specific line of trade 



54U 



HISTORY OF BEilGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JEUSEY. 



which was used exclusively for business purposes. 
Mr. Van Dyk admitted .lolin B. Van Saun and 
Alfred H. Post, two young men who had been with 
him many years, as partners in the new business, 
and the tirm of F. C. Van Dyk & Co. was organized. 
Mr. Van Saun died on Dec. 19, 1880, and the firm 
has since consisted of the two remaining members. 
The new enterprise met with good success, and the 
business was being constantly enlarged until Dec. 24, 
1880. when the building caught fire from a defective 
flue and was burned, involving a total loss of thirty 
thousand dollars, jtartially insured, besides the loss 
of trade at the busiest season of the year. As soon 
as the losses were adjusted the rebuilding of the store 
was commenced, and the present commodious build- 
ing was completed on June 15, 1881, and immedi- 
ately occupied. The firm are now doing a large and 
successful business, and occujiy the front rank among 
the houses of tlieir line in Patcrson. 

Mr. Van Dyk is still in the prime of life, and is at 
the head of one of the successful enterprises of the 
city. He has never taken any special iuterest in 
politics, but confined his whole attention to his busi- 
ness affairs. He feels a lively interest in the institu- 
tions of the city, and is identified with the various 
benevolent and progressive movements of Paterson. 
He is a member of the Board of Trade, a director 
and vice-president of the Second National Bank of 
Paterson, and a ruling elder in the First Presbyterian 
Church of that city. He wius a member of the board 
of trustees of that body for about ten years, and 
treasurer of the church for the same period of time. 
He has also taken an active interest in the Sab- 
bath-school cause, and been superintendent of the 
school of his church since 1873. He was married 
on Sept. 3, 1862, to Lida C, daughter of James D. 
and Jcrusha (Larue) Stryker, of Lamberlville, N. J., 
and has had three children, of wlioni two arc living, 
namely, Misse-s Bertha and IFclcii Van Dyk. Mr-. 
Van Dyk died on June i>, ISfiS. 

Joseph C. Todd was born in Bridgewater township, 
i^omersct Co., N. J., March 2, 1817. His father. John 
('. Todd, engaged in agricultural pursuits iluring liis 
life in that locality, wits a man of character and stand- 
ing, and one of the lay judges of the county for sev- 
eral years. His mother, whose maiden name was 
Ann Castncr, wa-s born near Somerville, N. J. Seven 
children were born of the marriage, viz. : Ste|)hen ; 
Catharine, who married Lewis Harrison, of Somer- 
ville; .fciscph C, .lames, John .\., Augustus, and 
Rachel Ann, wife of .lolin Van Nnstrand, of Kumu- 
lus, N. V. Stephen resides at Dunellen, N. J., where 
he is a large property-owner ; James has been suc- 
cessfully engaged in the dry-goods business in New 
York City for many years ; John .\. is a inlni.ster of 
the Dutch Keformed denomination, aixl pastor of the 
church at Tarrytown, N. Y. ; Augustus is also a min- 
ister of that denomination, and pastor of the church 
at Schoharie, N. Y. 



The earlier years of Jacob C. Todd's life were passed 
in his native county, where he received a good com- 
mon-school education. At the age of sixteen he left 
home to learn the trade of a carpenter with his uncle, 
James Castner, of Somerville, where he remained 
three years. He then went to New York City, where 
he worked at his trade as a journeyman for a few 
months, and when nineteen years of age came to Pat- 
erson, where he worked in the employ of David Reeil 
for a short time, laboring, among other things, on the 
Cross Street Methodist Episcopal Church. Soon after 
he secured employment in the machine-shop of God- 
win, Clark tSc Co., where he remained about a year, 
and meantime learned how to make patterns for 
machinery. He next entered the machine-shops 
of Rogers, Ketchum & Grosvenor, and was there 
employed when the . first locomotive-engine, the 
"Sandusky," was built in 1S3C-37. He at first made 
the wooden frames to put around the locomotives, 
but when William Swinburne was ]>romoted to the 
8U|ierintendency, succeeded him as a pattern-maker, 
and worked in that department in connection with 
Watts Cooke, the elder, and John Cooke. He re- 
mained in that position for four or five years at a dol- 
lar a ilay compensation, and then established a sash 
and blinds manufactory, which he soon gave up. He 
next occupied the position of head pattern-maker in 
the Oldham machine-shops for a few years, and while 
there devised the first successful hemp spinning ma- 
chine that was ever built, making several improve- 
ments in the original plan of construction. He has 
since maile a specialty of manufacturing hemp and 
flax machinery, and has taken out several different 
patents upon them in this country and in Furope, the 
latest on May lo, 1880. 

In 1844, in company with Daniel Mackey. he en- 
gaged in the manufacture of hemp and Max ma- 
chinery in the James Nightengale mill, on the lower 
raceway, and met with so much success that two 
years later they were compelled to seek more commo- 
dious rooms in the Bradley Mill, which stood on the 
present site of the Machinist.s* A.ssociation Building. 
Three years later, needing both more capital and 
more room to meet the demands of their rapidly-in- 
creasing business, Philip Rafl'erty was admitted to the 
concern, and in ISod the firm of Todd, Mackey & Co. 
was organized. The new firm at once purchased of 
the estate of Daniel S. Holsman the property on the 
lower raceway that has since been occupied by the ex- 
tensive machine-j^liopsof the concern, and commenced 
the manufacture of machinery on a large scale. In 
IS.').'), .Mr. .Mackey withdrew, and the enterprise was 
carried on under the name of Todd and Rafl'erty, 
until April, 1872, when it became the Todd & Raf- 

, ferty >hieliine Company, with Mr. Tmld as president 
and Mr. RallVrty treasurer. The latter clied on July 
30, 1S72, ami the business has since been conducted 
by Mr. Todd aloiu>. I'pon securing the present loca- 

< tiou in \x^>>< till- I'oncern began the manufacture of 




~'^'-ty CcaE.Permc S "'w'' 



I 



^^/. t^. ^^^^^^.^^ 



t 





-^/i ^7^^^/^^^ 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



541 



steam-engines, and gradually ran into the making of 
hemp, flax, silk, jute, and bagging-machinery of dif- 
ferent kinds. The products of the works have been 
sold all over the world, and the machinery for not less 
than a dozen factories in England and Scotland has 
been designed, built, and put up by the concern. Mr. 
Tood has been the mechanic of the enterprise througli- 
out the entire term of its existence, and his skill and 
ability in that direction have contributed very largely 
to its success. He has visited Europe three times on 
business for the firm in 1859, 1860, 1862, and 1863. 
Besides engaging in the making of machinery, he has 
also been actively connected with other manufactur- 
ing enterprises, in which he has achieved great suc- 
cess. For ten years he has been engaged in the man- 
ufacture of jute-bagging for covering cotton on tlie 
corner of Taylor & Jackson Streets, in Paterson, the 
mill being now successfully operated by J. C. Todd 
& Co. The i)artuer in the concern is Michael Ritchie. 
New mills were erected by the concern in 1873, and 
the capacity of the works is six thousand yards of 
bagging a day, about ninety men being employed. 
Mr. Todd is also half-owner of the Excelsior Rubber 
Company, Wheeler & Co., proprietors, of New Ro- 
chelle, N. Y., the concern turning out six hundred 
garments for men and women per day. He is also chief 
owner of a silver-mine in Colorado, and the largest 
stockiiolderin the Davenport Consolidated Miningand 
Smelting Company of Mineral City, in that State. 

He has never been a public man, nor engaged in 
political matters, although he was city treasurer of 
Paterson ibr three or lour years, and alderman for a 
number of years from the Sixth Ward of that city. 
He has been a large stockholder in the Mechanics' 
and Traders' (now the First National) Bank of Jersey 
City from the time of its organization. He was mar- 
ried in 1836 to Miss Emeline Bogardus, of Paterson, 
and has two daughters, — Harriet and Anna Todd. 

Philip Rafferty. — His was a name associated with 
everything tliat was genial and generous. It is a 
name deeply rooted in the affections of the masses. 
Living, he was idolized by the political party of 
which he was the chief, and when he died his mem- 
ory was cherished still, and the lapse of time has not 
obliterated the love which still lives for the gentle 
soul of one not to be forgotten whilst a cotempora- 
neous life remains. There are those whose gratitude 
and prayers go with him in the spirit, and there are 
many who remember his kind words and generous 
hand, his hospitality, his disinterested acts, and his 
boundless charity. Of him it can be said, "Here 
was A MAN." 

In this brief introductory no better insight can we 
have of Philip Rafferty than the love children bore 
him, and from the incident that when he was a can- 
didate for office, upon every Saturday afternoon these 
would gather and form processions, and with their 
little drums and banners would march out to his 
residence, and, entering the garden-gate, would go in 
35 



order around his home so as to halt in front and 
cheer for " Philip Rafferty. " These were not or- 
ganized and uniformed partisans, but impromptu pro- 
cessions of the little ones in the town in which he 
lived. He was a man whom children loved. 

The subject of this sketch, whom we have thus in- 
troduced, was born in Danville, Montrose Co., Pa., 
where his father, John Rafferty, resided. When 
Philip was but six years old his father died, and at 
this early age the boy may be said to have been 
thrown upon his own resource.s. His mother, with 
her little family, came to Paterson, where Philip 
commenced work at six shillings a week. On this 
scanty allowance he thus early began to contribute 
to the support of his mother and sister. At the age 
often he obtained a situation in a store, earning the 
approbation of his employer and the esteem and good 
will of the customers. Even as a boy his genial and 
kindly nature encompassed him with friends. 

A few years later we find Philip had apprenticed 
himself to a carriage manufacturer of Newark. He 
remained there until thrown out by the failure of his 
employer. With a capital of thirty dollars, the 
amount saved out of his hard-earned wages, he then 
formed the resolution of starting a store in Paterson, 
and going to New York to inirchase his stock for that 
purpose, by his candor and frankness he excited the 
interest of Mr. Burkhalter, the proprietor of a well- 
known business house on the west side, who at once 
gave him a credit of fifteen hundred dolhirs without 
reference or security save his promise to pay. The 
notes given were promptly met, and the store thus 
started proved a success from the first, and of no 
personal matter was Mr. Rafferty ever heard to boast 
save of the fact that he had always paid a hundred 
cents to the dollar and owed no man anything, and 
that his name had never been dishonored. 

After accumulating ten or fifteen thousand dollars, 
Mr. Ratterty retired from business; but soon realized 
that an active life was necessary to his nature, and 
within a year he joined his fortunes with those of 
Messrs. Todd & Mackey (machinists), and contributed 
to the concern capital, ability, and business experience. 
Thus was laid the foundation of a factory for the 
building of machinery which offered employment to 
many hundreds of expert mechanics and others, and 
established a business which gave to his town a repu- 
tation for building machinery which was of great and 
lasting public benefit. The concern was for many 
years the largest and most succeJssful, and after Mr. 
Mackey withdrew it was incorjjorated under the name 
of the " Todd & Rafferty Machine Company," with 
Mr. Todd as president and Mr. Rafierty a.s treasurer, 
and so continued until the demise of Mr. Rafferty on 
the 21st of July, 1872. 

In the fall of 1852, Mr. Rafierty was elected to the 
New Jersey House of Assembly, at a time when its 
membership was of a high order. His colleagues 
from this county were J. V. R. Van Blarcom and 



642 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



Cornelius Van Winkle, with De Mott (then of Hud- 
son) and Robbins, of Middlesex, and men of that 
standing in the Lower House. Xevertlieless, we find 
tliat Mr. Ratferty became a leading member, and as 
ehairman of the Committee on State Prison Aecounts 
and the Joint Companies, he proved of great service. 
He was also chairman on claims and pensions, and 
during the session introduced fifteen bills that were 
passed by the House, and the record shows that he 
led in opposition to all the important bills that were 
defeated. He was a friend of the newspapers of his 
State, and earnestly advocated the law fixing the rates 
for legal advertising, and when this measure was 
being defeated, voted against it for the purpose of 
moving a reconsideration, and finally psissed it by just 
the necessary number of votes, — thirty-one. He pro- 
posed the bill whereby the ballot was given to the 
upper townships of his county at the spring elections, 
a privilege they did not have theretofore; he further 
benefited those townships by advocating as a free 
way the Paterson and Hamburg toll-road. He was 
on the side of the people in their ell'ort to destroy the 
mill-dams which had made Rahway so unhealthy, 
and he rendered .service in giving a free flow to the 
Rahway River, thus making healthful a large section 
of the State. He helped to establish the width of 
draw-bridges over navigable waters, and passed other 
measures by his influence and votes, too numerous to 
mention. But he was chiefly noted for his opposition 
to the recharter of old or the chartering of new special 
banks, and for favoring the ;/eiicrii/ banking law. 

Until that time a monopoly possessed the sole right 
of psissenger traffic across the State. This exclusive 
privilege of the Caimlen and Amboy Company had 
become an op|)robrium upon the people of New Jer- 
sey. Philip Kalferty made the first motion for the 
appointment of the first committee to devise measures 
to extinguish tho.sc exclusive privileges in order that 
com]>etitive roads might be constructed. The motion 
was carried, and Mr. Rafl'erty was appointed chair- 
man, and his comniitlcc reported accordingly, and no 
effort was spared on his part to wipe out a blot which 
had so long rendered odious our little commonwealth. 

At the next .session he was re-elected by a largely 
increased vote, and so wise had been the policy pur- 
sued l>y the Legislature of the previous year and tor 
which Mr. Hafferty was greatly responsible in the 
leadership of his party in the As.sembly that his politi- 
cal friends carried 44 members into the House against 
16 of the op|(osing party. His is the first and the last 
name printi'd in the minutes of that session. At the 
organization he was nameil to conduct the Speaker- 
elect to the chair, and he offered the resolutions 
whereby the rules governing the As.sembly fnmi that 
day to this, with slight amendments, have been adopted 
by Hucccssivc Legislatures. Despite the large Demo- 
cratic majority, party spirit ran high, and at the out- 
set and for the first time in the history of the State 
the election of the Governor wiut contested on the 



ground that he was ineligible, and charges and speci- 
fications were at once presented against him. The ac- 
tion of the As.sembly was dignified, and this vexation 
was soon removed. 

We find Mr. Raff'erty, who.se services had been 
acknowledged and appreciated the previous year, now 
appointed as chairman on corporations, — the most 
important of all the committees. He was also re- 
ajipointed on State Prison Accounts, a positiem 
wherein, as an expert accountant, he had rendered the 
State great service the previous year. 

Mr. Raff'erty was no truckler in his policy, and 
having been appointed chairman of a committee to 
whom was referred that portion of the Governor's 
message which called for an increase of the salaries 
of .State officers, he boldly presented a report flatly 
against any increase whatever, save in the case of the 
attorney-general, whose duties he proposed to in- 
crease, and the oflSce of whom he proposed to change 
the character of very materially, and he asked leave 
to bring in a bill for that purpose. The re|)ort was 
adopted without dissent, and (he House directed him 
to bring in such a bill. He did ; it wius passed, and 
to this day the attorney-general's office is regulated 
by its provisions. 

I'p to this period there was no encouragement in 
our State for the construction of any synagogue or 
place of Jewish worship. His love of religious 
liberty was made manifest in his advocacy of a bill 
to permit the erection of a place of worship by the 
Jews in the city of Newark. In this Mr. Rafl'erty only 
carried out his principles, as evinced in his donations 
at home to every sect and to any needy congregation. 

For his city he did niueli, and he had the Paterson 
Firemen Association incorporated. He pjussed the 
bill to relieve the members of the Paterson military 
companies from jury duty, and to unite the village of 
Manchester (now the First and Second Wards) with 
Paterson. He introduced the bill to unite the Pater- 
son and Hudson River and Paterson and Raniapo 
Railroads with the Erie, in order to insure to bis town 
more frequent trains, and also introduced a meiusure 
calculated to protect the public from excessive rates 
of fare and freight charges on railroads. He also 
pa.s.scd at this session a general law to enable gas 
companies to be organized, which law broke up the 
monopolies which till then hindered opfiosition gas 
coni))anies from organizing in any place where a 
company already existed. 

At this time the Know-Nothing craze was at its 
height, and a measure was introduced by a Newark 
member to prevent paupers and criminals from for- 
eign countries from entering that city. Mr. Rafl'erty 
had been appointed upon the " Joint Committee on 
the Naturalization Laws," and this effort to class 
pauper* with criminals and to interdict poor persons 
from entering a free city of our State, received his 
most bilt<T denunciation lus un-American; and the 
bill fell dead. 



« 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



54a 



On national matters Mr. Rafferty was a statesman. I 
We find him chairman of the committee upon the 
Nebrasica question, then a political matter agitating 
the country. We also find him presenting a series of 
resolutions against the sequestration of any more of 
the public domain for the benefit of corporations. 
The resolutions were passed unanimously, and fore- 
told with a remarkable foresight all that has since I 
occurred from the mistaken policy then and there 
denounced. 

But in State matters he was an enemy of monopoly 
and all exclusive privileges. The determination 
which caused him to "stick to it" as his bill to per- 
mit free gas companies to organize was defeated 
(when he got the bill reconsidered and finally passed), 
nerved him in the fight against special and in favor 
of the free banking system. He fought ofl" the spe- 
cial charters of a large number of banks to the end, 
and although, as chairman of the committee, he pre- 
sented a report showing the great danger of special 
banks and the greater security of the free, yet he 
did not favor stifling bills in committee, and there- 
fore rejiorted all fairly to the House. But at the 
end of the session he had their further consideration 
postponed to the next session, virtually defeating 
them separately, one by one, on his motion in every 
case. 

But his crowning work at this session was his re- 
introduction of measures to extinguish the exclusive 
privileges of the joint companies, an action on his 
part which finally resulted in the overthrow of the 
Camden and Amboy monopoly and the establishment I 
of the principle of free railroads across the State of 
New Jersey. 

In the fifty-two years of Philip Rafferty 's life had 
been crowded a deal of toil and results. In establish- 
ing the first orphan asylum in this section of the State, 
whilst a trustee of St. John's Catholic Church, Mr. 
Rafferty was most generous and active. The Hospital 
of St. Joseph, for years our only place of refuge for 
the .suffering, is greatly indebted to him for zealous 
sup|)ort and liberal contributions, and the grounds, 
valuable and extensive, now fortunately belonging to 
it, in the heart of the city, were secured mainly 
throught the advice, foresight, and courage of Mr. 
Rafferty, aided by a few of his friends. In all matters 
in which he was concerned he was an acknowledged 
leader and chief spirit, having a logical and practical 
mind, and never on any occasion neglecting his duty 
in any position to which he was called. Whoever 
might be absent, punctually at the time of every ap- 
pointment Mr. Rafferty would be there. 

As a prompt and clear-headed man of business, he 
was appreciated, and held for many years and till his 
death his position as director of the Mechanics' and 
Traders' Bank of Jersey City. Upon the failure of 
the Cataract City Bank of Paterson he was appointed 
receiver, and settled up its affairs with his character- 
istic promptitude and so wisely that the bills at first 



considered worthless were finally redeemed at par. 
He procured the charter of another banking institu- 
tion, but on his death it fell into other hands. 

When the Paterson Opcra-House, having caused 
the failure of its owner, was about to be turned into a 
plumbing-shop, it was Rafferty who associated him- 
self with others in the effort to save it for his fellow- 
citizens, and as president of the association, succeeded 
in perfecting it as a delightful place for tlie comfort 
and pleasure of the public. He' was one of those 
wiio went to the expense of erecting the derricks and 
boring five hundred feet down in the island, through 
the red sandstone, as he expressed it, " to know 
what sort of foundation Paterson rested upon." In 
fact, whilst he lived nothing was ever done for the 
public satisfaction that Philip RaflTerty neglected to 
aid. 

He filled many local positions of trust, and when 
treasurer of the city of Paterson at once systematized 
itsaccounts. Personally Philip Rafferty had a splendid 
physique, and was a magnetic speaker, and had a 
natural and graceful gesticulation. His speeches 
were brief and pertinent, and he never spoke unless he 
had something to say. Mr. Rafferty was twice nomi- 
nated by the Democratic party of his district to Con- 
gress, and to this day those who voted for him main- 
tain that he was elected on the first occasion. But 
politics ran high, and the most desperate means were 
used, and whilst his majorities were at once announced 
and published, no returns were made public for sev- 
eral days in many of the country towns of Essex and 
Morris (then in his district), until at last it was an- 
nounced that he had, by final counts, been defeated 
by a few votes. On the second occasion the opposing 
l)arty, owing to the war question at the time, swept 
the country for the administration, and his party was 
fairly defeated here as generally elsewhere. We are 
sorry to add, however, that in both of what are still 
known as the Rafferty campaigns, a most reprehen- 
sible effort was made to defeat him because of his 
reverence for the faith of his father and his devotion 
to that religion in the blessed !io]ie of which the 
mother he loved had died. 

It was after the wearisome and thankless political 
campaigns that Mr. Ratt'erty began to suff'er from a 
sciatic complaint which caused him great distress, 
and ended in a complication of diseases which baffled 
the skill of the best physicians, and finally clo.sed his 
useful life. 

Col. Rafferty was twice married. His first wife was 
Joanna, daughter of Joseph and Catharine Warren, of 
Paterson, of whom two children are living at the time 
of writing this sketch (1882). His second wife, who 
survived him, was Maria Teresa, daughter of Hugh 
and Mary (Griffith) Brady, of Paterson, of whom 
three sons are living. As a father and husband he was 
loving, kind, and indulgent, as a friend he was faith- 
ful to the end, and to assist those in sickness and dis- 
tress was to him a comfort to his last hours; and when 



544 



HISTOKY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



his own poor frame was wracked with unceasing tor-, 
ture he had constant thouglit of others who were suf- 
fering, and whilst prostrated on his own bed of death 
was devising means to relieve them. Such was Philip 
Rafferty ; and of such, we believe, is " the Kingdom." 

In the weariness, perhaps loneliness, of old age, 
when life and its tasks and duties have crushed out 
the vitality of sterner years, and when one after an- 
other of the friends of earlier days have faded away 
into the twilight of eternity, death comes, and is met 
ungrudgingly, nay, sometimes even thankfully. But 
when, day after day, the tide of life ebbs slowly but 
surely away from a man striving in the pride of the 
years of his prime, when the ties that bind him to dar- 
lings, to loved ones, to hosts of friends, — nay, to life in 
its ripest, most useful, and cheeriest form, — are sunder- 
ing and parting like the ligatures of his own heart, then 
the ailvunt of the Angel of Death is doubly sad and 
mournful. Thus in the meridian of his days the lamp 
of life wasted, and Rafl'erty died in the acme of his 
usefulness and at the height of his worldly prosperity, 
forgiving his enemies and at peace with his God. 
Among his last acts was that of literally "forgiv- 
ing his debtors," — annulling all the little notes of in- 
debtedness from individuals to whom he had loaned 
small amounts and who could not easily repay ; and 
as he saw these obligations destroyed it seemed to do 
him a great deal of good. A few days more of suffer- 
ing, and the news was spread through the city that 
" Rafl'erty wjts dead 1" 

The following editorial extracts from the local 
papers of the date of Mr. Rallerty's funeral conclude 
our reference to him, and will be of interest here: 

" There was no ceremony. The body wa-s placed in 
the centre of the large jiarlor and was soon covered 
with crowns, crosses, and wreaths of flowers contrib- 
uted by friends, .\fter all had viewed the remains 
the casket was closed, and eight carriers, accompanied 
by the eight pall-bearers, carried the genial Rafl'erty 
out of his earthly mansion to the hearse, and the large 
procession wendcil its way to the new cathedral, the 
I>eople gathering silently in crowds along the entire 
route to look upon liis colfin. At the church the peo- 
ple had already filled the building, as the body was 
carried in an<l placed in front of the altar at the foot 
of the cro-ss, where it rested during the solemn high 
ina.s.s, celebrated by Fathers McNulty, Morris, and 
Senez, the latter in kindly remarks bearing evidence 
to the hnnosty ami integrity of the deceased and of 
the blessed ho|ie in which his last days were spent. 
On reaching the vault, it wits found to have been 
trimmed with vines and Howers, which festooned and 
decorated the last earthly resting-place of the dead, 
and the body waa deposited beside those of his daugh- 
ter and her mother, whose coffins also bad been 
covered with croiwes anil flowers. It was the most his 
friends could do, n» it had been Col. Ralferty's oft- 
repeated request that his funeral should be devoid of 
all display, that the obsequie.- should be without 



' ostentation, and that the bearers should walk from 
the church to the cemetery." ' 

" Perhaps no funeral in Paterson has bo gener- 
ally excited the sympathy of all chusses. The high 
and low, the rich and poor, and men of every faith 
and party -seemed grieved. Never ha-s a public- 
spirited citizen died whose lo.ss has been more sin- 
cerely deplored by all classes. With the creak of 
the hinges and the turn of the lock of the vault in 
the hillside the last act in the drama of Philip Raf- 
ferty's life closed forever, but the remembrance he 
has lefl among us will be like the green sward that 
crowns the summit of his last resting-place. 

" In the quick, almost dashing, existence of this age 
the remembrance of any man fades fast and flits fitfully 
away. Monuments of marble and granite, towering 
high in our graveyards, tell in strong terms of the vir- 
tues of the dead who sleep beneath them, yet not 
many of these have left, like Philip Rafl'erty, their 
best monument in the heart,s of their friends. Many 
a poor man and woman in Paterson to-day will re- 
member for years to come the hand and heart that 
silently and unostentatiously saved them from the 
horrors of poverty and this cold world's mi.sery ; and 
this will be Philip Rafl'erty's best monument, this 
and the unfading remembrance of myriads of friends 
to-<lay stricken, mourning, yet not forgetful." 

James Peel was born at Klland, Yorkshire, Eng- 
hiiid, on 8ept. 29, 1817. His parents were James and 
Ann (Akroyd) Peel. The former, whose father was 
William Peel, was by trade a manufacturer of woolen 
fabrics, an<l came to this country in 1S30, remaining 
in New York Uity for two years, and locating in Pat- 
erson in 1832, finding employment with Jidin Mor- 
row. He died about 1870. Thebalanccof his family, 
consisting of his wile and five children, came to this 
country in 18.'il. .lames is the subject of this sketch ; 
Elizabeth is the wife of .lohn Myers, of Poughkeepsie, 

1 N. Y. ; Samuel A. is a machinist of New York City ; 
Orinda married Thomsis Sykes, of Paterson; and 
Lemira is the wife of Dr. C. E. G. Robertson, of the 
same city. The mother died about 1874. 

James Peel came to this country with his mother in 
1831. About 1834 he became an apprentice to tin- 

j machinist's trade with Benjamin ISlundel, of Oldham, 
now Ilalcdon, near Paterson, and remained with him 
nearly four years. In 1838 he entered the employ of 
the .Mattcawan Machine Company, Matteawan, N. Y.. 
where he remained nine months. He subsequently 
worked at his trade at Newburgh, N. Y., Lowell and 
Fall River, Mass., and about 1847 went to work in 
the Rogers Machine-Works at Paterson, and after- 
wards worked for Charles Dan forth in his works for 
eight years. In .June, IS.Il, in eonnection with John 
II. Kiersted, William Senior, Elias Morehouse, .lame.* 
Gillespie, .Jacob Wylie, and William lloldcn, he be- 
came a member of the firm of llolden. Wylie it Co.. 

' Fnjtii the l\tltT»on Thiiln Outtrdian of July H, l^72. 



^ Ife, 




■^ 






.^^'^''^'^ 



I 








^^^^^ic^ ( ^m^^^^. 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



545 



and began the manufacture of macliinery. The pro- 
moters of this enterprise were all practical machinists, 
and the object of their association was so to combine 
their labor as to make it conduce directly to their 
own profit and advantage, rather than to those for 
whom they might work. After about two years Mr. 
Ilolden withdrew from the firm, and the other six 
members organized as the Machinist's Association, 
with James Gillespie as president and James Peel 
secretary and treasurer. A few years later Mr. Peel 
was chosen president, and has since held that position 
also. The concern is now owned by him and Elias 
Morehouse, and is doing a successful business, employ- 
ing from seventy-five to eighty men in the manufac- 
ture of general machinery, principally silk and cotton 
machinery, and millwright-work. The large factory 
occupied by the association was built in 1853. 

Mr. Peel's entire life has been passed in working 
closely at his trade, and he is a good type of the hard- 
working, industrious, and successful mechanics of the 
city. After long years of toil he has reached a posi- 
tion where he can enjoy some degree of respite from 
manual labor, aud where he can appreciate the sub- 
stantial advantages of a hard-earned competency. 
He has never participated in political affairs, but led 
a retired, modest, and faithful life. He is a member 
of the Market Street Methodist Church, and a mem- 
ber of the board of trustees. He was married twenty- 
five years ago to Elizabeth Mickens, a native of West 
Mil ford township, and has had two children, — Joseph 
William, who died at the age of fifteen, and John 
Thomas, a member of the silk-firm of Barnes & Peel, 
of Paterson. 

James Atkinson. — His father, Thomas Atkinson, 
resided at llipponden. Parish Halifax, county of York, 
England, where he spent his life, engaged in the manu- 
facture of woolen fabrics, and there died about 1852, 
aged seventy -two years. His mother, Mary Crossley, 
died about 1850, aged sixty-six years. Their children 
who grew to manhood and wonxanhood were William, 
James, Peter, Samuel, Martha, Mary, and Jane. Of 
these James, subject of this sketch, was born July 13, 
1818, and like most boys in thatcountry, after a limited 
time spent at school, at the early age of eight years 
began work with his father, where he continued during 
most of his minority, l^pon reaching his majority, 
with others, he engaged in the manufacture of cotton 
warps on his own account, which he continued for 
nine years. In 1848, thinking to have a better oppor- 
tunity for the employment of limited capital, he em- 
barked for America, and after a voyage of nine weeks 
landed in New York City. Mr. Atkinson at once set- 
tled at Paterson, where, as a mechanic, he was en- 
gaged for several years in the Rogers Locomotive- 
Works, and in the machine-shops of Benjamin Buck- 
ley. In 1865, in partnership with John Reynolds and 
Samuel Brooks, he began the manufacture of bobbins 
and spools, used in silk, cotton, woolen, and fiax- 
mills, on River Street, in Paterson. Mr. Brooks soon 



I withdrew from the concern, since which time the 
business firm has been known as James Atkinson & 
Co., with Mr. Atkinson as manager of the business. 
j This firm supply largely the mills in Paterson, aud 
i their goods are in large demand in New York and 
Brooklyn, and reach the manufacturing places in 
various parts of the United States. 

Since his residence in Paterson, Mr. Atkinson has 
been interested in local matters of the city, and was 
among the largest contributors in the erection of the 
Prospect Street Methodist Church edifice, with which 
he has been officially connected, and his integrity and 
judicious and successful management of business af- 
fairs has given him a place as one of the board of 
directors of the Paterson Savings Institution. His 
first wife, Susan Hamer, died in England in 1848, 
leaving two children, — Benjamin, now of Brooklyn, 
N. Y., and Anne, wife of Elias Thornley, of Law- 
rence, Mass., both of whom came to this country soon 
after their father. His present wife is Elizabeth H. 
Foss, of Maine, by whom he has had one child, Emma 
K., widow of the late Robert McCarthy, of Paterson. 
John Bentley, who for many years has operated 
the Paterson Flour-Mills, and is one of the old and 
well-known residents of the city, was born at Man- 
chester, England, on Nov. 15, 1810. His parents 
were Luke and Mary (Dunsford) Bentley, the former 
a cotton -spinuer by trade. But four of the thirteen 
children attained mature age, namely, James, an 
architect and machinist, who died in the City of 
Mexico in 1873; John, our subject; Ann, wife of 
Thomas Candy, of Philadelphia; and Sarah, widow 
of D. D. Field, late of Detroit, Mich. Luke Bentley 
emigrated to this country in 181(), his wife following 
two years later with the four children. Being pos- 
sessed of but slender means, he commenced life in 
America by retailing small wares from New York 
City, and subsequently removed to Chester, N. J., 
where he established a large wholesale and retail 
country store. After a number of years spent in 
trade he purchased a cotton-mill at Mendham, N. J.,, 
where he engaged in manufacturing for some time, 
but met with business reverses, and was compelled to 
relinquish the business. He subsequently acted as 
superintendent of cotton-mills at Paterson, N. J., and 
at different points in Pennsylvania. He died at Bran- 
dywine, Pa.,in 1825, and his wife at Lancaster, in the 
same State, the year previous. 

John Bentley came to this country with his mother 
in 1818. His educational advantages were very lim- 
ited, and early in life he was set at work in his father's 
cotton-factory at Mendham to learn spinning. He 
worked at this trade for several years in connection 
with his father, not only in Mendham, but in Pater- 
son and in Pennsylvania. Soon after the death of 
his father he located at Paterson, and at seventeen 
years of age began to learn the trade of a machinist 
with Plunket & Thompson, of that city. He remained 
in their employ until about 1835, and then became 



546 



HISTOKY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



superintendent of the two cotton-factories of the 
Huinilton Manufucturing Company, situated at the 
head of Passaic Street, where he continued until 18:17. 
He then went to Mexico to operate a cotton-factory 
in the State of Durango, and after two years returned 
to Paterson and opened a grocery -store, first at the 
foot of Main Street, and tlien on the corner of Con- 
gress and Main Streets. Two years later lie returned 
again to Mexico, and superintende<l the liuilding of a 
cotton-factory at Saltillo, which he operated for seven 
years. He then returned to Paterson, and started the 
milling husineiM in the Little Beaver Mill, in the rear ■ 
of his present mill, and six years later purclia-sed the 
present building, where he has remained for the past 
thirty years. During that long period he has en- 
gaged in no other occupation, but has confined him- i 
self strictly to his vocation. He is widely known i 
throughout the locality sis a plain, substantial citizen, 
of strict integrity, and one of the oldest residents of 
Paterson. He is a regular attendant of the First 
Presbyterian Church, and has always been a liberal , 
contributor to all evangelical and benevolent pur- ' 
poses. He is a member of the Paterson Hoard of i 
Trade, has been no politician, but served sis the first 
marshal of the city immediately after its incorpora- 
tion in I80I. 

Mr. Bentley married for his first wife Ann, daugh- 
ter of Abraham and Lydia Rutan, who died without 
issue in June, 1873. His present wife was Miss Mar- 
tha, daughter of John G. and Maria Ackcrman, of 
Allendale, N. J., an<l widow of Heiijamin Davis, of 
Rochester, N. Y. The .Xckernian family is one of | 
the oldest of Bergen County. Mrs. Bcntley's grand- 
father and grandmother, Garrett and Charity Acker- 
man, arc buried at Paramus, and her father is living 
at the advanced age of eighty-eight years. 

Thomas Beveridge w:is born at Ainlrie, Leiinox- 
shiff. ."^coiIiiimI, on .Ian. 21, 1818. His father, Thomas 
F. Beveridge, Jr., was a contra<'tor for coal and iron 
ore at Airdric during his lifetime, and was a man of 
plain parts and modest worth, devoting his time solely ] 
to the management of importiint business interests, 
and holding himself aloof from public affairs. He 
was a native of Dunfermline, Fifesliirr, Scotland, 
where his brother Richard engaged in the same line 
of business as himself, and where their father, Thomas ' 
F. Beveridge, engaged in farming operations through- 
out a long life. 

The subject of this sketch was the fourth child of 
Thomius F. Beveridge, Jr., and of his wife, Margaret 
Strong. The otlier children were Jane. .Margaret, 
Jcnnnette, and John. The latter is a farmer in De , 
Kalb County, III., he and Thomas being the only 
members of the family who left the old country. 

The latter received only a common-school education, 
and fora few yearsengaged in business with his father 
nt Air<lrie. In 18.S8 he came to the I'niteil States, 
and li>ettted at Schenectady, N. Y., where he became 
a fireman on one of the first railroads constructed in 



the T'nited States. Railroading in those days was a. 
very did'erent thing Irom what it is to-day, and after 
the expiration of a year Mr. Beveridge removed to 
Whitestown, Uneida Co., N. Y., and entered the em- 
ploy of Walcott & Campbell, extensive cotton-manu- 
facturers. He assisted in the construction of the 
large dams at that place used by the firm, and also 
jierformed the duties of night-watchman for a few 
years. He subsciiuently engaged in farming near the 
village of Florence, in the same county, but was 8oon 
invited by Messrs. Walcott & Campbell to fill the 
position of superintendent of their mills at Whites- 
town. He accepted the |iosition,an<I for eleven consec- 
utive years managed their large business with great 
acceptance. He wils in the employ of this firm for 
twenty years, a fact that bears ample testimony to the 
fidelity, good judgment, and ability which he mani- 
fested in the discharge of his duties. 

In 18t)3, desiring to enter into business on his own 
account, be reinoveil to Paterson, N. .1., and estab- 
lished a large lumber-yard at No. 223 Ellison Street, 
the extent of land covered by the yard at that time 
comprising several acres. At this point he pa.ssed his 
business life in Paterson until the spring of 1881, 
when, having by a life of industry and economy ac- 
cumulated considerable property, he disposed of his 
business U) his son-in-law, E. M. Stiles, who is now 
doing a successful and |)rofitable business. 

Mr. Beveridge has now retired from active business 
life, yet represents in a worthy manner one of the 
important business enterprises of Paterson. He has 
during his residence in the city done his part cheer- 
fully in sustaining the local institutions of Paterson, 
and performed the part of a substantial and useful 
citizen. He has uniformly refused to accept public 
position of any kind, but has devoted all of his en- 
ergies to the management of his own private concerns. 
He is a member of the Second I'resbyterian Church 
of Paterson, and one of the trustees of that body. 
He was married on April 10, 1837, to Helen Hastie, 
of Airdrie, Scotland, who came with him to this 
country in 18.38, and is still the valued helpmeet of 
his home. The children have been seven in number, 
of whom only five are living, namely, Jennie, wife of 
,Iohn Dunlop, silk-manufacturer of Paterson; Thomas 
F. (the third representative of the family bearing that 
name), who is engaged in the coal business in Pater- 
son : Helen, wife of E. JI. Stiles, above referred to; 
Nettie ("., wife of Dr. .1. A. Dingman, of Spring Val- 
ley, N. Y. ; and John D., who resides with his father. 

Thomas Gould. — The Gould family is descended 
from three brothers, ,/iihii, Thomas, and Robert, who 
left Dartmouth, a town in Devonshire, in Wales, in 
the year lli64, an<l arrived in America the same year. 
They were all young men, and brought no property 
with them. One of them settled in the ."statt' of .Ma.s- 
sachusetts, one on Long Island, and Jolni in Connec- 
ticut, where he marrie<l a girl by the name of Sarah 
Extel. He was a tailor bv trade. From Connecticut 





m^ 




a'^p 



I 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



547 



he moved to Long Island, where he lived a few years, 
and then removed to Elizabetlitown, N. J., where he 
spent the remainder of his life. He had six children, 
viz. : John, Thomas, Hannah, Sarah, Mary, and Abi- 
gail. John married a widow by the name of Martha 
Frazer,and had five children, — Robert, John, Thomas, 
Martha, and Sarah. Of these John was the great- 
grandfather of the subject of this sketch, and was 
born Sept. 2, 1708. He married Abigail Woodruff, 
born Sept. 12, 1712, and resided at Caldwell, N. J. , 
Their children were John, Joseph, Sarah, Stephen, and 
Samuel. Joseph, grandfather of our subject, was 
born July 16, 1737, and died in December, 1810, in 
the seventy-fourth year of his age. He married Re- 
becca Paxton, born Dec. 16, 1738, c|ied March 4, 
1816, and had eleven children, namely, Daniel, born 1 
Feb. 12, 1762, died in his third year; Abigail, born ' 
Oct. 5, 1763, married Cornelius Jacobus, died Oct. 
23, 1836 ; Sarah, born July 30, 1765, married Peter 
Jacobus; John, born Dec. 3, 1767, died Jan. 5, 1839; 
Thomas, born April '13, 1770, died Dec. 7, 1802; 
William, born June 12, 1772; Anthony, born Oct. 
22, 1774; Stephen, born June 30, 1777, died May 20, 
1839 ; a son who died unnamed ; Joseph, born June 
12, 1782; and Mary, born Sept. 28, 1785, died Sept. 
22. 1836. 

John Gould was born and reared upon the home- 
farm in Caldwell, receiving only a common-school 
education. He married Sophia Van Gieson, and in 
1812 purchased about one hundred and twenty [ 
acres of land on the old New York turnpike, near 
Paterson, where he spent the remainder of his life 
engaged in farming. He was a representative man 
of his class, clear-headed, enterprising, and sagacious, 
and filled the office of justice of the peace for the 
greater part of his life. He was associate justice of 
the Court of Common Pleas for a number of years, 
and administered a great many estates. He was 
strictly honest in all of his transactions, and main- 
tained a leading position in the society of his early 
day. His wife died in 1857, aged ninety-five years. 
The children, of whom Thomas is the only one living, 1 
were seven in number, viz. : Lydia, who married 
Jacob Post; Lemuel, who died in infancy ; Jane, who 
married Caleb Harrison ; Thomas, who died in in- 
fancy ; Rebecca, who married Moses E. Gould ; 
Thomas, and Anthony. The latter lived and died at 
Albany, where he engaged in the publication of law 
books, as did also his uncles, William and Stephen 
Gould, the family being widely known in this country 
in connection with that interest. 

Thomas Gould was born at Fairfield, Caldwell 
township, on Jan. 8, 1800. He enjoyed only a com- 
mon-school education, and when eleven years of age 
came to Paterson, where he commenced to learn the 
weavers' trade with James Boon. The invention of 
power-looms about this time, and their adoption for 
the purposes of manufacture, put a stop to his busi- 
ness, and he then learned the blacksmith's trade in 



Bloomfield, N. J., with Caleb Harrison, where he re- 
mained four years. He then taught the Weasel Dis- 
trict school, near Paterson, for eighteen months, and 
subsequently clerked for Gould & Banks in their law- 
book store in New York for about six months. Not 
liking the business, he in 1821 moved upon his 
father's farm on the New York turnpike, and worked 
it in connection with his lather until the death of the 
latter in 1839, when it became his by inheritance. 
He continued at this point engaged in fiirming opera- 
tions for many years. After the rapid growth of the 
city of Paterson had brought his farm within the 
municipal confines, he disposed of the greater part of 
it to the South Side Improvement Company, and re- 
serving several acres for himself, built his present 
handsome residence thereon in 1871. It stands on 
the same site where his father erected his farm-house 
in 1812. The latter building, still in a good state of 
preservation, stands near its more modern successor. 

Besides his farming pursuits, Mr. Gould has led a 
busy and energetic life, and through many years has 
maintained an influential place in society. Owing to 
the large public business done by his father, he fell, 
as it were, heir to a large portion of it, and was drawn 
unconsciously into public affairs. For nearly twenty 
years he filled the office of justice of the peace, and 
performed its varied functions with uniform courtesy 
and fidelity. It was not an uncommon thing in the 
earlier days of his justiceship for him to hear causes 
in the field where he was plowing. He has admin- 
istered many estates, drawn a great many wills and 
papers, and acted as the adviser and counselor of 
large numbers of friends. For five years he filled the 
position of associate justice of the Court of Common 
Pleas of Passaic County. He has also filled the oflice 
of collector of Acquackanonk township, been a mem- 
ber of the school board of the same township, and 
served as overseer of the poor. 

Having now attained the ripe old age of eighty- 
two years, Squire Gould lives in retirement, enjoying 
the fruits of a long life of industry and devotion to 
the performance of duty. He is a member of the 
First Presbyterian Church of Paterson, contributed 
both money and labor towards the erection of the 
church edifice in 1814, and although he did not make 
a profession of religion until he was seventy years of 
age, has always been a liberal supporter of church 
and kindred institutions. He was married on March 
17, 1841, to Jane C, daughter of Nathaniel and Abby 
(Harrison) Bruen, of Bloomfield, N. J., and grand- 
daughter of Timothy Bruen, one of the early settlers 
of Essex County. Mrs. Gould was born July 17, 
1813, is also a member of the First Presbyterian 
Church of Paterson, and a lady of refinement and 
true Christian worth. Nathaniel Bruen, her father, 
was born in 1769, and during the earlier portion of 
his life was a school-teacher in Belleville, Bloomfield, 
Orange, and Essex County. He was subsequently a 
merchant, and died at Bloomfield in 1829. While a 



548 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



resident of Orange he was an elder in the Presbyte- 
rian Church of that place. His children were Wil- 
liam, George W., Isaac H., and Jane C. Briien. Mrs. 
Bruen was a daugiiter of Capt. George Harrison, who 
serveil during the Kcvoliitionary war a.-* a member of 
the home-guard. His father, Caleb Harrison, was 
also an early settler of Esse.'c County, and portions of 
the family homestead can still be seen on the road 
between Bloonifield and Newark. 

Although no children have been born to Mr. and 
Mrs. Gould, they have raised several children and 
started them in life. Two of these — .\nlhony G. 
Post, a grandson of Mr. Gould's sister, and Albert A. 
Bruen, a nephew of Mrs. Gould — were reared from a 
tender age. The former enlisted as a Union soldier 
during the late Rebellion, and died of fever at Fred- 
ericksliUTL'. \':i. The latter is fanning in Iowa. 

Cornelius H. Post, now residing on Water Street, 
Paterson, is said to be the oldest living native resi- 
dent of the city, and was born June 24, 1800. 

The Post homestead is owned in 1881 by John 
Terhnne, and contained one hundred and fifty acres 
of land, lying oti the Passaic River, reaching to the 
mountain licyond, now a |)art of the city of Paterson. 
His grandfatluT, Henry H. Post, was born on the 
homestead about 1760, and resided there his whole 
life, dying about 1820. His grandmother, Jane Vree- 
land, died in middle life, leaving children,— Margaret, 
wife of Adrian Post; Ilartman, was a farmer near 
the city ; Eliziibctb, wife of John Spear; Isabella, 
wife of HarmanuH Van Bussum ; and Henry H., 
father of our subject. By a second marriage he had 
two sons, — John, a merchant, first in New York, and 
afterwards in New Orleans, where ho died, and Ben- 
jamin, wlio was a farmer here for a lime, but removed 
to Seneca County, N. Y., wher<c- lie died. 

Henry II. Post, father of Cornelius H., also resided 
on the homestead near Cedar Lawn, and died in Oc- 
tober, 1808, aged about thirty-one years. His wife, 
Jane, daughter of Cornelius and Ellen Van Houten, 
of Bergen County, died in 18.')4, aged seventy-one, 
and by her first marriage to Mr. Post had children, — 
Jane, Cornelius H., Henry H., who died at Williams- 
burgh, N. Y., and Ellen, wife of William Ridgeway, 
of Paterson. By her second marriage to Edo Van 
Winkle she had four children. 

Henry H. I'ost and his wife were attendants of the 
Reformed (Dutch) Church at Passaic, and she became 
a member of the Presbyterian Church in Paterson 
after her first husband's decease. 

C'ornelius H. Post attended the district school in 
the vicinity of his birth|dace during his boyhood. 
At the age of fifteen he began work on the farm, and 
at the age of seventei-n he conimence<l learning the 
trade of a wheelwright, at which he conlinued until 
the ape of twenty-one. In 1822 he was employed in 
the Phipnix Mills, Paterson, as a millwright, and to 
keep the machinery in order, in which, after four 
years, he wilh cho.seii superintendent, and held that 



responsible position, discharging his duties faithfully 
and satisfactorily, until 1856, when he retired from 
active business. During the thirty-four years he was 
connected with the Phtenix Mills he was known as a 
man of strict integrity, vigilant, and a judicious man- 
ager of its biisine-ss, and his social and genial disposi- 
tion won him friends in all the business circles of 
Paterson. 

He married, Dec. 3, 182.'>, Rebecca, daughter of 
David Benson and Elizabeth Van Houten, who re- 
sided on Water Street, Paterson, in the brown stone 
farm-house now standing, wliieh lier father purchiused 
with twenty-two acres of land in 1807. Her father 
died here in 1862, aged ninety-seven years, and her 
mother died in 1839. Her grandfather, John Benson, 
resided near Old Tappan, Bergen Co., during the 
Revolutionary war, and with his son John served in 
the struggle for the independence of the colonies. 

Mrs. Post was born Sept. 4, 1S04. and has resided 
in the viciuity of her birth her whole life. The fitty- 
sixth anniversary of the marriage of this esteemed 
and venerable couple was celebrated by their two 
surviving children, Henry and Ellen, wife of Leander 
Cox, eight grandchildren, and eight great-grandchil- 
dren. One daughter, Elizabeth, who was the wife 
of John Stagg, died in 1854, leaving three children, 
two of whom still survive, — Cornelius Henry and 
Kitty. 

Hon. John J. Brown, president of the First 
Nalioniil Hank c.C ralerson, N. J., was born in the 
year 1817 in the city of New York. When he was five 
years old his parents were compelled to leave New 
York owing to an epidemic of yellow fever, and they 
removed to New Jersey, settling in Paterson, which 
then was but a mere village. They at first intended 
to relurii to New York, but finally deciiled to remain, 
and his father engageil in the grocery business. John 
attended school until he was thirteen years old, when 
he withdrew, and became a clerk in a dry -goods store, 
where he remained about four years. In 1834 he 
went to New York, where he effected an engagement 
as clerk with James La Tourette, at that time a noteil 
maiinfaetnrer of furs and cloth caps, in whose em- 
ploy he continued for .some three years. In this em- 
ployment he passed the winter of 1836-,S7 in the city 
of New Orleans. Returning to New York in May, 
1837, he found his employer had failed, having gone 
down in the great financial storm of that year, which 
carried with it the United ."states and many other 
banks, together with many of the large and small 
establishments of that day. This failure prevented him 
from entering into business for himself, as he other- 
wise would have done, and he accordingly returned 
to Paterson. He then found employment as clerk in 
a dry goods store, and a few years later succeeded to 
his father's grocery busine-ss. He carried the latter 
on until 1844, when he changed his vocation and 
embarked in the dry-goods business. This venture 
proved a very successful one, and he continued it for 



^^ 



"^ 







I 





■-^ 



'"'/'"• / y 




^t II * ' 



CITV OF PATEKSON. 



549 



twenty-three years, retiring in 18G7. At the close of 
his mercantile career he had a large estahlisliment nn 
Main Street, and had built up the most extensive 
business of the kind in the city. During this time he 
also became much interested in the purchase and im- 
provement of real estate. 

The First National Bank of Paterson was estab- 
lished in April, 1864, but from various causes it did 
not prosper, and during the summer of that year ap- 
plication had been made to the proper authorities to i 
close the institution and surrender the franchises and 
circulating notes, which had been received but not 
issued. About this time, however, Mr. Brown's at- 
tention was called to the matter, when he stepped 
forward and saved the charter. With some efibrt tlie 
sum of one hundred thousand dollars of new capital 
was obtained, a first-class board of directors selected, 
and the bank was reorganized in September, 1864, by 
the choice of Mr. Brown as president. He has held 
that position up to the present time (1S82), and since 
he withdrew from mercantile pursuit.s the most of his 
time and talents have been devoted to the interest of 
the bank. In three months from the time the bank 
commenced business its capital was increased to two 
hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and on Jan. 1, 
1868, another sum of one hundred thousand dollars 
was added. It has a large surplus fund in addition 
to its present capital of four hundred thousand dollars, 
and pays with unfailing regularity a handsome divi- 
dend semi-annually to its stockholders. 

For a long time prior to 1869 there had been felt a 
need for a savings-bank in the city of Paterson. No 
encouragement could be given for savings in small 
sums, for there was no place of deposit where interest 
was paid. While this want was acknowledged, there 
were many reasons for a reluctance to take measures 
for the establishment of such an institution, the prin- 
cipal ones being of course the care and responsibility 
growing out of the business, and the further fact that 
a lack of success had attended former efforts of this 
kind. 

At this period, Mr. Brown conceived the plan of 
establishing a savings institution, based upon the 
primary element of security by a capital stock, car- 
rying with it also the liability attaching to stock- 
holders, as provided for under the act of Congress 
creating national l)anks. Being joined in this oftbrt 
by Mr. F,. T. Ball, then cashier of the First National 
Bank, a charter was obtained from the Legislature, 
embracing the usual safeguards and limitations of 
ordinary savings-banks, with also the added guaran- 
tee capital and liability as before named. The capital 
was obtained, trustees elected, being essentially the 
same as in the management of the First National 
Bank, and business was commenced May 1, 1809, just 
one month after the passage of the act authorizing the 
bank. This was the tirst institution with these pro- 
visions ever established. It has never ceased to have 
the confidence of the community, and has been one 



of the most beneficent as well as successful institu- 
tions in the State. 

With the Passaic Water-Works Company Mr. 
Brown has been identified from its organization. As 
a director always, and as its treasurer for most of the 
time, this corporation has been greatly indebted to 
him for the earnest thought, labor, and sacrifices which 
this great work demanded. In large part through his 
management the financial difficulties which ever at- 
tend improvements of this nature have been over- 
come, and the works have proved a complete success, 
not only financially but in all other respects. 

Mr. Brown has also been largely interested in the 
Cedar Lawn Cemetery. In conjunction with a num- 
ber of other gentlemen, about one hundred acres of 
land were purchased and laid out as a cemetery in 
1866-67, and dedicated in September, 1867. It is sit- 
uate on the bank of the Passaic River, within the city 
limits, but about two miles from the centre of the city. 
For a number of years he w as its president, and is still 
one of its directors. 

At almost the very organization of Paterson as a 
city, Mr. Brown was chosen one of the board of alder- 
men, and while absent in Europe was again elected 
to that ofiice. While occupying this position, Col. 
Derrom, then the president of the Council, and Mr. 
Brown proposed to the Council to have taken a census 
of the city, embracing both the inhabitants and the 
manufacturing industries. They agreed to have it 
done in one day, after the mode of taking the census 
in England. By reason of neglect on the part of a 
few marshals, it was not completed till the second 
day, but essentially the work was done as promised 
in one day. 

In 1854, Mr. Brown was elected as the first mayor 
(by that title) of the municipality, but after he had 
served his term he persistently declined any further 
nominations. During his mayoralty he projected 
and carried out the measure for paving the sidewalks, 
which before this time had been almost entirely ne- 
glected. It was also during his connection with the 
city government that the first sewer was built. 

In 1856 he was induced to become a nominee for 
the Legislature of the then new Republican party, 
and was elected. He served in the Lower House for 
one year, but since that period has invariably declined 
all oftices which have been tendered to him. 

In carrying on the great contest (so far as the city 
of Paterson was concerned), first for the principles 
of human liberty, and then for the preservation of 
the Union, Mr. Brown united with several other gen- 
tlemen in erecting, for the use of the Republican 
party, the well-known "Wigwam." This popular 
place for meetings called together for years large 
audiences of both men and women to listen to the 
best speakers in the Union. It is conceded that its 
influence was the means of a political education among 
the people which was far beyond what was usual in 
most communities. The great occasion for such a 



55(1 



HISTOKV OF HEUGE-N" AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



place of iiiectiiig lias happily pa-ssed away, ami willi 
it the " Wigwam"' itself.' 

In 1859 and 1860, Mr. IJrown was much interested 
in the erection of the First Baptist Church, then and 
still the largest Protestant church building in the city. 
Besides contributing very liberally to the cost of erec- 
tion, he was both chairman and treasurer of the build- 
ing committee during it.s erection. 

Mr. Brown is a gentleman of very active, energetic 
temperament, systematic and practical in everything 
that he does, courteous and polite in demeanor to all, 
and as a business man and bank director has no su- 
perior. His earnest spirit and good sense in execu- 
tive management make him invaluable as a co-worker 
in all enterprises. Me avoids ostentation in every 
particular, and is as discreet and practical in all his 
tastes as he is reliable in his character. Socially he 
is noted for his genial traits, kindness of heart, and 
steadfastness in the discharge of all moral and re- 
liirious duties. 

Jolui H. Berdan. — The Berdan family traces its 
de.scent to an original ancestor who fled from France 
after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1082, 
and came to this country with a wife and son named 
John, in connection with the persecuted Huguenots. 
He purchased a tract of land on which the city of 
Brooklyn now stands, where he cultivated the soil and 
piLs.sed the remainder of his days. His son John .set- 
tled at Hackensack, N. J., where he was one of the 
earliest settlers. His descendants have since been 
numerous in Pa.s.saic and Bergen Counties. 

John H. Berdan was born at Paterson, N. J., on 
Nov. 15, 18.'J2. His parents were David and Eliza- 
beth (Schooiimaker) Berdan, the former of whom 
was a carpenter by trade. He pa.ssed the greater part 
of his life in Paterson, and died on April 27, 1843, 
aged forty-six years; his wife ilied on Aug. 15, 1870, 
aged about si.xty-three. Of the three children the 
subject of this sketch is the only son. He grew up in 
the city of Paterson, and was educated at the public 
schools of the city, graduating at the High School 
when he wa.s about fourteen years of age. At that 
time he became a clerk in the shoe-store of Jolin 
O'Neill, on Congre.ss Street, where he remained three 
years. He then entered the employ of Brown & Van 
Emburgh, dry-goods merchants, in the old Pho'uix 
Building on Main Street, where he lilled the |iosition 
of clerk for about three years more. He then went to 
New York City, where he clerked in the dry-goods 
store of J. T. liea, on Broadway, for one year, at 



' Thin In no pUco for nil rxtrmlpil nntlcp of tliU fnnioiiii plarn, whort> 
many •>{ lh«* Rroal nii^n of Iho iiKtlon ilellKlilnl to «|ienk on lliv |NiUtlral 
iMam *t1 ttie liny, Ixit to iitve noiiio perDmiiont rrcurU of It ww give tho 
liinrrlplloii on tho plctiiro oftlie ImlMIng: 

"Tlip WlKwnni, rntnnH>ii, N. J., diHilicnod anil •rtictcil liy Col. Andrew 
Dcrrom. In the «niniiier of 1X04, on Iota Nihi. 2(1, 28, 'M, :t'i Itroailwny, at 
an riiK'niHi of Hl»in, conlrllxilrcl liy .Tolin J. Ilrown, J. H. ClirUllo, C. M. 
K. rniillaon, Ailnm I'arr. F. r. nivk»itli, llnnry M. I.u». Wllllnm lilnl- 
hlll, II. ■'. .■illmaoti, Kzm Oaliorii, David R. n^'ani, J I' lliihl.xoi, fur tlie 
u*«- or tlio Ropttll'-nn party nt tlin Prc«ldr>till«l campaign Id that voar." 



the termination of which time he entered the Pater- 
son office of the Paterson and Hudson Kiver Railroad 
Company. He first became a clerk in the office, and 
was then promoted to the position of ticket-agent, and 
finally to that of freight superintendent at Paterson. 
He continued to hold the latter position until Nov. 
23, 1869, when he became the agent for Fuller's Pat- 
erson and New York Express, which was at that time 
controlled by James Fisk, Jr., of the Erie Railway 
Company. On April 18, 1872. in connection with 
Gustavus A. Fuller, Eugene W. Guindon, and John 
W. Peck, he purchased the express business from the 
Erie Railway Company. Mr. Peck subsequently 
withdrew from the concern, and the business is now 
owned by the remaining |)artners. Mr. Berdan has 
the entire management of the Paterson business, and 
through close attention to his duties and the intelli- 
gent direction of the aft'airs of the concern has suc- 
ceeded in building up a large and successful business. 
The contract with the Erie Railway requires the com- 
pany to handle one hundred tons of freight a day, but 
fifty tons more per day are actually bandied by the 
concern, and tlie annual amount paiil to the Erie 
Company is about forty-five thousand or fifty thou- 
sand dollars. The goods of the company are carried 
in special pipe-cars, with steam brakes, eight trains a 
<lay being received from New York, and two going to 
New York. Twelve teams of horses are kept busy in 
Paterson carrying the freight handled by the com- 
pany. 

Mr. Berdan is still in the iirime of life, and at the 
head of a large and successful enterprise. He is 
closely identified witli the institutions of his native 
city, and sustains a good reputation in the community. 
He was one of the first to join the Paterson Light- 
Guard, and resigned the office of first lieutenant of 
Company A about a year ago. He was formerly a 
member of the old City Blues, under Capt. George 
Ciriffith. He has never been an aspirant after politi- 
cal position, but soon after the incorporation of the 
city he was elected collector of the East Ward, and 
held the position for two years. He is a member of 
the Paterson Board of Trade, and of .loppa Lodge, 
No. 29, ,\. F. and .\. M. He married Margaret E., 
daughter of Aaron and Nancy .lacobns, of New York, 
ami has two sons, William and John H. Berilan, both 
of whom are engaged in the express business with 
their father. 

Garret I. Blanvelt is a son of John Joseph Blau- 
velt, a native of Orangelown, Rockland Co., N. Y., 
where his father i>ursueil the calling of a farmer. 
John J. Blauvelt removed to Totowa, Pa.ssaic Co., N. 
J., in 18111, and engaged in agricultural pursuits near 
the present location of the Catholic Orphan Asylum. 
He died about the year 1854. He was twice married ; 
liis first wife was Rachel Van Orden, who bore him a 
family of seven children, viz.: Joseph, James, .lohn. 
Garret I., Hannah, who married Eilo Van Saun, 
Cornelius, and Thomas, who died in earlv manhood. 




John Avison was born in Saddleworth, 
Yorkshire, England, on May 17, 1805. His 
parents were John and Annis (Broadbent) Avi- 
son, and their children were Mary, who mar- 
ried Tiiomas Hurst; John, Thomas, Joseph, 
Jonathan, Elizabeth, who married Charles Fos- 
ter, of Jersey City ; Sarah, wife of Robert Lisle, 
of Jersey City ; and David, who is in California. 
All the children came to this country, except 
Thomas and Jonathan. 

John Avison, father of our subject, emigrated 
to this country in 1826, the year in which his 
wife died, and locatetl at Paterson. He worked 
at his trade of shoemaking for a few months, 
and died in 1827. His son John received an 
ordinary Englisii education, and learned the 
trade of a shoemaker with his fatiier. In 1827 
he came to this country and worked, in the em- 
ploy of Joseph Gledhill, at shoemaking for a 
short time. Soon after he started a shop of his 
own in Congress (now Market) Street, where he 
continued industriously at work until 1856. In 
the year 1855 he was elected a justice of the 
peace, and he now devotes his entire time in ful- 
filling the duties of his office. He has con- 
tinued ever since to hold the position of justice, 
and to discharge tiie functions of the office in 
an intelligent and capable manner. 



Squire Avison is widely known in Paterson 
as one of the oldest justices of the city, and as 
one who, while transacting a large amount of 
business, has maintained a reputation for integ- 
rity and honorable dealing. He has acted as 
administrator and executor of a large number of 
estates, and held a number of positions of im- 
portance in the city. He was a member of tlie 
school board for three years, overseer of the 
poor for a number of terms, poormaster in 1851 
-52 under the city government, and filled the 
office of police justice from 1856 until the estab- 
lishment of the Recorder's Court. 

He has always taken an active interest in 
religious matters, and was for many years a 
member of the Cross Street Methodist Episco- 
pal Church, and president and treasurer of the 
board of trustees. He was one of the found- 
ers of the Market Street Church, and filled the 
important position of president and treasurer of 
the board of trustees of that body during the 
building of the church edifice now in use. 

He was married in 1827 to Esther Bentley, 
who came with him to this country. She died 
in December, 188U. Of the twelve children 
but three are living, namely : Elizabeth, widow 
of Robert W. Crawford; Emma; and Susan, 
wii'e of Harmon Goetschius. 




(Sa^y^ r ^duo.^ 



CITY OF PATERSON. 



551 



Our subject is the last-remaining member of Ids 
family. Cornelius was a worthy pastor of the Dutch 
Reformed denomination, preached for fourteen or 
fifteen years at Schraalenburgh, Bergen Co., and at 
other points, and died in the spring of 1881, while in 
the discharge of the active duties of the pastorate at 
Liiilithgo, N. Y. The mother died in 1836, in her 
sixty -second year. In his old age Mr. Blauvelt mar- 
ried for a companion Sarah, widow of Isaac Blau- 
velt. 

Garret I. Blauvelt was born in Rockland County, 
N. Y., March 18, 1807. His educational advantages 
were very limited. At the age of three years he was 
brought by his i)arents to Totowa, and was reared on 
his father's farm. On Nov. 28, 1834, he married 
Ann, daughter of Isaac and Catherine (Marselis) Van 
Saun, of Preakne-ss, Passaic Co. She was born July 
25, 1809. Three years after their marriage Mr. Blau- 
velt divided his farm at Totowa among his four chil- 
dren, — James, John, Hannah, and Garret I., and the 
latter engaged in farming and gardening on his own 
account. He erected a residence and outbuildings on 
his portion of the estate in 1836, and continued at that 
point until July, 1855, when he disposed of his farm 
and stock and removed to the city of Paterson. A 
few years prior to his locating in Paterson he had 
purchased the old bank property on Main Street, and 
he now erected thereon five substantial stores, three 
stories high, with a frontage of one hundred and 
three feet. Two of these — those occupied by Free- 
land & Cook and John Green — he still owns, the 
other three having been sold to Charles Feder. 

Since his residence in Paterson Mr. Blauvelt has 
engaged in no business other than to lease and super- 
intend his Main Street property. He has neverthe- 
less taken an active interest in all matters calculated 
to promote the welfare and prosperity of the city, and 
was one of the charter members of the Paterson Or- 
phan Asylum in 1864, and has been president of the 
board of trustees since that time. He has also been 
one of the most liberal contributors to the support of 
that institution. The institution is located on Mar- 
ket Street near Madison Avenue, and has been the 
means of doing much good during the seventeen years 
of its existence. Mr. Blauvelt has also been a mem- 
ber for many years of the Second Reformed Church 
of Paterson, and has been oflicially connected with 
that body as elder for a number of years. He is a 
member of the executive committee of the Passaic 
County Bible Society, and was for nine years a mem- 
ber of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Reformed 
Church. He is a member of the board of directors of 
the Second National Bank of Paterson, and has been 
since the organization of that institution. He has 
never been an aspirant after public position, and has 
led an industrious, modest, and faithful life. His 
aged wife is still his companion in his declining years, 
and as they have lived, it is probable they will soon 
go down to the grave together. No children have 



blessed their union, though considerable property has 
been accumulated by industry and thrift. Mr. Blau- 
velt erected his substantial residence on Division 
Street in 1871. 

Dr. Miles Davenport. — Probably no profession in 
the world has made such rapid strides during the last 
quarter of a century than has that of dentistry. Prior 
to that period the study and care of the teeth was 
limited to those who made the study of anatomy and 
physiology a specialty, and to the members of the 
medical profession, very much as blood-letting and 
tooth-drawing were once included among the func- 
tions of a barber. Many persons are still living 
who can distinctly remember when the scalpel and 
forceps were as necessary instruments in a barber- 
shop as a pair of shears or a razor. The first dental 
college in the world was established in Baltimore in 
the year 1839. Since that time the science of dentistry 
has developed, until it now ranks among the most 
useful and artistic of the professions, and includes 
among its representatives men of education, culture, 
and high social standing. The development of the 
science has been rapid, and a profession that is the 
oflspring of the nineteenth century has not proven 
tenacious of old ideas nor unfitted itself for growth 
and improvement by a blind devotion to the errors of 
the past, so that the science of dentistry as it exists 
to-day is the exact antipodes of that which received 
the attention of its professors but a few years ago. 
The most rapid improvement has been made in oper- 
ative dentistry, in which there has been almost an 
entire revolution. The highest point at first attainable 
was to fill such teeth as were slightly decayed, where- 
as by the aid of the various improved dental instru- 
ments, together with medical treatment of the teeth, 
the profession are not only enabled to preserve teeth 
slightly decayed, but to restore and preserve them 
for many years. The early practice advocated smooth- 
pointed instruments for use in filling and non-cohesive 
gold, whereas serrated instruments and cohesive gold 
are now recognized as the proper thing. 

Artificial teeth were in use as early as Washing- 
ton's time, and he himself is alleged to have worn 
Ihem ; but at that early day they were carved out of 
solid pieces of ivory, and involved great labor and 
expen.se. The later improvements made in this direc- 
tion and their introduction into general use have 
added largely to both the attractions and difficulties 
of the profession, and drawn to it many possessed of 
superior mechanical skill. 

Formerly the plates in which the teeth are set 
were made only of gold and silver, which nece.ssarily 
made them both heavy and costly, whereas now 
plates are made not only of gold and silver, but also 
of platinum, rubber, and celluloid. Rubber plates 
were not introduced until about 1854, and celluloid 
much more recently. The filling of artificial teeth is 
also a leading branch of the science, requiring both 
skill, judgment, and delicacy when properly done. 



552 



HISTOIIY 01« liEllGEN AND PASSAIC COUiNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



The city of Paterson hits a number of representa- 
tive dentists, who attend assiduously to their pro- 
fession and reflect credit upon it. Prominent among 
these is Dr. Miles Davenport, who was born on June 
19, 1831, in the town of Mount Hope, Orange Co., 
N. Y. His parents were Samuel and 8usan (Dunlop) 
Davenport, and their children five in number, — four 
sons and a daughter. Tlie early education of Dr. 
Davenport was derived at the district schools of his , 
locality, and he subsequently attended the State Nor- 
mal School at Albany, X. Y., where he concluded his 
studios at the age of nineteen. Alter leaving school 
he taught for two years in the village of Goshen, 
Ind., and then returned to Orange County, where he 
entered as a student of dentistry with Pease, Graham 
& Royce, who had offices at both Middletown and 
Goshen. Dr. Royce was one of the first graduates of 
the Baltimore College. Dr. Davenport served his 
apprmticeshii) at Goshen for three years, becoming 
fully conversant with all branches of the business, 
and then took up his residence at Haverstraw, N. Y., 
where be established an office, and also one at Nyack, 
in the same State. He removed to the city of Pater- 
son as the successor of Dr. John Lum, the oldest 
practitioner here at that time, in the fall of ISGo, but i 
retained his offices at Haverstraw and Nyack until a 
lew years ago, when he disposed of the former to Dr. 
Rice and the latter to Dr. Lamb. 

Dr. Davenport has been engaged in the practice of 
his profession in Paterson since the period mentioned, 
and for four years past has occupied the commodious 
and attractive offices on the corner of Main and Elli- 
son Streets. He is recognized as one of the most 
skillful and successful practitioners in the city, and 
does a large business. He has confined himself closely 
to his profession, keeping pace with the changes and 
improvements made in it, and constantly adding to 
his knowledge and ac(|uiring skill by his extended 
practice. He was one of the first to utilize Good- 
year's patent rubber-plate, and purchiused the exclu- 
sive right to its use in Rockland County, N. Y. He 
WHS also the first in Paterson to successfully use 
nitrous oxide gas for the extraction of teeth, and still 
employs it largely in his practice. He also nses a 
great many of Allen's patent continuous-gum plates, 
mounted on platinum (said to be the most cleanly, 
healthy, and life-like of any plates nuide), and is the 
only dentist in Paterson who makes them. He is a 
good mechanic, docs a neat cla.ss of work, and li:us 
been eiiablcd through long experience to make a 
nuiid)er of valuable improvements and changes. He 
is popular in the community, of strict integrity in all 
his business relations, and enjoys the confidence of 
many friends. 

Dr. Davenport was married in February, 1857, to 
Ellen, daughter of Nicliolius C Hlauvelt, of Spring 
Valley, N. Y. His only .son, Willis Davenport, 
studied dentistry with him, attended lectures at the 
Philadelphia Dentnl College, from which he was 



graduated in the spring of 1882, and is now prac- 
ticing his profession at Paterson in connection with 
his father. 

Isaac D. Blauvelt. — The RIauvelt family resided 
in Rockland County, N. Y., at an early day. Thomas 
Blauvelt, the great-grandfather of the subject of this 
sketch, was a justice of the peace in that county for 
many years, and transacted a large amount of public 
business. He removed ko Porapton, Passaic Co., 
N. J., at an early period, where he operated a grist- 
mill and engaged in agricultural pursuits. His son 
Daniel succeeded him at the same place and followed 
the .same line of business. 

Isaac D. Blauvelt was born on Sept. 6, 1827. His 
parents were Isaac D. and Lsabella (Patterson) Blau- 
velt, and he was the only child. The former was a 
shoemaker by trade, and followed that pursuit in the 
city of Newark for several years, dying at the age of 
twenty-eight. Jlr. Blauvelt received only an ordinary 
English education, and at the age of sixteen began to 
learn the trade of carriage-nuiking with Isaac Riker, 
of Little Falls, Passaic Co. After about a year he 
entered the em|)loy of Deacon John Gardner, of 
Newark, and a short time after of John D. Hogan, 
of Paterson, with whom he finished his apprentice- 
ship and remained two years. He then went to work 
in the car-shops of the Paterson and Hudson River 
Railroad, which stood on the present site of St. John's 
Roman Catholic Church, where he remained two 
years in the wood-work department. He was then 
prostrated by the smallpox for three months, and 
upon his recovery established the carriage business 
in a small way in Arch Street, near North .Main, 
without capital and in a weak bodily condition. He 
remained at this point for about four years, and suc- 
ceeded by close application to business in building 
up considerable trade, and in making a reputation for 
himself in connection with the manufacture of car- 
riages. Owing to the necessity for increased facilities 
for numufacture, he removed his establishment to 
River Street, nearly opposite the Passaic Hotel, where 
he remained for a innnber of years. In l}<ti() he re- 
moved to the corner of Market and Prince Streets, 
and continued at thai i»)int until IStl.'i, when he was 
burned out, and having no insurance, sulfered a loss 
of about seven thousand dollars. The same year he 
purcha.sed of the Society for the Encouragement of 
Useful Manufactures the site of his present factory 
on Paterson Street and erected the building. He has 
been since engaged in the general manufacture of 
carriages and sleighs of all kinds at that point, and 
has the largest establishment of the kind in Pa.s.saic 
County. He does a good class of work, and is carry- 
ing on a large and successful business. 

.Mr. Blauvelt has confined his labors closely to his 
business, and engaged but little in public alfairs. At 
the same time, while no as|)irant after |iolitical pre- 
ferment, he has been called by his fellow-citizens to 
fill several positions of importance. He represented 




//^^^ =995^»-^^|^^V<^ 



♦ 








(iy^^j2^^«u^^ ^iZ%^^i^^.6At;^^ 



WAYNE. 



553 



the Nortii Ward in the board of education for three 
years, and was a member of the board when the pres- 
ent school system was organized. He was alderman 
from the same ward for two years, and filled that posi- 
tion at the breaking out of the war. He also repre- 
sented the Tiiird District of Passaic County, consist- 
ing of the North Ward and the townships of Little 
Falls, Manchester, Wayne, Pompton, and West Mil- 
ford, in the State Legislature for two years. He takes 
an active interest in local affairs, and is a member of 
the Paterson Board of Trade, and of Ivanhoe Lodge, 
No. 88, A. F. and A. M., of Paterson. He is also a 
member of the "New Church'' (Swedenborgian), on 
Division Street, and was one of the trustees of that 
body for a number of years, and reader to the society 
for seven or eight years. His first wife was Abbie, 
daughter of John and Jane Winans, of Paterson, who 
died in 1866. None of the five children attained adult 
age. His present wife, whom he married in 1868, was 
Elizabeth Flitcroft, of Paterson. Of the two children, 
Mary D. is the only one living. 



CHAPTER LXXI. 



WAYNE. 



Thi3 township of Wayne in point of antiquity of set- 
tlement may be regarded as the second in the county. 
It was chosen as a residence by the most distinguished 
pioneers of the county, Capt. Arent Scliuyler and Maj. 
Anthony Brockholst, as early as 1697, two years after 
the purchase of the land had been effected, and long 
before adjacent portions of the county were inhabited 
by other than the wandering tribes of Indians who peo- 
pled the valley. Though it is probable that portions 
of the Revolutionary army were encamped within the 
borders of the township, and that Gen. Wayne found 
this a convenient temporary abiding-place, no inci- 
dents of especial moment transpired, and no engage- 
ments of importance occurred here. The ground 
was, however, repeatedly traversed by bodies of troops 
from both armies. Though the township has some 
manufacturing interests of importance, it is princi- 
pally an agricultural district, and abounds in well- 
tilled and productive farms. 

There are two portions of the township, known 
respectively as Preakness and Pacquanack. These 
are simply localities or districts, and represent no 
distinctive or commercial importance. Preakness 
lies on the eastern side, while Pacquanack embraces 
a large portion of the western boundary of Wayne. 

Two railroads pass through the southern portion 
of the township, — the Delaware, Lackawanna and 
Western Railroad, with a station at Mountain View, 
a hamlet in the southwest portion of the township, 
and the Mont Clair and Greenwood Lake, with a 
depot at Wayne Station and one at Singac. 



The Morris Canal also traverses the township, and 
affords additional facilities of transportation. 

The value of real estate in Wayne is $656,680, and 
of personal property $87,500. The total amount 
raised by tax for the past year was §10,000, which 
was apportioned as follows: State and county tax, 
$5358 ; township tax, §1190 ; road tax, $3100. The 
rate per cent, is $l.'iO per hundred. 

Natural Features. — The soil of Wayne is com- 
posed princijially of sand and trap-rock, the northern 
))ortion being rocky and broken, and frequently mixed 
with a gravelly loam. The eastern border abounds 
in clay loam with a formation of trap-rock, which 
is apparent at many points. The central portion, 
especially -along the valley of the Singac stream, is 
very fertile, and displays a land that I'or productive- 
ness is unsurpassed in the township. The southern 
part is low-, and abounds principally in beds of clay, 
which are utilized in brick-making. Two ranges of 
mountains are apparent in the township, that an the 
eastern side being generally designated as the Second 
Range, and that in the centre as the Third Range. 

The Pequannock River flows along the western 
border of the township, and the Singac Brook rises 
in the north portion of Wayne, flows southwesterly, 
and pours its waters into the Passaic River above 
Little Falls. It affords a water-power for two grist- 
mills and the same number of saw-mills. 

There is some valuable stone in the township, 
there being one quarry on lands of James Graham, 
and another on lands of the Pom|>ton Iron and Steel 
Company, which are not being at [iresent developed. 

Early Settlements. — The second settlement in the 
county of Passaic was made by Maj. Anthony Brock- 
hoist and Capt. Arent Schuyler in 1695, and included 
what is now the greater part of Wayne township. 
During this period Indians were very numerous, and 
many of the white inhabitants who soon after popu- 
lated the region learned their language, and made it 
the medium of conversation when they met for ex- 
change and barter. Tradition says that the red men 
had at this time a few acres planted near what is 
known as the Schuyler Basin, and that there existed 
an Indian orchard at Pacquanack, near the present 
residence of ex-Sherift' Ryer^on. Associated with 
Schuyler and Brockholst in the purchase of land 
were Samuel Byard, George Ryerson, John Mead, 
Samuel Berrie, and David and Hendrick JIandeville, 
who mutually agreed to purchase five thousand five 
hundred acres of land of the proprietors of East 
Jersey. The Indians having claimed the whole 
valley, it was found necessary to purchase their 
right, for the purpose of making good the title. This 
was effected on the 6th of June, 1695, by Arent 
Schuyler in behalf of his associates, for merchandise, 
wampum, etc., to the value of two hundred and fifty 
pounds. This included not only the area mentioned, 
but all the tract lying between the Passaic on the 
south, Pompton on the north, and between the foot 



551 



HISTORY OF BKRGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



of the hills on the east and west. The patent fnini 
tlie proprietors for five thousand five hundred acres 
to Brockliolst, Schuyler, and tiicir associates bore 
date Nov. 11, Itj'.i;), and the land lay upon the east 
side of the I'equannock River. 

This purchase was divided into three patents. The 
first was designated as the " Lower Pacquauac patent," 
and began at what was called the deep gully and run 
of water just above the lowlands, named Pequannock. 
and extended south to the Pa.ssaie River, about three 
miles in length and one and a half in breadth, contain- 
ing two thousand seven hundred and fifty acres. Of this 
patent, Brockholst sold a third part to Nicholas Byard. 
The tract wsis then divided equally between the two 
parties, Brockholst, Schuyler, and Byard forming the 
first party, and Mead, Berry, Ryerson, and the Man- 
devilles the second party, it being decided by lot that 
the last-named party should have the southern part 
anil the first three the northern half of this tract. 

The second patent, known as the " Upper Pacqua- 
nac patent," extended from the deep gully and ran 
to a line running east from the mouth of the Pompton 
River, or what is now kin)wn as the Hainapo River, 
and contained twelve hundred and sixty acres. 

The one-third of this patent was also sold to Nich- 
olas Byard. It remained intact until 1755, when it 
was divided between Harry Brockholst, Philip Schuy- 
ler, and the four .sons of Samuel Byard, descendants 
and heirs of the original owners. 

The third was known as the "Pompton patent." 
It extended from the mouth of the Pompton or 
Ramapo River up the Pequannock to the foot of the 
hills, about one and a half miles, and ran back from 
the river eiust nearly the same distance, containing 
twelve hundred and fifty acres. Of this Brockholst 
and Schuyler also sold one-third of their right to 
Nichola-s Byard. It was then divided between the 
two parties in the same way as the Lower Pacquanac 
patent, in this case the southern part falling to the 
three and the northern to the five. 

The party of five concerned in the first and liiird 
patents thus pos.Heflsed two thousand acres, which came 
to them in the division, and for which they i)aid the 
proprietors of Eiust .Jersey two hundred pounds. 
After this general division it is probable that the 
respective parties dividetl in an equitable manner the 
tracts and converted them into farms. Some of this 
land has been owned by successive generations, ami 
is still in pos-session of the family. 

In the year 1097, Anthony Brockholst and Arent 
Schuyler settled in what is now the township of 
Wayne, the former on the bind now occupiecl by the 
family of the late Maj. William (!olfax, and the lat- 
ter on the site of the residence of Dr. William (Colfax. 
They may therefore be considered not only as the 
pioneers of the township, but of the immediate vi- 
cinity. 

Maj. Brockholst had one son, Henry, and four 
daughters, — Mary, who became, so far as laii lie de- 



termined, the wife of Adrian Verplanck ; Janette, 
who married Col. Fre<leriek Phillipse, of Westchester 
County, N. Y. ; Susannah, who became Mrs. French; 
and .Judith. 

He died in the summer of 1723, leaving his prop- 
erty to his wife, and after her death to his children. 
His son Henry married Maria Verplanck, and lell no 
issue. The name thus became extinct in the county. 
Arent Schuyler was born in 1662, in Albany, N. Y^., 
was twice nuirried, and remained in Wayne township 
until 171(1, when he removed to New Barbadoes, 
Bergen Co., and developed the valuable copper-mines 
fouud on his property. He had eight children, and 
may be regarded as the progenitor of the Schuyler 
family in New Jersey. His death occurre<l in 1732. 

George Ryerson, who purchased, in connection with 
other parties, a portion of the patents above named, 
probably followed as a settler soon after the advent of 
Brockholst and Schuyler. He had a son George, 
whose son Abraham married Sarah Mandeville. 
They had seven children,— Abram, Peter, Nicholas, 
and four daughters, .\brani married Sarah Bush, of 
Essex County, and ha<l children, — (ieorge A., Anna, 
Alfred, John A., and .Sarah Louisa (Mrs. Wm. An- 
derson). Of this number Alfred and the widow and 
children of George A. reside in the township. Among 
other representatives of the Ryerson family in Wayne 
are Wm. F. Ryerson, Abram M., Lucas, .Vbram N., 
(iillium, and the sons of Nicholas, Hu.sel, and Zadoc. 
Members of the family are also found elsewhere in 
the county. 

The Jacobus family are among the earliest settlers, 
though none of the name are now residents of the 
township. The first who settled in Wayne was 
("obus .Jacobus, who purclia.sed the trai't now occu- 
pied by his great-grandsons, Thomas and Nicholas J. 
Dorenius. He had one son, Ritlph, who occupied the 
property during the Revolutionary period, and mar- 
ried Jane . They had a daughter Susan, who 

became the wife of Peter Dorenius, when the name 
became extinct, and the property jiassed to the latter 
family. 

"The Doremus family were not among the original 
settlers here, and the name of the forefather in this 
country cannot be stated, but, as far as can be ascer- 
tained, they came from Middleburg. on the island of 
/Zealand, in Holland, about the year I6S5, and settled 
at Acquackanonk. Tliere appear lo have been four 
brothers, — Johannes, Thomas, Hendriek, and Josis. 
.Tohannes wius born in Holland, and the others in this 
' country, at .\cquackanonk. He married, Aug. 9, 1710, 
Elizabeth .Vckeriiian ; ThomiLs married, Oct. 4, 1712, 
Anncke .Vbrahamse Ackernian ; Hendriek married, 
April H, 1714, .\nnctie Essels ; Josis nuirried, March 
16, 1717, .Maritze Berdan. Johannes lived at Preak- 
ness, and died between 17.54-58, leaving a son Corne- 
lius, who is probably the one that lived at Parsip- 
jiany, and from whom the greater part of that mime 
in this valley are descended." 



WAYNE. 



555 



This Cornelius, who probably spent his life in Mor- 
ris County, had among his children Thomas and 
John, both residents of Morris County, while a third 
son located in Bergen County. Thomas married Ra- 
chel Peer, and had children, — Cornelius, Peter, Benja- 
min, John, Francis, and one daughter, who died in 
youth. Peter removed from Morris County, in Wayne 
township, then a portion of Bergen County, and 
married Susan Jacobus. Their children were Ralph, 
Nicholas J., Thomas, Francis, Cornelius, and one 
daughter, Rachel. Peter spent his lifetime and died 
upon the land uow owned by his sons. Among other 
members of the Doremus family in the township are 
John, George, Abram, and Cornelius, residing at 
Preakness. 

The Mandeville family are descended from Giles 
Jansen Mandeville, who fled from Normandy, in 
France, to Holland, there married a Dutchwoman, 
Elsje Hendricks, and coming from Guelderland to 
New York in 1647, lived in what was called Thap- 
paneconck, near what is now the foot of Twelfth 
Street. His son Hendrick married first, on July 18, 
1()80, Anetje Pieterse Scholl, and lived some time at 
Hempstead, L. I., and on her death married the 
second time, April 21, 1099, Elizabeth Jane Berry, 
and about this time removed to and settled at Pac- 
quanac. He died between 1709 and 1714, and left 
sons, — by the first wife, David ; and by the second, 
Hendrick, Johannes, and Giles. The second wife of 
Hendrick after his death married Brand Jacobus, 
and had two sons, James and Abraham, the fore- 
fathers of the Jacobus family in this section. 

Theunis Dey, a relative of the Ryerson family, was 
among the earliest arrivals, and remained for some 
years. He ultimately removed with his family to 
New York, and became an influential citizen. 

The De Bow family came from New York about 
1727, as in that year, on the 23d of May, Garret De 
Bow married Maria, the second daughter of Paulus 
Van Derbeek, and probably soon after settled in the 
vicinity. 

A portion of the family settled at Pompton Plains, i 
John, one of the descendants, liad among his chil- 
dren John, William, Sarah, Catherine, and Maria. 
John, of this number, married Hester Jacobus, and 
became a resident of Wayne township. His death 
occurred, leaving nine children, of whom Theodore 
and Catherine (Mrs. Berdan) reside in the township. 

The Colfax family are connected with the early 
history of the township. They were originally from 
Connecticut, and first represented in the county by ! 
Gen. William Colfax, commander of Washington 
Life-Guards during the Revolution. While at the 
house of Casparus Schuyler, in company with the 
general-in-chief and his staft', he met tlic only daugh- 
ter of his host, Hester, whom he married in 178.3, 
after which he made the county his residence. His 
sons were Schuyler, father of the ex-Vice-President, 
Dr. William, and George W. The last two were resi- 



dents of the township. Maj. William W. Colfax, son of 
George W., was for many years a prominent and use- 
ful citizen of Wayne township. His death, which 
occurred in 1878, was the occasion of sincere mourn- 
ing throughout the towniihip, not more as a conse- 
quence of his acknowledged ability than because of 
his integrity, high .sense of honor, and kindly nature. 
His family and that of Dr. Colfax still reside in the 
township. 

The Jones family are among the oldest in the town- 
ship, Thomas Jones having come from Long Island 
in 1750, and settled at Pacquanack. He married 
Elizabeth, daughter of Solomon Poole, in 1749, to 
whom were born children, — Edward, Mary, Wil- 
liam, William (2), Sarah, Elizabeth, Margaret, and 
Nicholas. Edward married Elizabeth Kip, and had 
children, — Elizabeth, Margaret, and Nicholas. The 
latter settled on the homestead, married Hannah 
Johnston, of Wayne township, and had children, — 
Elizabeth, Mary, Edward N., William, Johu, James, 
Nicholas, Lavinia, and Thomas, of whom the last 
named resides on the ancestral land, and is the only 
representative of the family in the township. 

The Merselis family are of Holland ancestry, and 
first settled in Bergen County, from whence Edo re- 
moved to Wayne township, on the farm now owned 
by. his grandson, Peter G. Merselis. Edo had four 
sons, — Edo, Garret, John, and Peter. John and 
Garret settled in the township, the latter having mar- 
ried Ellen De Gray, to whom were born children, — 
Edo, John, Peter G., Mary (Mrs. Van Riper), Jane 
(Mrs. Benson), Ann (Mrs. J. I. Hopper), and a child 
who died in infancy. The only survivor of this number 
is Peter G., who lives at the homestead. John, a son 
of John above named, also resides in the township. 

James Berdan, the earliest member of the family 
recalled in the township of Wayne, was born in 1746, 
and was the great-grandfather of James, who now 
occupies the homestead. He married Rebecca Ryer- 
son, born in 1746, and had children, among whom 
was Albert, whose birth occurred in 1767. He married 
Mary Ackerman, born in 1771, and had children, — 
Jacob, born in 1790 ; Christina, whose birth occurred 
in 1793 ; and Rebecca, born in 1801. Albert died in 
1837, aged seventy years. His son Jacob married 
Catherine Demarest, and had children, — Sarah, Maria, 
Albert, Caroline, Margaret, John, Rebecca, James D., 
and William. The death of Jacob Berdan took place 
in 1875. Mrs. Garret Berdan is a daughter of Albert 
above mentioned. 

Another Jacob of the Berdan family removed from 
Slauter Dam to the township, where he died. His 
sons were Richard, Jacob, John, and Garret, all of 
whom settled in Wayne. .Tohn later removed to 
Passaic, and now resides in Manchester, wdiile Garret 
occupies the homestead. 

The Van Riper family were, so far as is remem- 
bered, first represented by Richard, whose son Uriah 
settled on land now occupied by Andrew P. Hopper. 



556 



HISTORY OF BEKGRN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



He had children, — Jacob and Elizabeth (Mrs. Dewitt). ' 
Jacob married Mary Van Riper, of Belleville, N. J., 
and had children, — Uriah, Leah Ann, and Mary 
Elizjibeth. Uriah is deceaseil, and his widow and 
two ilaughters re|iresent the family in the township. 
Andrew, who sprang from another branch of the 
family, also resitles in tlie towu.ship. 

Nicholas Kip loc«ted in Lower Preakness, on prop- 
erty now owned by Traphapen & Dorenuis. Among 
his children were Cornelius Kip and a daughter 
Elizabeth, who married Edward Jones. Cornelius 
had among his children Nicholas and John and sev- 
eral daughters, among whom was Rachel, who mar- 
ried Martin Berry, whose son, Henry K. Berry, now 
resides in the township. John Kip lelt two sons and 
one daughter. The name of Kip has become extinct 
in Wayne township. 

The Ackerson family resided at Nyack-on-tht- 
Hudson. John Ackerson married with the V'andcr- 
bilt family, and had four sons and two daughters. 
By a second union he had two sons. His .son Corne- 
lius removed to the township in 17S8, and married 
Jane Van Orden. They had two sons, John and : 
Andrew, the former of whom resides in Morris 
County, and the latter on the homestead. 

The Doremus family was represented by Richard 
Doremus, who wa.s for many years a resident of the 
township, but in 1833 removed from the vicinity, 
since which time the name has not appeared upon 
tin- roll ot the township's older citizens. 

Schools. — Schools existed at a very early day in 
the townshii> of Wayne, but of a very primitive char- 
acter. The first ellbrt, according to cherished tradi- 
tion, to collect the children of the neighborhood for 
purposes of instruction occurred in 177t), in a dug-out 
on the south side of the hill northeast of Mead's 
Basin. This school-house, if such it may be called, 
was adorned with a substantial roof, and wits used as a 
stable by Gen. Wayne during the Revolutionary war 
while stationed in the vicinity. To this spot children 
came a distance of four miles. In 177!i a stone struc- 
ture was erected on the side of the same bill, its gen- 
eral appearance being more that of a fort than a school- 
liousc. The earliest teacher recollecteil is James C. 
Fallon. In 1812 was formed the Franklin .School 
As.socialion, the members who ellccted it-s incorpora- 
tion being A. Ryerson, Jr., Jacob K. Mead, Simeon 
Doremus, and Lucas Ryer.son. The school territory 
of the township is now divided into five districts, as 
follows: Franklin, No. 13, Jefferson, No. 14, I'reak- 
ne»s, No. 15, WiLshlngton, No. IG, and Lafayette, No. 
17. The district clerks are: For No. 13, C. D. Rich- 
ards; for No. 11, Albert Tcrhune; for No. \r>, R. M. 
Torbet ; for No. 10, L. 1). Ryerson; and for No. 17, 
George W. Colfax. The total value of school prop- 
erty i» 18400, and the number of children in the town- 
ship .'i47. The total amount received from all sources 
for school purposes is $2()3(i.38. 
Early Highways.— Many of the highways of 



Wayne township were surveyed at a very early date, 
and are as.sociated with the period of the Revolution. 

The Pacquanack road began at Hoboken, and en- 
tering the county pas.scd through Paterson and Little 
Falls. It then followed the western border of the 
township, nearly parallel with the Pequannock River 
until it.s arrival at Pompton, where it crossed the 
river, and continuing on to Sussex County, entered 
New York State. 

This highway wa.s intimately associated with some 
of the scenes of the Revolution, and was traversed con- 
stantly by army-wagons and soldiers. The Preakness 
road, also a Revolutionary highway, and the scene of 
much activity at an early day from the great amount 
of produce transported over it, passed through Ac- 
quackanonk, now Pas-saic, and on to Paterson, from 
which it-s line was surveyed through Preakness to 
Pompton and on to Sussex County. Both these roads 
were highways of great importance during the last 
century, and have "been since intersected by other 
roads, which were found necessary to the development 
of the country. 

The road territory of the township is now divided 
into fifteen districts, over which preside the following 
overseers : 



No. 



. I*e|pr Biiilfv. 
..Ili'iir> n>«T 
..J(*ri-iiitiili K. iVnlan. 
..Genrffc It. llcnlHli. 
..CHi-n-t Iti'tilalt, Jr. 
..H..iiry V.iil. 
..\ViilliTl'..|)er. 
K.J. Uiiiilu. 



District. 

Nu. 0....niarlnS|'lni1ler. 
" in... <;. \v. I .iir«x 
" 11 ...CilllHni llM'iK.n 

" Vi lnlm-» !►. B<M\Jitn. 

" M ...ri-l.rC r..t 
I " 10.. .H..»-kinli Hinddock. 
" 17....Kliu Osljvi u. 



Civil List. — " At a town-meeting held at the house 
of Henry Ca.sey, at Preakness, in the township of 
Wayne, on the 12th of April, a.d. 1847, pursuant 
to the fourth section of vhe act entitled ' An act to 
divide the township of Manchester, in the county of 
Passaic, and to establish a new township, to be called 
the township of Wayne,' .Jacob Berdnn was chosen 
moderator, and William S. Hogencamp clerk." 

The moilerator having been iluly sworn, and the 
clerk having taken and subscribed to the oath re- 
quired by law, it was on motion unanimously resolved 
that this town-meeting vote by ballot, whereupon the 
moderator proceeded to receive the ballots offered, and 
upon an estimate and canvass of all the votes received, 
the following-named persons were foiiiid to be elected 
to the odices prefixeil to their respective names: 

Judge of Election, George W. Colfax ; Town Clerk, 
George Ryerson; Assessor, William Sickles; Col- 
lector, Nicholas Kipp; Chosen Freeholders, Henry 
Uoremiis, Isaac .Schuyler; ."Purveyor of Highways, 
U. (i. Van Riper, N. J. Doremus; Township Com- 
mittee, William S. Hogencamp, J. M. Demarest, Wil- 
liam W. Colfax, (lerret Berdan, (tcorge G. Ryerson ; 
Judges of Appeal, D. D. Demarest, John D. Ryerson, 
Jacob B. Van Riper ; Superintendent of Schools, 
John A. Ryersr)n ; Constables, Nicholas Kipp, John 
Reston. 



WAYNE. 



557 



The remaining more important township officers to 
the present date are as follows : 

Freeholders. 
1S71-72, Dnvid Bensen ; 1873-74, 1877-80, James D. Berdan ; 1860, 1856- 
57, 18S9-6(), William (.'olfax ; 1861, James M. Demarest; 185U, Juhii 
M. Deuiarest; 1854-55, 1861-H:i, Nicholas J, Doremus; 1868-69, I'e- 
ter Hopper; 1862-64, CoroeUus J. Jacobus; 1851-53, Nicholas Kip, 
Henry I. Mead; 1868, Albert V. Meeks; 1866-67, Peter G. Morse- 
lis; 187(i, John P. Quackenbush; 1875-76, Abram M. Ryorson ; 
1864-65, John D. Ryersou ; 1S47-49, Isaac Schuyler; 1850-60, John 
J. Traphagen ; 1858, Uriah J. Van Riper; 1854-56, 1866-67, Corne- 
lius D. Vreelau'l; 1881, Peter J. Doremus. 

To\VN8Hip Clerks. 
1848-69, George A. Hyerson; 1859-75, Robert M. Torbet ; 1875-81, R. J. 
Banta; 1881, Abraham Ryetson. 

Assessors. 
1848-49, VVm. S. Hogencanip; 1S60-51, George G. Ryersou ; 1852, Wra. 
C. Stratton; 1854-55, John I. Traphagen; 1866-57, John Stagg; 
1858-59, James M.Demarest; lS60-fi3, John D. Ryerson ; 1864, Philip 
Schuyler; 1865-78, Uriah J. Van Riper; 1879-81, R. M. Torbet. 

Collectors. 
1848, David Shurte; 1849, Andrew Ackerson ; 1850-61, N. J. Doremus; 
ISS'J-M, 1856, Cornelius Kipp; 1857-66, Alfred Ryerson; 1807-69, 
1871-72, Thomas Jones ; 1868, George G. Ryerson : 1870, Garret H. 
Doremus; 1873-81, G. W. Colfax. 

Township Committee. 
1848-50, Heury I. Meade ; 1848-60, J. M. Demarest ; 1848-49, 1867, Wil- 
liam W. Colfax ; 1848-60, Gerret Berdan ; 1848-49, l,s65-66, George 
G. Ryerson; 1849-51, John I. Traphagen; 1850-52, Uriah J. Van 
Riper; 1850-63, 1858-.59, Isaac Schuyler; lS51-.')2, Albert B. Voor- 
heis; 1851-53, Edo Van Saun ; 1852-54, John E. Van Ness; 1853, 
1856, Thomas P. Doremus; 1853-55, Richard Colfax; 1854-55, D. D. 
Demarest, Thomas P. Demarest ; 1864, James Ilincliman ; lSo5-57, 
David Tompkins; 1855-59, Peter G. Mersclis; 1856-57, l^avid Shuart; 
1856-57, 1864-66, 1874-76, William O. Rote ; 1857, 1861-63, Jacob G. 
Berdan ; 1858-69, 1862-63, Andrew Ackereou ; 18.68-59, C. R. Jacobus ; 
1868-61, Israel Tompkins; 1860-61, Paul F. Ryerson ; 1860-62, Fred- 
erick Petrie; 1862, Garret Smith; 1S63, Peter Van Allen, Gerret 
Smith, John Van Winkle; 1864-69, 1872, James D. Berdan; 1865, 
1868, J. J. Van Winkle : 1860-62, William H. Traphagen ; 1864, Is- 
rael Budd, Alexander Morrow ; 1865-66, Nicholas J. Doremus ; 18G6, 
1870, 1872, Jacob R. Berdan; 1866-67, Peter Hopper; 1867, James 
W. Monks; 1867-69, 1871, Samuel C. Geroe; 1808-70,1876-77,1880 
-81, David Benson; 1868-70,1872, 1878-79, 1881, Gilbert F. Merselis; 
1869, 1871, William B. Jacobus: 1870, Abraham M. Ryerson; 1870 
-71, John D. Ryei-son ; 1871, Luther Casey, John Mei-selis; 1872-73, 
Albert Benson; 1872, Peter J. Doremus; 1873-74, Richard J. Banta; 
1873-76, Theodore F. Cox; 1873, William Islierwood, Peter G. Mer- 
selis; 1874-75, Henry Vail; 1874-70, James Graham; 1875, 1880, 
Austin L. Stanley ; 1876, Allen H. Adams, Robert Martin, Jr., Isiuic 
W. Blaiue; 1877-78, Robert M. Torbet, Thomas Jones, J. S. P. Clark ; 
1877-79, Jeremiah R. Berdau ; 1870-81, George W. Decker; 1880, 
John F. Sisco; 1881, Charles W. Van Ness. 

Superintendents of Schools. 
1848-51, John A. Staats; 1852-65, William C. Stratton; 1856-63, George 
(3. Ryerson ; 1804, Thomas F. Hoxie ; 1865, Jonathan B. Webb ; 1806, 
Charles H. Musk. 

JuSTicts OF tue Peace. 
1849-61, 1856-57, 1862, 1872, 1877, George A. Ryereon; 1850, 1866, 1360, 
Joho Stagg; 1861,. Jonathan B. Webb; 1806, 1871, William 0. Rote. 

Manufacturing Interests. — The Laflin & Rand 
Powder Company was formed a number of years 
since by the consolidation of various interests, and 
has mills located at the following points: Orange 
Mills, Newburgh, N. Y. ; Empire Mills, Esopus, 
N. Y. ; Pa-ssaic Mills, Wayne, N. J. ; Cressona Mills, 
Cressona, Pa. ; Moosic Mills, Moosic, Pa. ; Rushdale 
Mills, Jermyn, Pa.; Platteville Mills, Platteville, 
30 



Wis.; Schaghticoke Mills, Schaghticoke, N. Y., the 
first of these works having been established in Orange 
and Ulster Counties. Those in Wayne township were 
first begun in 1869, but not comjileted until some 
years later. They are constructed of both brick and 
wood, and in all embrace fifteen buildings and an ex- 
tensive area of land, the powder being stored in large 
magazines some distance from the works. The capac- 
ity of these works is six hundred kegs per day. Five 
steam-eugines are employed, which are connected by 
shafts with the main portions of the establisliment. 

Of the saltpetre and charcoal, which arc the im- 
portant ingredients in the manufacture of powder, 
the former is manufactured here, while the charcoal 
is procured in Sullivan County. 

Most of the powder is manufactured from nitrate 
i of soda, and known as soda powder. The soda un- 
dergoes a proce-ss of refining, after which it is dried 
and ground. It is then bolted, and after being mixed 
with pulverized brimstone and charcoal, is run under 
eight-ton wheels for two hours. 

It is then pressed by a screw-press for two hours, 
which has a capacity equal to about one hundred kegs. 
This pressure transforms it into cakes, tlie dimensions 
of which are two feet square by one incli in thickness. 
From this process it passes into the corning-mill and 
is ground between rollers, some of which are smooth 
while others are provided with teeth, for jrurposes of 
crushing or^rinding the cakes. It then jiasses into 
the drying-room, and is placed in huge barrels con- 
taining one hundred kegs each, through which hot 
air is forced. The final process is that of the glaze- 
mill, where it is again confined in barrels and run 
with lead, by which it acquires a polish. It is after- 
wards packed and deposited in the magazines, the 
kegs used in packing being all manufactured at the 
factory of the company on the grounds. There are 
several extensive magazines for the reception of pow- 
der along the Hudson River, and large vessels along 
the coast also receive it until finally disposed of for 
use. 

It is .entirely sold through agencies established in 
various portions of the country, the principal ones 
being at St. Louis, Chicago, Dubuque, Rufialo, Balti- 
more, Boston, and Philadelphia. Connected with 
this establishment are works for the manufacture 
of an electric blasting apparatus. 

The blasting-machine which has the greatest sale 
at the present time is a magneto-electric instrument 
of small size, weighing only about sixteen pounds, 
occupying considerably less than one-half a cubic 
foot of space, and sold at twenty-five dollars. 

It is constructed on the Wheatstone and Siemen's 
principle, having a magnet of the horseshoe charac- 
ter of iron, wound about with coils of insulated cop- 
per wire ; lietween the poles of the magnet there is 
fitted to revolve an armature of cylindrical construc- 
tion, carrying in its body other insulated wire coiled 
1 longitudinally as to the cylinder. 



558 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



The rapid revolution of the iirnmture by suitable 
niean»: generates and sustains in the machine an ac- 
cumulative current of voltaic electricity of great 
power, which at the nionient of its muxiniuni in- 
tensity is prai-ticiilly switched off to the outside 
circuit, in which are the fuzes, and in the interior of 
each fuze the ignition is accomplished instantly. 

The machines made by this company have been in- 
ventions by Mr. 11. Julius Smith, whose services were, 
several years since, engaged wholly for this company. 

All the machines are protected by patents, covering 
some important and indispensable parts. 

The president of the LaHin & Hand Powder Com- 
pany is Salmon Turck. The superintendent of the 
works in Wayne township is W. A. Gay. 

J. R. Hand <.t Co. also have located in the township 
an establishment for the manufacture of high ex|>l()- 
sive powder, which has recently begun operations. 

MouxTAix ViKW BiticK-MAxrFAcTUKixi; Com- 
pany. — This company, of which J. S. P. Clark is gen- 
eral manager, wjis formed in 1879, with a capital of 
$2(1,000, and is located at the hamlet of Mountain 
View, in the southwest part of the township. The 
company owns in this locality a valuable tract, em- 
bracing one hundred and ten acres of clay and sand. 
A twenty-five horse-power engine is provided, and 
steam is used in all the processes of grinding and 
mi.ving the material and moulding the brick. It is 
possible to burn a kiln numbering 1,(M)0,(IOO bricks, 
the whole of which is covered by a substantial shed. 
Three machines are used with a capacity of .■).5,II00 
per day, and about 3,000,000 bricks per year are made. 
The wood which sup|)lies the kilns is obtained in the 
immediate vicinity and transported by canal. The 
market is found in Paler.son, where the demand is 
greatly in exce.ss of the sujtply. 

Robert licattie has a brick-yard in the township, 
with a capacity of about :5"),000 per day, and which 
is furnished with steam-power for all the processes of 
manufacturing. The foreman is Patrick Moore. 

llealy .S: Voorhis have a brick-yard adjacent, with 
a capacity of about .'iO.OOd per day. It is equipped 
with steam-power, and with the material for manufac- 
.ture at convenient distance from the works. 

John M. Powers has a yard which is operated by 
horse-power, and has a capacity of 20,000 por day. 

Preakness Reformed i Dutch > Church. — This 
cliiircli WHS (irgiiiii/ril as eiiily as 17'.t^. ami the same 
year, .so far as can be determined, the first church 
edifice was erected. Services, however, were for a 
period from 1801 to 1824 irregular, and held at inter- 
vals by the neighboring ministers. Among the latter 
were Revs. John Uemarest and Peter Dewitt, who 
served Preakness with the other points of their 
widely-extcniled charge, which ineluiletl both Ponds 
and Wyckotl" in IJergen County. After them came 
Rev. .Jacob T. Field, of Pompton, who supplied 
Preakncsa in connection with that charge, and fol- 
lowing him came Rev. Ava Neal, of I'nmpton Plains, 



who adiled this field to his regular labor. In 1825, 
Z. H. Kuypers came to the Ponds and Wyckofl' 
charge, and Preakness seems also to have been a 
portion of his territory. He began holding .services 
once in three weeks, but, owing to severe weather, 
the long ride, aii<l advanced age, it is stated by mem- 
bers of liis flock still living that he fre<|Uently failed 
to arrive, when for six weeks no service was held, and 
the people became nearly discouraged. Mr. Kuypers 
retired from active labor in 1841, and two years later 
Rev. John .V. Staats came as pastor of Preakness 
Church alone. The people were anxious to have 
services for themselves, and though poor, were very 
willing to make the eflbrt necessary to secure it. 
Mr. Staats proved just the man, and remained from 
1843 until 18G1. In his ministry the church was 
greatly blessed. He gathered many of the people to 
the Sabbath services, helped the congregation to build 
a jiarsonage, and in lK.'i2 aided in the rebuilding of 
the church itself, which had become old and dilap- 
idated. Many were added to the membership under 
his ministry, which was successful to an eminent 
degree. Following him came Rev. C. B. Durand, 
who remained from 18(12 until 1808, after which Rev. 
S.T.Cole was called, who began his ministry in 18(58 
and ended it in 1872. Rev. A. A. Zabriskie became 
pastor in 1872, and officiated until 1878, when the 
present pastor. Rev. H. V. D. WyckofT, accepted a call. 
The eilifice is a substantial brick structure on one of 
the most coniniaiiding sites in the valley. The church 
bus one hundred and two names upon its membership 
roll, and its officers for 1882 are: Elders, Peter G. 
Merselis, David Hensen, ,\lbert Bensen, Albert Ter- 
hune ; Deacons, John G. Merselis, .lames D. Berdan, 
Richaril Bensen, Peter Smith. 

Connected with the church are two Sunday-schools, 
one in the Up])er and the other in the Lower Preak- 
ness District. The officers of the Upper school are: 
Superintendent, J. F. Day ; Assistant Superintend- 
ent, Rev. B. V. D. Wyckolf; Librarians, James D. 
Berdan, .lohn Bensen. The following are the officers 
of the Lower schocd : Superintendent :ind Secretary, 
Isaac W. Blain ; Treasurer and Librarian, Pett-r J. 
Doremus. 

Connected with the church is a Ladies' Tract Soci- 
ety, which circulates tracts every month to all the 
families who attend service regularly and to about 
fifty others who never worship in this or any church. 

Adjoining the church is a burial-ground of some 
antirjuity, the tablets being inscribed with many of 
the earliest names in this portion of the county. 

Organization. — The following is substantiallr the 
act wliicb ire<li'd Wayne as an independent town- 
ship : 

" i*# U enarUft f»y lA* Smult imfl Omeriil .lurmh/y n/ tkr Stntt of AVir 
Jrrtf^t Tlint nil Utal purt iif tho titwiialil^t iif Blalirlitwt«r, ill Ui« uiuiily 
uf PlUM'iir, l>lliK wvnterljr iif (In* fulli»wlll{( Hnp«, to u It : bft[iiiiilng Bt tlii* 
a(|U<-dilL't itcnnw tlio I'ltMuilr Klvor Bt tlip Ltlllo KuUd; ttionc<> njlilillig In 
B Rlt^K'it llix' t«» till* tup of tlie TittnWB MoiiiitMin, wlirrp the OlxIrnlitlik 
HMul IntenMclii tlio hmkI IcBtlliiK frtiin PrBaklM-M tu l*Bt«rBuii ; theiicA 




Francis Torbet, the father of the subject of this 
biographical sketch, was of Scotch descent, and resided 
at Stony Wood, near Aberdeen, Scotland. He was 
united in marriage to Miss Jane Martin, of the same 
hamlet, to whom were born nine children, — Andrew 
M. (now a clergyman and residing in Minnesota), 
James M., David R., Francis R., Walker 6., Robert 
M., George M., Jane M. (now Mrs. James Duncan, 
of Paterson), and Christina (Mrs. Robert Edwards). 
Mr. Torbet emigrated to America in 1 836, and set- 
tled first at Morristown, and later at Paterson. He 
engaged in mechanical pursuit.s in the latter city, 
and was the first machine tender in the extensive 
Paterson Paper Mills. In 18-12 he removed to the 
township of Wayne, where his death occurred in 
April, 1879. 

His son Robert was born at Stony Wood, April 23, 
1834, and emigrated with his parents to America 
when but two years of age. He spent his early life 
upon the farm he now occupies, which was purchased 
by his father soon after his advent in Passaic County. 
Robert, when a lad, availed himself of the limited 
advantages afforded by the schools of the district, and 
also lent a helping hand to the cultivation of the farm, 
where later he became an invaluable aid to his parents. 



He was in 1859 married to Miss Mary A., daughter 
of Deacon Charle-s Tentle, of Morris County, N. J., 
and became the parent of two children, — Mary F. 
and Frank T., both residing with their parents. Mr. 
Torbet subsequently purchased the farm of his father, 
and has since devoted himself principally to the dairy 
industry. His political afiiliations have been with the 
Republican party, of which he has long been an ardent 
supporter. His devotion to the party, together with 
his known capacity and integrity, caused him to be 
chosen on frequent occasions to fill responsible offices. 
He was for five years clerk of the township of Wayne, 
and was in 1871-72 representative of his district in 
the State Legislature. His fidelity to the public good 
insured his re-election in 1875. His deep interest in 
educational projects enabled him to fill with accept- 
ance the chairmanship of the Committee on Education 
in 1872, when he was instrumental in the passage of 
several important bills. He has also been for a period 
of fifteen years a member of the board of trustees of 
the township, and for three years the assessor of the 
township of Wayne. 

Mr. Torbet in his religious views is a Baptist, and 
a devout and zealous member of the First Baptist 
Church of the city of Paterson. 



MANCHESTER. 



569 



with tlie course of said mountain to a large single rock ou said ntoun- 
taiii east of the house of Peter Zeliflf; thence alons said mountain to the 
Paterson and Hamburg turnpike east of the Buckley House; thence in 
a straight line to the top of the High Mountain; thence with the course 
of said High Mountain to the line of Franklin township, shall be and 
the same is hereby set off from the township oi Manchester, and is 
hereby established into a new township, to be known by the name of 
the township of Wayne.' 

"Awl be U enacted. That the inhabitants of the said township of 
Wayne sluill be and they aie hereby constituted a body politic and cor- 
porate, and shall be styled and known as * The Inhabitants of the town- 
sliip of Wayne, in the county of Passaic,' and shall be entitled to all the 
rights, powers, authority, privileges, and advantages, and subject to the 
same regulations, government, and liabilities as the inhabitants of the 
other townahips in the said county of Passaic are or may be entitled 
and subject to by the laws of this State. 

"Jjirf he il enailed, That the inhabitants of the said township of 
Wayno shall hold their first annual town-meeting at the house now oc- 
cupied by Henry Casey, in the township of Wayne, on the day appointed 
by law for holding the annual town-meetings in the other townships in 
tlie county of Passaic. 

" And be U enacted^ That the township committees of the townships 
of Manchester and Wayne shall meet on the Blouday uest after their 
first annual town-meeting at the house now occupied by Henry Casey, 
ill thetownsliipof Wayne, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, and .shall there 
and then proceed by writing, signed by a majority of the members of 
each committee, to allot and divide between the townships al! the prop- 
city or moneys on hand or due or to become due, in proportion to the 
taxable property and ratables as valued and assessed by the assessore 
within the respective limits of said townships at the last assessment, and 
may adjourn the said meeting from time to time until such time and 
place ;ui a majority of those present may thiuk proper, and the township 
of Wayne tihall be liable to pay a just proportion of the debts, if any there 
be; and if any of the members of the said tuwusliip committees shall 
neglect to meet as aforesaid, those present may proceed to make such 
division, and their division or a division of a majority of them shall be 
final and conclusive. 

" And be U enacted, That this act shall take effect on the day of hold- 
ing Ilie first annual town-meeting of the said township of Wayne." 

Approved Feb. 10, 1847. 



CHAPTER LXXII. 

MANCHESTER. 

The township of Manchester is bounded north by 
Bergen County, south by the township of Little Falls, 
east by Little Falls and the city of Paterson and Ber- 
gen County, and west by the township of Wayne. It 
was formerly a part of Saddle River township of the 
above county, and in its organization is conteni])orary 
with the formation of Passaic County. The first set- 
tlement was made as early as 1706, and for a period 
of nuiny years the lands remained in the possession 
of families who were the first purchasers from the In- 
dians. Very little, however, is known of the settlors 
of these early times, and aside from the fact that the 
Rversons, Westervelt-s, and Van Houtens were pio- 
neers and large land-owners, the historian is able to 
atibrd no facts of especial value. 

The village of Totowa, located upon the Pa.ssaic, 
with many residences, a number of manufacturing 
establishments, and a population in 1845 of sixteen 
hundred inhabitants, was formerly included within 
the limits of this township, but now forms a part of 
the city of Paterson. The southern portion of Man- 



chester, lying west of Little Falls, is, however, still 
designated as Totowa. The township has one village, 
of small proportions, with some manufacturing inter- 
ests, and is traversed by the New Jersey Midland 
Railroad in the northwest, and the Delaware, Lack- 
awanna and Western Railroad in the south. The 
total number of acres is 61 2t!, the value of real estate 
$,'>86,725, and of personal property $58,750. The 
State and county tax for the present year is $4229.08, 
the township tax is $520, the road tax $1500, the fund 
for the support of schools .'ftlM70, and the poll-tax 
$350. The township is free from debt, and has a 
surplus in the treasury. 

Natural Features. — The surface of Manchester 
varies greatly, the centre and southern portion being 
undulating, with many stretches of level and fertile 
ground, while the north and northwest abounds in 
ranges of high hills, known by the Dutch as the Deer 
Hill, a name doubtless first given them by the earliest 
inhabitants, the Indians. The soil is composed of 
gravel, sand, and clay, the former two abounding in 
Totowa, while more clay is observable farther north. 
There are a number of small streams meandering 
through the township, and the Passaic River flows 
along the eastern border. The timber is various, 
though not abundant, much of it having been cleared. 
White-oak, hickory, maple, ash, red oak, and chest- 
nut find here a congenial soil. 

Early Settlements. — A deed for propertv in this 
township was early given by the proprietors to Maryen 
Caniblo, — Marian Campbell, — and by her transferred . 
to Blandina, wife of Petrus Bayard, in 1697. The 
same tract was, Nov. 2, 1706, conveyed to George 
Ryerson, of Pompton, Ryer Ryerson, and Francis 
Ryerson, of New York, for one hundred and forty- 
five pounds sterling. This property embraced an 
area of six hundred acres, and was located on the 
Passaic River. Three years later Francis and George 
Ryerson and Uriah Westervelt secured from the In- 
dians a tract embracing fourteen hundred and twenty- 
five acres of land, including nearly the western half 
of Manchester and about all the First Ward of the 
city of Paterson, reserving in this purchase the burial- 
ground of their tribe. The patent for this tract bears 
date 1717, and is still in possession of the Ryerson 
family, as is also a portion of the land. 

The western part of Manchester was originally 
patented to George Willocks, one of the proprietors, 
and subsequently became the property of Anthony 
Brockholts, Helmegh Roelofse, and Raelef Hel- 
meghse, who at the present day may be designated 
as Halmagh Van Houten and Ralph Van Houten. 
This was called the Totowa patent, and was divided 
after the purchase, made prior to 1710, into three par- 
cels, namely, lots Nos. 1, 2, and 3. The Van Hou- 
tens took No. 1, and in 1724, No. 2. In 1768 the 
heirs of Brockholts sold what remained of No. 3 to 
Abraham Godwin, Holnier Van Houten, Marte Ry- 
erse, and Garrabrant Van Houten, a portion of it 



560 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



having previously been disposed of to another party. 
The Totowii Van Houtens seem first to liave settled 
in Berjren County, and were men of mucli enterprise, 
having lieen foremost in all projects of a pid)lic char- 
acter. They intermarried at an early date with the 
Ryerson family, and the two families were for years 
a power in ])olitical and religious aH'airs. 

The VVcstervelt family are of Holland ancestry, 
and on their advent to America settled in Bergen 
County, from whence they came to Manchester as 
purcha-sers of land. Nothing is known of the chil- 
dren of the original settlers. Of' the later branches 
Judge Peter Westervelt resided in Bergen County 
and marrie<l into the Wanaraaker family. His four 
children were Ralph, Peter, Abrani, and a daughter. 
Of this number Peter removed from Paramus to the 
township, married Miss Catharine, daughter of Sam- 
uel and Margaret Burhaus. He had ten children, of 
whom Mrs. A. M. Fenner and Miss Mary Westervelt 
are residents of Manchester. 

As nearly as can be determined, among the ])ioueers 
of the Van Houten family was a brother Richard, 
who emigrated from Holland, and after a residence 
of some years in Bergen located in Passaic County. 
His line of descent cannot be readily traced, but 
among his descendants was Richard, who had chil- 
dren, — ,\drian, Oarrabrant, Abraham, Elizabeth, 
Mary, Charity, Ann, and Jane. Adrian, of this num- 
ber, married Margaret Doremus, and had children, 
ten in number, none of whom are now living in the 
township. Three sons — Adrian R., Richard, and 
William — are residents of Paterson. Abraham, the 
son of Richard above named, married Catharine Si]), 
and bad children, Richard and three daughters, all 
deceased. 

Another branch of the family was represented by 
Rnloff Van Houten, who resided upon inherited land, 
now occupied by George Van Houten. He married 
Ciitherinc Van Hontin, and had sons, — Halniiigh, 
who married a daughter of (ten. (lodwin, and died 
many vears since, and John, who was united to Miss 
Sarah Mandeville, and had children, — Henry, Cath- 
erine, and Halmagli, of whom the latter is the only 
survivor and reside-s in the township. He, together 
with bis sons and the children of Henry, are the only 
nieriiliers of the family who perpetuate the name in 
Manchester. They are, however, more numerous in 
Paterson. 

The Van Winkle family are among the oldest in 
the township, though the date of their advent is in- 
volved in uncertainty. It is probable that the Passaic 
(Vuinty branch, a.s well as those from Bergen tlonnty, 
sprang from a common ancestry. Simeon Van 
Winkle, born in 1749, resided at Riverside, near 
I'atcrson. He married, in July, 1778, Clau.she Gar- 
ret^o, and had children, — Klizabeth, born in 1781, and 
John S., born in 1784. FJi/.abelh became Mrs. John 
A. Post,, and died in I HOI, aged nineteen years. 
Simeon Van Winkle died in 1828, in his seventy- i 



ninth year, the death of his wife, Claushe, having 
occurred in 1803. Tradition has not preserved the 
names of the parentis of Simeon, but it is probable 
they were John and Jane. John S., above immed, 
married Jane Kip in 180'), and had children, — Cor- 
nelius and Peter. Cornelius married Catherine L. 
Van Dean, of Midland, Bergen Co., and had chil- 
dren, — John Henry, Simon Peter, and Ann Eliza- 
beth (Mrs. Hclme* Romaine). Simon Peter and Mrs. 
Romaine survive and reside in Paterson. 

The De Gray family are of Scotch ancestry, and 
probably removed to Bergen County soon after their 
emigration. John, one of their number, came to 
Manchester before the war of the Revolution and 
located upon the |>lace now occupied by Adam Free- 
man, on the " Goffle" road. He married into the 
Ryerson family, and had children, — John, Richard, 
and a daughter, Mrs. John Berry. These sons re- 
mained in the township, John occupying the home- 
stead, and Richard the farm now owned by Richard 
De Gray, which was purchased by him duriig the 
beginning of the present century. Here he conducted 
an extensive business, having had a grist-mill, a 
potash-works, a saw-mill, a factory for the manufac- 
ture of heading and staves, and a store. Richard was 
married to Miss Ann Schuyler, of Pompton. and had 
children, — John and Rebecca iMrs. Joseph Baldwin), 
who still survives in her ninety -second year. John 
had two daughters, who are yet living. John De 
Gray, the son of Richard first mentioned, married 
Mary Garrison, and had one son, Richard I., who now 
resides on the old homestead of his grandfather. 

The Burhans family are of Holland descent, and 
early settled on the Hudson River, in New York 
State, from whence Samuel Burhans came to New 
Jersey at the close of the Revolutionary war, in 
which he participated. He was united in marriage 
to Miss Margaret Jorolcman, of Manchester, to whom 
were born children, — John, Samuel, Catherine, and 
James, who die<l in infancy. Mr. Burhans did not 
attain an advanced age, and his children, John and 
Catherine, after his death continued their residence 
in the township. John married Sally, daughter of 
Capt. John Hopper, of Bergen County, and hail five 
children, — .John H., James, Samuel, Maria (Mrs. 
.T. .T. /abriskie), and Jane (Mrs. Dr. Duryca). The 
chililren of John H. aixi Samuel are still living in 
the township, some of whom occupy the homestead. 
The name is now perpetuated by William, Charles, 
and .lohn, sons of John H. liurhans. 

The Mercelis family are of Holland descent, Peter, 
the earliejit representative, having in early life be- 
come an American citizen. He had five sons — Cor- 
nelius, (tarret, .lolin, ImIo, Peter — and one daughter, 
all of whom resided in New Jersey, in the vicinity of 
their early home in Manchester. Edo nmrried Miss 
Ellen Van Houten, of Totowa, and had childr<«ii, — 
Ariana, .Iiuie. Mary, Edo, Cornelius, ami Peter, all 
of whom located near their former residence. Cor- 



MANCHESTER. 



561 



nelius married Miss Cornelia Van Saun, and had 
three children, — Ellen, Jane, and Edo. Ellen be- 
came Mrs. Samuel Burhans, Jane Mrs. Thomas 
Mandeville, and Edo is a resident of the township. 

The Van Sauns may claim antiquity in point of 
settlement, though Albert is the earliest one recalled, 
and resided in that portion of the township now em- 
braced in the city of Paterson. He married Jane Van 
Houten, and had children, — Samuel Aaron, John, 
Maria (Mrs. Joseph Blauvelt), and Elizabeth (Mrs. 
Cornelius Mercelis). Aaron removed to Bergen 
County, John to New York, and Samuel resides in 
Paterson. 

John P. Van Allen, born in 1769, resided upon the 
farm now owned by Mrs. Margaret Garretson. He mar- 
ried Agnes Bogert, born in 1776, and had children, — 
James, Catherine, Peter I., and John, of whom Peter 
I. inherited the homestead. He married JIargaret 
Westervelt, and had one son, John, who married 
Susan Van Blarcom, and had a daughter, Margaret, 
who became Mrs. Ralph Garretson, the present owner 
of the ancestral property. 

One of the descendants of the family of Ryersons 
was George, who resided in Manchester, where his 
birth occurred. His cliildrcn were John and two 
daughters, Mrs. Berdan and Mrs. Alyea. John re- 
mained upon the homestead and married Leah Wes- 
tervelt, to whom was born one son, George I. He re- 
sided upon the family pro))erty and married Helen, 
daughter of Garrabrant Van Houten, of Paterson. 
His three sons were John, Henry, and Garrabrant. 
John is a citizen of Passaic, Garrabrant of Paterson, 
and Henry is deceased. The homestead is now occu- 
pied by Cornelius G., son of Garrabrant, above 
named. Another branch of the family is represented 
by John Ryerson, who resided for years near Haw- 
thorne, and whose daughter, Mrs. John Berdan, is a 
resident of Paterson. The history of other members 
of the Ryerson family is not accessible to the his- 
torian. 

The foregoing facts are all that it is possible to 
obtain regarding the early settlement of Manchester, 
many families having passed from the recollection of 
the present residents. 

Schools. — The township is devoid of any facts of 
interest regarding the early schools of the locality. 
Select schools, or gatherings of the children without 
special character of system, were in existence at an 
early day, but the first school that assumed dignity 
or order was opened by John \V. House in 1822. He 
continued his labors for four years, and was succeeded 
by his son, a youth of seventeen. After a lapse of 
half a century Mr. House still meets not only his 
pupils but their .children and grandchildren. He 
also taught at Small Lots, Red Mills, Paramus, Ho- 
hokus, and Campgaw, in Bergen County. The one 
school has since become five, with 471 children, and 
school property valued at $7200. Manchester has 
five school districts, as follows : Totowa, No. 9, Haw- 



thorne, No. 10, Goffle, No. 11, Haledon, No. 12, 
Haledon Village, No. 36. The following clerks pre- 
side over these districts : No. 9, Wm. D. Berdan ; No. 
10, William De Gray; No. 11, Reuben McFarlane; 
No. 12, William J. Ellis; and No. 36, John C. Roe. 
The total amount received for school purposes from 
all sources is S3659.65, which is apportioned as fol- 
lows: State fund, $142.44; two-mill tax, $1705..55; 
special tax, 8318.66; and district tax, $1493. 

Early Highways. — The information at command 
regarding the earliest roads is derived from one of 
the venerable residents of the township, and not very 
explicit in character. 

A vfery early highway was known as the "Goffle" 
road, which was much frequented by the Indians, 
and thus christened by them. It ran from Paterson 
through the northern portion of the township, ending 
at the foot of the Goffle Hill, where it intersected 
with a road leading to Pompton. This highway has 
recently been converted into a macadamized road. 
The " Wagara" road ran east and west through the 
township, and intersected with the Goffle road. It 
was originally an Indian trail, and a prominent 
thoroughfare during the Revolutionary period. A 
highway, formerly known as the Oldham road, led 
from the Goffle road to Preakness and Pompton, 
passing en route through Haledon. It is now desig- 
nated as Haledon Avenue. 

The road territory of Manchester is now divided 
into sixteen districts, over whom jireside the follow- 
ing officers : 



District. 

No. l...John Wriglit. 

" 2. ..John L. Wilson. 

" 3...Wm. F. Heins. 

*' 4. ..Richard I. De Gray. 

" 5. ..Garret -\. Hopper. 

" 6. ..Garret Plauten. 

" 7. .. John D. Van Blarcom. 

" S...N. A. Halbert. 



District. 

No. 9. ..Jacob Mowerson. 

" 10. ...Cornelius Van Derclock. 

" 11. ..Robert Bridge. 

" 12...John W. Campbell. 

" 13...Kichard Van Riper. 

" 14. ..Michel Reinhart. 

" 15. ..Thomas Butterworth. 

" 16. ..Cornelius G. Rverson. 



Civil List. — The civil list of the township is very 
incomplete. The only years that have been found 
intact are those embraced in the period from 1837 to 
1847 and 1879-80 and 1881. It is currently reported 
that the records of the township were for years kept 
on bits of paper, and never transferred to a book de- 
voted to the purpose. These were eventually lost, 
and as a consequence the archives of the township 
for a long series of years are not preserved. The 
following list is as complete as it is possible to 
make it: 

1837. — Freeholdei-s, Cornelius I. Westervelt, John F. Ryerson; Township 
Clerk, Giles Van Ness. 

1838. — Freeholders, Cornelius I. Westervelt, John F. Ryerson; Township 
Clerk, Giles Van Ness; Assessor, Benjamin Geroe; Collector, Peter 
Quackenbush ; Township Committee, Garret I. Blauvelt, D. D. Ack- 
erman, Thomas P. Doremus, J. I. Traphagen, C. W. Campbell, 

1839. — Freeholders, Nathaniel Wilson, Jacob Van Houteu ; Township 
Clerk, Giles Van NVss; Assessor, Benjamin Geroe; Collector, Peter 
Quackenbush; Township Committee, John I. Traphagen, C. W. 
Campbell, Isaac H. Mead, Cornelius P. Hopper, Isaac I. Stagg. 

1840. — Freeholders, Jacob Van Houten, William S. Hogencamp; Town- 
ship Clerk, J. I. Blauvelt; Assessor, John Slagg ; Collector, Barney 
I. Spear; Township Committee, Isaiic I. Stagg, Cornelius P. Hopper, 
Isaac H. Mead, Edo Van Saun, C. S. Van Wagoner. 



562 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



1^1.— FroeholJers, WillUm S. Ilugvnniiiip, Tcregrine Suiiford ; Town* 
ahip Cl«rk, L4>wl8 L.Conklin; AaHCMur. Wfllium W. Colfax; Col- 
lector. Barney I. Spt-ar; TowiiBhIp Conimiitptr. E»lo Van Sniin, C. 8. 
Van WAizuiieriTliuRiHa P. Durtmiua, llenjaniin Oen>e, G. I. Blaiivolt. 

1842.— Frt-ehuldent, AJriiiu Van Houton, Feregrinu Siuirunl ; Towuntilp 
Clprk, Lfwlu L. (\mkliii; Aa*t»«or, All-ert Van VUn; ('••lIortMr, 
JmIiii V. K>-cr»on ; Townaliip Ciunmiltee, Th»maA V. Durrmus, Gar- 
ret I. BlaUTolt, Slartin Van Winkle, Albert P. Alyen, CliarleB H. 
Maj. 

1843.— FnwholilerM. Henry DoreoiiiH, Willinni I.Stagg; Tuwnahip Clerk, 
Giles Van Ness; A»w*««»r. John M.Denmrent; Collector, John V, 
Ryereon ; Township O^mniittee, Marliri Van Winkle, Teregrine 
Sanfonl, Wllliiitn S. Uogoncatnp, John I. HIanvelt, C. W. Ounpbell. 

1844. — FreelniMwrs, Willinni I.StJiKg, Henry IXirenniB ; Tuwntihip CU-rk, 
GIlea Van Nesa: AiMesM>r, John M. Demurest; Collo<.-ior, William T. 
BlAnvelt; Township ConiniittH>, Willinni S. Hogent-amp, John I. 
BInuveltf C W. Campbell, Jacob Van Honten, Barney Dvniaietiit. 

1846. — FreehoMora, David Shuart, I'uregrine Sunfonl : Towimliip Clerk, 
Alfred W»-(terfleId; Assessor, Wiltinm Sickle; Collector, Jacob M. 
Myers; Township Comuiiltet>. John I. Bluitvelt, Jacob Van Houton, 
Barney Demurest, John H. Doremns, Giles Van Sem. 

1846.— Freehuldt-rs, Peregrine Saufonl. David tihuHrt; Tuwuship Clerk, 
Alfred Westerfield ; Aiisessor, William Sickles; fA>llector, Jacob 91. 
Myent; Township C-onimitlco, Jnhu I. BliinTelt, Barney Deniareat, 
Jacob Van Houten, John H. DorcniiA, Gili« Van Netw. 

1847. — Freeholders, George 1. Kyenton, Garret II, Deinarest ; Township 
Clerk, George ZnhriHkie ; Awesstir, Jacob M. Myers ; Collector, Cor- 
nelius A. Hop[>er : Towntihip duimittee, William I. Stngg, Benja- 
min Geroo. Peter Wittson, Peter (^nockenbush, Lewis L. Conklhi. 

1848-49.~Freuholdei-8, George I. Kyerson, Garret II. Demurest. 

18641. — George I. Ryerson, I'origiine Sxndford. 

1851. — George I. Kyerson, George Petry. 

186a.— Joseph Smith, George Petry. 

1863.— Stephen Allen, William Deyo. 

1864. — Adnan K. Van llouten, George I. Kyeraon. 

185.'>-68, — Ge^irgu I. Ryei-mm, John II. Doremns. 

1869-63.— <;eorgo I. Uyerson, Ralph P. Weatorvelt. 

18G4.— George I. Ryerson, Peter I. Sturr. 

186&-6ti— John 11. Garrison, John R. Dorenius. 

1867.— Benjamin K Kinitoll, William De Gray. 

1868.— William De Gray, Honr}- Smith. 

1869-70.— Henry Smith. 

1871.— Oerri Planten. 

1872-75.— Charles Lolthouse. 

1H76-77.— Halmagb Van Houten. 

1879.— Freeholder, Halmagh Van Houton; Townxhlp Clerk, Henry G. 
Ryerson; AiMesnor, William l). Benlan; Colloctur, Jauiei Martin; 
Township Committee, William De Gray, Chiirles Lofthouse, John 
C. Rim*. 

1K80— Freeholder, Ilnlniagh Van Houten; Township (Herk, John C. 
Koe; Af-^oMor, William D. Benlan ; (V>llector. James Martin ; Town- 
ship Committee, John Van Houten, William Do Gray, Kdo K. Vr»«- 
land. 

I A81.— Freeholder, Hnlmagh Van Houten; Tnwnnhip Clerk, John C. 
Roe; Asses'or, William D. Berdan ; Collwlor, Jnmea Martin ; Town- 
aliip Comniltt^'t!. I-Mo K. Vreelaud, Abmni Hnrrin, John Van lloulen. 

Villages and Hamlets. -Ihc iaiMi od which the 
village of iluledon is located waa originally owned 
by John Burlian?, and a larpe portion of this, together 
with other property adjacrnt, was ptirchimed of the 
heirs of his estate by Williuin itnindred. The latter 
gentleman soon after his advent to the neighhorhood 
erected a foundry on the Oldham stream, about one- 
fourth of a mile from the village, 

Charles and William Hodges later purcliased and 
enlarge*! the buiUling, and converted it into a woolen- 
and hosiery-mill. They alwo ere<*ti'd twelve dwellings 
on the site (tf the vilhige, which forincfl the nucleus 
around which grew a coiisideralde hamlet. The lirm 
beroming embarrasse*! the busines8 was abandoned, 
and the faetorv for some time remained idle. It was 



next operated by M. II. Cliapin, who manufactured 
tape and binding. The property ultimately fell into 
the possession of the Passaic Water Company, who 
are now the owners, and lease to the partits occupy- 
ing it. 

ilalcdon Ikuj two stores, kept by J. Martin and 
Mrs. Walton; three hotels, over whom preside Mrs. 
Mangold, David Thompson, and John Hough; one 
blacksmith-shop, kept by A. Harris; a church and a 
school building. 

Haledou is accessibly located, is connei-ted with 
Paterson by a lineof hoi-se-cars making regular trips, 
and possesses every natural advantage for increased 
growth and t-nterprise. 

Burial-Places. — On the present farm of Richard 
I. De Gray is a very old burial-ground, the land of 
which was given by John Ryerson as a place of inter- 
ment. Many representatives of the old families ot 
Manchester are buried here, and the spot is still used 
as a place of interment, though many of the inhabit- 
ants are owners of lots in the Cedar Lawn Cemetery 
at Paterson. Here are several graves marked by 
rude field-stones, bearing the following inscriptions: 
"A R 1751" "1753-ER" ** 1753 M R" " 17t>:i J. N. 
D." "17()(J D. R." 

Among the legends are the following: 

Id the memory of John De Gray, who died Oct. 12, 1834, age<t K2ye«rB, 
1 month, 'jri days. 

My tieah shall slumber In the ground 
Till th«' last trumjiet's Joyful «ound, 
Then burst tin- cbflinit with sweet surprise. 
And in my Sax tour's image rise. 

Id memory of Mary, wife of John D« Gray, who died Blarch U, 1K)B, 
mgtd S7 years, 4 months, and & days. 

Farewell, vain world, I'm ^oing home. 
My Saviour smile* and bide me come, 
Kind auifclH beckon me swhv 
To sing GoiPs praise in mdlfM day. 

Id memory of William Mile^ who deitarled this life Jan. 24, 1826, 
aged 31 years, 6 months, and 19 days. 

A sickness »<ire long time I Iwre, 
All aria and nuMllcineit were vain. 

Till G^hI did please to f^ivr me ease 
Anil rid me of my pain. 

In memory of Mar> Jacobuw, wife of John T. Van Blarcom. who de- 
parted thh life Sept. 3. 1831, aged 81 years, 3 days. 

Receive, Karlh. this faileil form, 

In thy c<dd bosom let It lie; 
Saff let U rest fn>m eTery atorm. 
Soon muat It rise no nu>re lu die. 

In memory of Peter lllnion, whodefiartetl Ihia life July 24, IrtJil, aged 
43 years, 1 1 dayn. 

The world iii vain and full of pain. 

With grief mid truulde aure ; 
But they are bU^si'd who are at rest 

With Christ for eTW more. 

In meninry of llassnl Piiramun, who depnrleil this life Oct. 24, 1801, 
agml TH yean, 3 months, kikI 14 duys. • 

In memory of Gaalah Weatervell, wife of llassal iKinuliua, who do- 
iwrtod this life April 13, 1812. SKe^l HC yenni, 11 months, 21 daya. 

In memor}' of Vroutrle, wifo of John lUntii, who departed this life 
Oct 2fi, |f*23, agwl K4 years. 1 ni..nth. iiml 2.'. daya. 

In memory u( John lUnnton l>i»remna. who deparleil this life Oct. 17, 
1Se3, agvd 23 yean, 9 mouths, and & daya. 




/ 



////(¥/. 



MANCHESTER. 



563 



In memory of Albert Terlmne, born April 12, 1771, died Oct. 26, 1831, 
ttgedGO years, 6 moiitlis, and 14 daya. 

Jesus, to this dear faithful friend 

My naked soul I trust; 
My flesh shall wait for thy command. 

And drop into my dust. 

In memory of Ann, wife of Albert Terhune, who died May 27, 1848, 
aged 75 yeara, 3 months, and 5 days. 

My dearest friends they dwell above, 

Them will I go to see. 
And all my friends in Christ below 

Will soon come after me. 

In memory of Jane McPherson, wife of Abel MclMierson, who de- 
parted this life in 1797, aged 54 yeara. 

Manufacturings Interests.— G. W. Knight, Man- 
ufacturer OF Domestic anii Woohex Toys. — 
This enterprise was established by the proprietor in 
1875 for the manufacture of toys. Wood is the only 
material used, which is converted into small carts, 
wheel-barrows, sleighs, wagons, etc., the stock being 
principally purchased in Pennsylvania, and consist- 
ing of beech, oak, pine, and similar woods. The 
market for the wares of this estalilishment is found 
in every portion of the United States. Both steam- 
and water-power are used in the process of manufac- 
turing, and an average number of thirty men are 
regularly employed. Mr. Knight is about adding to 
his business the manufacture of surgical and micro- 
scopical instrument cases and similar articles in use 
among physicians. All the modern machinery for 
working in wood is made available. 

A. Gazzara, Commission Silk-Throwster. — 
This manufacturing interest was established in 1875, 
under the firm-name of Gannetti & Gazzara, and the 
copartnership having expired in 1880, Mr. Gazzara 
has since conducted the business alone. Both organ- 
zine and tram are produced from the raw material, 
which is received from manufacturers and worked on 
commission. Employment is given to thirty hands, 
the machinery consisting of five winding-frames, two 
cleaning-frames, two first-time twisters, one doubling- 
machine, one second-time twister, two fr.ames for tram, 
and three reel-frames. Tlie capacity of the establish- 
ment is one hundred and fifty pounds of organzine per 
week. Both water- and steam-power are employed. 

Jute-Print Works of Henry L. Butler, — 
These works were established at Paterson in 1867, 
and removed to Manchester in 1879. They occupy a 
portion of the extensive building near Haledon 
owned by the Passaic Water Company. Eight men 
are employed, and principally engaged in the va- 
rious processes connected with the printing of jute 
carpets. The method adopted is known as block- 
printing. The material is jute, which forms the basis 
of the carpet, and is stamped with blocks in various 
designs and colors. Both steam- and water-power are 
employed. Six hundred yards of carpeting per day 
can be produced, a market for which is found in New 
York. The material is to a great extent imported 
from Dundee, Scotland. 



Theodore Leonhard, Wax-Bleacher.— Mr. 
Leonhard established his business near the village of 
Haledon as early as 1856, having removed from 
Hastings, Westchester Co., N. Y. The material used, 
which is wax in a crude form, is purchased in New 
York, and comes originally from the Southern States. 
It first goes through a bleaching process requiring 
several weeks, after which it is transformed into 
sheet-wax, or made into various other forms for 
special uses. Both water and steam are employed 
in the process of manufacture, and the articles pro- 
duced are tapers, wax crayons, sheet-wax, etc. Brass 
moulds are also manufiictured by the proprietor. 
The market is found in New York and other large 
cities of the Union. The two sons of Mr. Leonhard 
are associated with him in the business. 

Organization.— The act which erected the town- 
ship of Manchester as an independent township wa» 
passed Feb. 7, 1837, and is entitled "An act to 
erect parts of the counties of Essex and Bergen into 
a new county, to be called the county of Passaic, etc." 

That portion relating to Jlanchester is embraced 
in Sections 4 and 10, and reads as follows : 

"Seo. 4. Atidhei'. macled, Thut the said county of Passaic shiill be 
divided into five townships, namely, the present township of Aquacka- 
uonk, and such part of the townships of Paterson, Ponipton, and West 
Milford, and such part of the township of Saddle River u,s is comprised 
within the limits of the said county of Passaic, to be called the town- 
ship of Manchester, said towushili to be called the townships of Aquack- 
anouk, Paterson, Pomplon. West Milford, and Manchester, and that the- 
inhabitants of each and every of the said townships be and they are 
hereby constituted a body corporate and politic in law by the following 
names: that is to say, that the inhabitantsof the township of Aquacka- 

' nonk shall be styled and known by the name of 'The inhabitants of the 
township of Aqoackauonk, in the couuty of Passaic ;' that the inhabit- 
ants of the township of Paterson shall be styled and known by the 
name of 'The inhabitants of the township of Patereon,' etc.; that the 
inhabitants of Pompton be styled and known as ' The inhabitants of 

\ the township of Pompton,' etc. ; that the inhabitants of the township of 

I West Milford be styled and known by the name of 'The inhabitants of 
the township of West Milford,' etc. ; and that the inhabitants of Man- 
chester be styled and known as 'The inhabitants of the township of 
Manchester, in the county of Passaic ; and that the inhabitants of each 
and every of the said townships respectively shall be and they are here- 
by vested with, entitled to, and authorized to exercise and enjoy all the 
franchises, powel-s, privileges, immunities, and authorities, and shall be 
and hereby are made subject to all the rules, regulations, and govern- 

{ ment which the inhabitantsof the other townships of this State by law 
are entitled and subject to; and that the inhabitanis of that part of th» 
township of Saddle River lying east of the middle of Goetschius' road or 
lane be and they and their successors are hereby constituted a body po- 
litic and corporate by the name of ' The inhabitants of the township of 
Saddle River, in the county of Bergen,' and shall hold their first town- 
meeting at the tavern now kept by Albert Alyea at the Small Lots, and 
afterward where the said inhabitants shall determine. 

" Sec. 10. And be it enacled, Tliat the fii st township-meetings hereafter 
to be held in the several siid townships of the county of Passaic shall be- 
held at the times and places that they would have been held had they 
continued in the counties of Essex and Bergen, and that they shall here- 
after be held annually at such places in the said townships of the re- 
spective counties as the electors thereof from time to time shall direct 
and appoint under and by virtue of the existing laws of this State." 

Gerrit Planten.— The Planlen family are of Hol- 
land lineage, Gerrit, the grandfather of the subject of 
this biography, having been a native of Amsterdam, 
where he was employed as clerk of the Bureau of 
: Vital Statistics of that city. He was twice married, 



564 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES. NEW JERSEY. 



and had by the first marriage three children, — Jo- 
hanuu, Aiitje, and Herinanus. The latter, who is the 
father of Gerrit, was born in Amsterdam, Holland, on 
the 28th of December, 1795, and atler a period of 
some years devoted to study engaged in mercantile 
pursuits. His wife wiis Petronella Rutgina, daughter 
of John K. Kuhn, of Amsterdam, and one of a family 
of eight children. To .Mr. and Mrs. Planten were 
born two sons, — Gerrit and John Kutgert. The war 
between the United Provinces in 1830 had greatly af- 
fected business enterprises, and this faet induced Mr. 
Planten to seek the New World a.s a more promising 
field of activity. He arrived in Haltiniorc in 1836, 
and alter a brief sojourn in that city repaired to New 
York, where he engaged in the business of drugs and 
medicines. This led to his later embarking in manu- 
facturing enterprises, in which he was eminently suc- 
cessful. Mr. Planten's family followed him to America 
in IS-HJ, and madi- New York their permanent resi- 
dence. His death occurred Aug. 11, 1875. Gerrit, 
his son, whose life is here briefly sketched, was born 
in Amsterdam, June 26, 1834, where his early boy- 
hood was spent at school. He came with his family 
to America wlien twelve years of age, and entered the 
Columbia College Grammar School, where three years 
were spent in study. In 1850 lie returned to Holland, 
became a |)upil of the agricultural college at Gron- 
ingeii, and remained until 18.53. He had determined, 
however, upon America ius a permanent abiding-place, 
and the same year found him again a resident of New 
Y'ork. He during 1854 removed to Passaic County 
and engaged in agricultural employments, this life 
being particularly congenial to his tastes. Mr. Plan- 
ten was in March, 1857, married to Miss Catherine, 
daughter of Peter Perrine, of Wayne township, Pas- 
saic Co., to whom were born seven children, — 
Herman, Martha Ann, Peter, Petronella Rutgina, 
Rachel I deceased), Ida, and Edward Sylvester, all of 
whom with the exception of the eldest are residents 
of the paternal home. Mr. Planten in 18-59 em- 
barked in the manufacture of varnishes in New York 
City, and in 1864 became interesteil with his father. 
He is now identified with his brother in manufactur- 
ing in the city of IJrooklyn. Mr. Planten has during 
his residence in New Jersey been a man of much 
public spirit and ever active in the advancement of 
the community's interests. He was a Democrat until 
1872, when he was led upon conviction to change his 
views, anil now affiliate's with the Kcpiiblicjin party. 
He ha.s l)een for years actively identified with the 
politics of the county and township of his resilience, 
and has on three successive occasions been the candi- 
date of his party for a seat in the legislative halls of 
the State. He was freeholder of the township of 
Manchester in 1871, and has also filled the oUiees of 
assessor and collector for five years, and of truster ami 
clerk of the school district. Uoth'Mr. and Mrs. Plan- 
ten and four children are members of the First Re- 
formed (Dutch) Church of Paterson, of which the 



former is an elder, and participated actively in the 
removal and rebuildingof the edifice alter it had been 
consumed by fire in 1871. 



CHAPTER LXXIII. 
LITTLE FALLS. 

The township of Little Falls is in dimensions the 
least of the townships of the county, though in point 
of industry and enterprise it far surpa.sses some of its 
more expansive" neighbors, having a thriving village 
and many manufacturing interests withiq its borders. 
It is bounded on the north by the city of Paterson 
and Manchester township, south by Essex County, 
east by Acquackanonk township, and we.st by the 
Passaic River. Its first settlement was made in 1711, 
by residents of the adjoining townships, who pur- 
chased the land for agricultural purposes. Verj- few 
names among these early settlers have been perpetu- 
ated, and the subsequent development of business in- 
terests was principally a result of later arrivals. Two 
railroads — the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western 
Railroad and the Montdair and (ireeinvood Lake 
Railroad — ])a.ss through the township, and afford su- 
perior advantages both to travel and shipment, while 
the Morris and Essex Canal also traverses the centre 
of the township. 

Little Falls embraces an area of 3185 acres, the real 
estate valuation being $352,375, and the personal 
^'54,620. The county tax for the last year was ?s362.70, 
the State school tax $2947.62, the poor tax $700, 
the road tax $l(tO0, and the tax for the construction 
of new roads $5000. The rate per cent, is $1.63 per 
hunilrcd. 

Natural Features. — The soil of the township is a 
mixture of sandy loam and clay, the former i>revailing 
in localities, though in most lands that are tillable a 
distribution of both is apparent. In the vicinity of 
Little Falls extensive i|uarries of brownstone are 
found, which are valuable for building purposes. 

In the southern portion of the townshiji is a limited 
area of swampy land. Timber of various kinds 
abounds, oak, hickory, chestnut, birch, and cedar 
being the prevalent wood. The township is well 
watered, the Pa-ssaic River flowing along the western 
border, and the Peckanien stream more nearly through 
the centre, both afi'ording an excellent water-power. 
JThe southern portion of the township is traversed by 
mountains, through which is a gap or notch, afford- 
ing a pas.sage for the Montdair and Greenwood Lake 
Railnu.l. 

Early Settlements. — Probably no township in the 
county is so devoid of facts regarding its early fami- 
lies aa Little Falls, and the presence of descendants 
of the first settlers is exceptionally rare. A few of 
the pioneers to Acquackanonk found it advantageous 



LITTLE FALLS. 



565 



to seek a more extended field, and in 1711 Francis 
Post, John Sip, Harnianus Garretse, or Garretson, 
as now spelled, Thomas Juriance (now Van Riper), 
Christopher Stynmets, Cornelius Doremus, Peter Pou- 
losse, and Hessel Pieterse, all Acquackanonk farmers, 
bought of the proprietors for six hundred and sixty 
pounds sterling a tract of two thousand eight hundred 
acres, extending from the Great Falls up the river to 
Pechaman River, and over to the summit of Garret 
Mountain. The purchase having been consummated, 
the land was divided into tracts or farms ten chains in 
breadth, and extending from river to mountain. At 
this period occurred the first settlement in Little Falls 
township. In 1732, Cornelius Board bought one hun- 
dred and fifty -seven acres near the Little Falls, prob- 
ably with a view to the location of some manufactur- 
ing enterprise. After the lapse of a few years he 
became a resident of Pompton. The Van Ness family 
came early during the last century, and about the 
year 1765 the Brower family were settlers, John 
Brower having erected a saw-mill, and David Brower 
a grist-mill, on the Peckamen stream. 

Isaac Riker the same year (probably 1707) became 
the hospitable landlord of the neighborhood. 

The Van Ness family of this section are descended 
from Simon Van Ness. His first wife was probably 
Rachel Van Deusen, and they were living at Schenec- 
tady, N. Y., as early as 1(589-90, when that place was 
destroyed by the Indians, and the same night had a 
child born, named Arfnetje, who subsequently married 
James .lacobus and lived to be nearly one hundred 
years of age. On the death of his first wife Mr. Van 
Ness married, Dec. 19, 1700, Hesther De Lachater, and 
about the date of his second marriage he settled at 
Fairfield, N. J. He had sons, — Hendrick, who settled 
on Pompton Plains; Isaac, at Fairfield; Simon, at 
Pompton; and Evert, at Little Falls. The latter 
proliably had among his sons Evert, who was married 
to Caroline, daughter of Jacob Smith, and had chil- 
dren, — Henry, Sophia, Rachel, Jacob S., William, 
James. Francis, and Elias. The death of Evert oc- 
curred Aug. 27, 1862. His son James is the only one 
of the children now residing in the township, which 
has been his home, with the exception of a brief in- 
terval, since his birth. Another branch of the family 
is represented by Henry R. Van Ness, of Singac, who 
is the grandson of Hendrick, who married a Sanford, 
and had children, — William, Robert, Isaac, Evert, and 
Henry, all of whom are deceased. Robert was united 
to Mary Jacobus, and had children, — Henry R., John, 
and Jane (Mrs. Simon S. Van Ness). Henry R. of 
this number is the only resident of the township. 
Francis, the son of Henry, also resides in Little Falls. 

The Dey family, settling opposite Little Falls, ac- 
quired much property, and had one or more grist- 
mills on the river. The Cranes were former residents 
of Newark or Morris County, and located here about 
the year 1760, while at nearly the same date came 
Hendrick Francisco. Hendrick Masker (then spelled 



Messeke) and Peter Sandford came as early as 1775, 
and the Spiers, another old family, also left Acquack- 
anonk and located in the valley below the Falls. 

David and John Brower have already been men- 
tioned as early settlers. Among their descendants 
was Garret, who resided near the village of Little 
Falls, and had three sons, — Abram, ,Iohn, and Garret. 
They each had farms within the boundaries of the 
township, upon which they lived and died. 

Abram Smith may also be mentioned as an early 
resident and a successful farmer, while from Acquack- 
anonk came the Dimmock family, who are at present 
represented in the township by David Dimmock. 
Garret Freeland was also a comparatively early set- 
tler, and had sons, — Abram, Elias, and Lsaac, who all 
located in Little Falls, and are since deceased. Peter 
and John, sons of Elias, are among the township's 
present residents. 

The Merselis family were also represented here as 
in other portions of the county. 

Scliools. — Tradition reveals the fact that the chil- 
dren of Little Falls during the early period of its set- 
tlement were educated in much simplicity, the iirst 
school having been convened under an apple-tree, 
whose far-extending branches afforded shelter from 
the sun and rain. The trunk, which was five feet in 
diameter and hollow, afforded ample conveniences as 
a cloak-room. After the primitive edifice had suc- 
cumbed to the ravages of time, the little ones gath- 
ered in an old building formerly used as a distillery, 
near the present residence of Rev. J. C. Cruikshank, 
and were instructed by James C. Fallowfield. At a 
later period a school was opened in the village of 
Little Falls, in a room seven feet by twelve in dimen- 
sions, on the site of the present barber-shop. This 
building having been consumed by fire, the school 
was removed to the house now occupied by Henry 
Riker, below the canal. Then came the union of the 
church and school, which proved a fruitful cause of 
dispute and difference. In 1850 the township em- 
braced but one school district. The territory is now 
divided into three districts, as follows : Little Falls, 
No. 6, Southwest, No. 7, and Passaic Valley, No. 8 ; 
the respective district clerks being, for District No. 6, 
C. G. Yorks; for No. 7, Robert Seattle, Jr.; and for 
No. 8, James Whittaker. There are 424 school chil- 
dren in the township, and the school property is val- 
ued at $6000. 

The school funds are apportioned to Little Falls as 
follows: Of the State fund she receives $128.22; of 
the two-mill tax .?151.3.49; and of the district tax 
$374.50 ; the total amount from all sources for school 
purposes being i*2016.21. 

Early Highways. — Previous to the year 1797 no 
public highways were found connecting Little Falls 
with the business centre of the county. Farm-roads 
and wood-roads, following the south side of the river, 
were in general use. During that year the present 
" Stony road" was projected. 



56« 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JEKSEV. 



An old road passed '. ~ H-ingr 

a foatherly course entrr- --^-(i on 

through the Notch and CentreTille to Paasaic. This 
i:< still in general ase. 

Another early road ran, as nearly as can be de- 
scribed, parallel in its course with the Morris and Es- 
sex Canal, though used before the proje*.Uon or survey 
of the latter. 

Civil List. — The first meeting held for the election 
of township officers occurred at the house of William 
Smith, on the 13th day of April, 186$. The following 
is a list of the township officers for that and succeed- 
ing years: : 

lEe».— FrerboMen, Kobm Murba, Oarid OkUum; Towmhip Ocrk, 
r. W. Vu X<a; A— il.Joha J. Stags ; (MlKtor. Locm R. Ved 
Seat; TowmUf Coaimtut^ Miatmr Sptmi, B«<>rrt Bottia, Jr, John 
Bdge, CbariM Crmae, George Tovolfr; Sorre;on a( HisfawajK, 
Atrem A.'GuTmVrmnts, Cliriftopher T. Studle. 

ISM. — FrateMer. Botvrt Bemtlie; Tovnship Clrrti, FnuKU W. Tu 
Xcm; ABMwr, moca Tu Xns: Collector, Laoa B. Tan Stm; 
Townibip ComaiittrF, Jaaiea WUhDore, EUaa Tas Xrs. Bolwrt Be- 
atlie, Edward Fnad«o, CbarlM XcNiel; Sorrcj^n of Hi^vajt, 
A. A. Gambnst. C. T. Sndle. 

lg».— rreebcMar, Bobert Battle, Sr. ; Tovuhtp Clerfc, Jnbn H. Stao- 
le7; A Jia a u r, ttytrnx Sftiu; Collertor, L. B. Tan Xcea; Townahip 
CoOHinee, Edvard rraDOKO. B. Beattir. Jr.. Eliju Van Xcaa, Jamea 
WaiBure. Jobn Edge ; Svrrejorv of Hicbwmj-a, A. .V. Garrabnnt, 
C. T. Siadle. 

urn.— rrackoMer. Bdswd FkvKiaca: Towiubip CVik, John H. Stu- 
leTi AaMiBor, Bjroeu Spear; Collector, L. K Tan Nr»: Tuvostaip 
CovKitbe, Eliv Tan Xaa, Jame> Willmore, Wm. X. Bottic, Edo 
Menvlli*. Cliaric* Cmtt : Sarrerorf of Higfawaja, Cbriatopbcr T. 
SiBdIe. A. .<. Garrabraat. 

1(T2.— Freeholder, Babeft Betttie, Jr. ; Towiahlp Clert, John B. SUa- 
ler; Aaenaor, BrDcar Spear ; Collfclor, F.M. Van Neoi: Tuanibip 
Comminee. Eliaa Vaa Kev. Fraada Tan >'ea^ L. B. Van Xca, S 
BadcUa, Jamee Garride : Sarreron of Highwaja, C T. Sodle, A. A. 
GarrabraaL 

im— F n i hi i UL f. Edward Fraaeiaoo; Townabip Clerk. John B. Sp<ar; 
Aaeaaor, B/o<mr Speer; Collector. F. W. Tan >'ea; To«n^ip Com- 
mitter, Eliaa Tan Xne. S. Tan Neaa, L. B. Van >'«e. Jamc* Garaide, 
Coxse Lamb; Sorreyora of Uigbvara, C. T. SindJe. A. A, Garra- 



1(T4.— Townahip Oerk, John B. Speer; Aiaeaaor. B.rncar Speer ; Town- 
ahip CoaadtlM. C G. Torka, Sqnire BadcllS. Jamaa Garaide, Eliaa 
Vaa Seat, JaaorKdge; Bfumyvn of BlKhwaya, John B.tker, Bea- 
ten baaiela. 

1*75.— F lt « bu 4der, Edward FtanrlKw: Townabip Clerk, C. M. Stanley; 
! ■!■ i,W».S.Borti-;;rollector. F. W.Taa Xeaa; TowublpCom- 
BiMac, Bnh ir t Baattia, Jr., Chailea Cnaa, Bobert Gow, Jobo C. 
C^ai k aha ak . Jame* B. Saxoa ; Sarrexom of Hichwaja, Wm. H. Tea 
Naaa, B. J. Craar. 

18TC— Townabip Clerk. C. N. SUtiley . Aaaemar. Wm. X. Borlic ; Oollec- 
lor, F. W. Tan Seaa; Townabip Committee, Robert Bnttie, Jr., 
Bobart Ovw. J. C. Craikahank, B. J. Crane. J. B. Saxon. 

IS^ — Freeboldar, Loeaa B. Tan Baa; Townabip Clerk, C. M. Stanley; 
Ameaaor, Wm. 5. Battle: Oollector, F. W. Tan Nat; Townabip 
Commlttae, Boberl Beattie, Jr, Jamea B ifuon. Martin Crawford. 
Tkavaa Edge. Joba C. Cnikjkaak ; Sarteyore of Hlghwaya, W. II. 
▼aa Xoi^ B J. CraaaL 

IS^'— Towaahip Clerk, C. M. Stanley ; Amamor. Wm. X. Bortk ; Collec- 
tor, F. W. Tan Xam : Townabip Coamiltee, Robert Beattie, Jr, Ed- 
ward Fraacia- ■' ' ~ kahank. BHaa Van Xaaa,TViaw Uca; 
Sarreyora al I ,.. 0'Briaa.a O. Tort. 

IfT*.— Fraeboider > ■ . :iaa>; TowBablpa>-rk, J<MphTac(art ; 

Imiaiiii. F. W. >an y'wt; Collertor, Jaam C. Stanley; Tnrnahlp 
CoaiBlltae. Robert Baattl>, Jr, Tkomaa Edge, John B. Saxon ; Snr- 
eeyon af HIgbwaya. Wm O'Bclaa. C. G. Torkai 

IMd.— Towaahlp Clerk. Cbarlea E. Chaleriin ; lln iiii. F. W. Vaa Xem; 
Collector, J. C.Stanley. Tuwniblp Committee. R Baaltie, Jr. Jamea 
B. Saxoa, DaeM Hawtbora ; Sarreyota of HIgbwaya. CtarWopber 
aia«a, Wm. O'Brtaa. 



IS81.— Freeholder, Edward Francten; Towiabip aerk, C M. Stanley : 
Collector, J. C. Stanley; Aaaeaaor, Cbarlea Crane; Tvwn^hip Com- 
mittee. B. Beattie, Jr., I>avld Hawthorn. Jamc* B. Suon ; Sorreyon 
at HIgbwaya, Chtlalopbar Oadle, Wia. CBrian, Coeneliaa H. Torka. 

Villages and Hamlets. — The earliest effort towards 
bu:?iiiess enterprise at Little Falls was made, so far as 
is known, by Capt. James Gray, who in 1772 ere<'ted 
a foundrj- and mill on the present site of Beattie's 
carpet-factory. He also built a dam on the river, 
which provoked the Legislature of the same year to 
pass an act for lowering the dam, though with a|»- 
parently but slight etfect. But little is known of the 
hamlet for a period of some years after this event. 

The next owner and pioneer in the development of 
the site now occupied by this village was Rev. John 
Durye&. who was born in 1760, and having adopted 
the ministry as a profession studied with Dr. Living- 
ston, and was licensed to preach in 1784. He was 
called to Raritan in 1783. where he remaine<l until 
1799. In 18«>1 he settled at Fairfield, Essex Co., 
which charge then embraced Little Falls, and re- 
mained until 1817, when he removed to Little Falls, 
and probably renained there until l>Ci6, when his 
death occurred. After he had relinquished his charge 
he traveled on horseback and held service throughout 
the country at the various houses at which he received 
hospitality. On these occasions a cellection was in- 
variably taken either for the dominie or (he horse. 

Mr. Duryea seems not only to have been a godly 
man, but a citizen of much business capacity. He 
owned the mills at this point, which after being suc- 
cessfully conducted were sold to the Miller Bri>s., 
of whom there were four, — William, Ezekiel, John, 
and Isaac. In connection with their milling enter- 
prise they owned and managed a store. Ax a later 
date Samuel Bridge leased the water-|>owcrand erected 
a factor>% which was successfully conducted for some 
years, but finally burned. Robert Beattie later be- 
came owner of the site, and at present carriers on an 
extensive manufacturing interest, elsewhere described. 
The Van Ness Bnithers were also early merchants. 
The canal p&s.<ed through the village in 1829, and 
gave an additional impetas to mercantile enterprise. 
Little Falls now has a public school, two churches, 
and numerous stores and warehouses, representing 
various departments of business. 

The hamlet of Singac, located in the extreme north- 
west corner of the township, was, as nearly as can be 
determined, settled by John Riker, who was the 
owner of most of the land in the immediate vicinity. 
His children were a son, Isaac, and three daughters, 
among whom his property was divided, the sod having 
the southwest side of the turnpike, and the daughters 
the northeast. Isaac had three sons, John, Saniucl, 
and Isaac, of whom John became owner of the prop- 
erty. It was by him bojueathed to his daughters, 
Mrs. Henry Stanley, Mrs. John Van I'elt, Mrs. 
Thomas Morrell, and Mrs. A. A. Garrabraut, who 
now own it. At this point was located the gate- 



LITTLE FALLS. 



567 



house of the Newark and Ponipton Turnpike Com- 
pany, the keeper of whom established the first store 
at this place. In 1820, Spear & Van Ness opened a 
store, and two years after Henry R. Van Ness as- 
sumed an interest, and later became sole proprietor. 
He is still engaged in business with his son. Another 
store is kept by Winslow Schoonmaker, who is also 
the village postmaster. There are in addition a wheel- 
wright-shop, a blacksmith-shop, and a hotel, the latter 
being kept by Thomas llorrell. 

Churches. — The Reformed Church at Little Falls 
was organized by the Classisof Bergen on the 17th of 
October, 1837, a committee having been appointed for 
the purpose, consisting of Revs. J. S. De Mund, Rans- 
ford Wells, A. H. Warner, and A. Bronson. Its earliest 
officers embraced the following individuals: Elders, 
William M. Miller, Isaac I. Jacobus, John Bowman, 
Jacob S. Van Ness; Deacons, John Brown, William 
Reynolds, Benjamin Bell, Hugh Irvin. The earliest 
supply was Rev. A. Bronson, who ministered to the 
little flock until April, 1838, when Rev. Reuben Porter 
followed, and supplied the pulpit until July 23, 1838. 
Rev. Joseph Wilson was then called, in conjunction 
with the church at Fairfield, and installed. He re- 
signed the pastorate in 1843, when Rev. Edwin 
Vedder accepted a call, and was the first pastor who 
gave his full lime to the church. He was installed 
in 1844, and remained until 1849. 

During the month of February, 1850, Rev. J. C. 
Cruikshank was called from the Classis of Ulster, N. 
Y., and was installed by the Classis of Passaic. His 
ministry was one of much success. The congregation 
was freed from a burdensome debt, and many names 
added to the roll of membership. Mr. Cruikshank 
resigned in April, 1867, but continued his residence 
among his people, having been appointed by the State 
Board of Education superintendent of schools for the 
county, which office he still fills. 

Rev. George J. Van Neste was called to the pastorate 
in May, 1869, and remained until September, 1875. 
when Rev. William H. Smith began his pastoral 
labors, and continued them until May, 1878. In June 
of the same year Rev. W. L. Moore was installed, and 
resigned in May, 1881, after which a call was extended 
to Rev. Philip Furbeck, who is the present incumbent, 
and came Nov. 22, 1881. 

Services were fii'st held at Little Falls by clergymen 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church during the year 
1825. A school-house then stood on the site of the 
present Reformed (Dutch) Church, and there being no 
church building in the place at this early date, the 
people of the neighborhood convened here for wor- 
ship. Little Falls, however, soon became a regular 
appointment, and was connected with Cedar Grove, 
Parsippany, Pine Brook, and Fairfield. The society, 
small in numbers, continued to occupy the school- 
house until 1839, when the present church building 
•as, through the enterprise of members of the con- 

egation, erected. Rev. Mr. Robertson was at this 



time pastor, and Henry Parrot, Jacob Demmetts, and 
Lucus Crane were among the leading spirits in com- 
pleting the work. 

The church remained connected with the appoint- 
ment above named until 1860, when it became a pas- 
toral charge. It has at present a membership of one 
hundred and twenty-five, with a flourishing Sabbath- 
school of one hundred and fifty scholars and teachers. 
The absence of records renders a list of the successive 
pastors impossible to obtain. 

The present officers are Rev. M. C. Reed, pastor; 
I Thomas C. Belding, Sabbath-school superintendent ; 
Stewards and Trustees, Joseph Bowden, Edward 
Demmitts, John Van Houten, William Vaness, 
Stephen Sindle, Reuben Daniels, Cornelius G. Yorks, 
William Berdan, .John Wilson. 

Manufactures. — Robert Beattie & Soxs' Car- 
pet- Axu WooLES-MiLLS. — Mr. Beattie, the senior 
member of the firm of Robert Beattie & Sons, first 
engaged in the manufecture of carpet.s in New York 
City in 1837. He w.is induced in 1842 to remove to 
Little Falls, where he at once leased the mills of the 
New Jersey and Little Falls Carpet Company, which 
were located on the Passaic River. This company 
was organized in 1822 in New York, and at a subse- 
quent date embarked in business at Little Falls. In 
1846, Mr. Beattie removed to his present site, having 
first erected a building of wood, to which his ma- 
chinery was transferred. The demands of an in- 
creasing trade rendering more room a necessity, he 
in 1858 constructed a capacious mill of brownstone, 
four stories in height. To this was added in 1876 a 
building of brick. The machinery is propelled by 
water, though steam is used in the various processes 
of dyeing, printing, and drying. The establishment 
gives employment to 300 hands in its various depart- 
ments. Foreign wool is used entirely, and the grade 
I of goods produced at these mills finds a ready market. 
The firm have a warehouse at 85 White Street, New 
York, through which all sales are effected. 

Little Falls Mills of George Jacksox. — 
These mills were established by Mr. Jackson in 1850, 
who was formerly foreman in the dye- and felt-mills 
of Benjamin Nathan at Little Falls. Mr. Jackson 
purchased and removed all the machinery and all the 
stone and wood-work belonging to the former mill to 
its present site, where he at once rebuilt and began 
operations. He manufactures all kinds of hair- and 
wool-felt and carpeting. The factory is located upon 
what is known as Peckamen's stream, and employs 
both water- and steam-power. It has two engines, 
representing one hundred and fifty horse-power, four 
steam boilers, and two turbine water-wheels. 

The factory is equipped with the most complete 
machinery for the manufacture of a fine grade of felt 
goods, and employs in its various departments one 
hundred and fifty men. About 1500 pounds of ma- 
terial per day is worked up, and the total business of 
the year reaches the sum of S300,000. 



568 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY, 



The atrenUof tlie faitorv are located in New York, 
and find a ready market for its wares in Philadelphia, 
New York, and other large cities. 

Mr. Jackson add(.Mi to his other business in 1877 a 
factor)- for the manufacture of silk and mohair braids, 
watcli-jruards, etc. This is also equipped with bf»th 
steam- and water-jjower and all the requisite ma- 
chines for producing the most perfect work. The 
absorbing demands of the felt-works have rendered it 
impossible to run the latter establishment to its full 
capacity. 

James Edge, Manttfacttrer of Bolts, Nuts, 
Washers, Chaixs, Err. — This business was estab- 
lished by Thomas Edge in 1846, on the Peckamen's 
stream, near Little Falls. The manufacture of 
washers was the earliest industry, after which the 
works were extended and bolts and other articles were 
made. Mr. Edge first began his lab()rs upon the farm, 
and wa.** induced by the extended demand to erect the 
present factory, which is now owned by his son 
James, who succeeded to the firm of Thomas Edge 
& Sons, The extra power needed in the factory 
is su|>plied by a twelve horse-power engine. The 
wares made by this estiiblishment arc principally used 
in the machine-shops in various portions of the State 
and in New York City. The iron used is mainly 
supplied by the Passaic Rolling-Mills, at Paterson. 

Van Ness & Sinple, Felt-Mill.— This mill was 
erected in 1877 by the present firm for the manufac- 
ture of a species of hair-felt used in boiler covering. 
The capacity of the mill is equivalent to the working 
of one ton of hair per day. It is run by both water- 
and steam-power, and employs ten men in the various 
stages of manufacture. The mill is equipped with all 
the modern machinery fi>r making hair-felt, for which 
a market is found in New York and I*hiladelphia. 
Adjoining this establishment is the flouring-mill of 
C. ^ S. Sindle, erected in 1856, 

Little Falls Brom'nstone Quarries. — The 
value of these quarries was first developed by an 
architect in search of stone for the erectitm of Trinilv 
Church, New York, the «>riginal owners having been 
the New Jersey and Little Falls Manufacturing Com- 
pany. They were by them leased for a jiercentagc to 
the Trinity Church corporation, and by them worked 
for a period of five years. It was then leaseil by 
Mntehcs ^ Clark, and later by William If. Harris, 
who organized a company and introducetl machinery 
for working the quarries, sawing the stone, etc. 
Robert Heattie, by purchase, then became owner, 
earried on its further development, and furnished 
much stone for the constmction of the bridge-s of the 
Delaware and Lackawanna Railroad Company. Mr. 
Bcattie is still owner, and J. C. Stanley the present 
lessee. The Mtone has in several instances proved 
Valuable to the scnlpt(»r. 

Act of Organization.— The following act of the 
State Legislature erected Little Falls as nn independ- 
ent township : 



" Am A(T to Mi of from tht towiuhip n/ Ac^achmonk, im IA« evunl^ of 
PoMtaie, a itcir U/unsliip^ to be ctiUed the (oim«Aip o/ IMU« fWb. 

" \. Be it macted by tht Senate and Genfral A»»etnbl^ o/(A« SOiU o/ AViD 
Jeney, TliM all th«t j^nrt of tlic lowuship of Acquackanonk, in the 
county of PHmalc, lying wcsttrly of the line ninning fmin the Unr of 
the city of Patorson, 'along the steep n>cke and niuuntAlns,' loulherly 
to the line ul Ihu county vf Kwex, being tlie same linu known ua part of 
the westerly line of the oM Acquackunuiik jtatent, h« doecribe*] in an in- 
denture made by the lords proprirton of the province of East New Jer- 
sey to Han* niiilerick lUiduthensdaleil Murch nrte«nth, sixteen hnndn-d 
and eighty*fuur, and rvcordi-d in the offlca of the Socretary of State of 
Kew Jersey, in Lilnir A of Dee*!", page one hundred and sixty-four, tthall 
be and is hereby set off front the said titwnship of Acquuckanonk, and 
made a new and separate ti»\\ lothlp, to be known by the name of the 
towuBbip of Little Falls. 

"2. And be U enuitfd. That the inhabitants of the said township of 
liittle Fulls l>e and they are heieby made and cont^tlluted a body politic 
and corporate in law, and ^lllill bt* known by the name of 'The Inhab- 
itants of the township of Little Falls, in the county of Faasaic'and shall 
be entitled to all the rights, powers, authority, privile>res, and adran- 
tages^nnd aliall \te subject to the Kinu< i emulations, goveruiuent, and lia- 
bilities an tlir Inhabitants of the pre><ent township of Acquackanonk 
are or may be entitled to by the exiatini: lawn of this State. 

"3. And be U tiiacUd, That tlii> Itihubitants of the township of Ac- 
quackanonk, as remaining nttei the i>H8Bage of this act, )«ha)l hold their 
next township election at the hotel of John V, Ryvr*»on, and afterward 
in each year at such place lui shall be deuignnted at their prcceiling an- 
nual township election, at the time fixed by law; and at the said flret 
township election John J. McCleeeo, John H. Couenho%'en, and Daniel 
H. Schof^mtiiaker shall txci ai* judges, and Henry P. Simmonn shall act aa 
clerk of thesai<l tlrvt elt>ciion. 

"4. And be U enucteti^ That the inbnbilantsof the township of Little 
Fallti shall hold their first township election at Smith's hotel at Little 
Falls, Hnd itfterwitrds in each year at Nni.li plai.'** as the inhabitants of 
said township Hbull at their preceding annual townshipincetlng deter- 
mine, at the time tixed by law for the annual town^liip election^ in the 
••aid township of Acquackanonk ; and at the said flri>t tDwimhip elec- 
tion William M. Morrell, Charles T. Van Winkle, and Fnincis Van 
Kess shall act tu) judgetn, and Francis W. Van Ness as < lerk of said 
election. 

"b. And be it enacted. That the township ommiittee of said to«-niihl|i« 
of Acquackanonk and Lilth- Fulls elected at thf said (irst i-lectiou", re- 
spectively, shall meet on the fourth Monday of April next, at the hotel 
i>f Henry F. Palget, at the Notch, at ten o'clock in the formoon, and 
afterwards, if n(.-C('Asary, at such tinifs und places as the tuajoniy of 
those present may determine, ami then and there, by writing, signed by 
a miO<"'*0' **f "*•*''' conimitttH'B, allot und divide b»»twcfn naid townshi|w 
such pniperly, ff any, us may he owuimI by the present township of Ac- 
quackanonk, and also such moneys and assets as may l>e on hand or due 
or to become duo to said tuwnshi|i», in proportion to the taxable pn>|>- 
erty and ratables in said townships, rt^spectively.as shall be detennlned 
by the lost oneasmonl of tazet of the said funner township of Acqua> k- 
iinonk,and each of thesuld townnhlpK shall be and remain liable to pay 
Its just proiHtrtion of the debts und obligations of the present township 
of AcqUHcksnonk, according to said last asseesment, as tlie "aid debts 
and oldigntions shall exist at the next annual town*nieeting, until the 
same are fully imid apd discharged, such pni|K>rtlon of said indebt«»d- 
ness tu be aa"(^a■e«l on the inhabttivnis of said township, nwpectivoly, tu 
accordance with the laws now applicable thereto, and each of said towu- 
shipH shall supp(»rt the paupers whose settlemi'nt Is or may be within 
thrir bounds, respectively, and If any of the |>erson« composing idtlier 
of the said township committeeM shall refuse or neglect to meet ns afure- 
saidf those assmibled may pn>ccrtl lo make nurli division, and the de- 
cision of n nii\jorlty of thmv presi-nt nliull l>e final ami tonclusivo. 

**6, ^riri be it runrted. That nothing in this act contained shall Im* ron- 
stmed ao as to Interfere with or im|Niir the Ciimmiaslons of the justices 
of the [>«ace or of the commlssltuiera for taking the acknowledgment 
and pn>of of deetls until they shall expire by their own limitation, or so 
as to Impair the rIghU of the snid township of IJtUe Falls in and to iU 
just and Irga) pM|»iirtlon of the surplus revenut> of the genenU gorern- 
ment or the intereet due or l>econiing «lne thereon. 

"7. And he it r^uu-teti. That tht> sHid township of Littlu Falls shall form 
a part of th« First Assembly District of the county of PaMaic, as here- 
tofore. 

" 8. And beUenaatedy That this act shall take effect immediately.*' 



Approved April 2, 1868. 



POMPTON. 



569 



Notes and Incidents. — The following description 

of the quarrifs at Little Falls is taken from the " Ge- 
ologj' of New Jersey," published in 1868, and will be 
of 1 interest to the reader : 

" Below the village on the left bank of the river 
(Passaic) there are several old quarries. The stone is 
a dark-red freestone, and lies in thick beds with shaly 
layers over it, and trap resting on the latter. The 
drop is about 10° to the northwest. On the other side 
of the river the rock is now quarried and shipped 
via, Morris Canal to various points in and around 
Paterson, Newark, and New York. All these quar- 
ries are owned by Robert Beattie. At the Little Falls 
quarry, last mentioned, there is about ten feet of red 
shale drift covering the rock. The color of the stone 
is from alight gray to a red. It occurs in thick beds, 
and stones seventeen by twelve by four feet are often 
got out. Most of it is very fine-grained, and styled by 
the workmen ' liver rock.' This quarry has furnished 
stone for several fine brownstone .structures in New 
York and adjacent cities. For agricultural purposes 
it is a superior article, and ha.s been successfully used 
in sculpture." 



CHAPTER LXXIV. 

POMPTON. 

Physical Features. — Nearly the whole of this 
township, from its northeastern border, on the State 
line between New Jersey and New York, to its south- 
western boundary along the Wanaque River, is one 
continuous range of mountains. Their .summits are 
generally covered with barren rocks, and considera- 
ble portions of this mountainous region are treeless and 
without vegetation. But the valleys of the Ringwood 
and Wanaque Rivers, extending the whole length of 
the township, from north to .south, and the occasional 
fertile portions along their many tributaries, compen- 
sate for all this barrenness of the higher regions. 
Many portions of the township are rich in mineral 
wealth, — of iron ore of the most superior quality, 
lead, lime, sandstone, and slate. 

The. Wanaque Valley frequently widens into alluvial 
flats and uplands of great fertility. In the valley and 
upon the hills more favored in soil and less exposed 
to the elements than the contiguous mountain ranges, 
oak and chestnut, beech and maple, and occasionally 
pine and hemlock, with many other varieties of vege- 
tation, have a thrifty growth. The Wanaque is one 
of the most beautiful and picturesque valleys in the 
State. It opens into the famous Pompton Plains, 
where much of the scenery is no more enchanting. 
But the almost countless resources of wealth in this 
township are its iron-mines, which produce the richest 
quality of ore. From the mines of Pompton came 
the cannon-balls which did good battle for us in the 
Revolution, and for neai-ly two hundred years capi- 



talists have had investments in these mountain re- 
gions, barren and rocky, but which appear to have 
locked up in their fastnesses resources of ine.xliausti- 
ble treasure. 
' Early Settlements.— The early settlements in this 
I section were induced by the rich mines of iron ore 
discovered in the early part of the eighteenth cen- 
tury. John Jacob Faesch, a native of Hesse-Cassel, 
came to this country in the service of the London 
Company, who owned extensive tracts of land at 
Ringwood, Long Pond, and Charlotteburg, at each of 
which places furnaces and forges had been erected 
prior to 17(36. These had been built and managed 
by a German named Hasenclever, who had brought 
to this country many Germans, and among them 
i Faesch, who for a time assisted, and then superseded 
' Hasenclever about 1766. As early as 1771 or '72, 
Mr. Robert Erskine, of Scotland, succeeded in the 
management of these mines. Ringwood was the 
headquarters of the London Company. As early as 
1740, Cornelius Board sold to Josiah Ogden, John 
Ogden, Jr., David Ogden, Sr., David Ogden, Jr., and 
Usal Ogden, all then residents of Newark, composing 
the " Ringwood Company," sixteen acres of land at 
Ringwood for sixty-three pounds. Feb. 1, 1764, 
Joseph Board sold to Nicholas Governeur, of New 
York, and David Ogden, Sr., six acres and one-half, 
for six pounds, ten shillings. The same day Joseph 
Board conveyed to the company " a tract of laud sit- 
uate, lying, and being at Ringwood, near the old forge 
and dwelling-house of Walter Erwin." July 5, 1764, 
the Ringwood Company sold to " Peter Hasenclever, 
late of London, merchant, for five thousand pounds, 
all the company's lands at Ringwood, then in Bergen, 
and now in Passaic County." 

There were then erected on the property a furnace, 
two forges, and several dwelling-houses. Hasen- 
clever also purchased of Joseph Wilcox, Walter 
Erwin, and one Delancy large tracts of land in the 
vicinity, portions of which were sold at the rate of 
thirty pounds per hundred acres. 

Of course all this activity at that early day in 
purchasing land in this then remote region was on 
account of the rich iron-mines, which to this day are 
of untold value. Tlie Revolution came and interfered 
with the operations of any foreign company on Amer- 
ican soil ; but many of the operatives in these mines, 
and especially Mr. Robert Erskine, the superintend- 
ent, became adherents of the American cause and 
remained permanently in this country. Mr. Erskine 
figured prominently in the war of the Revolution, 
and is said to have organized the first militia com- 
pany in the State. He died at Ringwood in 1780. 
His grave may be found 'about one-fourth of a mile 
from the ruins of the old Ringwood furnace, near the 
road leading from Ringwood to West Milford. There 
are two graves side by side, that of Mr. Erskine and 
of his former clerk, Robert Monteath. The monu- 
ment is of gray marble, supported by a brick wall 



670 



HISTORY OF BERGKN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



about one foot high, and the inscription shows Mr. 
Erskine to have been no onlinary person, either in 
the land of bis nativity or of his adoption. It reads 
as follows: 

" In Meniory of 

B»l>«rt Enkiue, F.B.S., 

Geographer und Sunreyur-Geutral 

To llif Amiy o( 

The Uiillcxl Suilti. 

Son of tbe R«T. Ralpli Enkinr, 

Lftte Minister uf Diinfenuline, 

111 Scotland, 

Burn 

Sept. 7th, 17.W, 

Died 
October 2, 1780, 
.\ged 45 years 
.\nd25d«3«." 

Enough has been given here to afford some idea of 
the early settlements about Rinjrwood. Philip Schuy- 
ler was the proprietor of lands about the present vil- 
lages of Pompton and Blooniingdale, purchasing a 
tract of two thousand acres there about 1760. Gil- 
liam Bartolf located two hundred and eighty acres 
west of Schuyler's tract. Georjre Ryerson located 
several tracts in the same vicinity about the same 
time. Abram Ogden located several lots, about 177ii, 
along the Pequannock and Wanaque for manufactur- 
ing purposes. 

The Charlotte tract was returned or surveyed to 
Oliver De Lancy, Henry Cuyler, and Walter Ruther- 
ford in 1711.1, of 647-1 acres, and the Van Houteus and 
Richard Ashtield were proprietors here in \7'M. The 
Ryerson family, of which Martin J. Ryerson is the 
present representive, has always been a prominent 
family in this township since its earliest existence as 
a civilized community. Martin Ryerson, the progen- 
itor of this family, came from .\msterdam, in Holland, 
in l()4(i, and was from a Huguenot family. He mar- 
ried Anetie Rapplcje, May 14, IfjtiS. Roger Ryerson, 
his third son, married Rebecca Van Der Shines in 
\69^>. Johannes, the fourth son of Roger, was born 
Nov. 11, 171(>, and married Catalyna Rerry, Jan. 13, 
1741. Martin, the fifth child of .roliannes, was born 
Nov. 14, 1751, and married Vrouche Van Winkle, .Vng. 
16, 1778. The portraits of Martin and Vrouche are 
preserved, and adorn the walls of the present resi- 
dence of their descendant, Martin John Ryerson, at 
Hlooniingdale. The dignified old gentleman of the 
the piL«t and bis proud, stately dame look down 
U|>on von in kindly adnionilion of what they were 
and of what their dcscendanLs should be in every gen- 
erntion. Among the other interesting relics of the 
past in this same re.si<lenec is a tail and beautifully en- 
ca-sed cloi'k, brought from Holland by Ha.sencleve, 
and which was subsoiuently the property of (ten. 
Krskine in bis mansion at Ringwooil, where the 
present Martin John Ryerson was born, and which 
has been ticking accurate time for more than one 
hundred and fifty years. John M. Ryerson, third 
child of Martin Ryerson, wn-s born Doc. 1, 1732, and 



married Clarissa Van Winkle, March 2, 1806. Mar- 
tin John Ryerson, third i-hild of John M., was born 
Oct. 31, 1814, and married Mary Ann Conklin, Sept. 
26, 1843. She dying Sept. IS, I860, he married Anna 
C. Wo.wlward. Oct. 2, 1862. Andrew Zabriskie, first 
child of Martin .lohn, Wiis born July 24, 1844, and 
married Georgia Ann Sinen, Oct. 24, 1871, and Mary 
Isabel Ryerson, the last in this line of the generations, 
was born May 6, 1873. Sometimes it is family pride 
and sometimes it is family worth passing down from 
generation to generation. 

Philij) Schuyler settled at Pompton in 1688. He 
married Hester Kingsland, daughter of Isaac Kings- 
land. His eldest son was Aurent, born Feb. 2.'), 171/). 
He married Elizabeth Bogert, and had three sons, 
— Philip, Garret, and Adoiiijah, — and died Sept. 6, 
1839. His daughter, Elizabeth Schuyler, married 
John A. Boyd in 181.5. Philip Schuyler was a gen- 
tleman of large means, wiis connected with the cele- 
brated family of that name in New York, owned a 
large tract of land on the Ramapo River, on the 
west side of what is now called Long Pond, where he 
built a spacious residence, now in the pos,se8sion 
of his descendants, and occupied by them, together 
with a large tract of land also in pos.sessiou of the 
family. 

Adam Boyd lived in Pompton, on the Bartram 
farm, in sight of the Schuyler property. He was 
born in Windam mow in Morris County), March 21, 
1746. Probably his father's name was John Boyd, 
who«;as born in ."Scotland, and settletl in Mendham as 
early as 1710. He may have settled on the Bartram 
farm, in Pompton township, about 1720. At all 
events it is certain his son Adam owned this farm, 
and lived there many years prior to 1776. The foun- 
dation-walls and the walls of the cellar of the old 
farni-liouse of Aibim Hoyil, on tbe Bartram farm, are 
still standing by an ancient lilac-bush, near the road 
in going from the Ponds Church to Pompton Furnace. 
.\dam Boyd married Elsie Van Cleve. He had one 
son (.Iidin ,\. Boyd ) and one daughter (I'atharine). 
He died after a distinguished career in the Revolu- 
tion and in the Congre-ss of the I'mted Stales, Aug. 
15, 1835. John A. Boyd was a prominent lawyer 
at Haekensack, and ilied Feb. 21, 1828, aged fifty- 
three years. His sister Catbatine died May 14, 1846, 
aged seventy-four. .lohii married Elizabeth Schuyler, 
daughter of Adoiiijah Schuyler. She Wiis born Jan. 
;>, 1789. They had eight children, among whom are 
the present .\dani and Schuyler Boyd, of Bergeu 
County. 

Civil Organization. — Pompton has varied much 
in its civil mid pnlilical rclalions since the early set- 
tlement. It was first a part of New Barbadoi's, in 
l'>sex County ; then of Saddle River and Franklin, 
anil in the county of Es.se.x from 1682 to 17i»!t; then 
in the county of Bergen from that date till it became 
part of Pa«.saic County in 1837. The act of incor- 
poration reads as follows: 



POMPTON. 



571 



*' An Act to incorporate itUo a toimiship a part of the towiuthip of SndilU 
River and Franklin^ in the coitiUy of Bergen^ poised the HOt of Feb- 
ritonj, 1797. 
" Preaihbli'. A niimberof the inhabitants of the townsliip of Saddle River 
Hn<i Franklin, in the connty of Bergen, have l>y their petition set fortil 
that tliey have long labored under tmtitii diJTfCulties by reason uf the length 
of said townships, for remedy whereof be it enacted by the Council and 
General Assenildy of this State, and it is hereby enacted by the atlthor- 
ity of the same, that all that part of the tciwnship of Saddle River and 
Franklin lyinfr within the following line: beginning on the line that 
divides the States of New York and New Jersey, where the said lino 
striked the lirst pond of the Rainapongh Mountiiin, from thence on a 
direct line until it strikes the division line of said townships, at the 
northwest corner of John Ryerson's land; thence along said line until 
it stiikes the Ramapough River; thence along said river until it meets 
the Pe<iuanMck River; thence up said river until it meets the line that 
divides the counties of Bergen and Sussex; and thence along said line 
until it meets the line that divides the States of New York and New 
Jers.-y ; f hence along said line to the i)lace of beginlung, shall be and 
is hereby set off from the said township of Saddle River and Franklin, ; 
anil made a separate township, to be called by the name of 'the town- ' 
ship of Pompton.'" j 

The township belonged to the undisputed property < 
of the Indians till the discovery by Hendrick Hud- 
son ; thence to Holland till it came under the British 
crown, and afterwards to the folate of New Jersey, 
and subject to the smaller municipal or township di- 
visions, already stated. The word " Pompton" is of 
Indian derivation, and is the name of one of the 
prominent tribes in this part of New Jersey before 
the ingress of civilization. The word is said to mean 
"crooked mouthed," as applied to the entrance of 
the Ringwood and Ramapo Rivers as tributaries of 
the Pompton in their winding and circuitous courses. 
The name was applied to the locality now known as 
Pompton Villiigelong before the township was organ- 
ized, and even long before the Revolution. In other 
parts of this history will be found an account of the 
early mining operations in this section of country in- 
viting settlements, early even in the last century, up 
the " Pequanack and Wanaque Valleys," as they were 
then called. A further recital here of these early 
events is therefore unnecessary. When Pompton 
commenced it.s municipal career in the county of 
Bergen, its civil governmeiit began with Adonijah 
Sclmyler and Peter 81utt as its first freeholders. 
Each township at that time was represented by two 
members in the board, the reduction to one member 
not occurring till many years afterwards. 

The following are the chosen freeholders for 
Pompton from it« organization as a township in 
Bergen County till it passed into Passaic County in 
1837: 

1797-9S, 1824-28, Adonijah Schuyler; 1797, 18(1.5-7, Peter Slutt; 1798, 
1800-1, Simeon Mead; 1799, Joseph Board; 1799-1 Sell, 1829, 1831-36, 
Nathaniel Board; ISO^-l.!, 1815-2.'!, Adrian Post; 1802-24, Anthony - 
C.Beam; 182.">-29. John A. Post; 18.10-35, Peter M.Ryerson; 1830, 
Cornelius Van Wagoner. 

It will be seeu that Anthony C. Beam was free- 
holder continuously for twenty-three years, from 1802 
to 1824, inclusive, and that Adrian Post was free- 
holder for eighteen years con.secutively from 1802, 
excepting 1814. The freeholders for Pompton from 



1837, when the township passed into Passaic County, 

are as follows : 

1837^2, Peter M.Ryerson, Nathaniel Board; 184.3-49, John V. Beam; 
18.56, Joseph B. Beam; 1851-52, Josiah Beam; 1843-49, Jacob M. 
Ryersou; 1860, 1855-66, Conrad Beam; 1857-58, 1865, George W. 
Monks ; 1853-54, Chandler D. Norton ; 18.5U-53, 1860-61, 1864, Martin 
J. Ryerson; 1869, Peter H. Whitenour; 18.59, 1865, 1868, Henry S. 
Van Ness; 1800-62,1866-67, Conrad Tice; 1871-72, Daniel lihine- 
smith: 187:1-74, James C. Vreeland; 1857-58, Charles F. Johnson; 
1863, 1868-711, 1877, Philip R. Groye. 

Two freeholders were elected from each township 
and ward till 1858, when there were two from each 
township and one from each ward for the next ten 
years, when in 1868 two were chosen from each town- 
ship and ward ; but in 18G9 the number was reduced 
to one freeholder from each township and ward, and 
so it remains to the present. Mr. John V. Beam, 
from Pompton, was chosen director of the board for 
1849, and Martin J. Ryerson, from Pompton, was also 
chosen director for IS.iO-.'),". 

Places of Historical Interest. —The village of 
Pompton is the most historical locality in the town- 
ship. In the winter of 1780 a portion of the Jersey 
troops were stationed, at Pompton. The Pennsyl- 
vania line had been successful in a mutiny at Morris- 
town, which encouraged a portion of the Jersey 
troops, chiefly foreigners, to attempt a like meeting 
at Pompton on the night of the 20th of .January, 
1781 ; but by the prompt action of Washington, 
through Gen. Howe, his subordinate in command, 
this mutiny was summarily brought to an end by 
the execution of two of the criminals and the pun- 
ishment of a few others. Near the Pequannock 
River, on an elevation, just above where the road 
crosses the river in going from Pompton to Bloom- 
ingdale, stood an old fort, erected in the Revolution 
to guard against the possible invasion of the valley 
by the British ; and long before this period, in 1735, a 
log church was erected on the east bank of the Pomp- 
ton River, a little below where what was then called 
the Pompton River emptied into the Pequannock, 
on lands formerly lielonging to the Schuyler family. 
It was dedicated April 7, 1736, and taken down about 
1770. This historical spot is now in an open field. 

During the Revolution, in 1780, Washington and 
his army retired for a short time into the Pompton 
Valley, and had his headquarters in what is now 
called the Ryerson mansion, just across the river, 
near the old fort we have mentioned. This stately 
structure is still standing, and, together with several 
acres of adjoining land, is owned and occupied by 
Mr. Mills. The house is in a most excellent state of 
.preservation. 

Villages and Hamlets.— Pompton and Blooming- 
dale, partly in Morris and Passaic Counties, are the 
only villages in the township, although at Ringwood 
and through the Wanaque Valley are several small 
hamlets and thickly-settled neighborhoods. Pomp- 
ton and Bloomingdale are pleasantly situated along 
the banks of the Wanaque and Pequannock, just at 



572 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



the terminus of the mountain range, and at the be- 
ginning of the Pompton Plain*. 

The two railroads — the Mont Clair and the Mid- 
land — cross each other in the vicinity in pa&sing up. 
the former the Wanaque Valley, and the latter the 
Pequannock. There are some small mills, a church 
at Pompton, and the extensive steel-works in the 
lower part of Pompton, and a small Episcopal chapel 
there, with some ))leasant residences in all directions, 
but quite remote from each other; and while the 
whole locality is thickly settled, no portion of it ap- 
pears like a densely-populated town. The portion of 
Blooniingdale on the east side of Pequannock River 
and in Passaic County is more densely occu|)ied with 
houses, stores, and shops, hut the main part of this 
thrivinj; village is in Morris County. 

Schools. — The last school census shows the town- 
ship of Pompton to have 803 school children, and 
the school property is valued at $7000, and its appro- 
priation of school moneys is $3767.60. The largest 
school is at Blofimingdale. An academy was formerly 
maintained at this place, which was started about 
1844. Martin J. Ryerson, who resides near here, 
gave the land for this structure. An academic 
course was maintained here for some years, and the | 
institution has since become one of the public schools 
of the county. 

Churches. — Mr. Ryerson also gave the land for 
the Methodist Cliureli established at Blooniingdale 
about 1840. The Methodist Church there has main- 
tained itself since that time. The Baptists also 
have a church there, which was established about 
1846. I 

The oldest church in this locality is the Reformed 
(Dutch) Church at Pompton. This church .dates 
back its own separate history to 1812. Before that 
date the people in the vicinity had worshiped at the 
church at Pompton Plains. Steps were taken at that 
date, a subscription list circulated, and seventy-five 
subscribers obtained in the sum of $1932 to erect a 
church upon an acre of land donated by Judge Martin 
J. Ryerson. On the 20th of February, 1812, the sub- 
scribers met at the house or hotel then ke])t by Mar- 
tin (!. Ryerson, and chose Martin J. Ryerson, Robert 
Colfax, .Vdrian Post, Anthony C. Beam, and John 
Beam trustc»-s to superintend the building of the 
church. On the 8th of June following a certificate 
of incorporation of the Pompton and Wanaque 
Church was filed in the office of the county clerk at 
Hackensack, in Liber H, No. 2 of Deeds, page 12. (Jn 
the 17th of February, 1817, the name was changed to 
"The Pompton Church," as will appear by the cer- 
■ tificate file<l in the same ollice, in Liber No. 2 of 
Dee<ls, page 30!t, March 2.'), 1817. On the 24th day 
of December, 1814, Martin J. Ryerson, Robert Col- 
fax, Nathaniel Board, Anthony C. Beam, and John 
D. Piatt were chosen tnistees, and Marcus Douglas, 
Tunis Ryerson, and Garret Ilaulenbeeh were ap- 
[lointed a committee to settle the account of the trus- 



tees. The pastoral service extended over this church 
and the church at Pompton Plains jointly till 1S1.5. 
In this relation Rev. J. T. Field was the first pastor. 
When the Pompton and Wanaque District became 
a separate organization its first chosen elders were 
Thomas Blauvelt, Martin J. Ryerson, Philip J. 
Schuyler, and Nathaniel Douglas, and its first 
deacons were Adrian Post, Abram Sines, Johnson N. 
Gould, and Peter Van Pelt. When the members of 
the consistory took their oath of office, in ISlj, they 
were sworn to support the Constitution of the United 
States and of the State of New Jersey. The commo- 
dious parsonage belonging to this church was built in 
1817. Mr. Field's pastorate continued twelve and one- 
half years, terminating by mutual consent April 10, 
1827.' 

Rev. R. C. Shiraeall became the next pastor for the 
shortperiodof nine months, from Sept. 16, 1828, to May, 
1829. Rev. I.S. Demond followed for nearly nineyears, 
to June, 1839, when Rev. H. Doolittle became pastor 
from 1840 to 1852, when Rev. John Gaston became 
the next pastor, just having graduated from the theo- 
logical seminary at New Brunswick in 1852. Li 18o4 
the connection between Boardville and this church 
was amicably dissolved. In 1859 the commodious 
lecture-room was built by this church at Wanaque at 
the cost of $14<X», mainly through the persevering 
elforts of the ladies of the congregation. Mr. Gaston's 
pjislorate ended July, 1M62. It was a jirosperous 
period for the church, and very reluctantly could the 
people consent to let him go elsewhere. He wjis fol- 
lowed by the present pastor. Rev. John N. Jausen, 
on the 17th day of December, 1863. Mr. Jansen has 
been honored with the longest i)astoral service in this 
church. He is a graduate of Rutgers College and 
Seminary, and is an able and faithful minister. 

At a meeting of consistory, April 2, 1816, a memo- 
rial was presented from a number of the iuhabitants 
of the Wanaque and Ringwood District of the Pomp- 
ton congregation for permission to build a church 
near Col. Board's ( now Boardville), which was granted. 
Arrangements were at once made, a lot was deeded by 
Col. Board, and the erection of said church was com- 
menced, which was completed in December, 1817, 
but the inhabitantsof that district still retaiiie<l their 
connection with the Pompton Church until March, 
18.54, when the union between Boardville and the 
Poni|)ton Church was amicably dissolved by the cor- 
dial consent of both parties. The congregation of 
Pompton agreed to pay th« church at Boardville four 
hundred dollars for their interest in the church prop- 
erty at Pompton. This church was supplied previ- 
ous to l'<54 by the Classis of Passaic until .Vpril. IS.Mi, 
when Rev. James E. Bernart Wiis apjiointol regular 
pastor, and continued until 1877, and on May 22. 
1877, a committee organized the class with twenty- 
eight members, as follows: John Harty, Mrs. John 
JLirly, Miss Lydia Ann Harty, .John .\kers, Mrs. 
John Akers, John L. Decker, John W. Ricker, Miss 



POMPTON. 



573 



S. Ricker, John Stone, John Conklin, Catharine Ann 
Lewis, Mrs. Anna M. Tise, Mrs. John II. Brown, E. 
J. Brown, John Henrj- Brown, Mary J. Jlontonya, 
Catherine Whritnour, Martha J. ^\'oatllerwalk, Hester 
J. Van Natter, Alminia M. Freelantl, Sarah C. Ricker, 
Margaret A. Coons, Maria B. Bernard, M. M. Pellet, 
Mary A. Whritnour, Mr. John Board, Rev. J. E. Ber- 
nart, Mrs. Thomas Duttey. The first elders were 
John Akers, E. .1. Brown, John W. Ricker. The first 
deacons were John Harty and John Henry Brown. 

The relation of Rev. Mr. Bernart continued until 
May, 1881 ; since that time the church has been sup- 
plied by Rev. John N. Jansen, pastor of the Pomp- 
ton Church, he preaching every alternate Sunday. 
Present membership, thirteen. 

Tradition shows that Episcopal services were held 
at Pompton as early as 1785, but there are no records 
that will throw any light on the early organization of 
this church previous to 1867, when a plot of land was 
donated by J. Horner & Co., and the erection of a 
church edifice was commenced. This church was 
not consecrated until May 22, 1876, by Bishop Oden- 
heimer, of New Jersey. The first wardens were 
Abraham Jackson and J. W. Mackavoy, previous to 
1881. The society was in charge of the clergy at 
Paterson, N. J., and was supplied by lay-readers from 
the theological seminary of New York, and in 1880 
the church was organized with a few families, — John 
Makavoy and family, James Ludlow and family, 
George Markell and family, Abraham Jackson. 

The first regular pastor was Rev. Frederick Greaves, 
installed 1881, and is the present rector. 

The church is of wood and located at the Pompton 
Steel-Works. The present wardens are J. W. Mack- 
avoy and Richard Wright. 

The present vestrymen are C. W. Douglass, J. W. 
Mackavoy, Richard Wright, George Decker, Thomas 
Wright, Henry Lawrence, Charles Preston. Present 
membership, thirty. 

Methodist services were first held at Bloomingdale 
previous to 1840, in an old woolen-mill, until 1842, 
when a lot was deeded to the congregation for the 
erection of a church by M. J. Ryerson, and steps 
were taken to erect a house of worship, which is 
located on Main Street, about three quarters of a mile 
from the depot. The church is of wood, and built at 
a cost of one thousand dollars, size thirty by sixty 
feet, and in 1842 the church was completed, and dedi- 
cated in the fall by Rev. Mr. McCarl, of Hoboken. 
The first members were Elizabeth Cooper, Sophia 
Halien, Mrs. Gertrude Langrough, Richard Sloan, 
Henry Wrighnour, and others; the first stewards, 
Peter P. Maby ; first trustees, John Siscoe, Peter P. 
Maby, Richard Sloan, Heniy P. Wrighnour, and 
Henry Drew, and services were held regularly in the 
old church until 1880, when it was renovated and re- 
opened in the fall of 1880. The present value of the 
church is three thousand dollars. Membership, two 
hundred and twenty-five. Present stewards, Robert 
37 



Haycock, James White, and Richard Sloan ; present 
trustees, Richard Sloan, Philip Nixon, P. Francisco, 
Robert Haycock, J. H. Vreeland, Edward Mead, and 
Peter Haycock. The first pastor of whom we have 
any knowledge is Rev. S. W. Decker, who was followed 
by Rev. Henry Mauze, Rev. Mr. Hitchens, Rev. W. 
S. Wiggans, Rev. Enoch Green, Rev. Richard Van 
Home, Rev. Mr. Maby, Rev. Reuben Van Sickle, Rev. 
Charles Coyt, Rev. Edmund Cook, Rev. Mr. Treat, 
Rev. Ambrose Compton, Rev. C. W. Cole, Rev. C. 
M. Reed, Rev. Mr. Dodd, Rev. James Robinson. 

Preaching was first held at Midvale, in private 
liouses, as early as 1850, by Rev. Samuel Switzer. 
Sometimes they were held in school-houses until 1856, 
when steps were taken to build a house of worship, 
which was completed in the fiill of 1856. This church 
is located at the head of the Wanaque Valley, and is 
a wooden structure thirty by forty-five feet, cost about 
one thousand dollars. This church belongs to the 
Bloomingdale and Midvale charge, and is supplied 
by the pastors of the Methodist Episcopal Church of 
Bloomingdale. The present pastor is Rev. James Rob- 
inson ; present membership, fifty-eight. The present 
stewards are Daniel Wrighnour, Daniel Rhinesmith, 
W. F. Vandine. The trustees are Uri Drew, W. F. 
Vandine, Henry Morris, ' Isaac McKinon, Daniel 
Wrighnour, Edward Sloat, Peter Sloat. 

Methodist services were first held in Pompton at 
the house of Thomas B. Steele for a period of five 
years by Rev. Mr. Anderson, a local preacher, and 
after the erection of the school-house meetings were 
carried on by Rev. Moses Morris, a colored preacher, 
and in 1872 the congregation grew and it was evident 
that some means had to be provided for the congi'ega- 
tion. • A lot was deeded to the society by Mr. William 
H. Graves, and a church edifice was erected. The 
church is in Pompton Village, near the Pompton Steel- 
\\'orks, on the Hamburg turnpike. The church is 
of wood and cost $4000. The corner-stone was laid 
by Rev. R. J. Van Horn, assisted by the pastor. Rev. 
M. C. Reed, and in March, 1872, it was dedicated by 
Rev. William H. Tunison and William C. Dickinson. 
The church was organized in 1871 with eleven mem- 
bers, — Joseph J. Van Ness, Mrs. May Cox, David 
Drew, R. V. Roat, Conrad Haycock, Mrs. Elizabeth 
Haycock, David B. Steel, Mr. R. V. Roat, Mrs. J. J. 
Van Ness, Mrs. David Drew, Mrs. Eliza Nevens. 
The first trustees were J. J. Van Ness, R. V. Roat, 
David Drew, John Cox, W. C. Steele ; Steward, David 
Drew. Previous to 1 872 there was no regular pastor ; 
the church was supplied by local preachers. The 
first pastor was Rev. McReed, who was stationed at 
Bloomingdale and preached every alternate Sunday. 
He came in 1872. Rev. J. W. Cole in 1874, Rev. James 
Robinson, 1877, the present pastor. The present board 
of trustees are Cornelius Degraw, Frederick Jacobus, 
Calvin McCoy, Albert Doremus, Henry Miller, and 
John Everett; Steward, Henry C. Miller. 

Methodist services were first held in private houses 



574 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



for a number of years, and in 1854 Mr. Wrighnour 

gave a plot of ground for the erection of a Methodist 
Episcopal Church, and work was at once commenced, 
and the cliurch soon erected, which is of wood, twenty- 
two by thirty-four feet in size, and cost one tliousand 
dollars. This church is located at Stonetown, on the 
road leading from Midvule to Monksville, and in 
April, 1881, tiie cliurch Wiu? rebuilt, and dedicated 
Jan. 22, 18S2, by Rev. U. H. Lowry, of lloboken. Tlic 
present membership is twenty-two. The stewards are 
William Colfax and Silas Rhinesmith. The trustees 
are Peter Wrighnour, William Colfax, Smith Patter- 
son, Silas Rhinesmith, and John Dutfey. This church 
is also under the charge of tlic Uloomiiigdiilc and 
Midvale Circuit, and is supi)liod by tlie Blooniiiigdale 
charge. Present pastor is James Robinson. 

Previous to 1838 Baptist services were held at 
Blooraingdale in an old school-house, and from thence 
to an old woolen-mill until 1843, when the congrega- 
tion grew and the erection of a church was found nec- 
essary, and a lot was jiurchascd at a cost of three hun- 
dred dollars, and a church edifice was erected, which 
was of wood, at a cost of one thousand dollars, the size 
being thirty by fifty feet, and services were held in 
the church until 18G1, when the old church wiis found 
too small to accommodate the congregation, and it 
was enlarged and renovated in 18G1. The first pastor 
to hold services in the old church was Rev. J. B. Case 
in 1843, and was succeeded by Revs. Lewis Steil, Mr. 
Halley, Mr. Brinkerhoof, Mr. Morris, J. M. Carpenter, 
J. L. Benedict, and J. G. Kntrekins. 

The church has been supplied since 1881, there 
being no regular pastor. The church was rc<lcdic:ited 
in 18C2. Value of cliurch property, sixteen hundred 
dollars; present membership, sixty. The present 
deacons are Jacob Tintle, Andrew Ilenion, with R. 
F. Tintle, treasurer, and K. K. Ball, secretary and 
clerk. 

Rev. Conrad Vreeland w;is the first to hold Baptist 
service in Stonetown, and in 1880 he organized a 
church with a few members, as follows : Jacob Monks 
and family, Silas Pellinpton and family, John Car- 
rigan and family. Mr. Silas I'cllington gave a lot for 
the erection of a church, and in 1881 a cliurdi edifice 
was erected by Rev. Conrad Vreeland, an<l in June, 
1881, the church was completed, and dedicated by Rev. 
J. H. Burlinghani, assisted by Rev. C. Vreeland. The 
church is built of wood, with slate roof, at a cost of 
seven liuiidrc'cl dnllurs, size being thirty l)y fifty feet. 
I'rcsctil niciiib('rslii|i about forty. 

Industries. — The most extensive industries in this 
township arc the mining and smelting of iron ore by 
Cooper & Hewitt. The distinguished Peter Cooper, 
of New York City, and his no less distinguished son- 
in-law, Abram S. Hewitt, at present member of Con- 
gress from New York City, compose this firm. The 
firm owns large tracts of land in the northern part of 
the township, at Ringwood and vicinity, and has ex- 
pended at least one million of dollars in purchases 



and improvements in the vicinity. The ore from 
these mines is sent chiefly to the smelting-works of 
this firm in Pennsylvania. 

Martin J. Ryerson has also a considerable interest 
in iron-mines at Bloomingdale and vicinity. Mr. 
Ludlum, at Pompton, is extensively engaged in mak- 
ing steel, and in the manufacture of railroad materials 
at Pompton Furnace. 

Comparative View. — .V comparative view of the 
jiniyrtss of this township will be suggested by the 
general condition of Pompton forty years ago with its 
condition to-day. In 1840 it had 8 forges, 1 furnace, 
3 grist-mills, 6 saw-mills, 5 schools, 186 scholars, and 
a population of 1437. Ryerson's, on the Pequannock 
River, the jtresent Bloomingdale and Pomjiton, had 2 
stores, 3 grist-mills, and one Reformed Dutch Church, 
one academy, already mentioned, and twenty dwell- 
ings considerably scattered. Ringwood, Boardville, 
and Wanaque, on the Ringwood River, also had 
forges. The township has now over two thousand in- 
habitants and nearly nine hundred scliool children, 
and an assessable property valuation of nearly one 
million of dollars. Pompton, owing to the mineral 
wealth locked up in its mountains, may yet become 
proi)ortionately one of tlie richest townships in Pa.s- 
saic County. It attracted the attention of the Old 
World in the richness of its iron-mines before the 
Revolution ; it furnished many men-of-war under 
the command of Cen. Krskine, during that great con- 
test for our independence, and its mines of wealth 
have drawn thither the energy, the means, and the 
enterprise of great capitalists ever since. Its moun- 
tains and its mines, its valleys and its plains, and, 
above all, its energetic and enterprising people will 
always form an interesting part in this great fabric of 
these .\niorioan States. 

Rev. John N. Jansen. — Thomas Janscn, the grand- 
father of the subject of this biographical sketch, was 
a resident of Marblctown, Ulster Co., N. Y., during 
his lifetime. He was married to Annetje Dubois, to 
whom were born four chiklrcn, — Henry T., Dr. John 
T., Garret Dubois, and Margaret (Mrs. Nathaniel Le 
Fevre). 

The birth of his son, Henry T., occurred at Mar- 
blctown, where his boyhood was spent, and where 
later he settled upon the family estate. He followed 
the pursuits of an agriculturist ; was a man of thought- 
ful habits of mind, and of superior attainments, hav- 
ing been particularly skillful jis a surveyor. lU- was 
an active worker in the church, aii<l foremost in ad- 
vancing the interests of Christianity. Mr. Janscn 
was united in marriage to Miss Lenah, daughter of 
Peter Klmondorf, of Kingston. Their nine children 
were Margaret Dubois, Ellen Dewitt, Thomas Henry, 
Peter Kdmiind, Jane Magdalene, John Nathiinicl, 
Andrew Klmondorf, Clarissa Marria, and Kmlicl De- 
witt, who died in early childhood. Of this niimlicr 
six are still living. The death of Mr. Jansen occurred 
in May, 1867. 



;i 



1 S'r wT' , " ^■' 'r '''"•" ""' ^^'■^'•'"etown, March 
1, 182/, where h,s early years were spent, firs in at 
t ndance at the public school of the distri t and lato 
i S.S? Y^'- ^^'"•^•" ^- -'ended tl^lc^lLl 
, lllt^ZrcT'"'^- "'^enteredthesophon.ore 

1 e og,eaI seminary at New Brunswick in Ltob 
of the same year, and finished his studies in 851 

<laS.r."fT'w ,i"v t '!• v' *" •'- """'""•"■'■ 
Tl, , ,''^^- ^ 'I'', oi^ew Brunswick- V T 

They have had children,-Elenor Vail, bo n De!' 2 
i<5oo, who died March 7S iS7c i^r ' 

whose birth occurred Ma'' 26 Lr T ""''''' 
Oct. 1, 1863 ^ '^' ^®^^' ^n^l lier death 

many noble ntitt n'' °''"'"' endowments and 

i-er death to be In^L^lylXd" ''''''' ^"^ ""^^^ 
ScSfti^i^f -T^*^^ P'°^-^'- °^ ''^e 

Schuyler, who Lgratd'C?^ ff'' ^'^'"^"'^ 
in 1650, and settled'!, HbanT N ' Y h ""' ''°""''' 
Margritta Slechtenhorst To t'bV; "' ^'"^ "'''"''^'^ 
ten children amnno- ' "^^ *'•' "''"'"ge were born 

occurred i;:![z;'j;;:"7e;,^^^";' t-^ '^^^'^ 

fi-t pioneer of the £ t^New JeTsevI" ^"'^ ^'"^ 
tied at Pompton in 1M7 , ^' '"'''"" *et- 

badoes in mo K f ' ""''^ ■"""'"^■'^'^ '° ^ew Bar- 

^•i'ildren, among whom wi Ph ifn . ! '^ "^'^' 

«n<l married to RrT ''f..^'" 'P' ^om about 1688, 

'"i'd- :;:s Aitb^n rim^^^T"? "^'^'^ 

I'l'on land no,,- , , ' ' ^'^' ^^bo located 

t of this b "'^^T:"', ^-^'">e daughters of the sub- 

■■' deln \tTt"- > t'^''- ^" ''- direct line 

March 5 m'.t ^"^T- ^'^'°^^ ''i'tb occurred 
Kli-beth,Aar;nlTr''"V''"'"'^ ""^^^ ^elen, 
■Schuyler ;cc; red Sept 6 ^8 f' Vl '^^"' '"" ^'^^• 
March 16, 18^1 The! ' n ' ''"'' ''''"' °^ *"^ ^''e 
30 1795 '„:t' '°" Cornelius was born April 

'>a; Se^Tn tostririrr ;- ^°"''''°°' ^^-^^i^ 

-buyler-s first': cu'Iyf ft' H ^ ^^°\^ ^^^"* 

vi>3 spent in the onC ^^'^ '"' ^^o'e "^ 

the qu,et pursuits of a country gentle- 



POMPTON. 



M» A„„. £;2«,": ~„":h1 "pr^-cr 

.l.o.e b«|, „eeu,r.d Oct. 4, ,798. TI,."ThiM™' 




^07^J^.eyUu4 




Srrss:t:;^i;------^.of 

Harriet. The grandsons are Corneli I S c '' ''' 
and WiUiam Henry, sons of Mrs '"or'is Z' 
Schuyler's death occurred May 1 1S7S , . 
Mr. Schuyler Sept. 14 ISfiO ^He f ' "^ "'"' °'' 
lifetime a character for 'tl '''' '^"""^ bis 

and in all th?:etti':i:':;;r r^tSi^-er"^^''-^' 

and honorable gentleman. He was brraT" r'' 
sympathies and generous in VZ , '" '"' 

and oppressed evprfi , "np»l«es, the poor 

and frie^r H Ir ; Sf,-::, '■'"' '^"'"'"^^ "'iper 
^espouse theprinSeSSl^I^SS^^I^lIJ;;"' 
which were in harmony with his views In Ir ^' 
be supported the Beformed (Dutlh Churc), m"" 
l^n^yler and her daughters, ir^^i^,;^:^-^^ 

Du cTiS Tt' f''^ ^-"P'- ^eformS 
l,.„.o , '""^eli, in the advancement of which thev 
bave always manifested a deep interest. ^ 



576 



HISTORY OF BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY. 



CHAPTER LXXV. 

WEST MILFORD. 

Physical Features. — This township is located in 
the most nrrth western part of Passaic County, and 
borders on the State line. It is a rough, rugged, 
hilly, and n some parts a mountainous section of 
countrj-. Portions of the township are elevated at 
least one thousand feet above the level of the sea. 
The valley of the Pequaniiock bounds the township 
on the southwest, from Smith's Mills to Stockholm, 
a distance, in a straight line, of about ten miles, 
while the mean length, from the northea-*t to the 
southwest, is about si-^cteen miles, making the terri- 
tory of the township like an unevenly shaped paral- 
lelogram. The valley of the Pequannock from 
Smith's Mills, in the extreme southwestern corner of 
the township, northwestwardly to New Foundland, is 
very narrow, with the hills on both sides shooting up 
abruptly from the river, in most places a massive pile 
of rocks. Here the river makes a most rapid de- 
scent. In some places there is a fall of from fifty to 
seventy-five feet in running only a few rods, affording 
immeimc advantages for water-power. This section 
is rich in limestone and iron-mines of the very richest 
quality. The valley from New Foundland to Stock- 
holm affords a better farming country, though there 
are but few acres of flat land here or in other parts of 
the township. It is nearly all of it an upland, roll- 
ing, or mountainous country. The land is generally 
well watered with i>ure, rapid-running mountain 
stre;ims. Bunker, Cedar, Black's, and Hawk's Ponds 
and Echo and Greenwood Lakes are beautiful bodies 
of water, the ponds and Echo Lake being located 
near the northwestern borders, and Greenwood Lake 
extending several miles from the northeastern border 
of the township into the State of New York, being 
nine miles long by about one mile in width. The 
Wanaque River, running south through Pompton 
township, is the outlet of this lake. The soil in West 
Milforil is well adapted to grass and pasturage. 
Sheep and cattle thrive on the hills, and produce the 
beat samples of their kind. Here hard and patient 
toil will always secure to the farmer all the comforts 
of life. The township is almost wholly devoted to 
agricultural pursuits, with small farms averaging 
from eovcnty-five to one hundred acres each. 

Early Settlements.— Early settlers came into this 
sectifiM lung before the Revolution from Germany and 
other European countries, having been first called here 
on account of the extensive iron-mines, sf)me of which 
had been worked early in the eighteenth century. 

The .Strubels, Schulsters, Vrcelnnds, and the Ka- 
nousc families were early settlers within the present 
territory of this township. .lohn George Kanouse, 
the ancestor of this family, came from Holland about 
the year 1720, paying for his passage thither by sell- 
ing his time and labor for about two years after his 



arrival. He afterwards owned a thirty-acre tract near 
the present residence of John P. Brown, in Nut 
Foundland. His son, Jacob Kanouse, was born in 
1762, and his daughter Elizabeth, now living, is the 
mother of John P. Brown, the proprietor of the 
famous hotel or tavern at New Foundland. 

Peter P. Brown, father, and John P. Brown, his son, 
have kept a hotel here, just on the edge of West Mil- 
ford township, for more than sixty -five years. Half 
a century ago this tavern was known far and near. 
Travelers from two and three hundred miles away, 
then remote parts of the country, from Pennsylvania 
and the southern range of counties in the State of 
New York, making their long journeys in private 
conveyances, before the advent of railroads, journeyed 
long and late to reach this favorite stopping-place. 
Hunters and pleasure-seekers resorted thither, and 
many are the stories of the good cheer with " mine 
host"' in the olden time. 

Civil History. — West Milford is the offspring of 
Pompton township. Its people will therefore learn 
through what municipal changes the territory of their 
township had passed prior to its separate organization 
by reading the history of New Barbadoes, S.iddle 
River, Franklin, and Pompton townships in this vol- 
ume. West Milford was organized in 1834 by the 
following act: 

" .\N ACT to filnltUh a neic townthip tn (Ae county of Btrffen^poMfd Feb- 
nuir) 23, lSt4. 
"SllcTlos I. Be it macled hy Uie Council and General Attemblff of ijti» 
ifiate, aud it i* Uerrht/ enttcttil by tUe anthoTilg of the tame, ^TIiAt nil tliat pur! 
or tlitf tuwiislilp of Pompton. in the coiint>- of Bergvii, wliicb lli-* williiii 
the huuuijjiries and ilrscrliilions fuUoHing, to wit: i>c^lnhiiig »t tlie 
Iriilge cruuing tlie Pequanuc Itiver, on tlie Ptilcrsou «ud llnmhurg 
tarnpllce n>.n(l, h ffw riHls east of Cook*« Hill, so called, and ou the Mor- 
ris Oiunty line ; thence a dirert couiae northerljr and easterly to mouth 
of a ntad a few nitla e:t8t of the boose latcl/ occupied by Itichard G. Rjr- 
er^on, nintiiiiK ^nth Mai<l road a northerly coum* to tlir Nt-w Y<-ik Stat« 
line ; Iheiicc westwanlly as fur as ui tlie Snasex line ; and thence ninnlns 
Ekiiithnardl)' along said line an fur as the Moriis Coniitj line; Ihenc* 
east^ardly along said Murris County line until it readies the btidga 
Udow Cook's nill, being the |dtice of tieginning, shall It and the same 
is hereby set olT from tlie township afotvsaid aud estaldished a sepantle 
Itiwnship, to ba called and known by the name of tlio township of West 
Milford." 

The act in the next section provides for the first 
town-meeting to be held at the inn of Peter Dera- 
arest, at New Foundland, in said township. West 
Milford, therefore, commenced its career in the coun'v 
of Bergen ; but three years afterwards, on the ^'h of 
February, 1837, it became part of Passaic t'ounty. 
First it was part of Essex from 16.S2 to irfi!*, then of 
Bergen from 1709 to 1837, and lastly of Passaic from 
1837. Its first chosen freeholders were James L. 
Dickerson and Isaac P. Cooley, for the year 1834, and 
were followed by William Spripg and Jeremiah Wil- 
liams for 18.35, and by Williams and Jetur R. Riggs 
for 1836, when the township passed into Passaic 
County, and the names of the succeeding freeholder-' 
are as follows : 

1837-38, ll'.rac* i.aroe; 1S.C-.1S, Peter S. Demaresl; 1S.19. Henry M. 
Brown; 1840, Joseph J. FllageralH; 1839. 1S41:-1C, Jetur R. Ki|!K». 
ISHO, Garret W. Van Wen ; 1841, Jidin Vnu Hiusen ; 1847, Peter B. 



WEST MILFORD. 



5Ti 



\ 



Brown; 1843, Jercmfiih Williams; 18C8-G0, Kichard H. Colfax; 
18M-51. 180V-58, 18C2-GC, BcnjnmiQ Coolcy; 1841-42, 1S4S-46, Isaac 
P. Coolfv; 1S44, Cliilioll F. DeCimp; 1840-50, Edward Do Camp; 
lSn5, P. Decker; 1850-57, 1859-01. 18C8-70, 1875-77, Tlioma3 B. 
Vroeland; 1847-49, Samuel D. Mead; 1800-07, Chilion Laroe; 
185C, 1858-01,. lolm .1. Laroe; 1851-,55, Stephen Terhuno; 187:i-74, 
Oscar F. Sniitli; 1852-54, Peter Eutan ; 1803-04, 1871-72, William 
Wickhani ; 1605, Jacob C. McConnell ; 1807, Samuel Gregory ; 1802, 
William Eckliart. 

Historic Places and Events.— There are no lo- 
calities of special liistorical intere.st in this township; 
but this section was famous for the patriotic fervor of 
its people during the Revolution. Robert Erskine, in 
1776. organized one of the first companies of the New 
Jersey militia from some of the hardy mountaineers 
of this section. 

Villages and Hamlets.— There are no large vil- 
lages in the township. Charlotteburg, New Found- 
land, Stockholm, and AVest Milford are small ham- 
lets, not averaging three hundred inhabitants each ; 
but the West Milford Valley from New Foundland 
to Greenwood Lake is thickly settled, and so are 
many other sections in the vicinity of Echo I^.ake, and 
to the northwest of it in going to West Milford and 
west of Greenwood Lake, near the border of the 
township. 

Schools.— West Milford in 1881 had 908 school 
children, showing a falling off from the previous year 
of 10 children. Its school property is valued at $6500. 
The schools, especially at New Foundland and at 
West Milford Village, arc "oil attended, and great 
interest is felt in these primary schools, which in this 
section constitute almost the only source of education 
for the young. 

Churches, — One of the oldest if not the oldest 
church in the township is the church established by 
the Catholics in the vicinity of Echo Lake. Many of 
the people in this locality are descended from Ger- 
man Catholics and other European settlers, who came 
here early in the eighteenth century, as we have 
already stated. This church was established soon 
after the Revolution. It has had no stilted pastor 
for years, but priests from other congregations have 
faithfully ministered to this church since its organi- 
zation. There is also a Baptist Church in this vi- 
cinity, built about five years ago. 

A Presbyterian Church h.is long been established 
at the village of West Milford. Rev. Mr. Tuttle was 
an eaily pastor, and was succeeded by Rev. Joseph 
Jloore, who was followed by Rev. Mr. Godwin, who 
was the pastor for more than twelve years, and was 
succeeded by Kev. Mr. Osier, the present pastor. 
This church is in a prosperous condition. 

There has been a M?thodist Church there for many 
years, and their new edifice was built about two years 
since. There is also a Presbyterian Church at New 
Foundland. Its first pastor, more than seventy years 
ago, was Rev. Edward Allen. He was ordained 
Capt. Martin Brown's barn in the vicinity. He 
succeeded by Rev. Edward Osborne, nearly 
' years ago. Rev. George Kanouse, a descend- 



ant of the early settler of that name, already men- 
tioned in this history, became the next pastor, and 
left about forty years since. He was a most able and 
faithful preacher. Mr. Osborne again returned for a 
short time, and was followed by Rev. Mr. Wadsworth 
about thirty years ago. He was pastor for about 
twenty years, and was followed by Rev. Mr. Layton 
for a short time, and was succeeded by Rev. R. R. 
Thompson, the present pastor. Nearly all of the re- 
ligious denominations mentioned herein hold services 
in different parts of the township as occasion may re- 
quire. Many Sabbath-schools are connected with 
these several churches, and the children in these 
mountain homes are brought up to reverence and 
honor the institutions of Christianity. 

Industries, — The industries in this township are 
mostly agricultural. The ruins of many old iron- 
forges are to be found along the Pequannock and in 
other parts of the township, which were in active op- 
eration before and since the Revolution ; but except- 
ing a few grist-mills and the iron-works at Charlotte- 
burg, manual labor here is almost entirely confined 
to fiirming pursuit.s. 

The New York, Susquehanna and Western Rail- 
road runs in and out of the township three times in 
passing up the Pequannock Valley, its longest running 
distance in the township being from a point a little 
above New Foundland to a point nearly in the north- 
western corner of the township. The Mont Clair 
and Greenwood Lake Railway also enters the town- 
ship in passing up the Winokie Valley, in the extreme 
southeastern part of the township, terminating at 
Greenwood Lake. 

The railroad facilities within the last ten years 
have afforded the farming community great advan- 
tages in shipping their products to a ready market. 
Remoteness from any market before the ingress of 
railroads embarrassed and at times greatly discour- 
aged the farmers of West Milford. Immense quan- 
tities of milk are now shipped daily by rail to New 
York City. 

A comparative view of this township during the 
last forty years, covering nearly the period of its 
existence, shows that in 1840 it had 10 forges, 2 tan- 
neries, 2 grist-mills, 5 saw-mills, 11 schools, 408 schol- 
ars, and a population of 2108, and to-day it has as 
many forges, but not any of them in active, continu- 
ous operation, and as many other mills, as many 
schools, but, with a more accurate census probably, 
it now has 90S school children, but with a population 
to-day not much exceeding 2500. The area of the 
township in acres is 41,369, at a valuation of $556,371. 
The area was the same forty years ago, but the valua- 
tion then would not exceed $200,000. It is a rural 
township, but it feeds cities, not only with food, but 
with hardy men and women, for whom the exhausting 
toil of cities creates a constant demand. West Mil- 
ford does not confine its progress within itself, but 
extends it abroad all over the county. 



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